The Social Security Administration (SSA) pays monthly benefits to tens of millions of vulnerable Americans on a monthly basis. The types of beneficiaries who receive benefits from the SSA vary in nature and includes retirees, disabled individuals, and survivors. As such, the the eligibility standards and methods of calculation will likely differ from one type of beneficiary to another.
Survivor benefits differ slightly from retiree or disability benefits. This is because survivor benefits are paid to a surviving family member or dependent of a person who had worked and paid into Social Security payroll taxes prior to their death. Retiree or disability benefits, on the other hand, are paid directly to the person who worked and paid into Social Security payroll taxes.
As such, here is everything you need to know about Social Security Survivor benefits and eligibility in 2025.
Social Security Survivor benefits
The loss of a family member is tough to navigate emotionally, however, if the deceased family member also happens to have been the breadwinner of the household, the loss is also likely to take a financial toll on the household. In this regard, Social Security Survivor benefits exists as a means of financial support for the surviving dependents such as the spouse or children.
In order to be able to claim benefits from the Social Security program, the potential beneficiary must have contributed to the program in the past by means of a dedicated payroll tax. By working and paying into Social Security payroll taxes, the individual will earn work credits. A worker can earn a maximum of 4 work credits each year, and a minimum of 40 work credits are required to begin claiming benefits when becoming eligible to claim.
A total of 12.4% of a workers wages are contributed towards Social Security payroll taxes, however, the worker pays in 6.2% and the employer covers the remaining 6.2%. For 2025, every $1,810 in covered earnings annually earns you 1 Social Security and Medicare credit. In order to earn the maximum 4 credits for the year, a total of $7,240 must be earned, according to the SSA.
As such, in order for surviving dependents to be considered eligible for Survivor benefits, the deceased will had to have earned a sufficient number of work credits during their employment.
Survivor benefit eligibility
The following individuals will be considered eligible to claim Survivor benefits as stated on the official SSA website:
Spouses and ex-spouses
You may be eligible if you:
- Are age 60 or older, or age 50–59 if you have a disability, and
- Were married for at least 9 months before your spouse’s death, and
- Didn’t remarry before age 60 (age 50 if you have a disability).
Ex-spouses who were married for at least 10 years, as well as some valid non-marital legal relationships, may be eligible.
You might be eligible regardless of age and how long you were married. One common example is if you’re caring for a child of the person who died.
Children
Children of someone who died may be eligible if they’re unmarried and are:
- Age 17 and younger, or
- Ages 18–19 and in school (K–12) full time, or
- Any age if they developed a disability at age 21 or younger.
Under certain circumstances, we can also pay benefits to married children, stepchildren, adopted children, grandchildren, and stepgrandchildren.
Adult children with a disability
Adult children who have a disability that started before their 22nd birthday may be eligible if their parent has died.
Dependent parents
You might be eligible if you’re age 62 or older and were financially supported by your child who died.
As such, if you have lost a family member and fall under any of the aforementioned categories, you may be eligible to claim Survivor benefits. You can apply by either calling 1-800-772-1213 or by going in to a Social Security office. You may also be required to present documents such as a death certificate, Social Security numbers of both the deceased and the dependent, and marriage or birth certificates when applying.