Understanding Social Security Benefits

 …submitted by the Social Security Administration

Social Security provides benefits for surviving family members when someone eligible for Social Security dies. In the event of your death, certain members of your family may be eligible for survivors’ benefits. This includes surviving spouses, surviving divorced spouses, children and dependent parents.

The amount of benefits your survivors receive depends on your lifetime earnings. The higher your earnings, the higher their benefits. That’s why it’s important to make sure your earnings history is correct in our records. You can do this by creating a personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. A personal my Social Security account is secure and gives you immediate access to your earnings records, benefit estimates, and Social Security Statement.

You may also want to visit the Survivors Benefits page at www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors. This page can help you understand your and your family’s Social Security protections as you plan your financial future.

Please visit www.ssa.gov or read the publication, Survivors Benefits, at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10084.pdf for more information.