In 1970, social security representative Bob Bell wrote an article about the importance of social security by telling the story of Darius Ledbetter’s family. Mr. Ledbetter died from a heart attack at the age of 52, and his widow decided to start running his grocery store herself. Self employed people had been covered by social security since 1951, and Mrs. Ledbetter could start drawing benefits since she still had children in her care. Upon turning 60, she would be able to draw widow’s benefits, and her children would be able to withdraw benefits until turning 18, and possibly for a few more years if they were full time students and unmarried. Bell emphasizes that social security is just as important for young people as it is for people who have retired, as it has offered more security to the Ledbetter family.
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