Survivors Benefits | SSA (2024)

FAQs

Who qualifies for survivor benefits? ›

For benefits purposes, we consider a survivor to be the spouse, child, or parent of a worker who dies. That person must have worked long enough under Social Security to be eligible for benefits.

According to the Social Security Administration, the average survivor benefit paid in December 2023 was $1,501.60 per month.

A surviving spouse can receive Social Security Survivor benefits based on the work record of a deceased spouse. If you are divorced after a marriage that lasted at least 10 years, you may also be eligible for Social Security survivor benefits provided you did not remarry prior to age 60 or prior to age 50 if disabled.

The Survivor Benefit Plan is a Department of Defense sponsored and subsidized program that provides up to 55 percent of a service member's retired pay to an eligible beneficiary upon the death of the member.

How Long Do You Receive Social Security Survivor Benefits? Social Security survivor benefits are payable to the surviving spouse for the remainder of their life. Restrictions apply for divorced spouses eligible to receive benefits.

A surviving spouse, surviving divorced spouse, unmarried child, or dependent parent may be eligible for monthly survivor benefits based on the deceased worker's earnings. In addition, a one-time lump sum death payment of $255 can be made to a qualifying spouse or child if they meet certain requirements.

The short version: Spousal benefits are available to retired workers' spouses or ex-spouses. They pay up to 50% of a worker's monthly retirement or disability benefit. Survivor benefits are paid to a surviving spouse or surviving ex-spouse when a Social Security beneficiary dies.

If you qualify for your own retirement and spouse's benefits, we will always pay your own benefits first. If your benefit amount as a spouse is higher than your own retirement benefit, you will get a combination of the two benefits that equals the higher amount.

How a surviving spouse's age affects Social Security retirement benefits. As a surviving spouse, you're entitled to 100% of the deceased's benefits once you reach full retirement age. The full retirement age can differ based on the type of benefit. See this chart for the survivor's full retirement age.

Only about a third of all states have laws specifying that assets owned by the deceased are automatically inherited by the surviving spouse. In the remaining states, the surviving spouse may inherit between one-third and one-half of the assets, with the remainder divided among surviving children, if applicable.

What not to do when a spouse dies? ›

In the absence of a prenup or postnup, surviving spouses are guaranteed one-half of the community property, regardless of what their deceased spouse's will or trust says.

Surviving spouse, age 60 or older, but under full retirement age, gets between 71% and 99% of the worker's basic benefit amount. Surviving spouse, any age, with a child younger than age 16, gets 75% of the worker's benefit amount. Child gets 75% of the worker's benefit amount.

The 100% J&S annuity option is a pension payment method that will pay you an actuarially reduced pension and continue 100% of your reduced monthly benefit to your Spouse after your death.

Surviving spouse, full retirement age or older—100% of your benefit amount. Surviving spouse, age 60 to full retirement age—71½ to 99% of your basic amount. A child under age 18 (19 if still in elementary or secondary school) or has a disability—75%.

However, not everyone can collect survivor benefits. Eligibility typically depends on several factors, including the deceased worker's earned Social Security credits, the survivor's relationship to the deceased, as well as their age or disability status.

The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) is a program through which the Department of Defense provides monthly, cost-of-living-adjusted income to eligible survivors of Soldiers who die on Active Duty in the line of duty, including Reserve Soldiers and National Guard Soldiers who die on Federal Active Duty in the line of duty ...