I work for a benefits counseling organization and see cases like yours frequently. Here's what you need to know definitively: 1) **Second husband survivor benefits**: No, you cannot receive survivor benefits from your second ex-husband because you were divorced when he died. The one-week timing doesn't create an exception - the law requires you to be married at time of death. 2) **First husband benefits**: You ARE eligible for divorced spouse benefits from your 28-year marriage starting at age 62 (reduced) or full retirement age (100% of benefit). This could potentially be higher than your current $1,875 SSDI. 3) **Key decision point**: At age 62, you can compare your SSDI with potential divorced spouse benefits and receive whichever is higher. At full retirement age, your SSDI automatically converts to retirement benefits at the same amount. **My strong recommendation**: Before making any remarriage decisions, get your benefit estimates from SSA. Use form SSA-7004 to request a statement showing your ex-husband's benefit amount. If his divorced spouse benefit would be significantly higher than your $1,875, remaining unmarried until you can claim it might be financially advantageous. The financial impact of this decision could be substantial over your lifetime, so definitely get those concrete numbers first!

I'm in a somewhat similar situation and wanted to share what I learned from my SSA appointment last month. Like you, I'm on SSDI and was considering remarriage but needed to understand the financial implications first. The key thing that helped me was getting actual dollar amounts rather than just general rules. When I met with SSA, they were able to pull up my ex-spouse's earnings record and show me exactly what my divorced spouse benefit would be at different ages (62 with reduction vs. full retirement age). In my case, it turned out my SSDI was actually higher than what I'd get from my ex-spouse, so remarriage wouldn't cost me anything financially. One tip: when you call or visit SSA, ask them to run the numbers for both scenarios - your current SSDI converting to retirement benefits vs. potential divorced spouse benefits from your first husband. They can usually do this calculation on the spot if they have both records available. Also, don't forget that if you do decide to remarry later and that marriage ends, you could still potentially claim on your first husband's record at that point since those rights don't disappear permanently. Good luck with getting your answers - I know how stressful this kind of uncertainty can be when you're trying to plan your future!

So glad to hear you got the correct information on your second call! This is exactly why we always recommend calling back if something doesn't sound right. The $600/month difference you mentioned is huge - that's over $7,200 more per year for the rest of your life. For anyone else reading this thread, this is a perfect example of why it's worth being persistent with SSA. Don't be afraid to call multiple times if you're getting conflicting information, especially on something as important as survivor benefits. The rules are complex and not all representatives are equally knowledgeable about every aspect. Thanks for updating us with your success story - it will definitely help other people in similar situations!

This is such a valuable thread for anyone dealing with survivor benefits! I'm a newcomer here but wanted to share that I had a similar experience last month. The first SSA rep I spoke with gave me completely wrong information about my survivor FRA (said it was 67 when it's actually 66 and 8 months for my birth year). Like others mentioned, calling back made all the difference. The second rep not only gave me the correct FRA but also explained that I could get the month-by-month breakdown showing different benefit amounts. She even walked me through when to apply to avoid any gaps in payments. It's frustrating that there's such inconsistency in the information provided, but this community really helps people navigate these challenges. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it's clear that persistence is key when dealing with SSA!

This is such valuable information everyone is sharing! As someone who's navigating similar questions, I wanted to add that you might also want to check if your husband has any pension or retirement benefits that include survivor benefits. These can sometimes coordinate with Social Security in ways that affect your overall planning. Also, I learned that if you remarry before age 60, you lose eligibility for survivor benefits from your first husband, but if you remarry after 60, you can still claim them. It's another factor to consider in long-term planning. The complexity of all these rules really reinforces what others have said about getting professional advice and verifying information from multiple sources!

I just want to echo what everyone else has said about getting multiple opinions from SSA - I had a similar experience to @Evelyn Xu where the first agent I spoke with gave me completely incorrect information about my disability benefits. It took three different calls to three different agents before I got consistent, accurate answers. Now I always ask for reference numbers or documentation in writing when possible. Also, one thing I learned that might be helpful for your planning: if your husband is still working and earning credits, his benefit amount could still be increasing, which would also increase your potential survivor benefit. The SSA recalculates benefits annually if someone continues working past their FRA. So your planning numbers might actually improve over time if he's still in the workforce!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Zoe. This is exactly the kind of situation where SSA's complexity really shows - you're dealing with grief while trying to navigate rules that even their own representatives sometimes get wrong. From reading through all the excellent advice here, it sounds like you have a solid plan forming. The RIB-LIM rule could potentially get you that higher survivor benefit amount (around $2,021 as Steven calculated), and the restricted application strategy could be perfect for your situation since you haven't claimed your own benefits yet. One thing I'd add to the great suggestions already given: when you go to the SSA office, consider asking them to provide you with a written breakdown of your options and the calculations they're using. Sometimes having it in writing helps catch errors and gives you something to reference later if you need to follow up. Also, don't feel pressured to make a decision immediately if the information feels overwhelming during your appointment. You can always ask for time to review your options, especially for something this important to your long-term financial security. The fact that you're asking these detailed questions and doing your research shows you're going to navigate this successfully. This community will be here to help interpret whatever information SSA gives you!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Zoe. Dealing with Social Security survivor benefits while grieving is incredibly overwhelming, and you're asking exactly the right questions. From my own experience helping family members navigate this, the RIB-LIM rule that others mentioned is crucial for your situation. Since your husband claimed at 62, you're not stuck with just his reduced $1,750 amount. The calculation typically uses the higher of what he was receiving OR 82.5% of his Primary Insurance Amount (what he would have gotten at full retirement age). Based on your numbers ($2,450 PIA), that 82.5% would be around $2,021 - significantly more than the $1,750 he was actually receiving. Given that you're 65 and haven't claimed your own benefits yet, you have valuable flexibility. The restricted application strategy could work well - take survivor benefits while letting your own retirement benefit grow with delayed credits until age 70. My advice: Go to your local SSA office in person with all your documents and a written list of questions specifically mentioning RIB-LIM calculations and restricted applications. Phone representatives often don't know these specialized rules well. Don't let them rush you into a decision - this choice affects your financial security for life. Document everything, and please update us with what you learn. Your experience could help other widows facing this same confusing system.

I'm fairly new to this community but wanted to share what I learned during my own SSDI process. The CE at the Appeals Council stage is definitely unusual, but from what I've read and experienced, it often means they're seriously reviewing the case rather than just issuing a quick denial. One thing that really helped me was preparing a simple one-page summary before my CE that listed my conditions, medications, and specific daily limitations. I didn't bring it to show the doctor, but having organized my thoughts beforehand helped me give clearer, more consistent answers during the brief exam. Also, if your brother uses any adaptive techniques to get through daily tasks (like sitting on a stool while cooking, using a reacher to pick things up, taking frequent breaks), he should definitely mention these during the exam. These work-arounds actually demonstrate the extent of his limitations rather than showing he's "fine." The waiting and uncertainty is absolutely exhausting, but the fact that multiple specialists have provided detailed RFC forms supporting his claim should carry significant weight. Hoping this CE leads to the breakthrough your brother needs after fighting for so long. This community has been such a valuable resource for navigating this complicated process!

I'm new to this community but wanted to reach out with some encouragement. I went through a very similar situation with my SSDI case about 6 months ago - ALJ denial followed by an unusual CE order from the Appeals Council. I was terrified it meant they were just looking for more reasons to deny me, but it actually turned out to be the turning point in my case. The CE itself was pretty straightforward - about 20 minutes with basic physical tests and questions about daily functioning. What really mattered was being completely honest about my limitations without trying to minimize them out of embarrassment or pride. The doctor documented everything objectively, and that report ended up supporting my case when the AC remanded it back to a different ALJ. One thing I wish I'd known beforehand: take someone with you who can help observe your functioning that day. Sometimes we don't realize how much pain or difficulty we're showing because we've gotten so used to compensating. Having my spouse point out afterward how I was moving helped me understand what the doctor likely observed. The whole process took about 8 months from CE to final approval, but getting that remand was actually a relief - it meant they were taking my case seriously instead of just rubber-stamping the original denial. Your brother's case sounds very strong with all those specialist reports and RFC forms. Hang in there - this could be the breakthrough you've been waiting for after such a long fight.