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Social Security
Benefits... Page 2
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As a widow, you also may be eligible for Medicare. You will be eligible for Medicare at 65
if your husband would have been entitled to monthly benefits or had worked long enough
under Social Security before his death. You should apply for Medicare about three months
before you are 65.
If you remarry, you will continue to receive benefits on your deceased husband's or
deceased ex-husband's Social Security record. However, if your current husband is a Social
Security beneficiary, you may want to apply for a wife's benefit on his record if it would
be larger than your widow's benefit.
If you are a widow with children, you may be eligible for a widow's benefit at any age
when you are caring for a child who is under 16 or disabled and entitled to benefits.
Unmarried children may receive survivors benefits on your husband's record until they are
age 18, or until age 19 if they are attending elementary or secondary school full time.
Your benefits will stop when you no longer have a child under 16 or disabled in your care.
Usually, your benefits also will stop if you remarry, but there are some exceptions to
this rule (see above). Benefits to your children will continue as long as they remain
eligible for payments, even if you remarry.
If you are 50 or older and getting Social Security benefits because you have young
children in your care, you are eligible for Medicare if you become disabled. Even though
you haven't applied for benefits based on the disability (because you are already
receiving benefits as a mother), you may be eligible for Medicare if you have been
disabled for 24 months or longer.
"What every Woman Should
Know", published by the Social Security Administration. For more information
about Social Security and other topics call 1-800-772-1213 or visit them online.
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