Everything You Need To Know About Social Security Survivor Benefits
If you have worked for enough years and paid taxes throughout the years then you may be eligible for social security survivor benefits. Work credits are a big factor in eligibility and are determined by the number of years that you worked and paid taxes. In order to be eligible for full benefits, you must have worked for ten years although you can be eligible for partial benefits if you did not quite work that long. There is a special rule, however in the event that you pass away at a younger age. The younger someone is when they pass, the less amount of work credits required for their families to receive full benefits.
The amount of benefits that your family and dependents receive will be determined by their age and/or health status. If your spouse is 65 or over at the time of your passing then they will be eligible to receive full benefits from your social security survival plan. If your spouse is under 65, they will still be eligible for partial benefits ranging from 71% to 91%. However, if your spouse is caring for your minor child then they will be eligible for 75% benefits and your child may also be eligible for the same amount. Other dependants who may be eligible for benefits are your divorced spouse, dependent adopted children and your dependent parents. Disabled dependents may be eligible for more benefit payouts.
It is important that a beneficiary contact the Social Security office as soon as possible, if a loved one were to pass away who left behind social security survival benefits. While this can be the last thing on one’s mind after losing a loved one, it is imperative and necessary for the beneficiary to receive the benefits that the loved one wished to leave behind. In order to apply for these benefits after a loved one’s death, you would need the following information and documents . . .
• Death Certificate
• Your social security number along with your loved ones
• Your certificate of birth
• Your children’s birth certificates and social security cards
• If you are a divorced widow you will need a copy of your divorce papers
• W-2 forms for the deceased
Having end of life benefits can really put your mind at ease about the financial status of loved ones after you are gone. Social Security survival benefits are a wonderful way to ensure that your family will be taken care of. Another great way to ensure that your family will not struggle after your passing is to set up a trust fund if you have the means to do so. Even if you can only put in a few dollars a week, it is a good start to building financial security for your family and peace of mind for yourself.
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