In a message dated 9/25/2004 6:02:43 AM Central Daylight Time, LAFinken@aol.com writes: If your person died but isn't on the SSDI, but you do have a SS# is it worth requesting their application from SSA? She was born in 1867 died 1960. Filed sometime in the 1930's for a number but wasn't on the SSDI index. Absolutely! Not everyone with a number is on the SSDI list. Nor is everyone who received benefits. Since your person had a SSN, she applied for it, and it is that application you are after. Considering your person's age when SSA went into effect in the mid-1930's, she likely received something called Special J Benefits. SSA set a retirement age for the first time. Before that, there was no such thing as retirement, and a person worked until they died or became unable to work, in which case their families or their County took care of them. When SS began, there were many working people who were already at, near, or beyond, the designated retirement age of 65. These people were granted Special J Benefits, which were, in effect, Social Security for those already 65 and never contributed, or were too old/disabled to work the required quarters before retirement. My paternal grandparents received these benefits. It is interesting to note that the retirement age of 65 was set at a time when the average age at death was 64. Susan in Louisiana