In Social Security survivor benefits, the 'blackout period' refers to the time when a surviving spouse:

Why A is correct

The blackout period is the gap in survivor coverage that can occur after a widow or widower no longer receives benefits as the caretaker of young children but is not yet old enough to draw survivor benefits at age 60, or age 50 if disabled. During this period the surviving spouse may receive no Social Security survivor income. Life insurance is often used to fill this income gap, which is a classic reason families buy coverage on the wage earner. The blackout period is one of the most important planning concepts for young families relying on one income.

Why the other options are wrong

• B) The blackout period is a gap during which the surviving spouse receives no Social Security survivor benefits. It is not a period of double payments, which would contradict the purpose of the gap.
• C) There is no annual reapplication requirement during the blackout period. The survivor must simply re-file when reaching the qualifying age, and benefits resume automatically upon that age attainment.
• D) Remarriage before age 60 generally ends survivor benefits, but that rule is separate from the blackout period, which arises from the gap between the youngest child's disqualification and the spouse reaching about age 60.

Memory hook

Blackout = the survivor-benefit gap between raising kids and age 60. Life insurance fills it.