Survivor Benefits: What You Need to Know About Social Security

Survivor benefits are Social Security benefits that are paid to the family members of a deceased person who was eligible for Social Security benefits. These benefits are intended to help the surviving family members financially after the loss of the primary earner.

Survivor benefits are available to the spouse, ex-spouse, children, and in some cases, the parents of the deceased person. To be eligible for survivor benefits, the deceased person must have worked and paid into Social Security long enough to earn the required number of credits.

The amount of survivor benefits that a family member can receive depends on a number of factors, including the deceased person’s lifetime earnings and age at the time of death. Generally, the more the deceased person earned, the higher the survivor benefits will be.

Survivor benefits can be paid as early as age 60 for a surviving spouse or ex-spouse, and as early as age 50 if the surviving spouse or ex-spouse is disabled. Children can receive survivor benefits until they are 18, or until they are 19 if they are still in high school. Parents of the deceased person can receive survivor benefits if they were dependent on the deceased person for at least half of their support.

Receiving survivor benefits does not affect your own Social Security benefits. However, if you are eligible for both survivor benefits and your own retirement benefits, you may have to choose between the two. You will receive the higher of the two benefits, but not both.

To apply for survivor benefits, you can either visit your local Social Security office or apply online through the Social Security website. You will need to provide documentation of the deceased person’s death, as well as your relationship to the deceased person.