How Do Survivor Benefits Work?

If you pass away, your family members can be eligible for monthly benefits through survivor benefits. Whoever passed away must have worked long enough and paid taxes into Social Security.

Social Security, also known as Old-Age Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI), provides survivor benefits to qualifying family members who have lost a loved one who they were financially dependent on. Beneficiaries of survivor benefits are typically spouses and children, though there are other qualifying exceptions.

As of January 2025, 8.4% of Social Security beneficiaries were spouses, children, widow(er)s and parents receiving survivor benefits. While survivor benefits are not as common as retirement benefits, which took up 79.5% of Social Security beneficiaries, they are still a crucial element of providing economic stability to those suffering a financial loss.

A deceased worker’s child received an average survivor benefit amount of $1,135.54 a month as of January 2025. A non-disabled widow received an average $1,835.82, while disabled widows received an average $951.26 in benefits.

2025 benefit amounts reflect 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for a maximum amount of earnings of $176,100 subject to the Social Security tax.

Surviving spouses, unmarried children and parents can qualify for survivor benefits. Even if the surviving spouse has divorced the deceased, they can still potentially qualify.

In the past, same-sex couples were denied survivor benefits. As of June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry in all states. Since the ruling, same-sex couples can qualify for survivor benefits.

If you were denied benefits prior to June 26, 2015, you can ask the Social Security Administration to reopen your application to start receiving survivor benefits.

How much you qualify for can vary depending on who is claiming the benefit, the deceased’s work history, if you are still working while receiving benefits and the family maximum benefit limit.

Together, these factors determine how much you qualify for in survivor benefits.

If you are the surviving spouse or child, you can also receive a special lump-sum payment of $255. You can ask the Social Security Administration if you qualify for the lump-sum payment when you apply for survivor benefits.

A blackout period is the time when there are no payable survivor benefits. The blackout period is based on age and the family members involved.

With the surviving spouse, they become eligible for survivor benefits once they turn 60. If disabled, they can qualify for benefits at 50. Any time before the eligibility age is considered the blackout period when no survivor benefits are paid.

Things can get more complicated if benefits are being paid to a surviving spouse with a child. If a child is involved, benefits will be paid to the surviving spouse until the child turns 16.

Payments can continue until the child turns 18 (or 19 if still in school), and the benefits are technically paid to the child, not the surviving parent. That being said, it might be a good idea for the benefits to be handled by the adult, not the child.

Below is an image which breaks down each period, including the blackout period, if you are receiving benefits as the surviving spouse with a child.

If you married or divorced the deceased, you can qualify for spousal survivor benefits. When you can start receiving survivor benefits as a spouse depends on your age, if you are disabled and if you have a child.

Generally, you can start receiving spouse benefits when you turn 60 years old. However, if you are disabled, you can start getting benefits when you turn 50. If you have a child with the deceased and you have not remarried, you can start receiving survivor benefits at any age.

Your average amounts also vary, depending on what type of spouse you are.

The best way to maximize your spousal benefits is to wait until you are your full retirement age (FRA). If you get your survivor benefits early, before you reach your FRA, you could only receive 71% of the deceased’s benefit amount. If you wait until you reach your FRA, you receive 100% of the intended benefit.

When you were born makes your FRA vary. For example, if you were born after 1960, you will reach your FRA when you turn 67. 

The Social Security Administration has a chart to help you determine your full retirement age.

Children and parents of the deceased qualify for dependent survivor benefits.

Children must be unmarried and under 18 years old (or 19 if still in school) to receive survivor benefits. If the child developed a disability before they turned 22, they can qualify at any age. In certain instances, stepchildren, grandchildren, step-grandchildren or adopted children can also qualify for survivor benefits.

If your parents are over 62 years old and they depend on you for at least 50% of their financial support, they can also qualify for survivor benefits.

Survivor benefits are calculated by the earnings of the individual who passed away. Similar to retirement benefits, the deceased must have enough credits to qualify. Credits are received by working. In 2025, you earn one credit for each $1,810 earned, and you can earn four credits in one year.

Typically, the deceased will need 40 credits for you to qualify for survivor benefits. However, fewer credits may be needed to qualify if they passed away at a younger age. For example, some can get benefits if the deceased worked for at least 1.5 years of work, earning about six credits, in the last 3 years before their death.

The type of family member receiving the benefit, as well as their age, can also adjust the survivor benefit amount.

*Rules for surviving spouse also apply if you are divorced.

You can apply for survivor benefits in person at a local Social Security office near you or call to apply at 1-800-772-1213. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, dial 1-800-325-0778 instead. The Social Security Administration recommends reporting the death as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, there is no way to apply for survivor benefits online. Instead, you will need to mail all necessary documents needed to apply.

The documents required vary, depending on your relationship to the deceased. If you are the surviving spouse, refer to the checklist below to ensure you have all required documents.

If applying on behalf of a child who lost a parent or guardian, refer to the checklist below.

Be sure to include your Social Security number with your mailed documents. This way, they can ensure the documents can be matched with the correct application so you can start receiving your benefits that much sooner.

Writer Lena Borrelli contributed to this article.