Social Security Survivor Benefits

One of the most important parts of the Social Security program is survivor’s benefits. Social security survivor’s insurance can be more valuable to a deceased worker’s family than individual life insurance. Other persons eligible for Social security survivor’s insurance of a deceased worker are:

• Your widow or widower may be able to receive full survivors benefits at full retirement age.
• Your widow or widower can receive survivors benefits at any age if she or he takes care of your child who is receiving Social Security benefits and younger than age 16 or disabled.
• Your  unmarried children who are younger than age 18 (or up to age 19 if they are attending elementary or secondary school full time) Your children can get benefits at any age if they were disabled before age 22 and remain disabled.
• Under certain circumstances, benefits also can be paid to your stepchildren, grandchildren, step grandchildren, or adopted children.
• Your dependent parents can receive benefits if they are age 62 or older.  (For your parents to qualify as dependents, you would have had to provide at least one-half of their support.)

(See also How to claim SSI Survivor Benefits and Lump Sum Death Benefit).

Social Security Crimes

You can be guilty of survivors benefit fraud or survivors benefits crime if you:

• For the purpose of increasing your payment under Social Security or any other Federally funded program; or for the purpose of obtaining such payment.
• Use a Social Security number obtained on the basis of false information; or
• Falsely represent a number to be your Social Security number.

Do You Need A Lawyer?

You do have the right to have representation concerning any aspect of social security.  Your representative can be an attorney or other qualified person.