I was married to my husband for 3 months before he died. I was 59 and he was 73. He was a retired railroad worker and because we were married 9 months I am not eligible for any of his pension nor am I eligible for social security. what can I do?

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

You could file a claim for widow's benefits in order to receive a formal determination with appeal rights. I'm not an expert on Railroad Retirement Benefits, but there are exceptions to the 9 month duration of marriage requirement (https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0301601130). I have no idea whether you would meet any of the exceptions, however.

Best, Jerry