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When Application Must Be Filed

Excerpted from "Social Security Handbook". See the up-to-date, official Social Security Handbook at ssa.gov.

433. When Application Must Be Filed

433.1 When must you file the application for the lump-sum?

You must file the application for the lump-sum death payment within the two-year period ending with the second anniversary of the insured person's death. The filing period may be extended under certain conditions as explained in §§1517-1519.

433.2 Who must file an application for the lump-sum payment?

You must file an application for the lump-sum death payment if:

  1. You are not entitled to wife's or husband's benefits on the deceased person's Social Security record for the month just before the month in which the insured person died; or

  2. You are a child.

    Note: If more than one child is entitled to the lump-sum, each child must apply to receive his or her share of the payment.

433.3 When do you NOT need to file an application for the lump-sum?

You do not need to file an application for the lump-sum as a widow(er) if you were entitled to wife's or husband's benefits on the deceased person's Social Security record for the month just before the month in which the insured person died.

Last Revised: March, 2001


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There are 5 Comments

2 of my children received payment but my third child still has not received his. he applied at the same time. the local ss office will not come forward with any information at all

"You do not need to file an application for the lump-sum as a widow(er) if you were entitled to wife's or husband's benefits on the deceased person's Social Security record for the month just before the month in which the insured person died."

how do you find out if you do not need to file? wife got her soc sec because of my earnings. she never worked enough quarters.

Hopefully, this could be handled over phone or web or mail.. vs trip into soc sec office.

If your Dad was 90 yrs old when he passed away, and the only child is 55 yrs old, does that child still get a lump sum survivor payment? If yes, how do you go about getting it? Thank You.

Unless you were receiving Social Security benefits based on your father's record, it looks like you won't qualify for the $255 lump sum benefit.

The one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 is payable to:

  • A surviving spouse if he or she was living with the deceased; or, if living apart, was receiving certain Social Security benefits on the deceased person's record; or
  • If there is no surviving spouse, a child who is eligible for benefits on the deceased person's record in the month of death.

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/202


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