What you need to know about applying for the Social Security Administration’s lump-sum death benefit, a payment available to eligible spouses or children.
Who is eligible for a lump-sum death benefit?
After the death of a Social Security-insured worker in the United States, their surviving spouse or children may be eligible for a one-off payment of $255 from the Social Security Administration (SSA). This is separate to the SSA’s monthly survivor benefits: claimants can get both.
When applying for the payment, known as the ‘lump-sum death benefit’, the deceased worker’s surviving spouse has priority over any potentially eligible children.
Who qualifies for the lump-sum death benefit?
The worker’s surviving spouse is eligible if:
- the worker and surviving spouse were living together when the worker died
- the worker and surviving spouse were living separately but the latter was receiving spousal benefits based on the worker’s employment history, or is eligible for survivor pay after the worker’s death
If no eligible spouse exists, the payment goes to the worker’s child or children if:
- the child or children was/were receiving family benefits based on the worker’s employment history, or the child or children is/are eligible for survivor benefits after the worker’s death
To qualify, the worker’s children must be:
- aged 17 or younger
- aged 18-19 and in full-time K-12 education
- any age, if they developed a disability at 21 or earlier
The lump-sum death benefit is shared evenly among the worker’s eligible children if there is more than one.
How to claim the lump-sum death benefit
If you need to claim a lump-sum death payment, the SSA appears to offer the option of starting your application process online here. You can also call the SSA’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or visit a Social Security office.
An appointment is not required for in-person applications, but the SSA recommends one; this may reduce your waiting time at the Social Security office.
The lump-sum death benefit application form can be found online here. The SSA says eligible spouses or children must apply for the benefit within two years of the death of the Social Security-insured worker.
Documents you may need to supply:
- birth certificate or alternative proof of birth
- evidence of U.S. citizenship or ‘lawful alien status’
- U.S. military discharge paper(s) if you served before 1968
- W-2 form(s) and/or self-employment tax returns for the preceding year
- the deceased work’s death certificate
When you apply for the benefit, you will need to answer a series of questions, both about you and the deceased worker. Take a look at the full list of questions on this SSA webpage.
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