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SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS
The following information is designed to help you determine what benefits may be available to you. If you have any questions on how to apply, please contact our staff at 320.634-4466.
Eligibility
The deceased worker must have credit for work covered by Social Security, ranging from 1 1/2 to 10 years depending on his or her age at death.
Who may receive monthly benefits:
- A widow or widower age 60 or older (50 if disabled), or at any age if caring for an entitled child who is under 16 or disabled.
- A divorced widow or widower age 60 or older (50 if disabled) if the marriage lasted 10 years, or if caring for an entitled child who is under 16 or disabled.
- Unmarried children up to 18 (19 if they are attending a primary or secondary school full time).
- Children who were disabled before reaching 22, as long as they remained disabled.
- Dependent parent or parents 62 or older.
Lump-sum death payment
A one-time payment of $255 is paid in addition to the monthly cash
benefits described above. The lump-sum death payment (LSDP) is paid
in the following priority order:
- A surviving spouse who lived in the same household as the deceased
person at the time of death.
- A surviving spouse eligible for or entitled to benefits for the month
of death.
- A child or children eligible for or entitled to benefits for the month
of death.
Applying for benefits
You must apply in order to receive benefits. You may apply at any
Social Security office or, if you wish, you may apply by telephone.
Just dial
the toll-free number 1-800-772-1213 and the operator will schedule
an appointment for you or arrange for the local Social Security office
to take your claim by telephone.
Social security teleservice - doing business by telephone.
You may call Social Security toll-free, 365 days a year, 24 hours
a day. The number to use is 1-800-772-1213. To speak with a representative,
call between the hours of 7:00am and 7:00pm on regular business days.
At other times and on weekends and holidays, you may leave a message
and they will call you back, in most cases, the next business day.
Social Security Online
VETERANS BENEFITS
Survivors of any person who was an active or retired member of the
military at time of death, or an honorably discharged veteran, could
be eligible for a number of benefits, including:
- An American flag (usually drapes the casket).
- Burial in a National Cemetery.
- A bronze or granite marker.
- A lump sum payment of $300.00 is usually available
to families of those veterans that were entitled
to receive VA compensation or pension at time
of death (such as retirees), or veterans who
died while a registered patient in a VA hospital
or other accredited VA facility. If one of these
circumstance's apply and a National Cemetery
is not utilized, up to $150.00 could be reimbursed
as a plot or interment allowance (requires proof
of payment to a non-VA cemetery. Private cemeteries
usually assist you by filing this benefit in
your behalf). For veterans who die of a service
connected disability, the VA could pay an allowance
to reimburse funeral costs of $1500.00 or less
(no additional VA death benefits would be available).
Active duty military personnel are usually entitled
to a greater amount, which can vary.
- If not remarried, the surviving spouse
is eligible for burial in the National Cemetery.
Dependent children of the veteran are also
eligible.
- Claims for Veteran's Benefits must be
filed within 2 years of death by the veteran's
family, a non-family member who can prove
that the veteran's funeral services are
paid, or the funeral director. We will be
pleased to make application for these benefits
on your behalf if you will provide us with
the veteran's Honorable Discharge papers.
For VA Assistance and Information, phone
1-800-827-1000 or visit their website at
www.va.gov
Department of Veteran's
Affairs
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