The Social Security survivor benefits program provides a lifeline to over 3 million Americans each year. Here are a few statistics that may surprise you about the survivor benefits program:
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9 – months you need to have been married prior to your spouse’s death to qualify for survivor benefits. There are some exceptions for certain accidents and active military duty. (Source)
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60 – age that survivors can begin to receive (reduced) survivor benefits. To receive full benefits, survivors can wait until their Full Retirement Age (FRA). NOTE: The FRA for survivors is DIFFERENT than the FRA for retirement benefits! (Source)
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71.5 – percentage of full survivor benefit that a widow collects if they begin benefits at age 60. (Source)
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97 – percentage of survivor beneficiaries that are female. (Source)
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98 – percentage of children who have a parent die while they are young eligible to receive benefits. (Source)
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If you want to learn more about the Social Security survivor benefits program, the Social Security website is the best place to start!
