Can I collect Social Security as a divorced spouse if my ex-spouse remarries?

En español | Yes. When it comes to ex-spouse benefits, Social Security doesn’t care about the marital status of your former spouse; it only cares about your marital status. 

Ex-spousal benefits are earned by being a partner in a marital unit for at least 10 years. Your status as a partner in that unit stands, whether or not your ex-husband or ex-wife marries again. However, if you remarry and become part of a new marital unit, your eligibility for benefits based on the previous unit ends.

Keep in mind

• There is a narrow exception to the remarriage rule. You can continue to collect benefits on a living ex-spouse’s record if your new husband or wife is drawing certain types of Social Security — specifically, survivor benefits, divorced-spouse benefits or childhood disability benefits. 

Reviewed February 4, 2020

Also of Interest

• Can I get an estimate of the Social Security I can collect on my ex-spouse's record?
• Can I collect Social Security as a divorced spouse and wait to claim my own retierment benefit?