Social Security Administration (SSA)
Death notification, stopping benefits, and survivor benefits for workers' families
The Social Security Administration manages retirement, disability, and survivor benefits for workers and their families. When a Social Security recipient dies, SSA must be notified, benefits must be stopped, and surviving family members may be eligible for survivor benefits.
Notifying the SSA when someone dies
The funeral home reports the death. SSA's page on what to do after a death →
Executors and next of kin
- •Have the person's name, Social Security number, date of birth and date of death ready.
- •From outside the United States, call +1-855-522-6936 or a Federal Benefits Unit, and notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
Surviving spouses, children and parents
- •Proof of death: a statement from the funeral home or the death certificate
- •Social Security numbers and birth certificates for the applicant and any children, and a marriage certificate or divorce papers
- •The deceased worker's latest W-2 forms or self-employment tax return, and bank details for direct deposit
- •Widow, widower or surviving divorced spouse: Form SSA-10
- •Child: Form SSA-4
- •Dependent parent age 62 or older: Form SSA-7, with proof of support within 2 years of the death
Required Documents
- Proof of death: A statement from the funeral home or the death certificate.
- Social Security numbers: The applicant's and the deceased worker's.
- The applicant's birth certificate
- Marriage certificate: for a surviving spouse
- Divorce papers: for a surviving divorced spouse
- Dependent children's Social Security numbers and birth certificates: if available
- The deceased worker's W-2 forms or self-employment tax return: For the most recent year.
- Bank name and account number: For direct deposit.
Timeline
SSA schedules an appointment to take a survivor application it cannot take on the call. The first payment arrives the month after the month selected in the application.
Deadlines2
What SSA pays or provides to survivors6
- Lump-Sum Death Payment
Lump-sum death payment
A one-time payment to a surviving spouse who was living with the deceased, or who was living apart but is eligible on the worker's record. With no surviving spouse, it goes to a child eligible on the record in the month of death.1, 3, 2
Who qualifies: A surviving spouse living with the deceased at death, or living apart but eligible on the worker's record; otherwise a child eligible on the record in the month of death (17 or younger, 18 to 19 in school full time, or disabled since 21 or younger)
Amount: $255, paid once
How to apply: Online through a personal my Social Security account, by phone or at a local Social Security office, within 2 years of the date of death. Form SSA-8.
- Widow's or Widower's Benefits
Monthly survivor benefit or annuity
Monthly benefits for a surviving spouse married at least 9 months before the death, from age 60 (50 with a disability), or at any age while caring for the worker's child under 16 or with a disability. Earnings above the annual limit reduce the payment before full retirement age.4, 5, 6
Who qualifies: Married 9 or more months; age 60 or older, or 50 to 59 with a disability; not remarried before 60 (50 with a disability); or any age while caring for the worker's child under 16 or a child with a disability who receives benefits
Amount: 71.5% of the worker's basic benefit at age 60, rising with age at claim to 100% at the survivor full retirement age (66 to 67); 75% for a spouse of any age caring for the worker's child under 16
How to apply: By phone or at a local Social Security office; monthly survivor applications cannot be filed online. Form SSA-10.
- Surviving Divorced Spouse Benefits
Monthly survivor benefit or annuity
Monthly benefits for a surviving divorced spouse age 60 or older (50 to 59 with a disability) whose marriage lasted at least 10 years. The age and 10-year rules are waived while caring for the worker's child under 16 or a child with a disability entitled on the record.4, 6
Who qualifies: Marriage of 10 or more years; age 60 or older, or 50 to 59 with a disability; not remarried before 60 (50 with a disability); the child cared for must be the natural or legally adopted child of both
Amount: The same rates as a surviving spouse: from 71.5% at age 60 up to 100% at the survivor full retirement age
How to apply: By phone or at a local Social Security office. Form SSA-10.
- Children's Survivor Benefits
Monthly survivor benefit or annuity
Monthly benefits for the worker's unmarried children age 17 or younger, 18 to 19 and in elementary or secondary school full time, or any age with a disability that began at 21 or younger. Stepchildren, grandchildren, step-grandchildren and adopted children can qualify in some circumstances.4, 5, 6
Who qualifies: Unmarried children age 17 or younger, 18 to 19 in school (K-12) full time, or any age if a disability developed at 21 or younger
Amount: 75% of the worker's basic benefit amount, within a family maximum of 150% to 180% of the worker's benefit amount
How to apply: By phone or at a local Social Security office. Form SSA-4-BK.
- Parent's Survivor Benefits
Monthly survivor benefit or annuity
Monthly benefits for a dependent parent age 62 or older whom the worker supported by at least half. The parent must not have married since the death, and proof of support is filed within two years of it.2, 4
Who qualifies: A dependent parent age 62 or older who received at least half their support from the worker, has not married since the death, and files proof of support within 2 years
Amount: 82.5% of the worker's primary insurance amount for one parent; 75% each where two parents are entitled
How to apply: By phone or at a local Social Security office. Form SSA-7-F6.
- Payment Due a Deceased Beneficiary
Amounts due the person at death
A Social Security payment or Medicare premium refund that was due the person before or at death is claimed on Form SSA-1724 and paid in a set order of payees, with the estate's legal representative last.7
Who qualifies: A surviving spouse, children or parents in the statutory order, and otherwise the legal representative of the estate
How to apply: Complete Form SSA-1724 online or send it to a local Social Security office. Form SSA-1724-F4.
What happens to each matter1
- Benefit payments
No benefit is payable for the month of death, even when the person died on the last day of the month, because entitlement ends with the month before death. The payment received the following month must be returned.8, 2
Eligible family members may still receive survivor benefits for the month the person died. A surviving spouse already receiving benefits on the deceased spouse's record has those payments converted to survivor benefits once the death is reported.9
What SSA's rules say8
- Who reports the death
Funeral homes generally report the death to SSA; give the funeral director the deceased person's Social Security number. Otherwise report it by phone or at a local Social Security office, with the person's name, Social Security number, date of birth and date of death. A death cannot be reported online.10
- Payments received after the death
If benefits arrived by direct deposit, ask the bank to return any funds received for the month of death or later. If a check arrived, do not cash it; return it to SSA.3
- Proof of death accepted
Documents must be originals or copies certified by the agency that issued them; SSA returns originals after reviewing them and accepts photocopies of W-2 forms and self-employment tax returns.6
- Processing and payment
Some survivor claims are paid only from the application date, so apply promptly. SSA helps obtain any missing document, so an application does not wait for all of them.9
Monthly survivor benefit applications cannot be filed online; they are taken by phone or at a local office. The lump-sum death payment can be applied for online through a personal my Social Security account.11
- Order of beneficiaries or payees
An amount due at death is paid first to a surviving spouse who lived in the same household or was entitled on the record for the month of death, then to children and parents so entitled, then to a spouse, children or parents who do not meet those conditions, and last to the estate's legal representative.7
- Offsets between benefits
A survivor who qualifies for a survivor benefit and another Social Security benefit receives the higher of the two, not both, and can switch later, for example starting on survivor benefits and changing to retirement at age 70.9
Benefits paid to a surviving divorced spouse do not reduce what other survivors receive on the record, and a surviving divorced spouse does not count toward the family maximum.6
- Remarriage
Remarriage before age 60 (50 with a disability) ends eligibility for a surviving spouse or surviving divorced spouse; remarriage after that age does not affect it.4
- Tax treatment
Up to 85% of benefits are taxable when combined income exceeds $25,000 on an individual federal return or $32,000 on a joint return; combined income is adjusted gross income plus tax-exempt interest plus half the year's benefits. SSA withholds federal tax from the monthly payment on request.12
Forms SSA issues6
- SSA-8: Application for Lump-Sum Death Payment
A surviving spouse or eligible child claims the one-time $255 lump-sum death payment; it must be filed within two years of the date of death.13
Completed by the surviving spouse or eligible child. Completed online.
- SSA-10: Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits
A surviving spouse or surviving divorced spouse applies for monthly survivor benefits on the deceased worker's earnings record. It cannot be filed online.13
Completed by the surviving spouse or surviving divorced spouse. Available to download.
- SSA-4-BK: Application for Child's Insurance Benefits
Applies for monthly survivor benefits for the deceased worker's child, including an adult child whose disability began before age 22.13
Available to download.
- SSA-7-F6: Application for Parent's Insurance Benefits
A dependent parent age 62 or older who received at least half their support from the deceased worker applies for parent's survivor benefits.13
Completed by the dependent parent. Available to download.
- SSA-1724-F4: Claim for Amounts Due in the Case of a Deceased Beneficiary
Claims a Social Security payment or Medicare premium refund that was due the person before or at the time of death, in SSA's order of payees.13
Completed online.
- SSA-24: Application for Survivors Benefits (Payable Under Title II of the Social Security Act)
Applies for survivor benefits under section 202(o) of the Social Security Act. SSA publishes it only as a PDF, with no separate information page.13
Available to download.
Sources13
- 1.Lump-sum death payment
- 2.42 U.S.C. 402
- 3.How Social Security Can Help You When a Family Member Dies (Publication 05-10008), July 2026 edition
- 4.Survivor benefits: who is eligible
- 5.Survivor benefits: how much
- 6.Survivors Benefits (Publication 05-10084), April 2026 edition
- 7.Form SSA-1724: Claim for Amounts Due in the Case of a Deceased Beneficiary
- 8.What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement or Survivors Benefits (Publication 05-10077), January 2026 edition
- 9.Survivor benefits
- 10.When someone dies
- 11.Can I apply for survivor benefits online? (FAQ KA-02083)
- 12.Are Social Security survivor benefits taxable? (FAQ KA-02471)
- 13.Social Security forms
Sources
Data sourced from Social Security Administration primary sources (13 pages reviewed). How we research.
SSA death reporting
Death Reporting
Phone
International
Hours
Website
Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate
Free calculators and checklists for planning or settling an estate, by state: will and trust costs, probate, executor and trustee pay, and inheritance taxes.