Losing someone close to you is difficult enough without having to organize paperwork. Understanding survivor benefits can help you identify the Social Security support your family may be entitled to.
The official Insiderbits guide below explains which documents to gather, how to use your my Social Security account, and where to start a claim.
What is the best way to manage and estimate survivor benefits?
The best starting point for managing your Social Security information is a personal my Social Security account.
The free online service gives you secure access to your Social Security Statement, earnings history, benefit estimates, and several account-management tools.
Your Social Security Statement can include estimates of future retirement, disability, and survivor benefits based on your earnings record.
However, there is an important distinction: the account helps you review information and estimates, but it does not allow you to submit a survivor benefit application online.
Features available in the My Social Security platform
My Social Security account works as a central online dashboard for your Social Security information.
Depending on your situation, you can review your earnings record, access benefit estimates, request documents, check application information, and manage certain benefit details.
The platform can also help you verify whether your reported earnings are accurate.
This matters because Social Security benefit calculations are based on your earnings history, so reviewing the record can help identify potential errors.
To create an account, SSA currently uses Login.gov or ID.me to verify your identity. The requirements vary depending on which sign-in option you choose.
Step-by-step: how to compile documents for a survivor benefit claim
Before contacting Social Security, organizing the relevant documents can make the process easier.
Keep the documents together in a secure physical folder or digital location, but don’t send sensitive documents through unofficial websites or services.
Step 1: gather the deceased person’s information
Start with the deceased person’s full name, Social Security number, date of birth, and date of death.
The SSA may ask for the deceased person’s Social Security number and other identifying information when you contact the agency.
Step 2: collect proof of your relationship
Depending on your relationship to the deceased person, gather documents that establish the relationship.
For a surviving spouse, this can include a marriage certificate. A divorced spouse may need divorce documentation, while a child may need documents establishing the parent-child relationship.
The exact documents required can vary according to the claim.
Step 3: organize financial and work information
Keep available documents that can help establish the deceased person’s work history and your financial circumstances when relevant.
You can use my Social Security account to review the earnings record associated with your own Social Security number.
The account also provides personalized benefit information and estimates based on available earnings data.
Step 4: prepare your banking information
If you are approved for benefits, Social Security may need information related to how payments should be received.
Keep your current bank account information available and make sure the details you provide to the SSA are accurate.
Step 5: contact Social Security to apply
Survivor benefits cannot currently be applied for online.
The SSA instructs survivors to call 1-800-772-1213 or contact their local Social Security office to report the death and apply for benefits.
Who qualifies for survivor benefits?
Survivor benefits may be available to certain family members of someone who worked and paid Social Security taxes.
Eligible family members can include surviving spouses, surviving divorced spouses, children, and dependent parents.
Surviving spouses
A surviving spouse may generally qualify at age 60 or older, or between ages 50 and 59 if they have a disability.
There are also situations in which a surviving spouse of any age may qualify while caring for the deceased person’s child who is under 16 or has a disability.
Surviving divorced spouses
A divorced spouse may qualify if the marriage lasted at least 10 years and other eligibility requirements are met.
Certain exceptions can apply when the surviving divorced spouse is caring for the deceased worker’s child.
Children
Unmarried children may qualify if they are 17 or younger, or 18–19 and attending elementary or secondary school full time.
An adult child whose disability began before age 22 may also qualify under certain circumstances.
Dependent parents
A dependent parent may qualify at age 62 or older if they were financially supported by the deceased child.
The SSA has specific requirements for this type of claim, so eligibility should be confirmed directly with the agency
How much can you receive?
The amount depends largely on the deceased worker’s earnings history and the survivor’s circumstances.
For example, a surviving spouse’s benefit can range from 71.5% to 100% of the deceased worker’s benefit, depending on the age at which the survivor claims it.
Children generally receive 75% of the deceased parent’s benefit, although a family maximum can reduce payments when several family members receive benefits on the same record.
There is also a $255 one-time lump-sum death payment for qualifying survivors. The SSA says eligible survivors must apply for this payment within two years of the worker’s death.
Legal tools to protect your family’s assets
Social Security is only one part of protecting your family’s financial future after a death.
Estate planning can help families organize assets, beneficiary designations, property, and other legal matters before they become urgent.
For general information, Parker & Company discusses several strategies for protecting family assets, including estate planning and family law considerations. Read the guide to protecting your assets.
You may also need professional help when the estate involves property, significant debts, trusts, business interests, or disputes between beneficiaries.
Legal requirements vary by state, so an online checklist should not replace advice from a qualified attorney.
Don’t leave your family’s benefits buried in paperwork
Dealing with survivor benefits can feel overwhelming when you’re already handling the emotional consequences of a loss.
Start by creating one secure folder for identification, relationship documents, financial information, and Social Security records.
Then use your my Social Security account to review available earnings and benefit information, and contact the SSA directly when you’re ready to discuss eligibility or submit a claim.
If you’re also checking whether other government programs could help your household, Insiderbits’ guide to an immigrant benefits check may provide another useful starting point.
Most importantly, don’t assume that you aren’t eligible simply because you don’t know which documents or benefits apply to your situation.
The SSA has different rules for spouses, divorced spouses, children, and dependent parents. Checking the official requirements can help you understand what your family may be entitled to receive.
