A. Social Security provides a benefit to a parent caring for a young dependent child or a disabled adult child entitled to benefits. A guardian or other caregiver is not entitled to a benefit.

A surviving disabled adult child is entitled to a benefit equal to 75 percent of the wage earner’s Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). A PIA is the monthly benefit a wage earner receives if he or she begins Social Security retirement benefits in the month full retirement age is reached. If you retired earlier or later, call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 and ask for your Primary Insurance Amount. That will enable you to determine how much your daughter will receive on your son’s behalf when she becomes his guardian.

Q. Can our great-granddaughter receive Social Security benefits if my husband is disabled?

A. An adopted grandchild or great-grandchild can qualify for Social Security dependent benefits. Talk to your own Social Security office representative about your great-granddaughter’s eligibility.

Q. I’m curious about some information my lady friend received last fall from her local Social Security office. When her husband died at age 65, she was told to take widow’s benefits now, when she was 62, and when she turned 70 piggyback her own Social Security payments onto her widow’s benefit. I thought it was one or the other, not both.

A. Your friend received excellent counseling from her local Social Security office. A widow (or widower) has the option of choosing which benefit to begin first — her own worker’s benefit or a survivor’s benefit based on her deceased husband’s record. She can even switch from one to the other if it is to her advantage to do so.

Many times, it is to a widow’s long-term advantage to begin her own reduced retirement benefit at or after age 62 and switch to an unreduced widow’s benefit at full retirement age. Alternatively, if her own benefit is ultimately larger, she can begin with a reduced widow’s benefit and switch to her own benefit when it is advantageous for her to do so. Her own benefit doesn’t “piggy-back” onto her widow’s benefit. Instead, her own higher benefit would replace her widow’s benefit.

Q. I received benefits on my deceased ex-husband’s Social Security record until I remarried. Now that I am divorced, can I begin receiving benefits on his record again?

A. Yes, since you are now unmarried, you may once more apply for a surviving divorced spouse’s benefit based on your earlier marriage.

Q. I am 50 years old and the 27 years I have been working have been a combination of full-time and part-time employment, with several years of no employment so that I could stay home with my baby. I am back to work full-time now but want to know how all of this will affect my Social Security benefit when I am retired?

A. When you reach the eligibility age for Social Security benefits, which for most people is 62, your monthly benefit will be determined based on your 35 highest years of earnings. If there are years in which you had no earnings, your benefit will be lower than it otherwise would be. This illustrates the inequity that women confront when they leave the workforce to provide care to children or other family members. Oftentimes, a consequence of caregiving is a permanent reduction in Social Security benefits.

Q. Have there been any changes regarding Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and investing? Is it still not considered earned income?

A. There has been no change in the definition of earnings for recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. Earnings are income received from employment or self-employment. Profits on investments are not earnings for earnings limitation purposes or as a measure of whether or not a disabled individual has regained the ability to perform substantial gainful activity.

Q. Please advise if, after the death of a husband, the surviving wife is entitled to receive her deceased husband’s full benefit? This was a recent discussion we had today with others.

A. A young widow with dependent children is entitled to a child-in-care benefit until the youngest child reaches age 16. After childcare benefits cease, no benefit is payable to the widow until she reaches retirement age. Dependent children are entitled to survivor benefits until age 18; age 19 if still in high school.

A retirement-age widow receives whichever Social Security benefit is the greater amount — her own benefit or the benefit her husband would receive if still alive. If a widow is less than full retirement age when benefits begin, her widow benefit could be reduced for months of early retirement. A widow who has not begun her own benefit before being widowed has the option of which benefit to begin first. She can begin to receive a reduced widow benefit as early as age 60 (50 if she is disabled) and change to her own benefit at full retirement age or later. Her benefit reaches its maximum at age 70. Alternatively, she can wait until age 62 to begin her own reduced benefit and switch to an unreduced widow benefit at full retirement age.

Q. I am 75 years old; my wife is 62. I did not start collecting Social Security until age 70 and receive about $1,650 per month benefit. How much can my wife expect to receive at my death, assuming it happens this year? What would her benefit be at age 65, 66, 67?

A. If Social Security widow benefits begin at or after full retirement age your wife would receive the same benefit you would receive if still alive. Her widow benefit would be reduced for each month of early retirement if widow benefits begin before she reaches full retirement age. The rate of reduction is approximately 5.7 percent per year. The Social Security Administration can provide you a precise amount if you call 1-800-772-1213 or call or visit your local office.

Q. I am retired on disability and receive SS Disability. Does my wife receive the same benefit amount that I am receiving at the time of death?

A. When you were approved for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, your benefit was calculated as if you had already reached retirement age. A benefit to your widow will be calculated the same as the widow of any other Social Security retiree.

If your wife is full retirement age or more before being widowed, her widow benefit will be the full benefit you would receive if still alive. If she is less than full retirement age, her widow benefit will be reduced for each month of early retirement. A widow who begins a widow benefit at age 60, for example, receives 71.5 percent of her deceased husband’s full benefit.

Q. I am anticipating going on disability. I am on numerous medications. How do I get them covered or is there a prescription plan to help/pay for these?

A. Social Security Disability Insurance beneficiaries become eligible for Medicare after two years of receiving disability benefits. There is no help with medical benefits prior to Medicare eligibility. When you are eligible for Medicare, you will be entitled to purchase a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.

Until then, there are a variety of options available to assist people with their drug costs:

Medicaid: This program, jointly funded by state and federal governments, provides medical assistance, including prescription drug coverage, for certain individuals and families with low incomes and limited resources. Contact your local Medicaid agency for information.

Veterans Benefits: For veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) covers prescription drugs prescribed by a VA doctor if filled at VA facilities. There is a small co-payment. Call 1-800-827-1000.

State-sponsored programs: Half of all US states offer a state-sponsored program to assist elderly and/or disabled citizens with their drug costs.

Pharmaceutical company and pharmacy discount cards: You can sign up for discount programs with drug manufacturers, pharmacy chains and other suppliers. Some of these programs require that you have no other prescription coverage, that you meet an income limit or that you pay a fee. In some circumstances pharmaceutical companies provide free prescription medicines. Access to free medicines is through your own physicians.