As you plan for the future , you'll want to think about what your family would need if you should die now. Social Security can help your family if you have earned enough Social Security credits through your work. You can earn up to four credits each year. In 2019 , for example , you earn one credit for each $1,360 of wages or self - employment income. When you have earned $5,440 , you have earned your four credits for the year. The number of credits needed to provide benefits for your survivors depends on your age when you die. No one needs more than 40 credits 10 years of work to be eligible for any Social Security benefit. But , the younger a person is , the fewer credits they must have for family members to receive survivors benefits. Benefits can be paid to your children and your spouse who is caring for the children even if you don't have the required number of credits. They can get benefits if you have credit for one and one - half years of work 6 credits in the three years just before your death. 

For Your Widow Or Widower 
There are about five million widows and widowers receiving monthly Social Security benefits based on their deceased spouse's earnings record. And , for many of those survivors, particularly aged women, those benefits are keeping them out of poverty. Widows and widowers can receive : reduced benefits as early as age 60 or full benefits at full retirement age or older. benefits as early as age 50 if they're disabled AND their disability started before or within seven years of your death. benefits at any age , if they have not remarried , and if they take care of your child who is under age 16 or disabled and receives benefits on your record. If applying for disability benefits on a deceased worker s record , they can speed up the application process if they complete an Adult Disability Report and have it available at the time of their appointment. We use the same definition of disability for widows and widowers as we do for workers. 

For Y

user: I am looking for information regarding benefits for my widow when I pass on

assistant: Just to let you know, you are not alone in this situation, there are about five million widows and widowers receiving monthly Social Security benefits based on their deceased spouse's earnings record

assistant: Will your wife be relying on benefits based on your earnings should you pass away before her?

user: Yes, she would

user: What happens if my spouse remarries? If their future spouse is a Social Security beneficiary and the amount they receive  is more than the widow's benefit on my record, what happens?

assistant: In this instance, your spouse will receive a combination of benefits that equals the higher amount applicable

user: How do you actually define widows and widowers?

assistant: We define the disability of widows and widower exactly the same as we define disability for workers

user: What benefits are available for my children after I die?

assistant: Any unmarried children that you have up to the age of 19 if attending elementary or secondary school full time are eligible for receipt of Social Security benefits when you pass away

assistant: Do you need further information in this regard?

user: Yes, I would like to receive guidance and any further information you may have

assistant: I will refer you to our publication in this matter, all your questions will be answered in this particular bulletin

user: If my widow is in receipt of benefits after I die and is then entitled to receive benefits in her own right, what happens?

assistant: In a situation like this, your widow can switch to their own retirement benefit from the age of 62. This is, of course, dependant on whether they qualify for retirement benefits and that these benefits are higher than their rate as a widow