1. What are Social Security Survivor benefits?
2. How do I apply to receive benefits?
3. How soon will I receive my first benefit payment?
4. On what schedule will I receive my benefits?
5. How are benefit payments made?
6. Do benefit amounts stay the same every year?
7. When will my child stop receiving Survivor benefits?
8. Are Survivor benefits taxed?

What are Social Security Survivor benefits?

There are two types of benefits you are potentially eligible to receive when your spouse dies: a one-time death benefit payment of $255 and monthly Survivor payments based on your late spouse’s working record. Read my blog post on What Widowed Parents Need to Know About Social Security Survivor Benefits for a primer on who is eligible to receive what and how the benefit is calculated.

How do I apply to receive benefits?

Call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 and tell the agent you want to set up an appointment to apply for Survivor benefits. They’ll schedule the appointment, determine whether it’ll be on the phone or in person at your local Social Security office, and tell you what information to bring.

How soon will I receive my first benefit payment?

It depends… When I applied seven years ago, I received my first benefit payment within a few months, but if there’s a backlog of applications or an issue with your application, it can take longer. You can check your application status online or else call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 for an update.

On what schedule will I receive my benefits?

Social Security pays benefits after the month is over, so the benefit you receive in February, for example, is for January. Benefits are paid once a month, based on the birthdate of the deceased worker (the person who earned the Social Security benefits), not the survivor receiving them. Here’s how the schedule works:

Birthdate of Deceased Worker	Payment Schedule
Born on the 1st-10th day of the month	Second Wednesday of each month
Born on the 11th-20th day of the month	Third Wednesday of each month
Born on the 21st-31st day of the month	Fourth Wednesday of each month

How are benefit payments made?

Payments are made via direct deposit to your bank account. If the benefit is for your child(ren), the payments are supposed to be direct deposited into a custodial account for them, rather than your own.

Do benefit amounts stay the same every year?

Every year the benefit payment increases for inflation. The SSA usually announces what the increase will be for the following year in mid-October. For 2026 benefits, payments will increase by 2.8%.

When will my child stop receiving Survivor benefits?

Children receive benefits until they are 18 or graduate high school, whichever comes later. If your child is turning 18 and hasn’t yet graduated, complete this form to request continuation of benefits.

Are Survivor benefits taxed?

It depends on your other income. For more details and FAQs on Social Security Survivor benefits and taxes, read my previous post on What Widowed Parents Need to Know About Social Security Survivor Benefits and Taxes.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert in Social Security benefits and am merely passing along information based on my understanding of them. My source of information is the SSA website.