Folks - instead of getting half answers, or answers that only apply to someone else's situation, I recommend you go to the following site and see what it has to say. EVERY situation MAY be different...and for different reasons. The website is the official SS website:
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/
Now - my story. I was married to DH#2 for 16 yrs. He died AFTER he was put on SS disability. According to the rules, if the widow/widower is NOT married when they turn 60, then they can claim 75% of that disabled person's SS (not sure if it's ALL SS, but you get my drift). I DID remarry at 55.....didn't realize what that meant. OH well...it says EVEN if you had gotten married and then divorced you can still get the "widow's benefits". DH#3 and I divorced, got my SS widow's benefits, and then remarried. WHY? Because DH#2 worked 38 yrs and paid into SS the whole time. When he applied for benefits, they denied him.....THREE times! Finally got smart and got an attorney and the attorney was able to get the benefits started...9 months before he died...after he was totally disabled!!!!! He was so angry he said to be sure and get those benefits. I made the mistake of NOT reading up on it before getting remarried. However, it has all worked out. The time and money SS spent in DENYING his claim could have put more $$ on someone else's table. As it is, they had to pay him anyway.