Thanks Gale. Makes a great deal of sense. Glad your Mom came out with such a good increase and the lump sum. Joanie ----- Original Message ----- From: Gale Gorman To: Joan Parker Cc: RootsL Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 11:19 PM Subject: Re: [ROOTS-L] WHY A SS NUMBER VERY LATE IN LIFE? Even if she never paid in to Social Security she would be entitled to payments from a husband even if he was dead or they had divorced years before. But I'm sure she would need a SSN to get her first check. Here's a personal example: my parents divorced in 1953 and my dad died in 1980. He had married two more women since 1953 but the last wife was a chatterbox. When she applied for his SS benefits they asked if he had been married before and she told them everything she knew. She talked fast so that didn't take long. My mother was surprised to see a substantial increase in her SS checks and several thousand dollars in a lump sum. Various rules were involved such as how many years you were married and did you have children together. Gale Gorman Houston On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:07 PM, Joan Parker wrote: Hi Genners, Below is a snippet of an email with my friend Patty. I've been doing some research for her and it's fun for me too as I am using it as a learning curve for a new genealogy software program. I think she is right in her reasoning, but does anyone know of any other reason? J:Also, did you know she lived to the age of 90 passing in 1986? P:Yes, I believe my cousin called me when Cornelia passed and mentioned her age. J:Oddly, it appears she applied for her SS number in 1977, I wonder why. Do you have a clue? P:I never heard anything about Cornelia ever being anything except a housewife so maybe she and ZR never thought she would need a SS number. Could 1977 (or 1976) be when ZR passed and to process the estate Cornelia needed a SS number? Thank you, Joanie Miami, FL

Yes, she bought a big ring with the lump sum payment and bragged about "look at what your father bought me." I don't even pretend to know all the rules of the SSA but a lot of people aren't aware of what's available. Gale On Jul 14, 2012, at 10:42 PM, Joan Parker wrote: Thanks Gale. Makes a great deal of sense. Glad your Mom came out with such a good increase and the lump sum. Joanie ----- Original Message ----- From: Gale Gorman To: Joan Parker Cc: RootsL Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 11:19 PM Subject: Re: [ROOTS-L] WHY A SS NUMBER VERY LATE IN LIFE? Even if she never paid in to Social Security she would be entitled to payments from a husband even if he was dead or they had divorced years before. But I'm sure she would need a SSN to get her first check. Here's a personal example: my parents divorced in 1953 and my dad died in 1980. He had married two more women since 1953 but the last wife was a chatterbox. When she applied for his SS benefits they asked if he had been married before and she told them everything she knew. She talked fast so that didn't take long. My mother was surprised to see a substantial increase in her SS checks and several thousand dollars in a lump sum. Various rules were involved such as how many years you were married and did you have children together. Gale Gorman Houston On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:07 PM, Joan Parker wrote: Hi Genners, Below is a snippet of an email with my friend Patty. I've been doing some research for her and it's fun for me too as I am using it as a learning curve for a new genealogy software program. I think she is right in her reasoning, but does anyone know of any other reason? J:Also, did you know she lived to the age of 90 passing in 1986? P:Yes, I believe my cousin called me when Cornelia passed and mentioned her age. J:Oddly, it appears she applied for her SS number in 1977, I wonder why. Do you have a clue? P:I never heard anything about Cornelia ever being anything except a housewife so maybe she and ZR never thought she would need a SS number. Could 1977 (or 1976) be when ZR passed and to process the estate Cornelia needed a SS number? Thank you, Joanie Miami, FL