How do Social Security survivor benefits work?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) may be best known for paying monthly benefits to retirees. But it also provides payments to eligible families after the original beneficiary dies. These payments are known as survivor benefits.
Use this guide to learn more about Social Security survivor benefits, including who’s eligible and how to apply.
Key takeaways
- Social Security survivor benefits are paid monthly to eligible family members of a beneficiary who was receiving—or was eligible to receive—Social Security payments.
- Survivor benefits may be paid to surviving spouses, divorced spouses, children and dependent parents.
- The amount a family member receives depends on the amount of time the worker held a job, the family member’s age and their relationship to the worker.
- Workers typically must be employed and pay Social Security taxes for 10 years in order for eligible family members to collect the full amount of survivor benefits.
What are Social Security survivor benefits?
Social Security survivor benefits may be paid to eligible workers’ spouses, divorced spouses or certain family members, like children or dependent parents. Monthly payments are made through the SSA, based on the benefit amount the deceased beneficiary was receiving or was eligible to receive before their death.
There are various requirements to claim this type of benefit. For example, in order for the family to claim the full amount, the deceased beneficiary would have needed to work and pay Social Security taxes for at least 10 years. That’s because employees earn credits through the SSA. If an employee dies before the 10-year mark, the benefit amount collected could be reduced.
Social Security survivor benefits eligibility
Whether a family member is eligible to receive survivor benefits depends on their relationship to the deceased beneficiary and when the original Social Security benefits started. There’s also a maximum amount that family members are eligible to collect each month. The amount can vary, but it typically falls between 150% and 180% of the basic benefit rate.
Social Security survivor benefits for spouses
According to the SSA, here’s how much surviving spouses and divorced spouses can expect to receive:
- A surviving spouse who is of full retirement age or older can collect 100% of an eligible worker’s benefit amount.
- A surviving spouse who is 60 years old to full retirement age can collect 71½% to 99% of an eligible worker’s benefit amount.
- A surviving spouse who is 50-59 years old can collect 71½% of an eligible worker’s benefit amount.
- A surviving spouse of any age who has a disability can collect 75% of an eligible worker’s benefit amount.
- A surviving spouse of any age who is caring for a child under the age of 16 can collect 75% of an eligible worker’s benefit amount.
Surviving divorced spouses may also be eligible to claim the deceased worker’s benefit. For example, surviving divorced spouses whose marriage to the deceased worker lasted 10 years or more can claim the same benefits as the surviving spouse.
Social Security survivor benefits for children and other family members
According to the SSA, dependent children and other family members can expect to receive the following:
- Children under the age of 18 are eligible to receive 75% of the worker’s benefit amount.
- An unmarried child who’s 18 years or older with a disability that began before age 22 can receive 75% of the worker’s benefit amount.
- Unmarried stepchildren, grandchildren, step-grandchildren or adopted children may also be eligible to collect benefits in certain scenarios.
- One dependent surviving parent who is 62 years or older can collect 82½% of the eligible worker’s benefit amount.
- Two surviving parents who are 62 years or older can each collect 75% of the eligible worker’s benefit amount.
How to apply for Social Security survivor benefits
Typically the funeral home will report someone’s death to the SSA. If not, family members can apply for survivor benefits by calling 800-772-1213. Family members can’t apply for benefits online.
The SSA advises surviving family members to immediately apply for benefits on an eligible worker’s behalf. That’s because if the family member isn’t currently receiving benefits, they might not be retroactive.
The documents required to apply can vary depending on who’s claiming the benefits. But here are some of the documents that may be needed:
- Proof of the worker’s death
- The eligible family member’s birth certificate or proof of adoption
- The eligible family member’s proof of U.S. citizenship
- The deceased worker’s W-2 forms and/or self-employment tax returns from the previous year
- Marriage certificate or divorce decree
Social Security survivor benefits FAQ
Want to know more? Read on for additional information about Social Security survivor benefits.
Survivor benefits generally last for the duration of a surviving spouse’s life unless the surviving spouse starts getting their own benefits that are a larger amount. Benefits for surviving children end at age 18. But if surviving children are enrolled as full-time elementary or secondary school students, their benefits end at age 19.
For surviving children with a disability that started before they turned 22 years old, they can receive survivor benefits for life.
Social Security spousal benefits may be provided by the SSA to eligible workers’ spouses and divorced spouses upon retirement. This amount is based on the worker’s overall earning history and age and is capped at 50%.
On the other hand, survivor benefits are paid to a worker’s family members, like a spouse or dependent child, upon their death. Eligible spouses can receive up to 100% of the benefit amount.
Social Security survivor benefits can be considered taxable income. But according to the IRS, it depends on the income of the family member receiving the benefits. For example, if a child’s additional income is less than $25,000, they likely won’t be taxed on the survivor benefits they collect.
Social Security survivor benefits in a nutshell
Survivor benefits are a continuation of Social Security benefits, paid to certain family members after the original beneficiary dies. Those eligible for these benefits can include spouses, divorced spouses, dependent children or dependent parents.
Understanding whether you’re eligible to receive Social Security survivor benefits from a family member could help with long-term planning. For more information, check out handling financial matters after a death in the family.
