Can I get Social Security survivor benefits at 47 when husband died at 48? Also questions about benefits for college student with Crohn's

I'm so sorry for your loss. Yes, you CAN receive survivor benefits at your age. They're called "widow's benefits" and are available as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled), BUT there's an exception for widows caring for children under 16 or disabled children. Since your daughter is 18 and in college, that exception probably doesn't apply. However, your DAUGHTER can likely receive survivor benefits until she graduates or turns 19, whichever comes first. The college student benefit extension used to go to age 22, but they changed that rule years ago. Her Crohn's might qualify her for benefits as a disabled adult child if it's documented as beginning before age 22. My advice: GO IN PERSON to your local SSA office with both your IDs, his death certificate, and your marriage certificate. The website appointment system is broken half the time, but if you show up first thing in the morning, they'll usually see you.

Sorry about ur husband. Dose ur daughter get any finacial aid for college? When my brother died his son got survivors benifits during college BUT that was like 15 years ago so rules probly changed. Mite be worth chekcing if her Crowns is bad enough for disability too. SS has this thing called compassionate allowance for really bad condishions.

I hate to contradict some of what's been said, but there are some important corrections needed here. 1. You CANNOT receive widow's benefits before age 60 unless you're disabled OR caring for a child under 16 (or disabled). Based on what you shared, you don't qualify for early survivor benefits yet. 2. Your daughter's benefits will almost certainly end at age 19 if she's still in college. The old rule allowing benefits until 22 for students was eliminated in 1981. 3. HOWEVER - and this is crucial - if your daughter's Crohn's disease is severe enough to meet SSA's definition of disability, AND it began before age 22, she could qualify for Disabled Adult Child benefits on your husband's record indefinitely. You should apply for survivor benefits for your daughter immediately. The fact that she doesn't live at home doesn't matter for eligibility. For yourself, unfortunately, you'll likely need to wait until age 60 unless you become disabled yourself. I strongly recommend getting an appointment at your local SSA office to discuss all options.

When my husband died i was only 42!!! So i TOTALLY understand what your going through. The only way you can get benifits before 60 is if you have a child under 16 at home OR if your disabled yourself. Its so unfair how they dont care about younger widows! PRO TIP: Apply for everything right away because they will backpay from application date. Also make sure you file for the $255 death benefit - its not much but its something!!!

I work at a college financial aid office, and want to point out that your daughter should contact her school's financial aid office IMMEDIATELY and request a professional judgment review based on your change in circumstances. They can adjust her FAFSA to reflect the loss of your husband's income, which could significantly increase her aid package mid-year. This won't help with Social Security directly but could provide additional support while you're sorting that out. Most schools have emergency funds for situations exactly like this.

I've been trying to reach SSA for WEEKS about my own widow benefits question and kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual human at SSA in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Saved me so much frustration and I was able to get a face-to-face appointment scheduled. Might help since you mentioned getting disconnected multiple times. In my experience, these survivor benefit questions really need to be handled with an actual representative who can look at your specific situation.

Two important points that haven't been mentioned yet: 1. Your daughter may qualify for benefits under the Student Earned Income Exclusion if she attempts to work part-time despite her Crohn's. This allows students under age 22 to earn a certain amount without reducing their SSI benefits. 2. Regarding your situation, while you can't receive survivor benefits until age 60 (unless you become disabled), you SHOULD file for the one-time $255 death payment as mentioned earlier. Also, this is a good time to check if you might qualify for any other programs like TANF or state assistance while you're in this gap period before survivor benefits eligibility. Furthermore, if your husband had enough work credits, you'll want to ensure his earnings record is complete and accurate, as this will affect both your future survivor benefits and potentially your daughter's benefits if she qualifies as a disabled adult child. Don't forget to ask about Medicare eligibility for your daughter if she qualifies for disabled adult child benefits. This could significantly help with her Crohn's-related medical expenses.

Just to add something important - you should BOTH apply for benefits right away even if you're uncertain about eligibility. Here's why: 1. If denied, you preserve your filing date for appeals 2. Sometimes the rules have exceptions you might not know about 3. The SSA representative might identify other programs you qualify for And regarding your daughter's Crohn's - medical documentation is CRUCIAL. Get detailed statements from ALL her doctors about how it limits her ability to function and work. For Disabled Adult Child benefits, they need to see that her condition prevents substantial gainful activity.