What Happens to Social Security Benefits When Someone Dies?
Rumors once swirled that millions of deceased people were still receiving Social Security payments. The truth? That was mostly a misunderstanding caused by a software glitch that mislabels some people as being over 150 years old. These folks aren’t getting paid—they just have missing birth or death records.
But the question is still a good one: What actually happens to Social Security benefits when someone passes away?
Let’s break it down.
1. Notifying Social Security
In most cases, the funeral home takes care of reporting a person’s death to the Social Security Administration (SSA). They file a form with the necessary details, and the SSA stops future payments.
If there’s no funeral home involved, the responsibility falls on the family to contact SSA directly.
To prevent benefits from going on forever, SSA has a safety net: they automatically stop payments for anyone listed as being 115 years or older who hasn’t checked in. (Fair enough!)
If a benefit was sent out for the month in which the person died, that payment has to be returned to the U.S. Treasury.
2. Survivor Benefits for a Spouse
A surviving spouse may be eligible to receive monthly survivor benefits if certain conditions are met.
To qualify, the spouse must have been:
- Married to the deceased for at least 9 months,
- Or meet special exceptions (such as the death being accidental, the couple having a child together, or other unique cases).
The spouse must also be:
- At least 60 years old (or 50 if disabled),
- Not receiving a higher Social Security benefit on their own,
- And not remarried before age 60 (or 50 if disabled).
If eligible, the surviving spouse typically receives the same benefit amount the deceased was receiving, unless certain exceptions apply. These benefits stop if the spouse passes away, becomes ineligible, or starts receiving their own larger benefit.
Even ex-spouses or people in a “deemed valid marriage” may be eligible under special circumstances.
3. Survivor Benefits for Children
Children of the deceased may also receive monthly benefits if they:
- Were the person’s biological, adopted, or stepchild,
- Depended on the deceased for financial support,
- Are unmarried,
- And are under 18, disabled before age 22, or full-time students.
If eligible, the child typically receives 75% of the deceased’s benefit amount. These benefits end when the child turns 18 (unless they qualify longer due to school or disability), gets married, or passes away.
4. Survivor Benefits for Dependent Parents
In some cases, even the deceased’s parents may be eligible for benefits.
To qualify, a parent must:
- Be 62 or older,
- Have been financially dependent on the deceased (receiving at least half of their support),
- Not have remarried since the death,
- And not be receiving their own larger benefit.
One parent receives 82.5% of the deceased’s benefit. If both parents qualify, each receives 75%. These benefits end if the parent marries, becomes eligible for a larger benefit, or dies.
5. A One-Time Payment
There’s also a small one-time payout: a $255 lump-sum death benefit. This goes to the surviving spouse if they were living in the same household at the time of death. If no spouse qualifies, the children may split the amount.
Final Thoughts
While the Social Security process after a death might sound complicated, the SSA has systems in place to stop benefits and support the people left behind. Knowing what to expect—and what your family may be entitled to—can make a hard time just a little bit easier.
If you’re unsure whether you or your loved ones might qualify for survivor benefits, it’s always worth contacting the SSA directly or speaking with a trusted advisor.
