Social Security death benefits pay monthly income to the surviving spouse, minor or disabled children, dependent parents, and in some cases the divorced ex-spouse of a worker who paid into Social Security long enough to be insured. A one-time $255 lump-sum payment is also available, but only to a qualifying spouse or child. Monthly amounts run from 71.5% to 100% of what the deceased worker would have received at full retirement age, depending on the survivor’s relationship and age when payments start.1Social Security Administration. What You Could Get From Survivor Benefits
Who Qualifies as a Survivor
Eligibility is not automatic for every relative. The SSA checks the relationship to the deceased and the survivor’s own age, marital status, and caregiving situation.2Social Security Administration. Who Can Get Survivor Benefits
Surviving Spouses
A widow or widower can begin collecting reduced benefits at age 60, or at age 50 with a qualifying disability. A disabled surviving spouse must have become disabled before the worker’s death or within seven years afterward.3Social Security Administration. 20 CFR 404.335 – How Do I Become Entitled to Widows or Widowers Benefits
Age doesn’t matter at all if the surviving spouse is caring for the deceased worker’s child who is under 16 or disabled. That version of the benefit is called mother’s or father’s benefits, and the surviving spouse must be unmarried to receive it.4eCFR. 20 CFR 404.339 – How Do I Become Entitled to Mothers or Fathers Benefits as a Surviving Spouse
Children
An unmarried child of the deceased qualifies if under 18, or up to 19 if still enrolled full-time in elementary or secondary school.5Social Security Administration. Benefits for Children A child whose disability began before age 22 can collect at any age for as long as the disability lasts. Stepchildren qualify too, but only if they were the worker’s stepchild for at least nine months before the death. The SSA waives that nine-month rule when the death was accidental or happened in the line of military duty.6Social Security Administration. SSA Handbook 0331 – Stepchild-Stepparent Relationship
Divorced Former Spouses
A former spouse can collect if the marriage lasted at least ten years and the former spouse is currently unmarried, with an exception for remarriage after age 60.7Social Security Administration. If You Had a Prior Marriage Anything paid to a surviving divorced spouse does not reduce what the worker’s other survivors can receive.
Dependent Parents
A parent at least 62 years old who was receiving at least half of their financial support from the deceased can qualify, as long as the parent isn’t already entitled to a higher benefit on their own record. Proof of that financial dependency has to be filed within two years of the death.8Social Security Administration. 20 CFR 404.370 – Who Is Entitled to Parents Benefits
How Much Each Survivor Receives
Every payment is calculated as a percentage of the deceased worker’s primary insurance amount, which is roughly what the worker would have received at full retirement age.
- Widow or widower at full retirement age (66 to 67): 100% of the worker’s benefit.
- Widow or widower at age 60: 71.5%, rising for each month the survivor waits past 60.
- Disabled widow or widower ages 50 through 59: 71.5%.
- Surviving spouse caring for a child under 16 or a disabled child: 75%.9Social Security Administration. SSA Handbook 407 – Amount of Widowers Insurance Benefit
- Each eligible child: 75%.
A family maximum caps what one worker’s record can pay collectively. The total generally falls between 150% and 180% of the worker’s benefit.10Social Security Administration. Frequently Asked Questions When several family members qualify and the sum would exceed the cap, each person’s share is proportionally reduced to fit within it.11Social Security Administration. Formula for Family Maximum Benefit
The $255 Lump-Sum Death Payment
The one-time lump-sum death payment is $255. It has not been adjusted for inflation in decades, and it’s the only piece of Social Security death benefits paid as a single check rather than monthly.
It goes first to a surviving spouse who was living in the same household as the worker at the time of death. A spouse who was living apart but was already receiving benefits on the worker’s record may still qualify. If no eligible spouse exists, the $255 goes to a child who was entitled to benefits on the worker’s record during the month of death.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 402 – Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Benefit Payments The payment does not go to the deceased’s estate, and no one outside those two categories can claim it. Applications must be filed within two years of the death, on Form SSA-8.13Social Security Administration. Application for Lump-Sum Death Payment
Did the Worker Have Enough Credits?
None of these benefits pay out unless the deceased worker earned enough Social Security credits through payroll taxes. In 2026, workers earn one credit for every $1,890 in wages or self-employment income, capped at four credits per year.14Social Security Administration. Social Security Credits and Benefit Eligibility The number of credits needed to be “fully insured” depends on the worker’s age at death: a worker who dies at 30 might need only nine, while one who dies at 50 or older generally needs 40 credits, or about ten years of work. The minimum is six credits and the maximum is 40.15Social Security Administration. Insured Status Requirements
A separate “currently insured” rule helps families of workers who died young. If the deceased earned at least six credits in the three years before death, their children and a spouse caring for those children can still receive benefits, and the $255 lump sum is available too.16Social Security Administration. Survivors Benefits Age-based widow or widower benefits starting at 60, and dependent parent benefits, require full insured status.
How Remarriage Changes Your Benefits
Remarriage is where many survivors accidentally lose eligibility. Age at the time of the new marriage decides what happens.
- Remarriage before age 50: Survivor benefits end, unless the new marriage later ends by divorce, annulment, or death of the new spouse.
- Remarriage between ages 50 and 59: A survivor who was disabled and unable to work at the time of the remarriage can still qualify for disabled survivor benefits.
- Remarriage at age 60 or later: Survivor benefits continue. The survivor can then take whichever is higher: the survivor benefit from the deceased spouse’s record, or a spousal benefit from the new spouse’s record.17Social Security Administration. Will Remarrying Affect My Social Security Benefits
The same age thresholds apply to surviving divorced spouses. A ten-year marriage followed by a remarriage after 60 still leaves the survivor eligible to collect on the deceased ex-spouse’s record.
How to Apply and What to Bring
Survivor benefits generally cannot be filed through the SSA’s online system. You apply by calling 1-800-772-1213 to speak with a representative or schedule an appointment, or by visiting a local Social Security office.18Social Security Administration. Other Ways to Apply for Benefits In-person visits are useful when documents need to be verified on the spot.
Gather these before applying:
- An original or certified copy of the death certificate. Photocopies are generally rejected, and certified copies typically cost $15 to $25 each from the state’s vital records office.
- Social Security numbers for the deceased and for the applicant.
- Proof of relationship: a marriage certificate for a surviving spouse, a divorce decree for a former spouse, or birth certificates for children.
- The deceased worker’s W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns for the most recent year.
- Birth dates for every surviving dependent who might qualify.
The SSA uses Form SSA-10 to collect details about previous marriages, minor children, and the worker’s earnings.19Social Security Administration. Information You Need to Apply for Widows, Widowers or Surviving Divorced Spouses Benefits Federal law requires benefits to arrive electronically, either through direct deposit or a Direct Express Debit Mastercard, so have banking information ready.20Social Security Administration. Direct Deposit
Survivor claims can be paid up to six months retroactively, covering months before the application where all eligibility requirements were already met.21Social Security Administration. SSA Handbook 1513 – Retroactive Effect of Application Retroactive benefits before full retirement age generally are not paid if accepting them would permanently reduce the monthly amount going forward.
Working, Taxes, and Other Income
If you collect survivor benefits while still working, an earnings limit applies until you reach full retirement age. In 2026, the SSA withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 earned above $24,480.22Social Security Administration. Receiving Benefits While Working The limit disappears at full retirement age, and the benefit is recalculated to credit months where payments were withheld, so the money is not permanently lost.
Survivor benefits can be subject to federal income tax. For a single filer, benefits become partly taxable once combined income (adjusted gross income, plus nontaxable interest, plus half of Social Security benefits) exceeds $25,000. For a married couple filing jointly, the threshold is $32,000.23Internal Revenue Service. IRS Reminds Taxpayers Their Social Security Benefits May Be Taxable At higher income levels, up to 85% of the benefit can be included as taxable income. If the survivor benefit is your only income, taxes almost certainly will not apply.