Survivor’s Benefits

Monthly survivors’ benefits are usually available to the following family members:

• Widows and widowers age 60 or older
• Widows and widowers at any age if caring for the deceased’s child(ren) who are under age 16 or disabled
• Divorced wives and husbands age 60 or older, if married to the deceased 10 years or more
• Widows, widowers, divorced wives, and divorced husbands age 50 or older, if they are disabled
• Children up to age 18
• Children age 18 – 19, if they attend elementary school or high school full time
• Children over age 18, if they became disabled before age 22
• The deceased worker’s parents age 62 or older, if they were being supported by the worker

Death Benefit

The Social Security Administration will pay a one-time death benefit of $255. to a surviving spouse, or a dependent child if there is no spouse. The decedent must have worked and paid into Social Security, and the spouse must be currently married and not separated at the time of the death. If there is no spouse or dependent child, there is no death benefit payable.

Returned Payment

If the deceased was receiving Social Security benefits, any checks which arrive after death will need to be returned to the Social Security office. If Social Security checks were being directly deposited into a bank account, the bank needs to be notified of the death also.