If your spouse, ex-spouse, or parent worked and paid Social Security taxes before they died, you may be eligible for a monthly survivor benefit — but how much depends heavily on when you claim it. Here’s the full breakdown, verified directly from SSA.gov.
Who Can Get Survivor Benefits
You may be eligible if you’re the spouse, ex-spouse, child, or dependent parent of someone who worked and paid Social Security taxes before they died.
Spouses and Ex-Spouses
You may qualify if you:
- Are age 60 or older, or age 50–59 if you have a disability, and
- Were married for at least 9 months before your spouse’s death, and
- Didn’t remarry before age 60 (age 50 if you have a disability)
Ex-spouses who were married at least 10 years may also be eligible, as well as some valid non-marital legal relationships. Notably, you might qualify regardless of age or how long you were married if you’re caring for the deceased’s child — this is a commonly missed eligibility path.
Children
Children of someone who died may be eligible if they’re unmarried and:
- Age 17 or younger, or
- Ages 18–19 and in school (K–12) full time, or
- Any age, if they developed a disability at age 21 or younger
In certain circumstances, SSA can also pay benefits to married children, stepchildren, adopted children, grandchildren, and stepgrandchildren.
Adult Children With a Disability
Adult children whose disability started before their 22nd birthday may be eligible when their parent dies — this isn’t limited to minor children.
Dependent Parents
You may be eligible if you’re 62 or older and were financially supported by your child who died.
How Much You Could Get
Spouses and ex-spouses: payments start at 71.5% of your spouse’s benefit if you claim at the earliest eligible age, and increase the longer you wait:
| Claiming age | Approximate percentage |
|---|---|
| 61 | Over 75% |
| 63 | Over 80% |
| 65 | Over 90% |
| Full Retirement Age (66–67) | Up to 100% |
Children: generally get 75% of the deceased parent’s benefit — though a “family maximum” limits total household payments, and everyone’s amount may be reduced proportionally to stay under that cap. Notably, ex-spouses don’t count toward the family maximum, so their benefit doesn’t reduce what current family members receive.
Lump-sum death payment: spouses or some minor children may also receive a one-time $255 death benefit, separate from the ongoing monthly survivor payment.
Survivor Benefits vs. Other Benefits: You Don’t Get Both
If you’re eligible for Survivor benefits and another benefit (like your own retirement benefit), SSA doesn’t add the two together. You choose whichever payment is better for you at the time — and importantly, you can switch later. A common strategy: start with Survivor benefits earlier, then switch to your own Retirement benefit at age 70 when that payment reaches its highest possible amount.
Earnings Limits While on Survivor Benefits
If you’re collecting Survivor benefits and still working, you may be subject to an earnings limit depending on your age — earning above that limit temporarily reduces your payment for the year. The specific limit depends on your birth date, so check SSA’s earnings limit tool directly rather than assuming a flat figure, since it varies by age group.
How to Get an Estimate
To get a personalized benefit estimate, you’ll need the Social Security number of the family member who died (or, if unavailable, their date of birth and parents’ names). SSA phone representatives are available most U.S. time zones Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., in English, Spanish, and other languages:
- Phone: 1-800-772-1213
- TTY: 1-800-325-0778
FAQ
Q: I’m divorced — can I still get survivor benefits from my ex-spouse?
Yes, if you were married at least 10 years, or in some cases regardless of marriage length if you’re caring for their child.
Q: Do I need to report my spouse’s death to SSA myself?
Usually not — a funeral home typically reports the death directly to SSA, so you may not need to do this yourself. Confirm with your funeral home whether they’ve handled this.
Q: If I remarry, do I lose survivor benefits?
Remarrying before age 60 (or age 50 if disabled) generally makes you ineligible for survivor benefits based on your former spouse. Remarrying after that age typically doesn’t affect eligibility.
Q: Can I get both a survivor benefit and my own retirement benefit at the same time?
No — SSA has you choose the higher of the two rather than combining them, but you can switch between them later, which is a common strategy to maximize lifetime benefits.
Bottom Line
Survivor benefits reward patience: claiming at 60 locks in roughly 71.5% of the deceased’s benefit, while waiting until your full retirement age can get you up to 100%. If you’re also eligible for your own retirement benefit, compare both rather than assuming survivor benefits are automatically your best option — and remember you’re not locked into one choice permanently.
Source: Social Security Administration (SSA.gov) — “Who can get Survivor benefits” and “What you could get from Survivor benefits” (https://www.ssa.gov/survivor/eligibility).