Social Security Benefits
You may be eligible for Social Security benefits if you are the spouse, child, or parent of someone who worked for a sufficient period under the Social Security Administration.
As a survivor of someone who was receiving Social Security benefits, you or another family member might qualify for monthly survivors benefits. Specifically, if you are the spouse, child, or parent of a deceased individual who worked long enough under the Social Security Administration, you may be eligible for certain benefits.
The following information is designed to help you file for your Social Security benefits correctly so that prompt payments may be made.
Eligibility
To receive monthly benefits, the deceased worker must have credit for work covered by Social Security ranging from 1 1/2 to 10 years depending on his or her age at death. Those eligible for monthly benefits include:
- A widow or widower age 60 or older (50 if disabled) or at any age if caring for an entitled child who is under 16 or disabled.
- A divorced widow or widower age 60 or older (50 if disabled) if the marriage lasted 10 years or if caring for an entitled child who is under 16 or disabled.
- Unmarried children up to 18 (19 if they are attending a primary or secondary school full-time).
- Children who were disabled before reaching 22 as long as they remained disabled.

- Dependent parent or parents 62 or older.
Lump-Sum Death Payment
A one-time payment of $255 is paid in addition to the monthly cash benefits described above. The lump-sum death payment (LSDP) is paid in the following priority order:
- A surviving spouse who lived in the same household as the deceased person at the time of death.
- A surviving spouse eligible for or entitled to benefits for the month of death.

- A child or children eligible for or entitled to benefits for the month of death.
Applying for Benefits
You must apply in order to receive benefits. You may apply at any Social Security office, by telephone at 1-800-772-1213, or online at www.ssa.gov.
Social Security Office Locations
What are social security death benefits?
Social Security Death Benefits are paid to widows, widowers, and dependents of a deceased eligible worker. This benefit, meant to assist with a family’s financial burden of losing the lost loved one’s income, is particularly important for young families with children.
Monthly benefit amounts are based on the earnings of the person who died. The more they paid into Social Security, the higher your benefits would be. This amount is a percentage of the deceased’s basic Social Security benefit.
Additionally, a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 can be paid to the surviving spouse if he or she is living with the deceased; or if living apart, was receiving certain Social Security benefits on the deceased’s record. When there is no surviving spouse, the payment is made to a child who is eligible for benefits.
Who Qualifies for Benefits?
- A widow or widower age 60 or older
- A surviving divorced spouse, under certain circumstances
- A widow or widower at any age who is caring for the deceased’s child who is under age 16 or disabled and receiving child’s benefits
- An unmarried child of the deceased who is one of the following:
- Younger than age 18 (up to age 19 if he or she is a full-time student in an elementary or secondary school).
- Age 18 or older with a disability that began before age 22.
What steps should survivors take?
In most cases, the funeral home will report the person’s death, however, if not, a surviving family member should notify the Social Security Administration as soon as possible following the date of death. Deaths cannot be reported online, and benefits can not be applied for online.
How do I contact the social security administration?
If you need to report a death or apply for benefits, or have questions about qualifying to receive survivor’s benefits, call 1-800-772-1213.
Additional information is available online at
ssa.gov/benefits/survivors.
