Social Security Survivors Benefits — Who Can Get Them and How to Apply — In Plain Words

What survivors benefits are

SSA's booklet says: “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.”

The booklet says some of the Social Security taxes you pay go toward survivors benefits for workers and their families.

It says: “When you die, certain members of your family may be eligible for survivors benefits. These include surviving spouses (and divorced surviving spouses), children, and dependent parents.”

How the worker earns these benefits: the credits rule

SSA's booklet says: “As you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn credits toward your Social Security benefits.”

It says: “The number of years you need to work for your family to be eligible for Social Security survivors benefits depends on your age when you die.”

It says: “The younger you are, the fewer years you need to have worked.”

It says: “But no one needs more than 10 years of work to be eligible for any Social Security benefit.”

The booklet also states a special rule.

It says SSA can pay benefits to your children and to your spouse who is caring for the children if you have worked for only 1 and 1/2 years in the 3 years just before your death.

Surviving spouse

SSA's booklet says your surviving spouse may be able to get full benefits at full retirement age.

Here, “full retirement age” means the survivors full retirement age, as this booklet states it.

The booklet says: “The full retirement age for survivors born from 1945 and 1956 is 66.”

It says: “The full retirement age for survivors increases gradually if you were born from 1957 to 1962.”

It says: “For anyone born 1962 or later, full survivors’ benefits are payable at age 67.”

The booklet says this is different from the full retirement age for retirement benefits, which it states is 67 for people born in 1960 or later.

The booklet says your surviving spouse can get reduced benefits as early as age 60.

It says that if your surviving spouse has a disability, benefits can begin as early as age 50.

It also says your surviving spouse may be able to get benefits at any age if they take care of your child who is younger than age 16 or who has a disability.

For that rule, the booklet says the child must be receiving Social Security benefits.

Unmarried children

SSA's booklet says your unmarried children, younger than age 18, may also be able to get benefits.

It says children can be up to age 19 if they are attending elementary or secondary school full time.

It says your children can get benefits at any age if they had a disability before age 22.

It says that, under certain circumstances, SSA can also pay benefits to your stepchildren, grandchildren, step-grandchildren, or adopted children.

Dependent parents

SSA's booklet says your dependent parents may be able to get benefits if they are age 62 or older.

It says that, for your parents to be eligible as dependents, you must have provided at least half of their support.

Divorced surviving spouse

SSA's booklet has a section called “Benefits for surviving divorced spouses.”

It says that if you have been divorced, your former spouse, age 60 or older, can get benefits if your marriage lasted at least 10 years.

It says a former spouse age 50 to 59 can also get benefits if they have a disability, with the same 10-year marriage rule.

The booklet gives one exception to the age and length-of-marriage rules.

It says your former spouse does not have to meet the age or length-of-marriage rule if they care for your child who is younger than age 16 or who has a disability, and entitled on your record.

It says the child must be yours and your former spouse's natural or legally adopted child.

The booklet says benefits paid to a worker's surviving divorced spouse will not affect the benefit amounts for other survivors getting benefits on the worker's record.

It also says that if you are the worker's surviving divorced spouse, and the worker's child is under age 16 or has a disability and is in your care, your benefit can affect the benefits of others on the record.

How much are benefits?

SSA's booklet says: “How much your family can get depends on your average lifetime earnings. The more you earned, the greater their benefits will be.”

It says: “We base the benefit amount on the earnings of the person who died. The more the worker paid into Social Security, the greater your benefits will be.”

It says SSA uses the deceased worker's basic benefit amount to calculate the percentage survivors can get.

It says the percentage depends on the survivor's age and relationship to the worker.

It says that if the worker who died was getting reduced benefits, SSA will base your survivor's benefit on that amount.

The booklet then lists what it calls most typical claims:

• Surviving spouse, at full retirement age or older, generally gets 100% of the worker's basic benefit amount.
• Surviving spouse, age 60 or older, but younger than full retirement age, gets between 71% and 99% of the worker's basic benefit amount.
• Surviving spouse, any age, with a child younger than age 16, gets 75% of the worker's benefit amount.
• Child gets 75% of the worker's benefit amount.

The booklet's list above is printed as the booklet prints it.

The booklet's who-can-get section, printed earlier on this page, also covers a spouse who cares for the worker's child who has a disability.

Maximum family benefits

SSA's booklet says there is a limit to the benefits SSA can pay to you and other family members each month.

It says: “The limit varies between 150% and 180% of the deceased worker's benefit amount.”

What if you work?

SSA's booklet says: “If you work while getting Social Security survivors benefits and are younger than full retirement age, we may reduce your benefits if your earnings exceed certain limits.”

In this section, the booklet repeats the survivors full retirement age.

It states that full retirement age is 67 for anyone born 1962 or later.

The booklet does not print a dollar earnings limit on this page.

Instead, it tells readers to read How Work Affects Your Benefits (Publication No. 05-10069) to find out what the earnings limits are this year and how earnings above those limits reduce benefits.

This page does not print a dollar limit, because the booklet does not print one.

The booklet says: “There's no earnings limit beginning with the month you reach full retirement age.”

It also says: “Also, your earnings will reduce only your benefits, not the benefits of other family members.”

What if you remarry?

SSA's booklet says: “Usually, you can't get surviving spouse's benefits if you remarry before age 60 (or age 50 if you have a disability).”

It says: “But remarriage after age 60 (or age 50 if you have a disability) won't prevent you from getting benefit payments based on your former spouse's work.”

It says that at age 62 or older, you can get benefits on your new spouse's work, if those benefits would be higher.

How to apply

You cannot apply for survivors benefits online.

SSA states that plainly on its survivors news page, listed in the Sources below.

SSA's booklet gives two routes: by phone, or at a Social Security office.

The booklet says: “You can apply by phone or at any Social Security office.”

It says: “Apply for survivors benefits promptly because, for some claims, we'll pay benefits from the time you apply and not from the time the worker died.”

One action at a time:

• Call SSA at 1-800-772-1213.
• If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call SSA's TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.
• Or go to a Social Security office.

The booklet's Contacting Us section says you can call SSA at 1-800-772-1213, or at its TTY number, 1-800-325-0778, if you're deaf or hard of hearing, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The booklet says: “We'll need certain information, but don't delay applying if you don't have everything. We'll help you get what you need.”

It says: “We need either original documents or copies certified by the agency that issued them.”

What SSA says it needs when you apply

SSA's booklet lists the information it needs.

It lists:

• Proof of death — either from a funeral home or a death certificate.
• Your Social Security number, and the deceased worker's Social Security number.
• Your birth certificate.
• Your marriage certificate if you're a surviving spouse.
• Your divorce papers if you're applying as a surviving divorced spouse.
• Dependent children's Social Security numbers, if available, and birth certificates.
• Deceased worker's W-2 forms or federal self-employment tax return for the most recent year.
• The name of your bank and your account number so your benefits can be deposited directly into your account.

That is the booklet's list, as the booklet prints it.

This page never asks you for any of these numbers or papers.

There is no form on this page.

Give these items only to SSA, through the phone or office routes on this page.

If you are already getting Social Security benefits

SSA's booklet covers two cases.

First case: you are getting benefits as a spouse based on your spouse's work.

The booklet says SSA will change your payments to survivors benefits when you report your spouse's death.

It says that if SSA needs more information, SSA will contact you.

Second case: you are getting benefits based on your own work.

The booklet says to call or visit SSA.

It says SSA will check to see if you can get more money as a surviving spouse.

It says that if so, you will get a combination of benefits that equals the higher amount.

It says you must complete an application to receive survivors benefits.

It says SSA may also need your spouse's death certificate.

Ask SSA about your own case

This page cannot apply for you.

It only repeats what SSA prints.

It cannot say whether you, or anyone in your family, qualifies.

Only SSA can decide a real claim.

SSA's booklet also states a right to appeal.

It says that if you disagree with a decision made on your claim, you can appeal it, and it points readers to Your Right To Question The Decision Made On Your Claim (Publication No. 05-10058).

To ask about your own case, use SSA's own routes: call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or go to a Social Security office.

This page is general information only. It is not financial advice and it is not benefits advice.