A surviving parent or other person applying for benefits on behalf of a bereaved child will need to provide proof of the child’s relationship to the deceased, such as a birth certificate or adoption record, and answer questions about their living circumstances. You’ll find details about the information and documentation required on Social Security’s Form SSA-4.
- Your kids may be able to get survivor benefits too. The children of deceased workers may be able to collect survivor benefits of up to 75 percent of what their late parent was getting (or would have been entitled to get) from Social Security. About 2.1 million children were doing so as of February 2025.
Can I Collect Both My Deceased Spouse's Social Security and My Own at the Same Time? No. Even if you are eligible to receive both benefits, Social Security will pay out only the higher of the two. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. This is a modal window.
Can I Collect a Deceased Spouse's Social Security and My Own? - AARP
Dependent children may also qualify for DIC payments, and some parents of deceased veterans can receive benefits if their income is low. After a surviving spouse or child submits the DIC application form, called VA Form 21P-534EZ, the VA will also determine eligibility for the Survivors Pension and for accrued benefits (see below).
Anyone who was married to a Social Security beneficiary can potentially receive survivor benefits upon that person’s death. That includes divorced former spouses as well as the deceased’s husband or wife at the time of death.