When Social Security was established back in 1935 it was normal for women to stay home to raise the family. In a large number of families the husband was the major earner or the only earner in the family. In addition, women statistically survive longer than men, especially if the wife is younger compared to the husband.

The combination of lower or no earnings and a longer life span meant many women got themselves in poverty at the time their husbands died, as their husband's Social Security retirement benefits ended at their death. The Social Security Board realized the challenges that women face and have adopted several changes to the system over the years to account for these needs.

One of the first amendments to the Social Security plan was to enable women to apply for benefits at age 62 instead of waiting until 65 under the theory that they were younger than their husbands and that they would like to retire at the same time.

Then in 1939 two new categories of benefits were added: Social Security survivor benefits and dependent benefits (to be paid to the spouse and minor kids of retired workers).

These changes changed Social Security from a retirement program that only paid benefits to retired employees into a family-based program, where spouses and children may receive benefits of retired, disabled or deceased workers. This was an incredible help to women who were not eligible for retirement benefits on their own, or who had considerably smaller benefits than their spouses.

Today, even though it's not uncommon for women to earn as much or greater than their husbands, they still may take time off to raise families, and they still typically live longer than their spouses. Moreover, the number of divorced women reaching retirement age is greater than before. Because of this, a number of women still receive Social Security spousal benefits or survivor benefits instead of benefits based on their own job period.

So it's important for women - regardless of their marital status is - to learn the spousal and survivor benefits available to them along with the retirement benefits so they can get the highest benefits they are eligible to.

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