Social Security benefits for widows and widowers are benefits paid to the surviving spouse of a deceased worker who had worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes. These benefits are also known as survivor benefits.

A widow/widower may be eligible for Social Security benefits if their deceased spouse had worked and paid into the Social Security system for a certain number of years. The surviving spouse must also meet certain age and other requirements.

A widow/widower may be eligible for Social Security benefits as early as age 60, or as early as age 50 if they are disabled. However, the amount of benefits received may be reduced if the surviving spouse begins receiving benefits before their full retirement age.

The amount of Social Security benefits a widow/widower can receive depends on several factors, including the deceased spouse’s earnings history and the age at which the surviving spouse begins receiving benefits. Generally, a widow/widower can receive up to 100% of their deceased spouse’s Social Security benefit amount.

A widow/widower can still receive Social Security benefits if they remarry, but certain conditions must be met. If they remarry after age 60 (or age 50 if disabled), they can continue to receive survivor benefits based on their deceased spouse’s earnings record. However, if they remarry before age 60 (or age 50 if disabled), they generally cannot receive survivor benefits from their deceased spouse’s earnings record while married.