Can you receive widows benefits at age 60 for a marriage less than nine months?

An individual can receive widows benefits at age 60 for a marriage that lasted less than nine months if she meets certain conditions, advises the Social Security Administration. The most common conditions are if the spouse's death was accidental or if the spouse died in the line of duty.

If the individual was previously married to her spouse for a nine-month period, she can also claim widow's benefits under another exception to the nine-month rule, according to Zacks. An individual can also claim widows benefits if she is the natural or adopted parent of the spouse's children or if the spouse was the adopted parent of the individual's children.