Social Security Survivor Benefit

When a worker dies, certain family members may be eligible for Social Security Survivor Benefit based on the deceased record if he/she had enough Social Security earnings credits. For many Social Security Survivor Benefit cases, the number of required earnings credits is based on the worker's age at the time of death.

In general, younger workers need fewer earnings credits than older workers. However, no worker needs more than 40 earnings credits equivalent to 10 years of work to be fully insured for any Social Security Survivor Benefit.

Social Security Survivor Benefit can be paid to:

  • A widow/widower - full Social Security Survivor Benefit at full retirement age or reduced Social Security Survivor Benefit as early as age 60. A disabled widow/widower may receive benefits as early as age 50.

  • A widow/widower at any age if he or she takes care of the deceased's child under age 16 or disabled, who receives Social Security Survivor Benefit.

  • Unmarried children under 18, or up to age 19 if they are attending elementary or secondary school (high school) full time. A child can receive Social Security Survivor Benefit at any age if he or she was disabled before age 22 and remains disabled. Under certain circumstances, benefits can also be paid to stepchildren, grandchildren or adopted children.

  • Dependent parents at age 62 or older.

The amount of the Social Security Survivor Benefit is based on the earnings of the person who died. The more the person contributed to his or her Social Security earnings, the higher the benefits will be. The amount a survivor receives is a percentage of the deceased's basic Social Security benefits.

The following below are examples of the most typical situations:

  • Widow or widower full retirement age or older = 100 percent

  • Widow or widower age 60 to 64 = about 71 to 94 percent

  • Widow or widower at any age with a child under age 16 = 75 percent

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