Your spouse may receive survivor benefits based on your Social Security record

When you die, your spouse does not automatically inherit your Social Security payments. Instead, they may be able to receive survivor benefits — a separate monthly payment based on your earnings record. The amount depends on your spouse's age, whether they are caring for your children, and how much you earned during your working years.

Your spouse does not need to have worked to receive these benefits. They may have access to based on their relationship to you and their age or family status at the time of your death. The process requires notifying Social Security and providing documents that prove your marriage and death.

Key Takeaways

  • A surviving spouse can receive up to 100 percent of the benefit amount you were receiving or may have access to to receive at the time of your death.
  • Your spouse must be at least 60 years old to receive survivor benefits, or any age if they are caring for your child under 16.
  • Divorced spouses may also receive survivor benefits if the marriage lasted at least 10 years and they have not remarried before age 60.
  • Your family should contact Social Security within two months of your death to start the process, though benefits can be paid back several months.
  • The total amount all family members can receive is limited to 150 to 180 percent of what you were earning, shared among all beneficiaries.

Who qualifies as a surviving spouse

Your current spouse qualifies if they meet the age or caregiving requirements. A spouse who is 60 or older can receive reduced benefits. A spouse who is 50 or older and disabled can also receive benefits. A spouse of any age can receive benefits if they are caring for your child who is under 16 or disabled.

A divorced spouse may receive survivor benefits if you were married for at least 10 years, you have been dead for at least nine months, and they have not remarried before turning 60. If they remarry at 60 or later, they can still receive benefits on your record. A former spouse who remarried before 60 loses may be able to access unless that later marriage ended.

How much your spouse will receive

The amount depends on your spouse's age when they start receiving benefits. A spouse who waits until their full retirement age receives up to 100 percent of the benefit you were receiving or were may have access to to receive. A spouse who starts at 60 receives about 71 to 72 percent of your benefit amount. A spouse between 60 and full retirement age receives somewhere in between.

If your spouse is caring for your child under 16, they receive about 75 percent of your benefit amount regardless of their own age. This amount does not change if they work.

The total your family receives is capped at 150 to 180 percent of your benefit amount. If you have multiple survivors — a spouse, children, and possibly a parent — Social Security divides this family maximum among them. Your spouse's payment may be reduced if other family members are also collecting on your record.

How to report your death to Social Security

Your family member, executor, or funeral home can notify Social Security of your death. Many funeral homes report deaths to Social Security automatically, but it is worth confirming. You can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to verify that your death has been recorded.

Your spouse should contact Social Security to begin the survivor benefit process. They will need to provide a death certificate, proof of marriage (such as a marriage certificate), proof of age (such as a birth certificate), and proof of citizenship or legal residency. If your spouse is disabled, they will also need medical evidence of the disability.

Social Security can pay survivor benefits back to the month of your death, even if your spouse does not contact them right away. However, contacting them within two months helps speed up the process. Your spouse can explore online, by phone, or in person at a local Social Security office.

When your spouse can start and stop receiving benefits

Your spouse can start receiving survivor benefits the month after you die, though they can request payment back to the month of your death. If your spouse is caring for your child under 16, they can start when ready. If your spouse is 60 or older, they can start at any time, but waiting until their full retirement age results in a higher monthly amount.

Your spouse's benefits stop if they remarry before age 60, unless the new marriage ends. Benefits also stop when your spouse reaches a certain age if they are no longer caring for your child — usually when the youngest child turns 16. Your spouse can always contact Social Security to ask about their specific situation.

How work affects your spouse's survivor benefits

If your spouse is under full retirement age and working, Social Security reduces their benefits by $1 for every $2 they earn above an annual limit. In 2024, that limit is $23,400, but it changes each year. The reduction applies only to the year your spouse turns full retirement age, and only to earnings before the month they reach that age.

Once your spouse reaches full retirement age, they can work and earn any amount without a reduction to their benefits. If your spouse is caring for your child under 16, work does not affect their benefits at all.

What happens if your spouse remarries

If your spouse remarries before turning 60, they lose survivor benefits on your record. They may be able to receive benefits on their new spouse's record instead, but only if that marriage lasts long enough and meets other requirements.

If your spouse remarries at 60 or later, they keep the survivor benefits on your record. They can also receive benefits on their new spouse's record if those benefits are higher. Social Security pays whichever benefit is larger, not both.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my spouse get survivor benefits if we were not married very long?

Your current spouse can receive benefits regardless of how long you were married. A divorced spouse needs at least 10 years of marriage. If you were married less than 10 years and then divorced, that former spouse cannot receive survivor benefits on your record.

What if my spouse is already receiving their own Social Security?

Your spouse can receive either their own benefit or the survivor benefit on your record, but not both at the same time. Social Security pays whichever amount is higher. Your spouse should contact Social Security to discuss which option works best for them.

Can my children receive survivor benefits too?

Yes. Your unmarried children under 19 (or up to 23 if in school full-time), and children of any age who were disabled before 22, can receive survivor benefits. These payments are separate from your spouse's benefit and count toward the family maximum.

How long does it take to get survivor benefits approved?

Social Security typically processes survivor benefit claims within two to three weeks if all required documents are provided. Payments can be made back to the month of death even if the claim takes longer to process. Contacting Social Security early helps avoid delays.

What if my spouse was not a U.S. citizen?

A non-citizen spouse may receive survivor benefits if they are a lawful permanent resident or meet other residency requirements. Your spouse should bring proof of legal residency status when they explore. Social Security can explain the specific rules for your spouse's situation.