1. Overview of the Social Security System

If you get married or divorced, your Social Security benefits may be affected, depending on the kind of benefits you receive. Please see this page on disability benefits for more on this.

Yes. If you are a U.S. citizen, you may receive your Social Security payments outside the U.S. as long as you are eligible for them.

See here for details : http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10137.html

If you are younger than full retirement age during all of 2009, Social Security must deduct $1 from your benefits for each $2 you earned above $14,160. It is presumed your full retirement age is 66.

Let us say that you begin receiving Social Security benefits at age 62 in January 2009 and your payment is $600 per month ($7,200 for the year). During the year, you work and earn $20,480 ($6,320 above the $14,160 limit). Social Security would withhold $3,160 of your Social Security benefits ($1 for every $2 you earn over the limit).

See here for details : http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10069.html

The amount of earnings required to earn one credit has increased to $1,090 per calendar quarter for 2009 from $1,050 per calendar quarter for 2008.

This link may be of use : http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/hipaa-cefactsheet.htm

Please seek consultations on this, but indications are that deferred compensation would not be subject to the "earnings test".

From http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10063.html :

If you get Social Security and your total yearly earnings exceed the limit and these earnings include a special payment [e.g., deferred compensation], you should contact Social Security. Tell us you think you received a special payment. If we agree, we will not count the amount of the special payment as part of your total earnings for the year.

From http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/rulings/oasi/43/SSR73-30-oasi-43.html :

Further held, such wages [deferred compensation], since wages, since earned prior to retirement, are not subject to the post-retirement work test and thus may not reduce the worker's retirement insurance benefits.

The following document is a bit dated (2001), but here's what it lists :

Survivor Benefits Required Documentation

• Deceased worker’s social security number;
• Proof of marriage (marriage certificate);
• Death certificate;
• Surviving spouse’s primary proof of age;
• Divorce papers if applicable; and
• Specific information about the bank account where the Social Security Survivor Benefits will be direct deposited to.

http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/ict-fact.htm

Call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 for details.