A deceases wage earner is an individual who was eligible for Social Security benefits at the time of their death. The Social Security Survivor’s benefits that are sometimes available to the spouse and/or children of a deceased wage earner can sometimes offset the financial burden that has been caused by the wage earner’s death.
The Social Security Survivor’s benefits are available to the spouse of a diseased wage earner who was fully insured when he or she died and who made a minimum of $2,500 in contributions to the Social Security program. A child of the deceased wage earner may also be eligible if the parent was fully insured when he or she died and made a minimum of $2,500 in contributions to the Social Security program.
If the deceased wage earner did not make $2,500 in contributions to the Social Security program, the family of the deceased wage earner may be able to become eligible if they make a one-time benefit to make up the difference between the amount that was paid and the $2,500. This payment would then give the family the right to earn the benefit.
The amount that the surviving spouse can receive for a fully-insured deceased wage earner is a monthly benefit amount that is equal to 60 percent of the retirement or disability insurance benefit that the spouse would have received at the date of his or her death. Each surviving child can receive 15 percent of the deceased wage earner’s benefit as well. If the surviving spouse is receiving 60 percent of the deceased wage earner’s benefit then the children (3 or more) together can only receive a total of 40 percent of the deceased wage earner’s benefit, which will be divided equally among them. If there is no surviving spouse, each child will receive 15 percent of the benefit up to a maximum of 7 children.
