Who is eligible for widow's pension?

A widow or widower who's deceased spouse received social security income is eligible for a widow's pension when she reaches age 60. The survivor receives this benefit at any age if she cares for an heir of the deceased who is under 16 or disabled, according to AARP.

A survivor with a qualified child receives 75 percent of the worker's benefits. Disabled widows and widowers may choose to start their benefits at age 50, while others have the option to begin at 60. Early benefits are permanently reduced based on the time left until retirement age. An individual who waits until age 66 to receive a widow's pension usually gets 100 percent of her spouse's pension, states AARP.