You cannot apply for survivor benefits online. Social Security accepts online applications for retirement, disability, and Medicare, but survivor claims must be filed by phone or at a local Social Security office.1Social Security Administration. Who Is Eligible to Receive Social Security Survivors Benefits and How Do I Apply Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, either to complete the application over the phone or to schedule an in-person appointment.
Your my Social Security account still matters after a death, just not for filing the claim. You can use it to check benefit estimates before you apply and to manage payments once the claim is approved. The application itself goes through a live representative.
Report the Death Before You Apply
Social Security needs to have the death on record before a survivor claim can be processed. In most cases the funeral home handles the report; give them the deceased person’s Social Security number and they will forward it to SSA.2Social Security Administration. What Should I Do When Someone Dies If no funeral home is involved, or you are not sure the report was made, call SSA at 1-800-772-1213.
Any Social Security payments the deceased received for the month of death or later have to go back. If benefits arrived by direct deposit, contact the bank and ask them to return payments issued after death to SSA. A representative will verify this early in the application, so it helps to have it resolved before you call.
Documents to Gather Before You Call
Being prepared with paperwork is the single biggest thing you can do to keep the claim moving. SSA uses Form SSA-10 for widow, widower, and surviving divorced spouse claims, and the fields on that form make a clean checklist.3Social Security Administration. Form SSA-10 – Information You Need to Apply for Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Divorced Spouse’s Benefits Have these ready:
- Social Security numbers for you and the deceased worker
- Proof of death: a certified death certificate or a statement from the funeral home
- Your birth certificate (original required; SSA returns it)
- Marriage certificate, or a final divorce decree if you are applying as a surviving divorced spouse
- Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful status if you were not born in the United States
- The worker’s W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns from the most recent year. If self-employed, that means Schedule C or Schedule F plus Schedule SE4Social Security Administration. If You Are Self-Employed
- Your own earnings information for the current year, the prior year, and estimated earnings for next year
- Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit
- Military discharge papers if the deceased had military service before 1968
SSA accepts photocopies of W-2s, tax returns, and medical records, but requires originals of birth certificates, marriage certificates, and most other identity documents. Everything is returned after review.3Social Security Administration. Form SSA-10 – Information You Need to Apply for Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Divorced Spouse’s Benefits
If children under 18 or a child with a disability are applying on the same record, have their names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers on hand as well. Children’s survivor benefits go through the same phone or in-person process.5Social Security Administration. Social Security Benefits for Children After the Death of a Parent
How the Phone or In-Person Application Works
Call 1-800-772-1213. From there you can either complete the application over the phone with a representative or schedule an appointment at your local Social Security office. Most people finish it by phone.
Wait times on the phone are generally shorter before 10:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m., and lighter Wednesday through Friday and later in the month. If you need an in-person appointment, expect a scheduling window of 30 to 60 days. That lead time is another reason to have your documents together before you call: once you have the slot, missing paperwork is the most common reason a claim stalls.
During the application itself, the representative walks through the same fields that appear on Form SSA-10: your identifying information, the worker’s earnings history, details about any eligible children, and your bank information for direct deposit. If you are eligible for both a survivor benefit and your own retirement benefit, this is also when to ask for a personalized estimate of each. SSA pays the higher of the two rather than stacking them, and the timing of when to claim which one is worth a conversation before you commit.6Social Security Administration. What You Could Get from Survivor Benefits
What Your my Social Security Account Can Do
Even though the survivor application is not online, setting up a my Social Security account at ssa.gov is still useful. The account lets you check benefit estimates before you apply, view your own earnings record, and manage payments after the claim is approved.7Social Security Administration. Create an Account – my Social Security
You will need either a Login.gov or ID.me account to sign in. As of June 2025, SSA no longer accepts the older Social Security username and password. Getting the account working before your call lets you review the worker’s earnings record ahead of time and spot any reporting gaps that could affect your benefit amount.
Ask About the $255 Lump-Sum Death Payment
Separate from monthly survivor benefits, SSA pays a one-time $255 to a qualifying survivor. It goes to a surviving spouse who was living with the deceased or was already receiving benefits on the worker’s record. If no spouse qualifies, an eligible child may receive it: a child under 18, a child age 18 or 19 in school full-time, or a child whose disability began before age 22.8Social Security Administration. Lump-Sum Death Payment
You have two years from the date of death to apply. A surviving spouse who was already collecting spousal benefits in the month before the worker died does not need to file separately; SSA processes the payment automatically.9Social Security Administration. Time Limit for Applying for Lump-Sum Death Payment Everyone else has to ask for it, so raise it during your call if the representative does not.
After You Apply
Processing usually takes several weeks. If SSA needs more documentation, a representative will call you. The formal decision, including your monthly benefit amount, payment schedule, and direct deposit details, comes as a written award notice in the mail.10Social Security Administration. POMS NL 00601.010 – Award Notices
Keep that notice. It shows the factors SSA used to calculate your benefit and starts the clock on your right to appeal if the amount looks wrong. You generally have 60 days from the date on the notice to request reconsideration.
If you were eligible for survivor benefits in the months before you applied, SSA can pay you retroactively for up to six months.11Social Security Administration. Code of Federal Regulations 404.621 – What Happens if I File After the First Month I Meet the Requirements for Benefits Claiming retroactive months before your full retirement age can permanently reduce your monthly benefit, because SSA treats you as having filed on the earlier date. Ask the representative to run both options before you decide.