Feb
02
2013
By daneka14
My mother has been receiving disability benefits since 2003, she is presently 57 years old. My father died in 2007. Is she entitled to any additional benefits from his money.
Survivor benefits in combination with disability
Women who are disabled may qualify for survivor benefits on their husband's record as early as age 50.
If you're due two benefits, you get the one that pays the higher rate, not both.
Most women are potentially due two benefits: your own retirement or disability benefit and wife's benefit on your husband's record. But you only get the one that pays the higher rate, not both.
A wife is due between one-third and one-half of her husband's Social Security. Most working women who reach retirement age get their own Social Security benefit because it's more than one-third to one-half of the husband's rate. But if your husband dies before you, you can apply for the higher widow's rate.
http://www.ssa.gov/survivorplan/ifyou2.htm
http://www.ssa.gov/sf/FactSheets/WomenandSSrev1.pdf