Sure. Now I need to ask about Social Security requirements for eligibility, could I get benefits if I was a surviving spouse?
Yes, but you can not receive benefits as a surviving spouse while you are married.
And what if, for example, I applied for disability benefits as a survivor: is there any way to speed up the process? I'm asking for a friend.
Yes, there is. You can speed up the disability application process if you complete an Adult Disability Report and have it available at the time of your appointment. We use the same definition of disability for widows and widowers as we do for workers.