Social Security Benefits

Social Security Benefits for Survivors

If you are a survivor of someone who was getting Social Security benefits, you are not alone. If so, you or someone else in your family may be able to get monthly survivors benefits. If you are the spouse, child, or parent of someone who has worked for the Social Security Administration for a long time, you may be able to get some benefits as the survivor.

What are Social Security Death Benefits?

When an eligible worker dies, their spouse, widow, or dependent can get Social Security Death Benefits. This benefit is very important for young families with kids because it helps them deal with the financial stress of losing the income of a loved one. The amount of the monthly benefit is based on how much the person who died made. The more they paid into Social Security, the more money they would get back. This amount is a portion of the deceased person's basic Social Security benefit.


Also, the surviving spouse can get a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 if they live with the deceased or, if they live apart, if they were getting certain Social Security benefits on the deceased's record. If there is no surviving spouse, the payment goes to a child who is eligible for benefits.

Who is Eligible for Social Security Death Benefits?

Eligible survivors may include:


  • A widow or widower age 60 or older
  • A surviving divorced spouse, under certain circumstances
  • A widow or widower at any age who is caring for the deceased's child who is under age 16 or disabled and receiving child's benefits
  • An unmarried child of the deceased who is one of the following:
  • Younger than age 18 (up to age 19 if he or she is a full-time student in an elementary or secondary school)
  • Age 18 or older with a disability that began before age 22

What Steps Should Survivor’s Take?

Most of the time, the funeral home will tell the Social Security Administration about the person's death. If they don't, a family member should do so as soon as possible after the death. You can't report a death or apply for benefits online.

How Do I Contact the Social Security Administration?

If you need to report a death or apply for benefits, or have questions about qualifying to receive survivor’s benefits, call 1-800-772-1213.

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

We're Here to Help

As part of our full funeral services, the staff at Tussey-Mosher Funeral Home helps families with Social Security notifications and benefit applications. We know how hard it can be to deal with these kinds of things when things are tough, and we'll help make sure you get all the benefits you may be able to get.