Social Security

We will notify social security of the death of your loved one immediately.

Social Security will stop any monthly checks that your loved one was receiving and take his or her number out of circulation.

A one-time payment of $255 will be paid to a surviving spouse OR a dependent child residing in the same household. If there is no surviving spouse or dependent children, no death benefit will be paid.

Certain family members may be eligible to receive monthly benefits, including:

• A widow or widower age 60 or older (age 50 or older if disabled)
• A surviving spouse at any age who is caring for the deceased's child under age 16 or disabled
• An unmarried child of the deceased who is younger than age 18 (or age 18 or 19 if he or she is a full-time student in an elementary or secondary school); or age 18 or older with a disability that began before age 22
• Parents, age 62 or older, who were dependent on the deceased for at least half of their support
• A surviving divorced spouse, under certain circumstances

The Social Security website is a valuable resource for information about all of Social Security's programs. There are a number of things you can do online.

In addition to using the Social Security website, you can call toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. Staff can answer specific questions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. They can also provide information by automated phone service 24 hours a day. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call the TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.