Social Security Benefit Basics

• Social security benefits are basically divided into three categories; survivor benefits, disability benefits and retirement benefits. Survivor benefits are paid to the deceased's spouse and children and based in part on the deceased's contribution to the social security system over the course of employment. If you were married to the deceased for more than nine months, according to the Social Security Administration, cause of death does not disqualify you from receiving survivor's benefits. Disability benefits may be paid to a worker who has contributed to the social security system, but who has incurred a disability that forced him to leave the workforce. Retirement benefits are distributed upon retirement age, which is 66 as of the date of publication or 67 for those born after 1962.
  
  

How to Apply for Social Security

• The social security administration requires a number of documents when applying for social security. You must provide proof of death with a death certificate or from a funeral home. The rugulations do not specify showing cause of death, and only mention the acceptable methods of providing proof of death. You must also be able to provide your social security number, as well as the deceased's social security number. If you are a surviving spouse, you must provide a marriage certificate. If you were divorced from your spouse, you must provide divorce documents. You must also provide the deceased's W2 forms or, if the deceased was self-employed, a federal employment tax return. In order to have your benefits directly deposited, you will also need to provide your bank account number.
  
  

Optimizing Social Security Benefits

• Survivor benefits and retirement benefits are different. Survivor benefits are based solely on outliving a spouse. Social security retirement benefits are based on an individual's income while employed. Some surviving spouses may be able to claim both, but not simultaneously. A study by the Financial Planning Association published on their website in 2011 points out some specific strategies for obtaining the maximum amount of benefits you are entitled to. For surviving spouses with a high primary insurance amount based on their own high earnings over the course of employment, and who have reached the age of 65, it is optimal to claim survivor benefits first at age 65 and then to switch over to retirement benefits at age 70.
  
  

Benefit Amounts

• The most common scenarios for claiming benefits are surviving spouses at full retirement, surviving spouses below retirement but over 60 and surviving spouses with dependent children. A surviving spouse at full retirement age or older receives 100 percent of the worker's basic benefit amount. A surviving spouse age 60 or older who has not yet reached full retirement age receives about 71 to 99 percent of the worker's basic benefit amount. Any age surviving spouse with a child younger than age 16, receives 75 percent of the worker's benefit amount. Children always receive 75 percent of the worker's benefit amount.
  
  

Considerations

• If you are divorced from the deceased and remarried, you and your dependents may still be able to claim benefits. If you remarried after attaining age 50, you may be able to claim benefits as a surviving former spouse of the deceased. If you collect a pension, your benefits may be reduced, depending on the pension you receive. Some government positions that receive pensions collect a reduced benefit including some state employment, federal civil service and service in a foreign country positions. .