§ 404.340 How do I become entitled to mother's or father's benefits as a surviving divorced spouse?

You may be entitled to mother's or father's benefits as the surviving divorced wife or the surviving divorced husband on the earnings record of someone who was fully or currently insured when she or he died. You are entitled to these benefits if— (a) You were validly married to the insured under State law as described in § 404.345 or you were deemed to be validly married as described in § 404.346 but the marriage ended in a final divorce and— (1) You are the mother or father of the insured's child; or (2) You were married to the insured when either of you adopted the other's child or when both of you adopted a child and the child was then under 18 years old; (b) You apply for these benefits; or you were entitled to wife's or husband's benefits for the month before the insured died; (c) You are unmarried; (d) You are not entitled to widow's or widower's benefits, or to an old-age benefit that is equal to or larger than the full mother's or father's benefit; and (e) You have in your care the insured's child who is under age 16 or disabled, is your natural or adopted child, and is entitled to child's benefits on the insured person's record. Sections 404.348 and 404.349 describe when a child is in your care.