To be eligible for benefits as a disabled surviving spouse, you must be divorced from a deceased spouse and meet the following requirements:
- Be at least age 50 but not yet age 60.
- Have been married at least 10 years before the date the divorce became final.
- Meet the disability related requirements.
- Be unmarried, unless the marriage can be disregarded.
- Not entitled to an equal or higher Social Security retirement benefit based on your own work.
Based on the information you entered, you do not qualify based on the disability requirements. If you were not certain about exactly when your disability began, you may want to discuss your situation with one of SSA’s representatives.
To find out more about how Social Security decides if you are disabled, visit SSA’s Publications Page, select "Disability," under "Topics" and review Social Security Publication Number 05-10029.