The short answer
When a worker covered by Social Security dies, their widow or widower can receive a monthly survivor benefit of up to 100 percent of what the worker was receiving or entitled to, including any delayed retirement credits. That full amount is paid from the survivor's full retirement age for survivors, which is between 66 and 67. A survivor can claim as early as 60, or 50 if disabled, but the benefit is then reduced, to about 71.5 percent at 60. A surviving spouse caring for the worker's child under 16 can receive 75 percent at any age. You cannot receive a survivor benefit and your own retirement benefit in full at the same time, but you can take one first and switch to the other later, which can add up to a lot. Unmarried children and some dependent parents can also qualify, a divorced spouse married for ten years can claim, and a one-time $255 payment goes to a surviving spouse or child.
First, the few things that cannot wait
Funeral homes usually report a death to Social Security, but the claim itself is yours to make, and survivor claims generally cannot be filed online. Call Social Security or visit a local office when you are ready, ideally within the first few weeks.
- The month of death is not paid. Social Security pays no benefit for the month a person dies, even if the death came on the last day. A payment that arrives the next month for that month must be returned, and banks usually send it back automatically from a joint account.
- The $255 death payment is not automatic. It goes to a surviving spouse who lived with the worker, or in some cases to an eligible child, and must generally be claimed within two years.
- If you already received a spousal benefit, it usually changes to a survivor benefit automatically. Confirm the new amount.
- Have documents ready: the death certificate, your marriage certificate or divorce decree, both Social Security numbers, and the children's birth certificates if they may qualify.
Everything below is about the larger choices, which are worth a little time.
Who can be paid on the record
Benefits are paid on the record of a worker who had enough Social Security credits. Several people may qualify, each in a different situation:
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
| Situation | Earliest age | Share of the worker's benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Widow or widower at full retirement age for survivors | 66 to 67, by birth year | 100% |
| Widow or widower claiming early | 60 | About 71.5%, rising toward 100% |
| Disabled widow or widower | 50 | About 71.5% |
| Spouse caring for the worker's child under 16 or disabled | Any age | 75% |
| Unmarried child | Under 18, or 19 if still in high school | 75% |
| Dependent parent | 62 | 82.5% for one parent, 75% each for two |
A widow or widower generally must have been married to the worker for at least nine months, with exceptions such as an accidental death. The total paid to a family on one record is capped by a family maximum, generally 150 to 180 percent of the worker's benefit, and each share is reduced to fit.
If you are a widow or widower
Claim at your full retirement age for survivors and you receive everything the worker was receiving, including any delayed retirement credits. A spouse who waited until 70 to claim leaves a larger benefit behind, which is one of the strongest reasons couples delay.
The reverse is also true. If the worker claimed early and took a reduced benefit, the survivor benefit is generally limited to what the worker received, though not less than 82.5 percent of the worker's full amount. A decision made years ago can set the ceiling on your check.
Watch which chart you read. The full retirement age for survivors is not always the same as for your own retirement benefit: it rises from 66 for survivors born from 1945 to 1956 to 67 for those born in 1962 or later. Because the whole reduction is measured from that date, using the wrong chart can misjudge the benefit by several points. Estimate your survivor benefit with the survivor schedule at the age you are considering.
If you also have your own retirement benefit
Social Security will not pay your own retirement benefit and a survivor benefit in full at the same time; you receive the higher. But unlike spousal benefits, the two can be taken one after the other, and that can be worth a great deal.
A hypothetical example: survivor first, own benefit later
Grace is 60 when her husband dies. His benefit was $1,900; her own full benefit is $1,700, and her full retirement age is 67. She takes the survivor benefit at 60, about $1,360 a month, and lets her own benefit grow. At 70 her own benefit would be 124 percent of $1,700, about $2,108, so she switches then and receives about $750 a month more for the rest of her life.
The opposite order suits someone whose own benefit is small and whose late spouse's was large: take your own reduced benefit at 62, then switch to the survivor benefit at your survivor full retirement age, when it is no longer reduced. Which order is better depends on the two amounts, your age and your health. The switch is not automatic; you apply for the second benefit when you want it to start, so say clearly at the first appointment which benefit you want first.
If you are raising the worker's children
A surviving spouse of any age caring for the worker's child under 16, or a child disabled before 22, can receive 75 percent of the worker's benefit, without the early-claiming reduction. Each unmarried child under 18, or 19 if still in high school, can receive 75 percent too, and a child whose disability began before 22 can be paid as an adult. In a larger family the family maximum often trims everyone's share. Our guide to Social Security for children explains the children's benefit.
If the worker died young, or before claiming
A worker does not need to have reached retirement, or to have claimed anything, for the family to be paid. Benefits are based on the worker's earnings record and what they were entitled to. If the worker died after full retirement age without claiming, the survivor benefit includes the delayed retirement credits they had earned.
Young families are protected by a special rule. Even if a worker had not earned enough credits to be fully insured, benefits can still be paid to the children, and to a spouse caring for them, if the worker earned at least six credits, about a year and a half of work, in the three years before death. A young parent who dies after only a few years in the workforce can still leave the family a monthly benefit.
If you are a parent who depended on the worker
Parents aged 62 or older who relied on the worker for at least half of their support can receive benefits on the record: 82.5 percent of the worker's benefit for one parent, or 75 percent each for two. You will need to show that support, for example with records of rent or bills the worker paid, and proof of it must generally reach Social Security within two years of the death, so gather it early even if you are not ready to claim.
If you were divorced from the worker
A former spouse whose marriage to the worker lasted at least ten years can claim on the same terms as a widow or widower. The claim does not reduce what the worker's widow, widower or children receive; a divorced spouse's benefit is not counted against the family maximum. Many people never check a former spouse's record because the divorce was long ago. Ten years of marriage is the test, not how recently it ended.
If you are still working, or have a public pension
If you claim a survivor benefit before full retirement age and keep working, the earnings test can withhold part of it: $1 for every $2 earned above $24,480 in 2026. Withheld months are credited back later; see working while collecting Social Security. Mention your job when you apply, so the withholding is planned for rather than discovered.
For decades the Government Pension Offset reduced or wiped out survivor benefits for retired teachers, police officers and other public employees with pensions from work outside Social Security. It was repealed for benefits payable from January 2024, and many survivors are now entitled to more; see the end of WEP and GPO.
If you remarry
Remarrying before 60, or before 50 if you are disabled, generally ends eligibility on your late spouse's record. Remarrying at or after those ages does not, and you may even choose between the two records later. If a new marriage is in your plans and you are close to 60, the date can be worth checking with Social Security first.
Common questions
Do I lose survivor benefits if I remarry?
Only if you remarry before 60, or before 50 if you are disabled. Remarrying at or after those ages does not affect a survivor benefit.
Are survivor benefits taxable?
They follow the same rules as other Social Security benefits: up to 85 percent can be taxable if your other income is high enough. A child's benefit counts as the child's income, not the parent's.
When do a child's survivor benefits end?
Usually at 18, or at 19 if the child is still a full-time student in high school. A child whose disability began before 22 can keep receiving benefits as an adult.
What Social Security will settle
Social Security holds the earnings record and decides every survivor claim, including how the family maximum divides payments among several people. Our calculator estimates one survivor payment; it does not compare switching strategies, apply the family maximum or model the earnings test, so use it to prepare for the conversation rather than as the final figure.
Official sources
When you are ready
Gather the documents above and call Social Security to make an appointment. Before it, estimate the survivor benefit at a few different ages and compare it with your own retirement estimate, using our guide to how much Social Security you will get, so you can ask about switching with your own numbers in front of you.
