| Social Security benefits provide an income for | | | | the two-year waiting period doesn't apply. |
| retired or disabled people and their dependents. If | | | | Receiving Social Security Benefits of a Deceased |
| a spouse dies, the surviving dependent spouse is | | | | Ex-Spouse |
| generally entitled to the benefits. | | | | When an ex-spouse is deceased, the |
| In some cases, a former spouse may still collect | | | | ex-dependent spouse may be able to collect |
| some Social Security benefits of an ex-spouse. | | | | Social Security benefits at 60 years old, and 50 |
| Generally, retirement accounts are part of the | | | | years old if disabled. The ex-dependent spouse |
| marital settlement discussion, but Social Security | | | | may be entitled to receive 100 percent of the |
| usually isn't. | | | | amount if the deceased was fully insured at the |
| Upon reaching full retirement age, a divorced | | | | time of death. |
| spouse may receive up to half of their | | | | In some cases, an ex-spouse may be eligible to |
| ex-spouse's Social Security benefit amount. In | | | | receive the benefits, even if the marriage was |
| order to be eligible the marriage must have lasted | | | | shorter than 10 years. Exceptions are sometimes |
| for 10 or more years, the dependent spouse | | | | made if the divorced dependent ex-spouse is |
| must not have remarried and must not be | | | | caring for a child of the deceased who is under 16 |
| entitled to their own benefits that exceed half of | | | | years of age or disabled. To qualify to receive the |
| the former spouse's full benefit amount. | | | | benefits, the ex-dependent spouse must not have |
| To collect an ex-spouse's benefits, the ex-spouse | | | | remarried and not be entitled to the same or |
| must be eligible to receive their own benefits. If all | | | | higher amount of benefits of their own. The will |
| requirements are met, the ex-dependent spouse | | | | be eligible as long as the child is under 16 or |
| may apply for the benefits, even if the spouse is | | | | disabled. |
| deceased or has not yet applied. | | | | There is no limit on how many ex-dependent |
| If the ex-spouse is not already receiving their | | | | spouses may receive Social Security benefits |
| own Social Security benefits, they are required to | | | | from a deceased ex-spouse. The rate is not |
| wait two years after the divorce is final to apply | | | | reduced according to the number of |
| for the spouse's. If they are receiving their own, | | | | ex-dependent spouses who collect benefits. |