How to Handle Social Security When a Beneficiary Dies

The Social Security Administration pays survivor benefits to eligible family members

Reviewed by Pamela Rodriguez

Social Security benefits can help provide a stream of income for retirement or if someone becomes disabled and can no longer work. A Social Security beneficiary is someone who receives Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. When a beneficiary passes away, there are certain steps that must be taken to cancel benefits or transfer the payments to an eligible survivor. 

Key Takeaways

• Social Security beneficiaries can receive monthly payments as retirement benefits, disability benefits, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
• When a Social Security beneficiary dies, the death must be reported to the Social Security Administration.
• Eligible family members can receive Social Security survivor benefits after a beneficiary passes away. 
• The amount of survivor benefits that can be paid depends on the survivor’s relationship to the deceased beneficiary. 

Reporting the Death of a Social Security Beneficiary

When a Social Security beneficiary passes away, the Social Security Administration will continue sending out their regular monthly benefits until the death is reported. If you share a bank account with your spouse and they die, their benefits may be automatically deposited into your shared account until the SSA is notified. 

Oftentimes the funeral home that handles a deceased person’s arrangements will notify the SSA to let them know that the person has passed away. If this doesn’t happen, however, you can notify the SSA by calling their toll-free number (1-800-772-1213) or by visiting your nearest Social Security office.

Important

Social Security beneficiary deaths cannot be reported online.

Failing to report the death of a Social Security beneficiary can be problematic for a couple of reasons. First, any payments you receive from Social Security after the beneficiary passes away will have to be returned. Continuing to collect benefits after someone dies—even if that person was a spouse and the benefits are going into a joint account—is a federal crime that’s punishable by imprisonment and/or fines. Second, failing to report the death of a Social Security beneficiary could cause you to miss out on collecting Social Security survivor benefits. 

What Are Social Security Survivor Benefits?

Social Security survivor benefits are payments that are made to eligible survivors of a deceased beneficiary. 

Eligible survivors include: 

• Widows and widowers age 60 or older (50 or older if disabled)
• Surviving divorced spouses (in certain situations)
• Widows and widowers of any age who are caring for the deceased’s child who is under age 16 or is disabled and receiving benefits
• Unmarried children of the deceased beneficiary (in certain situations)
• Stepchildren, grandchildren, and step-grandchildren (in certain situations)
• Parents aged 62 or older who were depending on the deceased beneficiary for at least half their support

These payments can be made on a monthly basis with amounts based on the benefits the deceased beneficiary was receiving and their relationship to the survivor. Here’s an overview of how survivor benefit amounts compare:

• Widows and widowers who are of full retirement age or older can receive 100% of the deceased beneficiary’s benefit amount.
• Widows and widowers between age 60 and full retirement age can receive 71.5% to 99% of the deceased beneficiary’s benefit amount.
• Disabled widows and widowers between age 50 and 59 can receive 71.5% of the deceased beneficiary’s benefit amount.
• Widows and widowers caring for a child under 16 can receive 75% of the deceased beneficiary’s benefit amount.
• Children under age 18 (or 19, if still in secondary school) can receive 75% of the deceased beneficiary’s benefit amount.
• Children who are disabled can receive 75% of the deceased beneficiary’s benefit amount.
• Dependent parents age 62 or older can receive 75% of the deceased beneficiary’s benefit amount each, or 82.5% if only one parent survives.

Important

Divorced surviving spouses may be eligible to receive the same amounts as widows and widowers.

In the case of widows, widowers, and divorced spouses, there are a few additional rules to know. If you get remarried before turning 60 (or age 50 if you’re disabled), you may no longer be eligible for survivor benefits. You can, however, continue receiving benefits based on your deceased spouse’s Social Security record if you get remarried at age 60 or older (or 50 if you’re disabled).

Maximizing Your Benefits

Widows, widowers, and surviving spouses can also opt to switch to their own retirement benefits starting at age 62. This only makes sense if your retirement benefit would be more than you’re receiving for survivor benefits. And remember that taking retirement benefits between age 62 and 70 reduces your benefit amount. Delaying until 70 maximizes your retirement benefits.

One more thing: Your survivor benefit amount can be affected by any money you earn from working while receiving benefits. If you’re younger than full retirement age, your benefit amount can be reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above the annual limit. For 2024, the annual earnings limit is $22,320. In the year you reach your full retirement age, the deduction goes to $1 for every $3 earned above a higher limit ($59,520), until the month you reach your full retirement age.

How to Apply for Social Security Survivor Benefits

If you think you might be eligible to receive Social Security survivor benefits after the death of a beneficiary, there are some steps you’ll need to take to apply for them. The first is reporting the death to the Social Security Administration if the funeral home hasn’t done that already. You can also begin the application process at the time you report the death. 

There are certain documents you’ll need to apply for Social Security survivor benefits. The documentation requirements depend on whether you’re applying for benefits as a widow or widower, as the deceased person’s parent, or as the parent of the deceased person’s child. Generally, the list includes things such as:

• Proof of the beneficiary’s death (a death certificate)
• Proof of birth (birth certificate)
• Proof of marriage (marriage certificate)
• Proof of citizenship
• W-2s and/or self-employment tax returns
• Divorce decree if you’re applying as a divorced surviving spouse 

Important

The Social Security Administration will accept photocopies of items such as medical documents and tax returns, but you’ll need to provide original birth certificates and other documents. These originals will be returned to you once your application for survivor benefits has been processed.

The Social Security Administration will also ask you questions to help determine your eligibility for Social Security survivor benefits. These questions cover basic things such as your name, date of birth, and address, but they also dive into your work and earnings history—and the deceased beneficiary’s work and earnings history, disability status, and military history. The Social Security Administration uses all of this information to process your application for benefits. 

Who Qualifies for Social Security Survivor Benefits?

When a Social Security beneficiary dies, their spouse, child(ren), and parent(s) are considered survivors by the Social Security Administration. These people are eligible to collect survivors benefits.

When a Husband Dies Does the Wife Get His Social Security?

Yes, under certain circumstances. A spouse must be at least 62 years old to receive a survivor benefit, unless they have a disability — then, they need to be at least 50 years old.

How Much is the Average Social Security Survivor Benefits per Month?

The average monthly Social Security survivor benefit for non-disabled surviving spouses, as of February 2024, is $1,779.05. For children of deceased beneficiaries, it’s $1,105.35.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to remember about handling Social Security when a beneficiary dies is that delays can be costly. For instance, if you wait to report the death and continue receiving benefits in the meantime, that could trigger serious legal consequences. And the longer you wait to apply for survivor benefits, the longer you’ll have to wait to begin receiving them. 

Read the original article on Investopedia.