Your survivor benefits depend on your age and whether you were already collecting

When your spouse dies, you may be able to receive survivor benefits based on their Social Security record. The amount you get and when you can start collecting depends on your age at the time of their death and whether you were already receiving benefits yourself. If you were receiving spousal benefits, those stop immediately and are replaced by survivor benefits, which are usually higher. If you were not yet collecting anything, you become may be able to access for a new benefit based on your spouse's earnings history.

You do not automatically receive these benefits — you must contact Social Security to report the death and request survivor benefits. The process typically takes a few weeks, and you will need a death certificate and proof of your marriage. Social Security will calculate what you are may have access to to based on your age and your spouse's earnings record.

Key Takeaways

  • Widow or widower benefits can start as early as age 50 if you are disabled, or at age 60 if you have no disability, but the amount is reduced if you claim before your full retirement age.
  • If you are caring for your spouse's child under age 16, you can receive benefits at any age, though the child must also be under 19 and in high school or younger.
  • You must contact Social Security in person, by phone, or online within a few months of your spouse's death to report the death and start the process.
  • Your spouse's family members — including adult children with disabilities and dependent parents — may also be may have access to to survivor benefits on the same record.
  • If you remarry before age 60, you lose your survivor benefits, though remarrying at 60 or later does not affect them.

Widow or widower benefits at different ages

If you are a widow or widower with no dependent children, you can claim survivor benefits starting at age 60. The benefit amount at age 60 is reduced — typically around 71 to 72 percent of what your spouse was receiving or would have received at their full retirement age. If you wait until your own full retirement age (which ranges from 66 to 67 depending on your birth year), you receive the full survivor benefit, which is usually 100 percent of what your spouse was getting.

If you are disabled, you can start collecting survivor benefits as early as age 50, though the amount is reduced similarly to claiming at 60. The reduction for disability is the same as for age 60 — roughly 71 to 72 percent of your spouse's full benefit. If you become disabled after your spouse's death, you have a limited window to file; Social Security generally requires that the disability began before or within seven years after your spouse died.

The longer you wait to claim, the larger your monthly payment becomes. This is different from regular retirement benefits, where waiting past your full retirement age increases the payment. For survivor benefits, the maximum is reached at your full retirement age — waiting past that point does not increase the amount further.

Caring for your spouse's child or children

If you are caring for any of your spouse's biological or legally adopted children, you can receive survivor benefits at any age, as long as the child is under 16. The child must also be receiving survivor benefits themselves. This benefit is sometimes called a "caretaker benefit" and does not require you to be disabled or to have reached any particular age.

Once the youngest child turns 16, your caretaker benefit stops. You then cannot collect again until you reach age 60 (or 50 if you become disabled). This can create a gap in benefits during your late 40s and 50s if you have young children at the time of your spouse's death. The child's own benefits continue until they turn 19, provided they are still in high school, or until they turn 18 if they are not in school.

How remarriage affects your survivor benefits

If you remarry before you turn 60, your survivor benefits from your previous spouse stop immediately. You cannot collect survivor benefits on your new spouse's record until you have been married for at least nine months, with some exceptions for accidents or certain other circumstances. This means remarrying in your 50s can create a period with no benefits at all.

If you remarry at age 60 or later, your survivor benefits continue without interruption. You can also potentially receive benefits on your new spouse's record if those benefits are higher, though Social Security will coordinate the two to avoid overpayment. If your new marriage ends in divorce, you may be able to collect on your ex-spouse's record if you were married for at least 10 years, though the rules are complex and depend on your age and their age.

Other family members who may receive survivor benefits

Your spouse's children can receive survivor benefits until they turn 18 (or 19 if still in high school). Adult children with disabilities can receive benefits for life if the disability began before age 22. Your spouse's parents may also be may have access to to benefits if they were dependent on your spouse for at least half their support and are at least 62 years old.

Each family member's benefit is calculated as a percentage of your spouse's primary insurance amount — the amount your spouse would have received at their full retirement age. The total paid to all family members combined cannot exceed a family maximum, which is typically 150 to 180 percent of the worker's primary benefit. If multiple family members are collecting, Social Security divides the family maximum among them, which may reduce each person's individual payment.

How to report your spouse's death and start the process

Contact Social Security as soon as possible after your spouse's death. You can call 1-800-772-1213, visit your local Social Security office in person, or go online to ssa.gov. You will need to provide your spouse's Social Security number, a death certificate, and proof of your marriage (such as a marriage certificate). If you have dependent children, bring their birth certificates and Social Security numbers as well.

Social Security will verify the death through the National Death Index or by requesting an official death certificate from you. The process typically takes two to four weeks. During this time, you should not receive any payments, but once your claim is processed, benefits are usually backdated to the month of your spouse's death. If your spouse was receiving benefits at the time of death, Social Security will stop those payments and adjust the account accordingly.

If your spouse had not yet started collecting Social Security, you will need to provide information about their work history and earnings. Social Security will calculate what your spouse would have received at their full retirement age, and your survivor benefit will be based on that amount.

What happens if you were already collecting spousal benefits

If you were receiving spousal benefits based on your spouse's record at the time of their death, those benefits automatically convert to survivor benefits. You do not need to reapply, but you should still contact Social Security to report the death and ensure the conversion happens smoothly. Survivor benefits are typically higher than spousal benefits, so your monthly payment usually increases.

The exact increase depends on your age. If you were receiving a reduced spousal benefit because you claimed before your full retirement age, your survivor benefit will also be reduced, but the reduction formula is different. Social Security will recalculate your payment using the survivor benefit formula and pay you whichever amount is higher.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I collect survivor benefits if my spouse and I were divorced?

Yes, if you were married for at least 10 years and have not remarried. You can collect survivor benefits on your ex-spouse's record starting at age 60 (or 50 if disabled), using the same rules as for a current spouse. If you remarry before age 60, you lose the ability to collect on your ex-spouse's record.

What if my spouse died before reaching full retirement age?

Social Security calculates what your spouse would have received at their full retirement age based on their earnings record, then uses that amount to determine your survivor benefit. You receive a percentage of that calculated amount depending on your age. Your spouse does not need to have started collecting for you to receive survivor benefits.

Do I have to report my spouse's death to Social Security, or do they find out automatically?

You should report it yourself to ensure the process starts quickly. While Social Security eventually learns of deaths through the National Death Index, contacting them directly speeds up the conversion of any benefits and prevents overpayments. Call 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local office.

Can I receive both my own retirement benefit and survivor benefits?

No. Social Security pays you the higher of the two amounts, not both. If you were receiving your own retirement benefit, it stops and is replaced by the survivor benefit if that is larger. Social Security automatically pays whichever benefit is higher each month.

What if I am still working — does that affect my survivor benefits?

If you are under your full retirement age and earning above the annual limit (which changes yearly), Social Security reduces your survivor benefits by one dollar for every two dollars you earn above that limit. Once you reach your full retirement age, there is no earnings limit and your full survivor benefit is paid regardless of how much you work.