Widow's/ER's Disability
To be eligible, you must be between 50 and 59 years old (at age 60 you are automatically eligible for regular widow/er’s benefits even if not disabled), and your spouse must have passed away within the past 7 years. Your marriage must have been legal in the state where you were married (some states like Florida do not recognize common-law marriages). You cannot now be married to someone else.
Your monthly benefits amount is based on your spouse's work record. You are not entitled to receive your first benefit until the 6th month after you are found to have become disabled. But, you may be paid past owed benefits up to one year prior to the date of your application.
And, if you have also filed a disability based on you own work record, you will get only the benefit that is higher—you don’t get both.
Medicare
This is health insurance through the Social Security, for DI, WIDOW/ER'S or CHILDREN'S DISABILITY benefits recipients. But it does not become available until 2 years from the month you became eligible to begin receiving benefits. |
