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SSA logo: link to Social Security Online home 310. If there are several conflicting marriages, which one is valid?

Your last (most recent) of several conflicting marriages is the one most States presume to be valid. This is provided there is no evidence that your marriage is not valid. This does not mean that evidence of your most recent marriage is enough to establish the end of your last marriage(s). You must make reasonable efforts to provide enough information which would enable the Social Security Administration to provide assistance in obtaining evidence concerning the continuation or dissolution of a former marriage(s). Such evidence will permit a determination to be made on the facts. If all the information and evidence supplied still leaves doubt as to whether your last marriage(s) ended, then your most recent marriage will be presumed the valid one.

Last Revised: Aug. 1, 2006

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Last reviewed or modified Monday Jan 14, 2008

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