Joseph L. Matthews is a Caring.com Expert, an attorney, and the author of Long-Term Care: How to Plan & Pay for It and Social Security, Medicare, & Government Pensions: Get the Most Out of Your Retirement & Medical Benefits.
https://www.caring.com/questions/social-security-benefits-after-death
When someone dies who has been receiving Social Security benefits, two different things might happen based on the person's earnings record and Social Security tax payments.
https://www.caring.com/questions/social-security-benefits-after-death
To collect Social Security benefits after your ex-spouse dies, your ex-spouse had to have been collecting SSDI (or Social Security retirement) benefits at the time of death. Also, you must still be unmarried (with some exceptions—see below), and: 60 years old or older.
http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/resources/social-security-disability/social-security-basics/social-
Someone who is eligible for survivors benefits and also retirement or disability benefits based on their own work record may not collect both -- they are entitled to collect whichever benefit is higher. Survivors age 60 and above who qualify for survivors benefits may collect them for as long as they live.
https://www.caring.com/questions/social-security-benefits-after-death
If the person who dies has no surviving spouse or children who qualify for Social Security survivors benefits, the money the deceased person and his or her employers have paid in during the person's working years remains in the Social Security trust fund.
https://www.caring.com/questions/social-security-benefits-after-death
En español | Q. I know Social Security pays a $255 death benefit to the family of a person who dies. Who exactly is eligible to receive this? And how do you apply? A. The death benefit is a lump sum, paid upon the death of a person who worked long enough to qualify for Social Security benefits. It goes to a surviving spouse who was living in the person's household at the time of death, or, if living apart, was receiving certain Social Security benefits on the deceased's record.
http://www.aarp.org/work/social-security/info-07-2011/social-security-death-benefits.html
In other words, some people will pay into the Social Security system for a long time but collect benefits for only a short time (or not at all), while other people collect benefits for a very long time even though they only paid into the Social Security fund for a relatively short time.
https://www.caring.com/questions/social-security-benefits-after-death
1 disabled and between the ages of 50 and 60 (if the disability occurred within seven years of the death), or.  caring for your ex-spouse's child under the age of 16 who is receiving Social Security benefits on your ex-spouses's record (this is called the mother’s or father’s benefit).
http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/resources/social-security-disability/social-security-basics/social-
See also: Social Security survivor benefits. If there's no eligible spouse, the $255 may go to a child who is eligible for benefits on the person's record in the month of death. No qualifying recipient means no payment — it cannot, for example, go to the funeral home. To apply, call 1-800-772-1213 or contact your local Social Security office.
http://www.aarp.org/work/social-security/info-07-2011/social-security-death-benefits.html
1 60 years old or older. 2  disabled and between the ages of 50 and 60 (if the disability occurred within seven years of the death), or.  caring for your ex-spouse's child under the age of 16 who is receiving Social Security benefits on your ex-spouses's record (this is called the mother’s or father’s benefit).
http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/resources/social-security-disability/social-security-basics/social-
who can draw social security benefits after death
Spouse can draw social security benefits after death. A Spouse can draw social security benefits after death. A spouse can draw social security benefits after death.