Social Security Survivor Benefits After Your Spouse Dies: How to Apply and What You'll Get

Survivor Benefits Are Not Automatic

Social Security does not automatically start paying you after your spouse dies. You must apply — by phone at 1-800-772-1213 or in person at your local SSA office. Online applications are not available for survivor benefits. You'll need your spouse's Social Security number, a certified death certificate, your marriage certificate, and your own Social Security card.

Many surviving spouses lose months of benefits simply because they assumed someone would notify SSA or that the payments would start on their own. They won't.

Who Qualifies and When

Age 60 or older: You can claim survivor benefits at 60, but claiming before your Full Retirement Age (FRA) permanently reduces the amount. At 60, you'll receive approximately 71.5% of your spouse's primary insurance amount. Each year you wait, the percentage increases until you hit 100% at FRA.

Age 50 to 59 with a disability: If you became disabled within seven years of your spouse's death (or within seven years of your last entitlement to survivor benefits), you can claim at 50. The benefit is reduced but available earlier.

Any age, with a child under 16: If you're caring for your deceased spouse's child (biological, adopted, or stepchild) who is under 16 or disabled, you can collect survivor benefits at any age. The child may also receive their own benefit — up to 75% of the deceased's primary insurance amount.

The $255 lump-sum death payment: This one-time payment goes to the surviving spouse (if living with the deceased at the time of death) or to a child eligible for benefits. You must apply within two years of the death. It's a small amount, but it's money that's yours.

How Much Will You Receive?

The benefit is based on your deceased spouse's earnings record — specifically, their primary insurance amount (PIA), which is what they would have received at their full retirement age.

• At your FRA: 100% of their PIA
• At age 60: roughly 71.5% of their PIA
• Caring for a child under 16: 75% of their PIA (regardless of your age)

If your spouse had already claimed Social Security and was receiving a reduced benefit (because they claimed before their own FRA), your survivor benefit may be based on that reduced amount — but the rules are complex and SSA will calculate the most advantageous option for you.

The Strategy Most People Miss

If you're already receiving your own Social Security retirement benefit and it's smaller than the survivor benefit, you have options. You can switch to the survivor benefit, which replaces your own. Or, in some cases, you can claim the survivor benefit now and delay claiming your own retirement benefit until it reaches its maximum at age 70 — then switch to your own if it's larger.

This sequencing strategy can mean tens of thousands of dollars in additional lifetime benefits. It's worth discussing with SSA or a fee-only financial planner before you lock in a choice.

One important note: the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which used to reduce Social Security benefits for people who also received government pensions, were repealed by the Social Security Fairness Act signed in January 2025. If you were previously told your survivor benefit would be reduced or eliminated because of a government pension, that's no longer the case. If you never applied because of the old rules, file now — you may be owed retroactive adjustments back to January 2024.

Common Mistakes

Waiting too long. Claims can be filed at any time, but delaying can reduce retroactive benefits. Don't wait for probate to finish — SSA handles survivor claims independently.

Not asking about the child's benefit. If your spouse had children under 18 (or under 19 if still in secondary school), each child may be eligible for their own benefit in addition to yours. The family maximum caps the total, but it's often higher than the surviving spouse's individual benefit alone.

Not reporting the death promptly. If your spouse was receiving Social Security payments, no benefit is payable for the month of death; a payment received the following month for that month must be returned. Notify SSA as soon as possible to avoid overpayments that you'll have to repay later.

Getting Help with the Application

Call 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. Wait times vary, but early morning and late afternoon tend to be shorter. You can also visit your local SSA office — the office locator is at ssa.gov/locator. Bring all documents to the appointment: death certificate, marriage certificate, your Social Security card, and your spouse's Social Security number.

The When Your Spouse Dies toolkit includes a survivor benefits application checklist and a phone script for the SSA call, so you can get through it without trying to remember what to ask while someone puts you on hold for the third time.