Social Security Benefits
Some of the deceased's family members may be able to receive Social
Security benefits if the deceased person worked long enough under Social
Security to quality for benefits. You should get in touch with Social
Security as soon as you can to make sure the family receives all of the
benefits to which it may be entitled. Please read the following
information carefully to learn what benefits may be available.
A
one-time payment of $255 can be paid to the surviving spouse if he or
she was living with the deceased; or, if living apart, was 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 on the deceased's record in the month of death.
Certain family members may be eligible to receive monthly benefits, including:
- A widow or widower age 60 or older (age 50 or older if disabled);
- A surviving spouse at any age who is caring for the deceased's child under age 16 or disabled;
- An
unmarried child of the deceased who is younger than age 18 (or age 18
or 19 if he or she is a full-time student in an elementary or secondary
school); or age 18 or older with a disability that began before age 22;
- Parents, age 62 or older, who were dependent on the deceased for at least half of their support; and
- A surviving divorced spouse, under certain circumstances.
The
Social Security website is a valuable resource for information about
all of Social Security's programs. There are a number of things you can
do online.
In addition
to using the Social Security website, you can call them toll-free at
1-800-772-1213. Staff can answer specific questions from 7 a.m. to 7
p.m., Monday through Friday. They can also provide information by
automated phone service 24 hours a day. If you are deaf or hard of
hearing, you may call the TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.
