Understanding Social Security Survivors Benefits
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: September 19, 2019
Unfortunately, tragedy can strike without any warning. The loss of the family wage earner can be devastating both emotionally and financially. Social Security helps by providing income for the families of workers who die.
Some of the Social Security taxes you pay go toward survivors benefits for workers and their families. The value of the survivors benefits you have under Social Security may even be more than the value of your individual life insurance. When you die, certain members of your family may be eligible for survivors benefits. These include widows and widowers (and divorced widows and widowers), children, and dependent parents.
Here are the people who can get survivors benefits based on your work:
- Your widow or widower may be able to get full benefits at full retirement age. The full retirement age for survivors is age 66 for people born in 1945-1956, with the full retirement age gradually increasing to age 67 for people born in 1962 or later. Your widow or widower can get reduced benefits as early as age 60. If your surviving spouse is disabled, benefits can begin as early as age 50.
- Your widow or widower can get benefits at any age if they take care of your child younger than age 16 or disabled, who is receiving Social Security benefits.
- Your unmarried children, younger than age 18 (or up to age 19 if they’re attending elementary or secondary school full time), can also get benefits. Your children can get benefits at any age if they were disabled before age 22. Under certain circumstances, we can also pay benefits to your stepchildren, grandchildren, step-grandchildren, or adopted children.
- Your dependent parents can get benefits if they’re age 62 or older. (For your parents to qualify as dependents, you must have provided at least half of their support.)
You can read more our publication Survivors Benefits for more information.
How much your family can get from Social Security depends on your average lifetime earnings. The more you earned, the more their benefits will be. For more information on widows, widowers, and other survivors, visit our webpage.
Social Security is with you through life’s journey. Be sure to tell friends and family about our Survivors Benefits and how we can help in times of need.
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About the Author
Mike Korbey, Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Mike Korbey, Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Thomas
My daughters mom passed away and she has been getting ssi for several years. I claim her on my taxes and received the $500 stimulus payment for dependent child. I noticed a few weeks after her account for ssi had a $1200 deposit in it that I wasn’t expecting. What am I supposed to do with it? She doesn’t file taxes and I don’t want to touch it til I know if she’s supposed to get it.
Thanks
V.V.
Hi Thomas, thank you for your question. Please visit the IRS Economic Impact Payments Information Center to answer your questions about eligibility, payment amounts, what to expect, when to expect it and more. If you are unable to find the answer, call the IRS hotline at 1-800-919-9835. Thanks!
Janice S.
My husband died January 7,2020. I was told that the mortuary notified you. Do I still have to come in?
I should be eligible for benefits.
V.V.
We are very sorry for your loss, Janice. You may be eligible for reduced widows benefits as early as age 60 (age 50 if disabled) and at any age if caring for the deceased’s child who is under age 16 or disabled and receiving benefits on the deceased’s record. Survivor benefit amounts are based on your husband’s earnings. The more he paid into Social Security, the higher the benefits would be. The benefits will not be established automatically, you will have to contact us. For additional information, visit our Survivors Planner.
You can call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance or you can contact your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
S. A.
I have custody of my great niece since December, 2014. She was diagnosed with PTSD. I am currently 63 years old and get SSDI. Her father died this past Monday, June 8, 2020. I have no idea if he worked enough for her to qualify for survivor’s benefits as he suffered from drug addiction. Mom has been on Soc. Security since she was about age 15, and is also an addict. Can you tell me if she qualifies for any assistance and if so how I go about getting this?
Thank you.
V.V.
Thank you for using our blog. When a parent gets Social Security retirement benefits or disability benefits, his or her child also may get benefits. Children also can get benefits when a parent dies. The child can be a biological child, adopted child or stepchild. A dependent grandchild also may qualify.
To get benefits, the child must be unmarried and:
• Younger than age 18;
• A full-time student (no higher than grade 12) 18 to 19 years old; or
• Have a disability that started before age 22 and is 18 years or older.
See our factsheet on Benefits for Children for more information.
You can call us at 1-800-772-1213 to inquire on eligibility or you can contact your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
David R.
I am a 64-year old US citizen. I do not yet draw Soc Sec. I am married to a non-US citizen, non-US resident. She has not worked nor lived in the US for greater than a few months at a time (doing scientific research).
If I die, would she be eligible for any kind of survivor benefit?
V.V.
Hi David, thank you for using our blog to ask your question. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions web page for eligibility information for noncitizens living outside the United States. We hope this helps.
david r.
Thanks for the reply, Vonda.
I also found this FAQ, but thought the language referred to non-citizen *primary* recipients — not surviving spouses. I also note that the FAQ mentions SSA will “continue to pay benefits to noncitizens outside of the United States if they meet certain conditions.” Do those special conditions include non-citizen, non-resident survivors?
Penny M.
My son is long-term disabled and receives SSI benes. Sadly, his wife died this past March of pancreatic cancer. She was a nurse. He has been turned down for her full benes because they had only been married for 3 years. They went through the agony of her fight to live for almost a year. Now he will receive only 70% of her allotment. Can he file a grievance?
V.V.
Hi Penny, we are very sorry for your loss. The duration of marriage requirement for a widow(er)s benefit is 9 months immediately preceding the day on which the worker died. To learn more , visit our Survivors Planner: Survivors Benefits For Your Widow Or Widower.
Your son can call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance or he can contact his local Social Security office. Look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
Joseph U.
I currently receive a SS check each month of $468.00….if I die and my wife reaches age 66 & 10 months….does she receive my full check of $468.00……this is what I was told by one of your reps on the phone….but I wanted to be sure.
Thank you,
V.V.
Hi Joseph, thank you for using our blog. Typically, a widow or widower at full (survivors) retirement age or older generally receives 100% of the deceased worker’s amount, a widow or widower under full retirement age receives about 71 to 99 percent of the worker’s benefit amount, and a widow or widower with a child younger than age 16 receives 75 percent of the worker’s benefit amount. Check out our Survivors Planner for all the details.
Robin C.
You have to get A LETTER OF SUPPORT from your doctor. That’s how I got mine.
April a.
my husband born 1946 and I was born 1961 he passed in aug 1 2012 in California and I live in California. my question is what is it called death benefits ? survivors benefits? I know I have been denied but I a number of health issues that I am disabled (not by law judgement) but I’m still fighting for social security disable ability and infactedI just received disability benefits have been denied AGAIN. but just received stating I may be found to be medially disable by the state agency for supplemental security income benefits I have a call appointment June 15 9 a.m I hope I finial get approved.
April a.
question my Husband died august 1,2012 he had retired and collecting s.s. and receiving the monthly check,i am 59 and have been wondering how when could I get death benefits of him?
Amelia M.
I already filed my SSA survivor ship benefits and I have received the notice coming from the SSA Maryland. I am from the Philippines and I am not a US Citizen. With the COVID19 Pandemic, what are the options for beneficiaries like me?
V.V.
Hi Amelia, thank you for using our blog. The Internal Revenue Service, which is part of the Department of Treasury, will be making Economic Income Payments to eligible people. Therefore, we do not have a schedule of these payments. You may find the IRS Get My Payment Frequently Asked Questions web page helpful.