When a Social Security beneficiary dies, his or her surviving spouse is eligible for survivor benefits. A surviving spouse can collect 100 percent of the late spouse’s benefit if the survivor has reached full retirement age, but the amount will be lower if the deceased spouse claimed benefits before he or she reached full retirement age. (Full retirement age for survivor benefits differs from that for retirement and spousal benefits; it is currently 66 but will gradually increase to 67 over the next several years.)
If you were already receiving spousal benefits on the deceased’s work record, Social Security will in most cases switch you automatically to survivor benefits when the death is reported. Otherwise, you will need to apply for survivor benefits by calling the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 or contacting your local Social Security office.
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In most cases, a widow or
widower qualifies for survivor benefits if he or she is at least 60 and had been married to the deceased for at least nine months at the time of death. But there are a few exceptions to those requirements:
- If the late beneficiary’s death was accidental or occurred in the line of U.S. military duty, there’s no length-of-marriage requirement.
- You can apply for survivor benefits as early as age 50 if you are disabled and the disability occurred within seven years of your spouse’s death.
- If you are caring for children from the marriage who are under 16 or disabled, you can apply at any age.
Whether you have wed again can also affect eligibility. If the remarriage took place before you turned 60 (50 if you are disabled), you cannot draw survivor benefits. You regain eligibility if that marriage ends. And there is no effect on eligibility for survivor benefits if you remarry at or past 60 (50 if disabled).
The survivor benefit is generally calculated on the benefit your late spouse was receiving from Social Security at the time of death (or was entitled to receive, based on age and earnings history, if he or she had not yet claimed benefits). The actual amount of your payment will differ according to your age and family circumstance:
- As previously noted, if you have reached full retirement age, you get 100 percent of the benefit your spouse was (or would have been) collecting.
- If you claim survivor benefits between age 60 and your full retirement age, you will receive between 71.5 percent and 99 percent of the deceased’s benefit. The percentage gets higher the older you are when you claim.
- If you claim in your 50s as a disabled spouse, the survivor benefit is 71.5 percent of your late spouse's benefit.
- If you apply on the basis of caring for a child who is under 16 or disabled, you can collect 75 percent of the late spouse’s benefit, regardless of your age.
Keep in mind
- You will not receive a survivor benefit in addition to your own retirement benefit; Social Security will pay the higher of the two amounts.
- If you are the divorced former spouse of a deceased Social Security recipient, you might qualify for survivor benefits on his or her work record.
- If you are below full retirement age and still working, your survivor benefit could be affected by Social Security's earnings limit.
- It does not matter whether a surviving spouse worked long enough to qualify for Social Security on his or her own. He or she can still collect benefits on the deceased spouse’s work record.
As you plan for the future, you'll want to think about what your family would need if you should die. Social Security can help your family if you have earned enough Social Security credits through your work.Planning For Your Survivors
You can earn up to four credits each year. In 2022, for example, you earn one credit for each $1,510 of wages or self-employment income. When you have earned $6,040 you have earned your four credits for the year.
The number of credits needed to provide benefits for your survivors depends on your age when you die. No one needs more than 40 credits (10 years of work) to be eligible for any Social Security benefit. But, the younger a person is, the fewer credits they must have for family members to receive survivors benefits.
Some survivors can get benefits if you have credit for one and one-half years of work (six credits) in the three years just before your death.
For Your Widow Or Widower
There are about four million widows and widowers receiving monthly Social Security benefits based on their deceased spouse's earnings record. For many of those survivors, particularly older women, those benefits help to provide the necessities of life.
Widows and widowers can receive:
- Reduced benefits as early as age 60.
- Benefits as early as age 50 if they have a disability AND their disability started before or within 7 years of your death.
- Benefits at any age, if they have not remarried, and if they take care of your child who is under age 16 or who has a disability and receives child’s benefits.
If widows or widowers qualify for retirement benefits on their own record, they can switch to their own retirement benefit as early as age 62.
If a widow or widower who is caring for your children receives Social Security benefits, they're still eligible for benefits. This applies if their disability starts before those payments end or within seven years after they end.
If a widow or widower remarries after they reach age 60 (age 50 if they have a disability), the remarriage will not affect their eligibility for survivors benefits.
Widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses cannot apply online for survivors benefits. They should contact us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to request an appointment.
If applying for disability benefits on a deceased worker’s record, they can speed up the application process if they complete an Adult Disability Report and have it available at the time of their appointment.
We use the same definition of disability for widows and widowers as we do for workers.
For Your Surviving Divorced Spouse
If you have a surviving divorced spouse, they could get the same benefits as your widow or widower if that marriage lasted 10 years or more.
If your surviving divorced spouse qualifies for retirement benefits on their own record, they can switch to their own retirement benefit as early as age 62.
Benefits paid to a surviving divorced spouse won't affect the benefit amounts your other survivors will receive based on your earnings record.
If your surviving divorced spouse remarries after they reach age 60 (age 50 if they have a disability), the remarriage will not affect their eligibility for survivors benefits.
If your former spouse is caring for your child who is under age 16 who has a disability and gets benefits on your record, they will not have to meet the length-of-marriage rule. The child must be your natural or legally adopted child.
However, if they qualify for benefits as a surviving divorced parent who is caring for your child, their benefits may affect the amount of benefits your other survivors will receive. This amount is based on your earnings record.
For Your Children
Your unmarried children who are under 18 (up to age 19 if attending elementary or secondary school full time) can be eligible to receive Social Security benefits when you die.
Your child can also get benefits at any age if they have a disability that began before age 22.
Under certain circumstances, your stepchildren, grandchildren, step grandchildren or adopted children may receive benefits. For further information, read our publication Survivors Benefits.
For Your Parents
You must already provide at least half of your parent’s support and your parent must not be eligible to receive a retirement benefit that is higher than the benefit we could pay on your record. Generally, your parent also must not have married after your death, however, there are some exceptions.
In addition to your natural parent, your stepparent or adoptive parent may receive benefits if they became your parent before you were age 16.
How Much Would Your Survivors Receive
How much your family could receive in benefits depends on your average lifetime earnings. The higher your earnings were, the higher their benefits would be.
If you are already receiving reduced benefits when you die, benefits for your surviving spouse may be affected.
These are examples of monthly benefit payments:
- Widow or widower, full retirement age or older—100% of your benefit amount.
- Widow or widower, age 60 to full retirement age—71½ to 99% of your basic amount.
- Disabled widow or widower, age 50 through 59—71½%
- Widow or widower, any age, caring for a child under age 16—75%
- A child under age 18 (19 if still in elementary or secondary school) or has a disability—75%.
- Your dependent parent(s), age 62 or older:
- One surviving parent—82½%.
- Two surviving parents—75% to each parent.
Percentages for a surviving divorced spouse would be the same as above.
There may also be a special lump-sum death payment.
Maximum Family Amount
There's a limit to the amount that family members can receive each month. The limit varies, but it is generally equal to between 150% and 180% of the basic benefit rate.
If the sum of the benefits payable to family members is greater than this limit, the benefits will be reduced proportionately. (Any benefits paid to a surviving divorced spouse based on disability or age won't count toward this maximum amount.)
Get your Social Security Statement using your personal my Social Security account for an estimate of the benefits your family could receive if you were to die right now.
Other Things You Need To Know
There are limits on how much survivors may earn while they receive benefits.
Benefits for a widow, widower, or surviving divorced spouse may be affected by several additional factors:
If they remarry
If your widow, widower, or surviving divorced spouse remarries before they reach age 60 (age 50 if they have a disability), they cannot receive benefits as a surviving spouse while they're married.
If your widow, widower, or surviving divorced spouse remarries after they reach age 60 (age 50 if they have a disability), they will continue to qualify for benefits on your Social Security record.
However, if their current spouse is a Social Security beneficiary, they may want to apply for spouse's benefits on their record. If that amount is more than the widow's or widower's benefit on your record, they will receive a combination of benefits that equals the higher amount.
If they're eligible for retirement benefits on their own record
If your widow, widower, or surviving divorced spouse receives benefits on your record, they can switch to their own retirement benefit as early as age 62. This assumes they're eligible for retirement benefits and their retirement rate is higher than their rate as a widow, widower, or surviving divorced spouse.
In many cases, a widow or widower can begin receiving one benefit at a reduced rate and then switch to a higher rate in the future.
If they will also receive a pension based on work not covered by us.
If your widow, widower, or surviving divorced spouse will also receive a pension based on work not covered by us, such as government or foreign work, their Social Security benefits as a survivor may be affected.