How Surviving Spouse Benefits Work

If your spouse dies, you may receive a monthly payment from Social Security based on their earnings record. The program calls this a surviving spouse benefit. Social Security pays it to you, not to your spouse's estate — the payment goes directly to your bank account or address each month for as long as you meet the program's conditions.

The amount you receive is a percentage of what your spouse would have received at their full retirement age. That percentage depends on your age when you start receiving the benefit. If you start at 60, you receive roughly 71.5 percent of their amount. If you wait until your full retirement age (which varies by birth year, typically 66 to 67), you receive 100 percent. The longer you wait, the more you get per month.

You do not have to be retired yourself to receive this benefit. You do not have to stop working. Social Security does not reduce the payment if you earn wages, as long as you have reached your full retirement age. If you are under full retirement age and still working, Social Security will reduce your benefit by $1 for every $2 you earn above an annual limit (the limit changes yearly).

Key Takeaways

  • You can start receiving surviving spouse benefits as early as age 60, or at your full retirement age to receive the full amount based on your spouse's record.
  • Social Security requires a certified copy of your spouse's death certificate and proof of your marriage to process your claim.
  • If you remarry before age 60, you lose the right to this benefit on your deceased spouse's record, though you may still have other options.
  • You can switch to your own retirement benefit at a later age if it becomes larger than your surviving spouse benefit.
  • Contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213 to start the process; you cannot file online for surviving spouse benefits.

Age Requirements and When You Can Start

Social Security allows you to start receiving surviving spouse benefits at age 60 at the earliest. There is no upper age limit — you can start at any point after 60, and the benefit amount increases the longer you wait before claiming.

If you are caring for your spouse's child who is under age 16, you can start receiving benefits at any age, even in your 30s or 40s. The child must be your spouse's biological or legally adopted child, and you must be caring for them in your own home. Once the child turns 16, your benefit stops until you reach 60, unless you have your own retirement benefit available.

Your full retirement age for surviving spouse benefits is the same as it would be for your own retirement benefit — between 66 and 67 depending on your birth year. At that age, you receive 100 percent of your spouse's primary insurance amount. Before full retirement age, the percentage is lower.

Documents You Need to Provide

Social Security requires specific documents to process a surviving spouse claim. Bring or mail a certified copy of your spouse's death certificate — not a photocopy, and not a certificate from a funeral home. You can order this from the vital records office in the county or state where your spouse died. The cost is usually $15 to $30.

You will also need proof of your marriage. An original or certified copy of your marriage certificate works. If you were married more than once, bring certificates for all marriages. If you changed your name after marriage, bring a document showing the legal name change — a divorce decree, court order, or other official record.

Bring your Social Security card and a photo ID. If you are applying on behalf of a minor child, bring the child's birth certificate and proof that you are the child's parent or legal guardian. Social Security may also ask for your spouse's Social Security card or number, though they can often look this up in their records.

How Much You Receive Each Month

Your monthly benefit is calculated as a percentage of your spouse's primary insurance amount — the amount they would have received at their full retirement age. Social Security bases this on their lifetime earnings record. You do not receive the full amount unless you wait until your own full retirement age to start.

The exact percentage depends on your age when you claim. At 60, you receive approximately 71.5 percent. At 65, roughly 86 percent. At your full retirement age, 100 percent. These percentages are set by federal law and do not change.

Your benefit does not increase if your spouse had a higher income than you or if you were married longer. It is based only on their earnings record and your age at the time you start. If you have your own Social Security retirement benefit, Social Security will pay you whichever is larger — your own benefit or the surviving spouse benefit — but not both.

Remarriage and How It Affects Your Benefit

If you remarry before age 60, you lose the right to receive benefits on your deceased spouse's record. This is a permanent loss — even if the new marriage ends, you cannot go back to the surviving spouse benefit from your first spouse.

If you remarry at age 60 or later, you keep your surviving spouse benefit. You do not lose it, and the new marriage does not affect the amount you receive.

If you are currently receiving a surviving spouse benefit and then remarry at any age, your benefit stops immediately. If the new marriage ends later through death or divorce, you can request that your surviving spouse benefit restart, but you will need to contact Social Security to do so.

Work and Earnings Limits

Once you reach your full retirement age, you can work and earn any amount without affecting your benefit. Social Security will not reduce your payment.

If you are under full retirement age and working, Social Security reduces your benefit by $1 for every $2 you earn above an annual limit. For 2024, that limit is $23,400, though it changes each year. In the year you reach full retirement age, the limit is higher ($62,160 for earnings before the month you reach full retirement age), and Social Security counts only earnings before that month.

If you are receiving benefits on behalf of a child under 16, the same earnings rule applies to you. The child's benefit is not affected by your earnings, only by the child's own earnings if the child is working.

How to File for Surviving Spouse Benefits

You cannot file for surviving spouse benefits online through Social Security's website. You must contact your local Social Security office in person, by phone, or by mail. Call 1-800-772-1213 to reach Social Security's national line, or find your local office at ssa.gov/locator.

When you call or visit, tell Social Security that you are applying for surviving spouse benefits. Have your spouse's Social Security number or name and date of birth ready. Social Security will schedule an appointment if you prefer to apply in person, or they can take your application over the phone.

The application process usually takes 15 to 30 minutes. Social Security will ask about your age, your marriage, your work history, and whether you are caring for any minor children. Bring all required documents — death certificate, marriage certificate, photo ID, and your Social Security card — to your appointment or mail them to your local office.

After you submit your application, Social Security typically makes a decision within two to four weeks. They will contact you by phone or mail to let you know whether you have been approved and when your first payment will arrive. Payments usually begin the month after you file, though this varies depending on when in the month you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I receive surviving spouse benefits if my spouse and I were not legally married?

No. Social Security requires a legal marriage certificate. Common-law marriages are recognized only if they were legal in the state where you lived when the marriage began. If you were in a domestic partnership or civil union, contact Social Security to ask whether your state's law qualifies you.

What happens to my surviving spouse benefit if I start my own retirement benefit later?

Social Security will pay you whichever benefit is larger. If your own retirement benefit becomes larger when you reach a certain age, Social Security will automatically switch you to that benefit. You do not have to do anything — they handle the change.

Can my adult children receive benefits on my deceased spouse's record?

Only if they are unmarried and under age 19 (or under 23 if they are a full-time student). Adult children over those ages do not receive benefits, even if they were financially dependent on your spouse.

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

You should report it by calling Social Security or visiting your local office. While Social Security does receive death information from state vital records, reporting it yourself ensures the record is updated quickly and prevents any overpayments if your spouse was still receiving benefits.

What if my spouse never worked or had very low earnings?

Your benefit is based on your spouse's actual earnings record. If they had low earnings, your surviving spouse benefit will be lower. There is no minimum amount — if your spouse had almost no earnings history, your benefit may be very small or zero.