Get Social Security Death Benefits - Socialsecurity

Here are the most typical situations: A widow or widower, at full retirement age or older, generally receives 100 percent of the worker's basic benefit amount. A widow or widower, age 60 or older, but under full retirement age, receives about 71-99 percent of the worker's basic benefit amount; or.

When a retired worker dies, the surviving spouse gets an amount equal to the worker's full retirement benefit. Example: John Smith has a $1,200-a-month retirement benefit. His wife Jane gets $600 as a 50 percent spousal benefit. Total family income from Social Security is $1,800 a month.

Your survivors benefit amount is based on the earnings of the person who died. The more they paid into Social Security, the higher your benefits would be. The monthly amount you would get is a percentage of the deceased's basic Social Security benefit. ... Two surviving parents 75 percent to each parent.

Within a family, a child can receive up to half of the parent's full retirement or disability benefit. If a child receives survivors benefits, they can get up to 75 percent of the deceased parent's basic Social Security benefit. There is a limit, however, to the amount of money that we can pay to a family.

Generally, spouses and ex-spouses become eligible for survivor benefits at age 60 50 if they are disabled provided they do not remarry before that age. These benefits are payable for life unless the spouse begins collecting a retirement benefit that is greater than the survivor benefit.

They can collect survivor benefits from age 60 (50 if they are disabled), at rates ranging from 71.5 percent to 100 percent of the late spouse's Social Security benefit, depending on the survivor's age.

A widow or widower at any age who is caring for the deceased's child who is under age 16 or disabled and receiving benefits on their record; An unmarried child of the deceased who is: Younger than age 18 (or up to age 19 if he or she is a full-time student in an elementary or secondary school); or.

Form SSA-8 | Information You Need To Apply For Lump Sum Death Benefit. You can apply for benefits by calling our national toll-free service at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or by visiting your local Social Security office.