How to Apply for Survivor Benefits From the Social Security

In the United States, a deceased person must haveYou only have to make sure that you are ready with
been a worker or employee who has worked for notcertain essential information that you will be required to
less than 10 years in order for his or her selectedproduce.
surviving family members could gain social securityKeep in mind that before you proceed on filing your
benefits. It has to be 10 years of employment historyapplication, you should have gathered all of the
and not more or less than since this is the minimumfollowing information about your deceased spouse (or
employment period a worker must have in his or herformer spouse) and yourself.
record in order that his or her surviving family may beYour spouse's information:
eligible to earn benefits.- Name and Social security number (SSN)
If you are among the surviving family member, let us- Date of birth and death
say the spouse, of a deceased worker, and not sure,- Place of death
if he or she was able to put in adequate time, you can- The foreign country or state where your spouse held
call up or go to the nearest Social Securitypermanent residence at the time of his/her death
Administration (SSA) office in your area to look up- Your spouse's condition about 14 months before his /
your spouse's employment history record.her death, indicate if it was due to an injury or illness
Aside from you as the spouse, other survivors maythat he/she was not capable of working or not. If it is,
be eligible to receive benefits:what was the date when your spouse became
- former spouseincapable of working?
- children under the age of 18 years old- If your spouse has other spouses, be ready with their
- children with disability, even if already over the age ofnames, dates of birth and SSNs. If the information is
18applicable, indicate also, when the marriages with the
- parents of the deceased over 62 years old who hadother spouses ended.
once been dependent on the deceased- Your spouse's earnings on the year he / she died
You can inquire more information from the SSAand the year before.
concerning this matter.- Did your spouse have dependent parent and did he
The process of applying for Social Security Survivorprovide at least a half of the income of the
Benefitsdependent?
- You must notify the Social Security office regardingYour own information:
the death.- Name and SSN
- If you have already been receiving benefits from the- Maiden name (if female)
social security programs owing to the deceased's- Date and place of your birth
account, for example, retirement payments, your- Any religious or public record of your birth before you
benefit amount will become adjusted automaticallyreached 5 years old
upon receiving your notification.- If you have existing application for or record of SS
- However, if you have been receiving social securitybenefits before
benefits owing only from your own work record or- If you have been incapable to work because of
you have not received any type of benefit paymentsinjury or sickness within the precedent 14 months and
from the social security, you need to file an applicationthe exact date when you become incapable of
to start receiving survivor benefits.working
Methods in filing your application- If you have been a railroad industry worker or joined
- Calling up the SSA's phone number and indicatingthe military
your interest in applying- If you had other spouses, prepare the dates of birth
- Going to a local office of SSA in your area in personand SSNs. If the information is applicable, indicate also,
Either of the aforementioned methods mostwhen the marriages with the other spouses ended.
convenient for you is acceptable enough for the SSA.