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Social Security
The following checklist is designed to help you file for your Social Security benefits correctly so that prompt payments may be made.
Eligibility
The deceased worker must have credit for work covered by Social Security for a period ranging from 1 1/2 to 10 years (depending on his or her age at death).
Who May Receive Monthly Benefits?
- A widow or widower age 60 or older (50 if disabled), or at any age if caring for an entitled child who is under 16 or disabled.
- A divorced widow or widower age 60 or older (50 if disabled) if the marriage lasted 10 years, or if caring for an entitled child who is under 16 or disabled.
- Unmarried children up to 18 (19 if they are attending a primary or secondary school full time).
- Children who were disabled before reaching 22, as long as they remained disabled.
- Dependent parent or parents 62 or older.
Lump-sum Death Payment
A one-time payment of $255 is paid in addition to the monthly cash benefits described above. The lump-sum death payment (LSDP) is paid in the following priority order to:
- A surviving spouse who lived in the same household as the deceased person at the time of death.
- A surviving spouse eligible for or entitled to benefits for the month of death.
- A child or children eligible for or entitled to benefits for the month of death.
Social Security Teleservice - Doing Business by Telephone
You may call Social Security toll-free, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. The number to use is 1-800-772-1213. To speak with a representative, call between the hours of 7:00am and 7:00pm on regular business days. At other times and on weekends and holidays, you may leave a message and they will call you back, in most cases, the next business day.
You must apply in order to receive benefits. You may apply at any Social Security office or, if you wish, you may apply by telephone. Just dial the toll-free number 1-800-772-1213 and the operator will schedule an appointment for you or arrange for the local Social Security office to take your claim by telephone.
You may use the toll-free number to make an appointment either in a Social Security office or telephone to apply for benefits, transact other Social Security business, or just ask questions
Veterans Benefits
The following benefits are available to an honorably discharged U.S. Veteran: A burial allowance of up to $300 will be paid to the funeral home if the veteran was receiving V.A. compensation, pension or was properly hospitalized by the Veteran's Administration.
A cemetery space at Fort Richardson's National Cememtery or in any other federally operated cemetery.
A $150 burial plot allowance is payable if the deceased veteran was discharged for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, in receipt of compensation or pension at the time of death, was properly hospitalized by the V.A. or was buried in a state cemetery if the plot has not been paid for. If the plot has been paid for, the allowance will be paid to the funeral home.
- A flag for the funeral services.
- A government grave marker where there is no family marker.
- Transportation costs, if the veteran died in a Elemendorf AFB Hospital or any other V.A. facility.
- A burial allowance of up to $1500.00 when death was due to a service connected disability.
- Under some circumstances there are survivors' benefits for spouses and minor children.
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