The SSDI is a database that contains the death records of most people that have died since 1962. It can only list those people that have had a social security number and whose death was reported to the Social Security Administration.

The information on the SSDI is gathered from the United States Social Security Administration’s Death Master file and this information, unlike that off the Death Master file is available online for free through several different popular genealogy websites. This tool is most commonly used by genealogist and biographers since it contains genealogical data which is very valuable.

You will be surprised at the amount of information that is available through the SSDI. The given name and surname, their birth date, the month and year of their death, their social security number, state their social security number was issued and the last place they resided before their death according to zip-code.

If you are searching through the social security death index you may find it a little frustrating since it is such a big index and there are many people that could have the same name as the person that you are looking for.

There are a few different tips that will be able to help you find the information on the person that you are looking for so that you will be able to get the information that is needed and get on with your life.

When you are searching it is important that you do not include the middle initial of the person that you are searching for. You may think this is going to narrow down the records but it will not allow any records to show up unless they are from the 1990s and later since this is when they started to put the initial into the database.

If you are searching for a female you should look for her under her maiden name.
It is important that you do not narrow your search down too much to start with. You should start with decently wide search criteria and then you can narrow it down later. Starting with just the birth date and the name could be enough for some people but if it is not you can add a little more information at a time. If you add too much information you may not return any results.

There is also a helpful feature that will allow you to locate names that sound like in case you are not sure about a name that could have been misspelled. This is called “Soundex Search” and since there could have been a filing error it is very helpful when you are searching for someone in the social security death index.

Social Security disability benefits are based on the earnings record of the worker, are funded by Social Security taxes and dependents of the worker may qualify for benefits upon his or her death.

Conversely, SSI benefits are basically welfare benefits.  Instead of receiving benefits based on your work history, benefits are awarded based on your income and assets – or lack of.  Basically, only people with very limited income and resources can receive SSI benefits.

The other main difference is the death benefits available to survivors.  Children, spouses and other dependents of workers who are receiving Social Security disability benefits may receive survivor benefits after the worker passes. SSI benefits are based on the needs of the individual and are only paid to the qualifying person.  Once the person receiving SSI dies, the benefits go away as well.  There is no SSI death benefit for the spouse, children or other dependents of a person receiving SSI benefits.

The loss of a family member can be devastating, both emotionally and financially.  Social Security is meant to be a survivor program as well as a retirement program.  Most people are aware of Social Security retirement benefits, and many may even be aware that Social Security has disability benefits, but are you aware that there are Social Security death benefits as well?  In this article we will discuss the one-time lump sum death benefit, monthly survivor benefits, who qualifies for survivor benefits, and how to apply for benefits when a family member dies.

One-Time Death Benefit:

You may receive a one time payment of $255 when a family member dies, depending on your relationship to them and how long they have worked.  Generally, only surviving spouses and children of deceased workers qualify for the one-time death benefit.  In addition, the deceased family member must have worked long enough to be insured under Social Security, but it doesn’t matter if they were already collecting Social Security or not.

The death benefit payment is made to the surviving spouse living with the deceased person at the time he/she passed, or if there is no surviving spouse, the payment is made to a child of the deceased person.  Spouses who are not living together when one spouse dies may still receive the death benefit if they were eligible for benefits on the deceased spouse’s earnings in the month the spouse passed.  If there is no surviving spouse or child who qualifies for the payment, then no payment will be made.

This is a one-time, lump sum benefit; however some survivors may qualify for a monthly benefit in addition to the one-time death benefit.  You must apply for the lump-sum death benefit within two years of the family member’s death.

Monthly Social Security Survivor Benefits:

In addition to the one-time payment, certain family members may receive a monthly benefit for a deceased person.  Widows, widowers, children and dependent parents may qualify for monthly survivor benefits.  In some cases, even divorced widows and widowers may qualify to receive benefits when their ex-spouse dies.  The monthly survivor benefit is also referred to as “survivors insurance” as it is much like a life insurance policy.

To be eligible for survivor benefits, the deceased worker must have worked and earned credits towards Social Security benefits.  The number of years required to work depends on the age of the deceased family member.

The following family members may qualify for Social Security survivor benefits:

• a widow or widower, beginning at age 50 if disabled or 60 is not disabled;
• a widow or widower who is caring for your child under the age of 16, regardless of the age of the widow or widower,
• unmarried children of the deceased also qualify if they are under age 18 (or age 22 if they are disabled).
• in some cases, even grandchildren, step children or adopted children may qualify for survivor benefits.

If you are divorced, you may qualify for survivor benefits on an ex-spouse if you were married for at least 10 years, and you are age 60 or older when your ex-spouse passes (you only need to be age 50 if you are disabled).

Applying for Survivor Benefits:

You should notify Social Security and apply for Social Security benefits right away after a family member has passed.  To do so, you can call the Social Security Administration or visit the closest office to you.  You will need to provide proof of death (death certificate or proof from a funeral home), your Social Security number and your deceased family member’s Social Security number, your birth certificate, marriage certificate if married, divorce papers if you are divorced, and income information for the deceased family member (from W-2s or income tax returns) for the most recent year.  Social Security death benefits are paid only from the time you apply, so it’s important to apply as soon as possible after the death of a loved one if you qualify.

Individuals that May Qualify

Death benefits from social security are usually paid either to the spouse or to the dependent of the deceased. If the dependent is a minor or disabled child, the benefit may also be paid to the guardian. Other exceptions are for dependent parents that receive at least half of their financial support from the deceased adult child and in some cases, grandchildren may even qualify for compensation. Decisions about special circumstances are handled on a case-by-case basis

Factors Affecting Eligibility

Social security death benefits for widows and other qualifying individuals may be affected by a variety of factors. This may include the survivor’s current income, age and marital status. Remarrying before the age of 60, a dependent turning of age that is no longer in school that has no disability and income from personal pension and employment can play a role in eligibility. The marriage of a child, even if he or she is in school or disabled may also affect this. In some cases, these situations can decrease or altogether eliminate these benefits.

Amount of Benefits

Although the one time death benefit is set at a pre-fixed rate of $255, other death benefits payable by the Social Security Administration (SSA) are not. The amount of benefits received will depend on the number of years worked and the amount of the lifetime earnings. The more that is earned, the more compensation the family is entitled to. However, there is a limit per family on amounts that can be received. This varies by the individual circumstance but typically no more than one hundred fifty percent of the deceased benefit can be paid on a monthly basis.

Other Considerations

One must apply to receive any of these benefits and supply appropriate documentation. This may include but is not limited to the death certificate of the relative, birth certificates of living children, a marriage license and other information used for identifying purposes. All copies of these documents either must be the original or certified. However, the application process should be started as soon as possible, with or without the documents as social security death benefits are payable only from the time of application.