Social Security Benefits
If your loved one worked long enough under Social Security to qualify for benefits, some members of your family may be entitled to receive them. It is worth contacting Social Security as soon as you reasonably can so that nothing your family is owed gets missed. We notify Social Security of the death as part of every service we provide, but the benefit claims themselves have to come from the family. Here is what may be available.
The One-Time Death Payment
Social Security pays a one-time lump sum death payment of $255 to a surviving spouse who was living with the deceased. If the couple were living apart, the spouse may still qualify if they were receiving certain Social Security benefits on the deceased's record.
If there is no surviving spouse, that payment goes instead to a child who is eligible for benefits on the deceased's record in the month of the death. This payment is separate from any monthly survivor benefits and does not affect them.
Who May Qualify for Monthly Benefits
Monthly survivor benefits may be available to a widow or widower age 60 or older, or age 50 or older if they are disabled. A surviving spouse of any age may qualify if they are caring for the deceased's child who is under 16 or disabled.
An unmarried child of the deceased may qualify if they are younger than 18, or 18 to 19 while still a full-time elementary or secondary student, or 18 and older with a disability that began before age 22. Parents age 62 or older who depended on the deceased for at least half of their support may also qualify, and a surviving divorced spouse may qualify under certain circumstances.
How to Reach Social Security
The Social Security website is the fastest place to start, and a good deal of business can now be handled online without a visit to an office.
You can also call Social Security toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. Staff answer specific questions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and automated information is available 24 hours a day. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, the TTY number is 1-800-325-0778. Bring us your questions too. We have walked many Palm Beach County families through this and we are happy to help you sort out what applies to your situation.
