Life Insurance✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 3/5
The Social Security 'blackout period' refers to the time:
Select an option to reveal the answer and the full 3-part explanation — free, no signup.
Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
The blackout period is the gap between the end of survivor benefits payable while the surviving spouse is caring for dependent children and the resumption of survivor benefits at a later age — typically around age 60 for reduced benefits. No survivor benefits are payable during this window, which is why life insurance planning must ensure other resources fill the income gap during those years.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) Disabled workers do not face a blackout period; their disability benefits continue while they are disabled.
- C) The period between retirement and Medicare is a separate Medicare enrollment concept, not the survivor blackout period.
- D) The 40-credit rule relates to insured status, not to the survivor-benefit gap.
Memory hook
Blackout = the survivor-benefit gap between raising the kids and reaching age 60. Plan life insurance to fill it.