Q: See additional details
Ok this is a tricky one "maybe". My Dad divorced my Mom in 1973 in Santo Domingo after 13 yrs of marriage. My Mom was not present at the divorce proceeding or knew of it taking place so she does not have a divorce certificate. He never wanted to give her a copy. We know he did have some sort of document as he was able to get married in 1973 a month after he claimed to have divorced my MOM in Puerto Rico. Now my Dad has passed away and my MOM, since she never remarried and is his his first wife of 4 wives, can claim 50% of his SSI benefits. My Mom is 72 yrs old. She filed for her share but SSI is telling her that without her divorce decree she cannot claim her share. Yet his last wife can claim her benefits. My Mom has tried to locate the divorce decree with no avail and we have found nothing. WHat options does she have at this time so that she does not loose her entitled chance of getting her benefit?
A: It should be available from the clerk in PR. It is a public record, if there is one. If there is not a divorce decree or final judgment, or whatever it might be called, then they could still be married. My gut feeling is that there was no divorce and if that is the case, she would be the only one entitled to anything. Have her contact the clerk of court in Santo Domingo.
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