When a person who has worked and paid into Social Security dies, two things happen: their own benefit stops, and their survivors may become eligible for payments. Handling both correctly protects the family from having to repay money and helps them claim what they are owed.
Reporting the death to Social Security
Social Security must be notified as soon as possible after a death. You cannot report a death online. In most cases, the funeral home reports it for you as part of its services — you simply give the funeral director the deceased person's Social Security number and ask them to notify the SSA. It is worth confirming they did so.
If a funeral home is not involved, or you want to report it yourself, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday. Reporting the death also stops future payments, which is important because benefits paid for months after death generally have to be returned. For a broader walkthrough, see our guide on how to notify Social Security of a death.
The month-of-death rule
One rule surprises many families: Social Security does not pay a benefit for the month in which a person dies, even if they lived most of that month. A person must be alive for the entire month to be entitled to that month's payment.
Because Social Security pays benefits in the month after they are due, the payment that arrives the month someone dies is usually for the prior month and is kept. But any payment received for the month of death or later must be returned. If benefits were paid by direct deposit, the SSA typically asks the bank to return the funds. Do not spend a benefit payment received after a death until you have confirmed with the SSA which payments are owed and which must be returned.
The one-time $255 lump-sum death benefit
Social Security pays a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 to an eligible survivor. This amount has been fixed at $255 for decades and is not adjusted for inflation.
It is paid, in order of priority, to:
- A surviving spouse who was living with the deceased at the time of death; or
- A surviving spouse living apart but who was already receiving benefits on the deceased's record (or became eligible upon the death); or
- If there is no qualifying spouse, a child who was eligible for benefits on the deceased's record for the month of death.
If there is no eligible spouse or child, the $255 is not paid to anyone else. You generally must apply within two years of the date of death, usually by calling the SSA. The lump sum is separate from — and much smaller than — any private life insurance claim after death, which is handled directly with the insurer.
Monthly survivor benefits
The more significant benefit for most families is monthly survivor benefits, paid to certain relatives based on the deceased worker's earnings record. To qualify, the deceased generally must have earned enough Social Security work credits — up to 40 credits (about 10 years of work), though younger workers need fewer.
| Who | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Surviving spouse (widow/widower) | Age 60 or older (reduced benefit); or age 50+ if disabled |
| Surviving spouse caring for child | Any age if caring for the deceased's child under 16 or disabled |
| Divorced spouse | Marriage lasted 10+ years; similar age rules to a surviving spouse |
| Unmarried children | Under age 18 (or 19 if still in high school) |
| Disabled adult child | Disability began before age 22 |
| Dependent parents | Age 62 or older and were dependent on the deceased for support |
A surviving spouse who claims at full retirement age can receive up to 100% of the deceased's benefit. Claiming as early as age 60 reduces the amount to roughly 71.5%. Benefits paid to a family are subject to a maximum family benefit cap, typically 150% to 180% of the deceased's benefit amount, which can reduce individual payments when several people qualify.
Eligibility basics and next steps
Survivor benefits are not automatic — you usually must apply by phone or at a local Social Security office, because most survivor claims cannot be completed online. Have the death certificate, the deceased's Social Security number, your own Social Security number, and marriage or birth certificates ready.
If you already receive spousal benefits, the SSA will often convert them to survivor benefits automatically once the death is reported. Otherwise, contact the SSA promptly, since some benefits are paid from the date you apply rather than the date of death.
Social Security is just one of many accounts and benefits to address after a loss. A complete what to do when someone dies checklist can help you keep track of deadlines. Tools like EstateWrap can help organize these steps in one place.