Donald
V. Borgwardt Funeral Home, P.A. 4400
Powder Mill Road Beltsville,
Maryland 20705 (301)
937—1707 (301)
931—1927 fax |
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A
MESSAGE FROM SOCIAL SECURITY Your
funeral director is helping the Social Security office by giving you this
information about Social Security benefits. If the deceased was receiving
benefits, you need to contact us to report the death. If you think you may be
eligible for survivors benefits, you should contact us to apply. HOW
SOCIAL
SECURITY HELPS FAMILI Social
Security survivors benefits help ease the financial burden that follows a worker’s
death. Almost all children under age 18 will get monthly benefits if a working
parent dies. Other family members may be eligible for benefits, too. Anyone who
has worked and paid Social Security (FICA) taxes has been earning WHO
CAN GET SURVIVORS BENEFITS? Here
is a list of family members who usually can get benefits: •
Widows and widowers age 60 or older. •
Widows and widowers at any age if caring for the deceased’s child(ren)
who are under age 16 or disabled. •
Divorced wives and husbands age 60 or older, if married to the deceased
10 years or more. •
Widows, widowers, divorced wives, and divorced husbands age 50 or older,
if they are disabled. •
Children up to age 18. •
Children age 18 - 19, if they attend elementary school or high school
full time. •
Children over age 18, if they became disabled before age 22. •
The deceased worker’s parents age 62 or older, if they were being
supported by the worker. A
SPECIAL ONE-TIME PAYMENT In
addition to the monthly benefits for family members, a one-time payment of $255
can be paid to a spouse who was living with the worker at the time of death. If
there is none, it can be paid to: •
A spouse who is eligible for benefits. •
A child or children eligible for benefits. This
payment cannot be made if there is no eligible spouse or child. HOW
TO APPLY FOR BENEFITS You
can apply for benefits by telephone or by going to any Social Security office.
You may need some of the documents shown on the list below. But don’t delay
your application because you don’t have all the information. If you don’t
have a document you need, Social Security can help you get it. INFORMATION
NEEDED •
Your Social Security number and the deceased worker’s Social Security
number. •
A death certificate. (Generally, the funeral director provides a
statement that can be used for this purpose.) •
Proof of the deceased worker’s earnings for last year (W-2 forms or
self-employment tax return). •
Your birth certificate. •
A marriage certificate, if you are applying for benefits as a widow,
widower, divorced wife, or divorced husband. •
A divorce decree, if you are applying for benefits as a divorced wife or
husband. •
Children’s birth certificates and Social Security numbers, if applying
for children’s benefits. • Your checking or savings account information, if you want direct deposit
of your benefits. You
will need to submit original documents or copies certified by the issuing
office. You can mail or bring them to the office. Social Security will make
photocopies and return your documents. SUPPLEMENTAL
SECURITY INCOME (SSI) If
you are 65 or older, disabled, or blind, ask the Social Security representative
about Supplemental Security Income (SSI) checks for people with limited income
and resources. If you receive SSI, you may also qualify for Medicaid, food
stamps,
and other social services. FOR
MORE INFORMATION For
more information, write or visit any Social Security office, or phone the
toll-free number, 1-800-234-5772. You can speak to a representative weekdays 7
a.m. to 7 p.m. A
REMINDER If
the deceased was receiving Social Security benefits, any checks which arrive
after death will need to be returned to the Social Security office. If Social
Security checks were being directly deposited into a bank account, the bank
needs to be notified of the death, too.
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