Does Social Security Help With Burial Expenses?

Social Security does help with burial expenses, but only a little: the agency pays a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 to an eligible survivor when a covered worker dies. That amount has been fixed since 1954 and covers roughly 3% of the national median funeral cost of $8,300 reported by the National Funeral Directors Association for 2023. The larger financial support Social Security provides to a grieving family comes not from that check but from monthly survivor benefits paid to a spouse, children, or dependent parents.

Who Can Receive the $255 Payment

The deceased worker must have been fully insured or currently insured at the time of death, meaning they paid Social Security taxes long enough to earn the required work credits.1Social Security Administration. POMS RS 00210.001 – Requirements for the Lump-Sum Death Payment (LSDP) The payment then goes to one person, following a strict priority order:

  • A surviving spouse who was living in the same household as the worker at the time of death.
  • A surviving spouse living apart, if they were already eligible for survivor benefits on that worker’s record.
  • If no qualifying spouse exists, any child or children entitled to benefits on the worker’s record for the month of death. When more than one child qualifies, the $255 is split evenly.

If nobody fits those categories, the payment is not made. Siblings, friends, parents who aren’t dependents, and other relatives cannot claim it, and neither can the funeral home directly.1Social Security Administration. POMS RS 00210.001 – Requirements for the Lump-Sum Death Payment (LSDP) Common-law marriages are recognized for this payment in states where common-law marriage is valid, provided both partners were free to marry, considered themselves married, and lived together as spouses.2Social Security Administration. Evidence of Common-Law Marriage

How to Claim the Lump-Sum Death Payment

Funeral homes generally report the death to Social Security, so you usually don’t need to notify the agency yourself.3Social Security Administration. What to Do When Someone Dies Reporting a death and applying for the $255 are separate steps, though. The payment is not automatic. You have to file for it.

You cannot apply online. Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or visit a local office.4Social Security Administration. Form SSA-8 – Information You Need to Apply for Lump Sum Death Benefit The deadline is two years from the date of death.5Social Security Administration. Lump-Sum Death Payment

Have this information ready when you apply:

  • The deceased worker’s Social Security number
  • A certified death certificate
  • Your own Social Security number and birth certificate
  • A marriage certificate, if you are applying as a surviving spouse
  • Bank account information for direct deposit

Don’t hold up the application because you’re missing a document. SSA can help track down what’s needed once you’ve started.4Social Security Administration. Form SSA-8 – Information You Need to Apply for Lump Sum Death Benefit

Monthly Survivor Benefits Are the Bigger Help

The financial support that actually matters after a death usually comes from monthly survivor benefits, which are based on the deceased worker’s lifetime earnings. Higher career earnings mean higher survivor payments, and those payments can continue for years.

How much a family member receives depends on age and situation:6Social Security Administration. Survivors Benefits

  • A surviving spouse at full retirement age or older receives 100% of the worker’s benefit amount.
  • A surviving spouse between age 60 and full retirement age receives 71% to 99%, increasing with age.
  • A surviving spouse age 50 to 59 with a disability receives 71.5%.7Social Security Administration. Our Survivor Benefits – Protection for Your Family
  • A surviving spouse of any age caring for the worker’s child under 16 receives 75%.
  • An eligible child receives 75%.8Social Security Administration. Benefits for Children
  • A dependent parent age 62 or older receives up to 82.5%, or 75% each if two parents qualify.

A family maximum caps total payments on one worker’s record at 150% to 180% of the worker’s benefit amount, so individual shares may be reduced when several relatives collect at once.6Social Security Administration. Survivors Benefits

Who Qualifies

Eligibility rules vary by relationship:9Social Security Administration. Who Can Get Survivor Benefits

  • A surviving spouse must be 60 or older, 50 or older if disabled, or any age if caring for the deceased’s child who is under 16 or has a qualifying disability.
  • A divorced surviving spouse may qualify under the same age rules if the marriage lasted at least 10 years.
  • A child must be unmarried and either 17 or younger, 18 to 19 and a full-time elementary or secondary student, or any age if disabled before age 22.
  • A dependent parent must be 62 or older and must have been receiving at least half their financial support from the deceased worker.

Applications for monthly survivor benefits also cannot be filed online. Call 1-800-772-1213 or go to a local office. For some categories benefits are paid only from the date of application, so filing quickly protects money you’re entitled to.10Social Security Administration. Who Is Eligible to Receive Social Security Survivors Benefits and How Do I Apply

If the Deceased Was a Veteran

Veterans may qualify for a separate burial allowance through the Department of Veterans Affairs, and this can be received in addition to the $255 Social Security payment.

For deaths on or after October 1, 2025, VA pays up to $1,002 for burial expenses and up to $1,002 for plot costs when the death is not service-connected.11Veterans Affairs. Veterans Burial Allowance and Transportation Benefits For a service-connected death, the burial allowance rises to up to $2,000, and VA may also reimburse transportation to a national cemetery.12Veterans Benefits Administration. Burial Benefits – Compensation

The veteran must not have received a dishonorable discharge. For non-service-connected deaths, additional conditions apply, most commonly that the veteran was receiving VA benefits or had a pending claim at the time of death.11Veterans Affairs. Veterans Burial Allowance and Transportation Benefits Burial in a VA national cemetery itself is available at no cost to eligible veterans and includes the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, and a headstone or marker.