Understanding Social Security Survivor Benefits

Social Security survivor benefits can be provided to the family of a Social Security recipient following that individual’s death based on required circumstances being found to be at stake in the particular situation.

In this regard, Social Security survivor benefits are generally made available in order to provide for the reality that Social Security payments, as may be provided for such various areas as those devoted to retirement and disability, may represent a primary source of financial support for more than just the individual expressly given the right to them and can thereby engender a state of financial dependency.

The eligibility of an individual or a family for Social Security survivor benefits can be based, in part, on the employment and tax payment record of the individual in particular whose death has established the need for Social Security survivor benefits to be thus paid out. The period of time for which that person needed to be employed is adjusted, by the U.S. Social Security Administration, in accordance with the date of death.

Spouses are given access to Social Security survivor benefits based upon being at least aged 66 years old, in the event of having been born within the timespan of the years 1945 and 1956. For those born in or after 1962, Social Security survivor benefits can be made available at the point of turning 67. Children under 18 or disabled prior to 22 can also be made eligible for Social Security survivor benefits, and parents older than 62 are also eligible for Social Security survivor benefits.

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