The following checklist is designed to help
you file for your Social Security benefits correctly so that
prompt payments may be made.
ELIGIBILITY
The deceased worker must have credit for work
covered by Social Security, ranging from 1 1/2 to 10 years depending
on his or her age at death.
WHO MAY RECEIVE MONTHLY BENEFITS
-
A widow or widower age 60 or older (50 if
disabled), or at any age if caring for an entitled child who
is under 16 or disabled.
-
A divorced widow or widower age 60 or older
(50 if disabled) if the marriage lasted 10 years, or if caring
for an entitled child who is under 16 or disabled.
-
Unmarried children up to 18 (19 if they are
attending a primary or secondary school full time).
-
Children who were disabled before reaching
22, as long as they remained disabled. * Dependent parent or
parents 62 or older.
LUMP-SUM DEATH PAYMENT 
A one-time payment of $255 is paid in addition
to the monthly cash benefits described above. The lump-sum death
payment (LSDP) is paid in the following priority order:
-
A surviving spouse who lived in the same
household as the deceased person at the time of death.
-
A surviving spouse eligible for or entitled
to benefits for the month of death.
-
A child or children eligible for or entitled
to benefits for the month of death.
APPLYING FOR BENEFITS
You must apply in order to receive benefits.
You may apply at any Social Security office or, if you wish,
you may apply by telephone. Just dial the toll-free number 1-800-772-1213
and the operator will schedule an appointment for you or arrange
for the local Social Security office to take your claim by telephone.
SOCIAL SECURITY TELESERVICE - DOING
BUSINESS BY TELEPHONE
You may call Social Security toll-free, 365
days a year, 24 hours a day. The number to use is 1-800-772-1213.
To speak with a representative, call between the hours of
7:00 AM and 7:00 PM on regular business days. At other times and
on weekends
and holidays, you may leave a message and they will call
you back, in most cases, the next business day.
You may use the toll-free number to make an
appointment either in a Social Security office or telephone
to apply for benefits, transact other Social Security business,
or just ask questions.
