Social Security Information
Social Security Benefits
Eligibility
- The deceased worker must have credit for work covered by Social Security, ranging from 1 1/2 to 10 years depending on his or her age at death.
Who May Receive Monthly Benefits
- A widow or widower age 60 or older (50 if disabled), or at any age if caring for an entitled child who is under 16 or disabled
- A divorced widow or widower age 60 or older (50 if disabled) if the marriage lasted 10 years, or if caring for an entitled child who is under 16 or disabled
- Unmarried children up to 18 (19 if they are attending a primary or secondary school full- time)
- Children who were disabled before reaching 22 and remain disabled
- Dependent parent or parents age 62 or older
Lump-Sum Death Payment
A one-time payment of $255 is paid in addition to the monthly cash benefits described above. The lump-sum death payment (LSDP) is paid to survivors in the following order:
- A surviving spouse who lived in the same household as the deceased person at the time of death
- A surviving spouse eligible for or entitled to benefits for the month of death
- A child or children eligible for or entitled to benefits for the month of death
Applying For Benefits
You must apply in order to receive benefits. You may apply at any Social Security office or by telephone. Call the toll-free number 1-800-772-1213 to have the operator schedule an appointment for you or to arrange for the local Social Security office to take your claim by telephone.
Social Security Tele-Service & Doing Business By Telephone
You may call Social Security toll-free, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.
The number is 1-800-772-1213
To speak with a representative, call between the hours of 7:00am and 7:00pm on regular business days. At other times and on weekends and holidays, you may leave a message and they will return your call, in most cases on the next business day.
Social Security Administration
