If you are over 65 with no SS of your own and your hubby who has SS dies, you get part of his, not all but part. If you are younger, and the old coot dies, you get nothing until you are retirement age. If you have your own, you either get yours or part of his whichever is larger I do believe.
At one point I do think working women got nothing from their account if husband had SS coming in. Now I think we each get ours from our own account. I don't know when that was changed but it hasn't been that long.
I do not think that is the case. I know someone who is a widow and she collects one half a benefit (over $600. monthly). She is not even close to 60 years old yet and there are no children involved. I am going to look into this, because I am curious about it.