R and W were married in 1923 and divorced in 1938. They remarried in 1941 and were together for six years before getting divorced in 1947.

R died in 1953. In September 1965, at age 60, W applied for divorced widow’s benefits based on R’s earnings record.

However, she did not qualify because neither of her marriages to R lasted twenty years, nor was she married to R in each of the twenty calendar years preceding her second divorce.

See Social Security Ruling (SSR) 67-55

This material should not be construed as legal advice for any particular fact situation, but is intended for general informational purposes only. For advice specific to any individual situation, an experienced attorney should be contacted