Social Security Survivors Insurance

Objective

Social Security helps survivors by providing income for the families of workers who die.

Who Can Apply

• Individual/Family

Survivor family members.

Who Benefits

• Student/Trainee
• Women
• Infant (0-5)
• Child (6-15)
• Youth (16-21)
• Senior Citizen (60+)

Widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses age 60 or over are entitled as long as the worker met the insurance requirements. Widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses also qualify at any age if they have entitled children of the worker under age 16 or disabled children in their care; unmarried children: under age 18, under age 19 and a full-time student in elementary or secondary school or age 18 or older and under a disability which began before age 22; and dependent parents age 62 and over. To claim benefits as disabled widows, widowers, or surviving divorced spouses, individuals ages 50-59 must show that they have a disability that started no later than 7 years after the insured died or 7 years after certain other events. "Disability" currently has the same meaning for these entitlements as it does for workers who claim disability insurance (see 96.001). As in worker disability claims, there is also a 5-month waiting period after the disability began before benefits begin and entitlement to Medicare after 24 months of entitlement to benefits. Children of the worker claiming benefits because of disability are also subject to the definition of disability used for workers and must show that they have been disabled since before they reached age 22. There is no waiting period for these benefits.

Assistance Types

• Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use

Program Contact

oisp.control@ssa.gov
1-800-772-1213