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If a Spouse Dies & Survivor Benefits

  • Apply for Social Security
  • Contact Social Security
  • Working and Benefits​
  • How to Apply for Social Security Disability Benefits
A couple of questions...
  1. What is the age of the surviving spouse?  If you have alreadyreached your full retirement age you are able to receive your deceased partner’s full benefit. If you have not reached full retirement age you are only eligible for a portion of this benefit.  
    Check with Social Security for the exact amount. Go to ssa.gov/pubs/10084.html. or call 1-800-772-1213.
  2. Is the survivor’s Social Security larger or smaller than the diseased? You can only collect one check so elect to take the larger one. If you have a question as to which benefits is the largest check  ssa.gov/retire2/agereduction.htm 

Survivor Benefits

​Just as you plan for your family's protection if you die, you should consider the Social Security benefits that may be available if you are the survivor--that is, the spouse of a worker who dies. That person must have worked long enough under Social Security to qualify for benefits.

How Your Spouse Earns Social Security Survivors BenefitsA worker can earn up to four credits each year. In 2014, for example, your spouse can earn one credit for each $1,200 of wages or self-employment income. When your spouse has earned $4,800, he or she has earned his or her four credits for the year.

The number of credits needed to provide benefits for survivors depends on the worker's age when he or she dies. The younger a person is, the fewer credits he or she must have for family members to receive survivors benefits. But no one needs more than 40 credits (10 years of work) to be eligible for any Social Security benefit.

However, benefits can be paid to the worker's children and the surviving spouse who is caring for the children even if the worker doesn't have the required number of credits. They can get benefits if the worker has credit for one and one-half years of work (6 credits) in the three years just before his or her death.

Select one of the links below to get additional information about  
  • Benefits If You Are The Worker's Widow Or Widower,
  • Benefits If You're The Worker's Surviving Divorced Spouse,
  • Benefits If You're The Worker's Minor Or Disabled Child and
  • How Much Would Your Benefit Be.
Download The RetirementRevised Guide to Social Security’s Spousal & Survivor Benefits

Find answers to questions like

  • When can I start receiving a spousal benefit?
  • Can I file for spousal benefits if my spouse (the higher earner) isn’t yet at the full retirement age? If so, how much will my spousal benefits be reduced?
  • Can I file for spousal benefits if my spouse isn’t receiving Social Security?
  • Can my wife start collecting based on my account at age 62 and then switch to her own account at age 66?
  • Can my wife receive spousal benefits once I reach full retirement age even though she will continue to work?
  • At what age should I apply for a survivor benefit and how do I do so?

This guide also provides these links to Social Security and how to find additional information. Find what you’re looking for at the Social Security website’s FAQ section or by contacting Ask Mary Jane, a free service provided by the National Committee to Protect Social Security & Medicare. AARP offers a searchable database of frequent questions on Social Security.

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  • Home
  • Jobs & Work
    • Employers >
      • Account Login
      • Create Account
    • Job Seekers >
      • Account Login
      • Create Account
    • Work at Home >
      • Become a Chef Consultant
      • Become a Tutor
      • Become a Virtual Agent
      • Care Giving
      • Direct Selling
      • Freelancing
      • Medical Transcription
      • Selling at a Flea Market
      • Selling Online
      • Telemarketing
      • Translate Online
      • Write or Edit
      • Workers with Disabilities
      • Tech Jobs
    • Employment Assistance
    • Volunteering
  • Home & Family
    • Senior Living Resources
    • Grief Loss Support
    • Get a Dog or a Cat
    • Books on Retirement
    • Dating and Companionship
  • Travel & Entertainment
    • Boomer and Senior Travel
  • Money
    • Insurance Services
    • Social Security
    • Retirement Resources
    • Identity Theft & Scams
  • Health
    • Medicare
    • Health Care
  • Discounts
    • Products & Services
  • Blog