How Does A Survivor To Receive Social Security Benefits?
One good thing is that social security benefit that is due a person does not stop just when they die but the benefits are passed on to the survivor(s). This means that the benefits can pass on to the family members or to one’s spouse. Usually, this is a very simple process as long as all the criteria have been met. Just as there were rules for one to get the social security benefits; there is also a criterion that a survivor has to fulfill before he can get the benefits of the deceased. However, most of the work is supposed to have been done by the deceased when they are working so that when they die, their survivors can enjoy the benefits.
Important Requirements For Survivors To Get Social Security Benefits
The first requirement is that the person must have worked for a minimum of ten years before their death. This is deemed enough to make sure that they have at least earned some work credits. The amount of credits amassed depends on the number of years that one has worked. Another very important thing is that the deceased should have been paying the social security taxes without failure and the third one, as said earlier, is the credits. The younger the age of the deceased then the lesser the credits required. Credits are acquired over the working duration.
Contact The Social Security Administration
Upon the death of a loved one, the survivor is supposed to contact the social security administration office. They will be required to produce marriage certificate if it is a spouse, death certificate of the deceased, birth certificate for the children and of course the deceased W-2 form. Once passed, the survivors of the deceased receive their benefits every month. For a spouse, if they have reached retirement age, they receive 100% of the benefits. If not, he/she gets 75% to 94% of the benefits. Unmarried children under 18 years of age can also get the benefits.
