Do I qualify for survivor benefits?
You may qualify for Social Security survivor benefits if your husband or wife worked long enough under Social Security and has died, and you are 60 or older, or 50 or older with a disability, or caring for their child who is under 16 or disabled, and a surviving divorced spouse from a marriage of at least 10 years can qualify too.
What this means
- A widow or widower can generally receive up to 100 percent of what the person who died was receiving or had earned, depending on the age at which you claim.
- Claiming a survivor benefit at 60 rather than at your full retirement age permanently reduces it.
- You can often take one benefit first and switch to the other later, for example a survivor benefit now and your own larger retirement benefit at 70. Ask for both to be calculated.
- Remarrying after age 60, or after 50 if you have a disability, does not stop a survivor benefit.
- There is also a one-time lump sum death payment of 255 dollars for an eligible spouse or child.
What to do first
- Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. Survivor claims usually cannot be completed online.
- Have the death certificate, your marriage certificate, both Social Security numbers, and a divorce decree if you were divorced.
- Ask the representative to compare your own retirement benefit against the survivor benefit at several ages before you decide.
- Apply for the lump sum death payment at the same time, because it has a short deadline.
Social Security Survivor Benefits
If your husband or wife has died, you may be owed a monthly benefit based on their record.
Social Security Benefits From an Ex-Spouse's Record
If the marriage lasted ten years, you may be able to collect on your ex's record. They are never told, and their check is not reduced.
What you'll need
- Your ex-spouse's Social Security number or date and place of birth
- Death certificate
- Bank account details for direct deposit
- Both Social Security numbers
- Your marriage certificate
- Your birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
- Your divorce decree
Deadlines and timing
- The 255 dollar lump sum death payment must generally be applied for within two years of the death.
- Survivor benefits are usually paid from when you apply, not from the date of death, so do not delay the call.
- Working before full retirement age can temporarily reduce a survivor benefit under the earnings test.
Where to go
- Social Security Survivor Benefits: https://www.ssa.gov/locator
- Social Security Benefits From an Ex-Spouse's Record: https://www.ssa.gov/locator
Reviewed by Jason Burns, Editorial Steward · Last verified August 25, 2026
Sources
- Survivor benefits · Social Security Administration
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