When you remarry, you lose eligibility for spousal benefits on your ex-spouse’s work record. If you’re already collecting them, they’ll cease when you get remarried. You will also lose eligibility for survivor benefits on your deceased ex-spouse’s record if you remarry prior to age sixty. Should the subsequent marriage terminate you would again have potential eligibility.
In some cases, it makes sense to not get remarried. For example, if you’ve never worked and your ex-spouse was a very high earner, your spousal or survivor benefits could be substantial. The spousal or survivor benefits you would be eligible for under your new spouse’s record could be substantially less if you remarry. Of course, the opposite could be true, depending on the financial status of your new spouse. Keep that in mind when making decisions about remarrying, especially if you’ve never worked and paid into Social Security.