9147 / Can a surviving spouse continue to receive survivor benefits if he or she remarries?

If the surviving spouse remarries before reaching age 60, he or she will no longer be entitled to Social Security survivor benefits based on the prior spouse’s record unless the subsequent marriage ends. Remarriage that occurs at age 60 or later does not impact the survivor benefit rules.

Further, an ex-spouse who was married to the deceased spouse for at least 10 years is entitled to survivor benefits based on his or her former spouse’s earnings record even if the deceased spouse had remarried.