Social Security Burial Benefits: Support for Funeral Costs
Social Security Burial Benefits: Support for Funeral Costs Last Updated on: September 12th, 2024 Reviewed by Kyle Wilson Licensed Agent @ Burial Senior Insurance Get A Free Quote When planning for the future, it’s important to consider all aspects of end-of-life arrangements, including Social Security burial benefits. The Social Security Administration pays a one-time, Special Benefit payment to help with burial expenses after the death of a Social Security beneficiary. This is known as the Social Security burial benefit or death benefit. To qualify for this payment, there are some basic conditions that you have to fulfill. For instance, one must have contributed to Social Security or be a dependent of the contributor, be it as a spouse or a child. Let’s discuss more about it. Get Free Quotes Customized Options Await Quotes Now What Are Social Security Death Benefits? Social Security Death Benefits are provided to the surviving spouses, children, and other dependents of a deceased eligible employee. This benefit, designed to ease the financial strain the loss of one’s spouse or parent puts on the family, is especially useful for families with young children. The monthly benefit amount depends on the earnings of the deceased person. In other words, if they contributed to Social Security more, their benefits would also be more. This amount is a percentage of the deceased’s basic social security benefit or his average earnings over a period. Also, depending on the situation of the death, the benefit of a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 may be paid to the surviving spouse if he or she was living with the deceased person; or if living apart, was receiving certain kinds of Social Security benefits on the deceased’s record. When there is no surviving spouse, the payment is made to a child who qualifies for the benefits. Who is Eligible to Receive Social Security Death Benefits? Any woman or man with no spouse and above the age of 60 years A surviving divorced spouse, under certain conditions Any widow or widower at any age who is looking after the deceased’s child under 16 years of age or is disabled and receives child benefits. An unmarried child of the deceased who is one of the following Under the age of eighteen (up to nineteen if he or she attends elementary or secondary school as a full-time student). People above 18 years of age with a disability that affected them before they reached 22 years of age. Does Medicare or Social Security Pay for Funeral Expenses? The short answer to this question is no; they don’t. Medicare covers medical care, which ends when you die. Medicare doesn’t have a death benefit either, but Social Security does offer burial benefits. The Social Security Administration will give a one-time $255 payment to a surviving spouse or child, called a special lump-sum death payment. You do have to meet certain requirements: The spouse must have been living with the deceased or receiving certain social security benefits on the deceased’s record. If there’s no surviving spouse, the payment goes to a child eligible for benefits on the deceased’s record in the month of death. After seeing how much a funeral can cost, you realize that $255 from Social Security is a nice gesture, but it will only cover a few floral arrangements. Who can claim benefits from my record? Burial benefits are divided into two categories: those that kick in before a worker’s death and those that go to the worker’s survivors. The second kind of benefits are often called survivor or Social Security burial benefits. Here are the rules: While you’re alive, your spouse and any ex-spouse(s) become eligible to claim spousal benefits from your record, beginning when they turn 62. For your husband or wife to claim Social Security spousal benefits (equal to 50% of your benefit) you must have already claimed your primary benefits. Divorced spouses, though, can begin claiming benefits on their ex’s record whether or not the ex has filed for retirement benefits. Minor children and disabled children of any age who became disabled before age 22 are also eligible to receive benefits if their retired parent has started claiming primary benefits. After a worker eligible for primary Social Security benefits dies, a few classes of protected individuals are entitled to claim Social Security Burial Benefits (equal to 100% of the deceased’s benefits). The folks with this kind of Social Security eligibility include: Surviving spouses (a.k.a. widows and widowers) married for at least 10 years, who can start collecting reduced benefits when they turn 60 and full survivor benefits at full retirement age Surviving divorced spouses married for at least 10 years, who can collect reduced benefits from age 62 and full benefits at their full retirement age, provided they don’t remarry. Dependent parents, if the worker’s financial support made up at least half of their support Minor children up to age 18, or up to age 19 if still in secondary school Adult children if disabled before age 22 The mother or father of the deceased’s children (including an ex-spouse), who is caring for the deceased’s minor children, can claim Social Security death benefits until the children reach age 16. Can my surviving spouse claim my Social Security burial benefits and their primary benefits? These benefits were designed to protect the non-working spouses and children of workers, not to provide extra money to surviving spouses whose work histories make them eligible for benefits on their record. A surviving spouse whose age and labor force participation make them eligible for primary Social Security benefits should not expect to receive full Social Security death benefits on top of their check. The Social Security Administration wants to guard against what it considers “excess benefits,” so will adjust the benefits of anyone who is eligible for both spousal/death benefits AND primary benefits. Social Security will pay out the larger of either the spousal/survivor benefits or the primary benefits, but not both. This is known as the Dual Entitlement
