Social Security Benefits | FunerAria

You may be eligible for Social Security benefits if you are the spouse, child, or parent of someone who worked long enough under the Social Security Administration.

As a survivor of someone who received Social Security benefits, you or another family member may 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.

What are Social Security Death Benefits?

Social Security death benefits are paid to widows, widowers, and dependents of eligible workers who have died. These benefits help ease the financial burden families face when they lose a loved one’s income and are especially 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 may be. This amount is a percentage of the deceased’s basic Social Security benefit.

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Additionally, a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 may be paid to the surviving spouse if they lived with the deceased or, if living apart, were receiving certain Social Security benefits on the deceased’s record. If 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 of any age who cares for the deceased’s child under age 16 or a disabled child receiving benefits
An unmarried child of the deceased who is one of the following:
Younger than 18 (up to age 19 if a full-time student at 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 death. If it does not, a surviving family member should notify the Social Security Administration as soon as possible after the date of death. Deaths cannot be reported online, and benefits cannot be applied for online.

How Do I Contact the Social Security Administration?

If you need to report a death, apply for benefits, or ask whether you qualify for survivors’ benefits, call 1-800-772-1213.

Additional information is available online at ssa.gov/benefits/survivors.