(over)

Almost everyone who lives in the United 

States is affected by the Social Security 

system—either by working and paying Social 

Security taxes or by receiving Social Security 

benefits. Social Security benefits are paid 

to workers and their eligible family members 

when the worker retires or becomes disabled. 

Survivors benefits can be paid to eligible family 

members when a worker dies. This fact sheet 

tells you about retirement and survivors

benefits. For information about disability

benefits, contact Social Security to get the publication, Disability Benefits, (Publication No. 

05-10701-EN).

People who are age 65 or older, or blind 

or disabled may be eligible for Supplemental 

Security Income (SSI) payments. SS1 provides 

payments to people who have little or no 

income and assets. For information about SSI, 

ask Social Security for a copy of the publication, Supplemental Security Income Payments, 

(Publication No. 05-10702-EN).

Your working years

You do not have to be a United States citizen 

to earn Social Security coverage. If you have 

been lawfully admitted for work in the U.S., 

you can work at jobs covered by the Social 

Security system. When you work, you also earn 

coverage for Medicare health insurance benefits.

During your working years, you pay Social 

Security taxes on your earnings. If you work 

for someone else, your employer pays an equal 

amount of Social Security taxes on your behalf. 

If you are self-employed, you pay both the 

employee and the employer shares of the tax. 

Your Social Security number is used to keep 

track of your earnings under a record kept for 

you by the Social Security Administration. 

Even if you change jobs, you continue to use 

the same Social Security number to build on the 

record of your earnings.

Because your Social Security benefits will 

be based on your earnings over your working career, it is important to always use the 

same Social Security number and to make 

sure all your employers deduct Social Security 

taxes. You can verify that all of your earnings 

are recorded by reading your Social Security 

Statement that we send you each year. Your 

Statement also will give you an estimate of the 

amount of retirement, disability and survivors 

benefits payable on your Social Security record.

Retirement benefits

Most people need at least 10 years of work 

at jobs where they paid Social Security taxes in 

order to qualify for retirement benefits. If you 

were born before 1929, you need fewer than 10 

years of work. The amount of your retirement 

benefit is based on your total earnings under 

the Social Security system. The higher your 

earnings are, the higher your benefits will be.

Social Security retirement benefits can be paid

as early as age 62. However, the amount of your

benefit at age 62 is less than it would be if you 

started your retirement benefits when you were 

older. The full benefit amount is paid at age 65 if

you were born before 1938. The Social Security 

law was changed to gradually increase the full 

retirement age until it reaches age 67. This 

change affects people born in 1938 and later.

Some family members may be eligible to 

receive Social Security benefits based on your 

work record. Your wife or husband can get benefits as early as age 62, or even earlier if she or 

he is caring for your child who also is getting 

benefits on your record. If you were married 

at least 10 years, your former wife or husband 

may be eligible for benefits. 

Children can get Social Security benefits up 

to age 18 or up to age 19 if they are attending 

elementary or secondary school. Children over 

age 18 can get benefits if they are disabled and 

their disability began before age 22.

When signing up for retirement, you should 

talk to a Social Security representative in the 

year before the year you plan to retire. That is 

because the rules are complicated, and it may 

be to your advantage to start your retirement 

benefits before you actually stop working.

Survivors benefits

When a worker dies, family members may 

be able to get monthly Social Security benefits. 

The amount of work needed to pay survivors 

benefits depends on the age of the worker at 

Retirement And Survivors Benefits

www.socialsecurity.gov Retirement And Survivors Benefits
the time of death. It may be as little as one and 

one-half years for a young worker. No worker 

needs more than 10 years.

A widow or widower can get benefits as early 

as age 60, or even earlier if she or he is caring for 

your child who also is getting benefits on your 

record. A widow or widower who is disabled 

can get benefits at age 50. A divorced widow or 

widower may also be eligible for benefits.

Children can get benefits up to age 18 or 

up to age 19 if they are attending elementary 

or secondary school. Children over 18 can get 

benefits if they are disabled and their disability 

began before age 22.

To receive survivor’s benefits, you should 

apply as soon as you are eligible. 

Medicare

Medicare is a health insurance plan for people who are 65 or older, under 65 and disabled 

or who have permanent kidney failure or have 

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also known as 

Lou Gehrig’s disease).

If you already are getting Social Security 

when you reach age 65, your Medicare coverage 

will start automatically. Otherwise, you should 

contact Social Security two to three months 

before you reach age 65 to sign up for Medicare.

What records will you need?

To show that you are eligible for Social 

Security and to help us decide the amount of 

benefits you should receive, there are certain 

documents we may ask you to provide. The 

ones you will need depend on the circumstances of your claim. Here is a list of some of the 

documents you may need when you sign up for 

Social Security:

• Your Social Security card (or a record of

your number);

• Your birth certificate;

• Children’s birth certificates (if they are

applying);

• Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status if you (or a child who is applying) were 

not born in the U.S.;

• Your spouse’s birth certificate and Social 

Security number if he or she is applying for 

benefits based on your record;

• A marriage certificate (if signing up on a 

spouse’s record);

• Your military discharge papers if you had 

military service; and

• Your most recent W-2 form or your tax 

return, if you are self-employed.

This is just a partial list to help you get prepared. We will let you know if other documents 

are needed when you file a claim.

Here is an important point: You will need to 

submit original documents or copies certified 

by the issuing office. You can mail or bring 

them to Social Security. We will make photocopies and return your documents. If you 

do not have all the documents you need, do 

not delay signing up for Social Security. We 

will help you get the information you need.

Contacting Social Security

For more information and to find copies

of our publications, visit our website at

www.socialsecurity.gov or call toll-free

1-800-772-1213 (for the deaf or hard of

hearing, call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778). 

We can answer specific questions and provide 

information by automated phone service

24 hours a day.

If you need an interpreter to conduct your 

Social Security business, we will provide one 

free of charge. Interpreter services are available whether you talk to us by phone or in the 

Social Security office. Call our toll-free number, 

1-800-772-1213. If you speak a language other 

than English, press 1 and stay on the line until 

a representative answers. An interpreter will be 

contacted to help with your call. If your business cannot be completed by phone, we will 

make an appointment for you at a local Social 

Security office and arrange for an interpreter to 

be there at the time of your visit.

We treat all calls confidentially. We also want 

to make sure you receive accurate and courteous service. That is why we have a second 

Social Security representative monitor some 

telephone calls.

www.socialsecurity.gov

Social Security Administration

SSA Publication No. 05-10700-EN

Retirement and Survivors Benefits

 (English)

January 2005