Surviving dependents of qualifying deceased workers may be eligible for Social Security benefits. In this article, we explain how Social Security survivors benefits work, including who is eligible and how to apply.Â
Social Security survivors benefits are benefits paid to the widows, widowers, and dependents of eligible workers. Some of the taxes that workers pay into Social Security are intended for survivors benefits. As such, a worker’s spouse, children, and parents may be eligible for benefits based on their earnings.
In addition to monthly survivors benefits, qualifying spouses and children can receive a lump sum death payment of $255. They must apply for this payment within two years of the worker’s death.Â
In order to be eligible for survivors benefits, one must be the widow/widower, child, parent, or ex-spouse of a qualifying worker. The requirements are as follows.
In order to be eligible for survivors benefits, widows and widowers must be:
Depending on the circumstances, widow’s/widower’s benefits range from 71.5 to 100% of the late spouse’s Social Security benefit.
In order to be eligible for survivors benefits, children must be:
Qualifying children can receive 75% of their late parent’s benefit.
In order to be eligible for survivors benefits, parents must:
Qualifying parents receive 82.5% of the deceased worker’s benefit, or 75% each if both parents qualify.Â
In order to be eligible for survivors benefits, divorced spouses must be:
Survivors may not apply for survivors benefits online. In order to report a death or apply for benefits, one must call the Social Security Administration and speak to a representative. In many cases, the funeral home reports the worker’s death to the SSA. For them to do so, the survivors must give the funeral home the deceased person’s Social Security number.