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Social Security survivors
benefits help ease the financial burden that follows a worker’s
death. Almost all children under age 18 will get monthly benefits
if a working parent dies. Other family members may be eligible
for benefits, too. Anyone who has worked and paid Social Security
(FICA) taxes has been earning survivors benefits for his or
her family. The amount of work needed to pay survivors benefits
depends on the worker’s age at the time of death. It
may be as little as 1 ½ years for a young worker. No
one needs more than 10 years.
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Here is a list of family members
who usually can get benefits: |
- Widows
and widowers age 60 or older
- Widows
and widowers at any age, if caring for the deceased’s
child(ren) who are age 16 or disabled
- Divorced
wives and husbands age 60 or older, if married to the deceased
10 years or more
- Widows,
widowers, divorced wives, and divorced husbands age 50 or
older, if they are disabled
- Children
up to age 18
- Children
age 18 – 19, if they attend elementary school or high
school full-time
- Children
over age 18, if they became disabled before age 22
- The
deceased worker’s parents age 62 or older, if they
were being supported by the worker
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In addition to the monthly
benefits for family members, a one-time payment of $255 can
be paid to a spouse who was living with the worker at the
time of death. If there is none, it can be paid to: |
- A spouse who
is eligible for benefits
- A child or children
eligible for benefits
This payment can not be made if there is
no eligible spouse or child. You can apply for benefits by
telephone or by going to any Social Security office. You may
need some of the documents shown in the Information
Needed section below.
But don’t delay your application because
you don’t have all the information. If you don’t
have a document you need, Social Security can help you get
it.
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- Your
Social Security number and the deceased worker’s Social
Security number
- A death
certificate
- Proof
of the deceased worker’s earnings for last year (W-2
forms or self-employment tax return)
- Your
birth certificate
- A
marriage certificate, if you are applying for benefits as
a widow, widower, divorced wife or divorced husband
- A divorce
decree, if you are applying for benefits as a divorced wife
or husband
- Children’s
birth certificates and Social Security numbers, if applying
for children’s benefits
- Your
checking or savings account information, if you want direct
deposit of your benefits
- You
will need to submit original documents or copies certified
by the issuing office. You can mail them or bring them to
the office. Social Security will make photocopies and return
your documents.
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| You may contact the Social
Security office to find out what benefits are available for
your individual circumstances, to change records, and to stop
automatic deposits. The national phone number is 1-800-772-1212.
For more information, write or visit any Social Security
office, or phone the toll-free number. We will file Form SSA-721
which informs Social Security of a death. You need not order
a certified copy of the death certificate to send to your
Social Security Administration office. |
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