subject: Social Security Death Benefits: Receiving Social Security Benefits After A Spouse's Death [print this page] Losing a relative can be overwhelming, both on an emotional level and also financially. Social Security was intended to be a survivor program along with being a retirement program. The majority of people understand Social Security retirement income, and most might even know that Social Security offers disability income for those who qualify, but did you know that Social Security offers death benefits too? In the following paragraphs we are going to discuss the one-time lump sum death benefit, monthly Social Security benefits for widows, who qualifies for survivor benefits, and the best way to apply for benefits when a member of your family passes away.
One-Time Death Benefit:
You may be given a one time payment of $255 when a member of your family passes away, depending on your relationship to them and how long they have worked. Generally, just surviving spouses and children of deceased workers are entitled to the Social Security lump sum death benefit. In addition, the departed family member will need to have worked long enough to be insured under Social Security, however they don't have to already be collecting Social Security for surviving spouses and children to receive the one time death benefit.
The Social Security death benefit payment is made to the surviving spouse residing with the deceased person when he/she passed away, or in the event there is no surviving spouse, the payment is made to a child of the deceased individual. Husbands and wives that are not living with each other when one spouse passes away may still receive the death benefit if they were entitled to benefits on the deceased spouse's earnings in the month the spouse died. If there is no surviving spouse or child that is entitled to the payment, then no payment will be made.
This is a one-time, lump sum payment; however many survivors may be eligible for a monthly payment as well as the one-time death benefit. Make sure you request the one-time death payment within two years of the family member's death.
Monthly Survivor Benefits (or Social Security Widows Benefits):
In addition to the one-time payment, certain family members may receive a regular monthly benefit for a deceased family member. Widows, widowers, children and dependent parents may qualify for regular monthly survivor benefits. In some instances, even divorced widows and widowers may qualify to get survivor benefits when their ex-spouse dies. The monthly survivor benefit is also called survivors insurance as it is much like a life insurance policy.
Social Security Survivor Benefit Rules:
To qualify for survivor benefits, the deceased worker must have worked and earned credits towards Social Security benefits. The number of years required to work varies according to how old the deceased worker was when he/she passed away.
These close relatives may be eligible for survivor benefits:
a widow or widower, starting at age 50 if disabled or 60 if not disabled;
a widow or widower who is caring for your child under the age of 16, regardless of the age of the widow or widower,
unmarried children of the deceased also qualify if they are under age 18 (or age 22 if they are disabled).
in certain cases, even grandchildren, step children or adopted children may be eligible for survivor benefits.
If you are divorced, you may be entitled to Social Security widow benefits on an ex-spouse if you were married for not less than 10 years, and you are age 60 or older when your ex-spouse passes (you just need to be age 50 if you are disabled).
Applying for Survivor Benefits:
You will need to notify Social Security and request Social Security survivor benefits right away after a relative has passed. To do so, you can call the Social Security Administration or go to the closest office to you. You will need to produce proof of death (death certificate or proof from a funeral home), your Social Security number and your deceased family member's Social Security number, your birth certificate, marriage license if married, divorce papers if you are divorced, and income information pertaining to the deceased relative (from W-2s or income tax returns) for the most recent year.
