Widow's Benefits

Benefits For Disabled Widows Or Widowers

Upon your death, benefits may be payable to your widow/widower with a disability, assuming that the following conditions are met:

  • The widow/widower is between 50 and 60 years old.
  • S/he meets the definition of disability for adults.
  • The disability started before your death or within seven years after your death. NOTE: If your widow/widower is caring for your children and receives Social Security benefits, s/he is eligible for benefits if her/his disability starts before those payments end or within seven years after they end.

Disability is defined the same for widows/widowers as it is for workers.

Benefits For Disabled Children

Until the age of 18, children receive benefits as dependents whether or not they have a disability. These benefits normally stop at age 18, unless the child is disabled or a full-time student in an elementary or high school (benefits can continue until age 19).

In order for a dependent child with a disability to receive benefits after the age of 18, the following rules apply:

  • The disabling impairment started before age 22
  • S/he must meet the definition of disability for adults. NOTE: An individual may become eligible for a disabled child's benefit from Social Security later in life. For example, a worker may start collecting Social Security retirement benefits at age 62. If the worker has, say, a 38-year old son who has had cerebral palsy since birth, the son will start collecting a disabled "child's" benefit on his father's Social Security record.

If you or someone you know has been improperly denied Social Security disability benefits, contact us immediately by using our free online consultation form and a Social Security specialist will review the facts of your claim. There is no charge or obligation for this service. Once we have received your information, a member of our staff will contact you concerning your claim.