Social Security Survivor Benefits provide payments to your spouse and surviving children, and potentially others like your ex-spouse.
For example, your surviving spouse can receive reduced benefits as early as age 60. Your surviving spouse can also receive benefits as early as age 50 if they are disabled.
Your surviving spouse can also receive benefits if they are taking care of your surviving children.
Your unmarried surviving children who are under 18 (up to age 19 if attending elementary or secondary school full time) can be eligible to receive Social Security benefits when you die.
If you have a surviving divorced spouse, he or she could get the same benefits as your widow or widower provided that your marriage lasted 10 years or more before the divorce.