Losing a husband or wife brings grief, paperwork and, for many people, a sudden drop in household income. Social Security survivor benefits are designed to soften that blow. Knowing how they work can help you make good decisions during a hard time, or help you plan ahead with your spouse.
Who can receive survivor benefits
A surviving spouse may qualify if they:
- Are 60 or older, or 50 or older with a disability.
- Were married to the deceased for at least nine months before the death, with some exceptions, such as an accidental death.
- Are caring for the deceased's child who is under 16 or disabled, at any age.
Divorced spouses may also qualify if the marriage lasted at least 10 years. Unmarried children under 18, and in some cases dependent parents, can receive survivor benefits too.
How much you could receive
At your full retirement age for survivor benefits, you can receive 100% of the benefit your spouse was receiving, or was entitled to receive, at death. If your spouse had started benefits early, the survivor amount reflects that reduction, with some protections. If your spouse waited past full retirement age and earned delayed credits, those credits carry over to you.
If you start survivor benefits before your full retirement age, the amount is reduced. At 60, you would receive 71.5% of the full survivor amount. For survivors born in 1962 or later, full retirement age for survivor benefits is 67.
Switching between benefits
Survivor benefits have a feature retirement benefits do not: you may be able to take one benefit now and switch to the other later. For example:
- You could start a reduced survivor benefit at 60 and switch to your own retirement benefit at 70, when it has grown with delayed credits.
- Or you could start your own reduced retirement benefit early and switch to the full survivor benefit at your full retirement age.
Which order works best depends on the size of each benefit. Ask Social Security to explain both options when you apply. You will not receive both benefits in full; you receive the higher amount.
Remarriage
If you remarry before 60, you generally cannot receive survivor benefits on your former spouse's record while you are married. If you remarry at 60 or later, or 50 or later if you have a disability, your survivor benefits continue.
Government pensions
Until recently, the Government Pension Offset reduced or wiped out survivor benefits for many widows and widowers who had pensions from jobs that did not pay Social Security tax. The Social Security Fairness Act, signed in January 2025, repealed that rule. If you were denied or received a reduced survivor benefit for that reason, contact Social Security to check whether your benefit has been recalculated.
How to report a death and apply
In most cases the funeral home reports the death to Social Security. You still need to apply for survivor benefits yourself. You cannot apply online for survivor benefits; call 1-800-772-1213 or visit a local office. Have these documents ready if you can:
- The death certificate, or information about the death.
- Your marriage certificate, and the divorce decree if you are a divorced spouse.
- Social Security numbers for you, the deceased and any children applying.
- The deceased's most recent W-2 forms or tax return.
- Your bank account information for direct deposit.
If your spouse was receiving Social Security, any payment for the month of death or later months must be returned. Because benefits are paid a month behind, this usually means the payment that arrives in the month after the death. Ask Social Security before you spend it.
Take care of yourself, too
The weeks after a loss are overwhelming. It is fine to ask a trusted relative or friend to help with phone calls and forms. Our guide to coping with grief after the loss of a spouse includes ideas for getting support.
