{
  "id": "social-security-survivor-benefits",
  "version": "4b04b652c28f",
  "status": "published",
  "name": "Social Security Survivor Benefits Calculator",
  "question": "Social Security survivor benefits",
  "summary": "Estimates monthly Social Security survivor benefits for a widow or widower, children and parents from the worker’s benefit amount, with the 2026 family maximum.",
  "category": "finance",
  "subcategory": "retirement",
  "url": "https://www.acalculator.org/finance/social-security-survivor-benefits-calculator",
  "markdown": "https://www.acalculator.org/finance/social-security-survivor-benefits-calculator.md",
  "kind": "function",
  "method": "Original rates: spouse 100% of PIA (75% caring for a child under 16), child 75%, one parent 82.5% or two at 75%, each down to a dime; cut in proportion to the family maximum; spouse at 60 to 67 gets 71.5% to 100%; payments down to the dollar.",
  "assumptions": [
    "The surviving spouse was born in 1962 or later, so full retirement age for survivors is 67.",
    "The worker had not claimed retirement benefits early; if they had, a spouse at full retirement age may get less (at least 82.5% of the PIA).",
    "Divorced spouses are not counted in the family maximum and are not shown.",
    "No earnings test, government pension, or other benefit on the survivors’ own records.",
    "Family maximum from the 2026 formula unless you enter SSA’s figure."
  ],
  "inputs": {
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
      "pia": {
        "title": "Worker’s full benefit (PIA)",
        "description": "The monthly benefit the worker who died would get at full retirement age (the primary insurance amount), from their Social Security statement.",
        "type": "number",
        "x-unit": "USD",
        "minimum": 1,
        "maximum": 10000
      },
      "spouse": {
        "title": "Surviving spouse",
        "description": "A widow or widower, and which rule applies to them.",
        "type": "string",
        "enum": [
          "aged",
          "care",
          "disabled",
          "none"
        ]
      },
      "age": {
        "title": "Spouse’s age when benefits start",
        "description": "Years of age; at 67 or older the benefit is not reduced.",
        "type": "integer",
        "minimum": 60,
        "maximum": 120
      },
      "mo": {
        "title": "and months",
        "description": "Months past the spouse’s last birthday, 0 to 11.",
        "type": "integer",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 11
      },
      "kids": {
        "title": "Children who qualify",
        "description": "Unmarried children under 18 (19 if still in high school), or disabled before 22.",
        "type": "integer",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 20
      },
      "parents": {
        "title": "Dependent parents",
        "description": "Parents 62 or older who got at least half their support from the worker.",
        "type": "integer",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 2
      },
      "fmax": {
        "title": "Family maximum",
        "description": "Optional: the family maximum from SSA. Leave it empty to use the 2026 formula (exact when the worker died in 2026 before 62).",
        "type": "number",
        "x-unit": "USD",
        "minimum": 1,
        "maximum": 20000
      }
    }
  },
  "outputs": {
    "total": {
      "label": "Total for the family a month",
      "description": "All survivor benefits added together, after the family maximum.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "spouseBenefit": {
      "label": "Spouse a month",
      "description": "The widow or widower’s benefit after the family maximum and any reduction for age.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "child": {
      "label": "Each child a month",
      "description": "75% of the PIA, less any family maximum cut.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "parent": {
      "label": "Each parent a month",
      "description": "82.5% of the PIA for one parent, 75% each for two, less any family maximum cut.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "familyMax": {
      "label": "Family maximum",
      "description": "The most that can be paid each month to the whole family on the worker’s record.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "lumpSum": {
      "label": "One-time death payment",
      "description": "$255 to a spouse or a child who qualifies.",
      "format": "money"
    }
  },
  "defaultAnswer": {
    "inputs": {
      "pia": 2000,
      "spouse": "aged",
      "age": 67,
      "mo": 0,
      "kids": 0,
      "parents": 0
    },
    "outputs": {
      "total": 2000,
      "spouseBenefit": 2000,
      "familyMax": 3435.5,
      "lumpSum": 255
    },
    "text": "The family would get about $2,000.00 a month in survivor benefits."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "given": {
        "pia": 2000,
        "spouse": "aged",
        "age": 67,
        "mo": 0,
        "kids": 0,
        "parents": 0
      },
      "expect": {
        "spouseBenefit": 2000,
        "total": 2000,
        "familyMax": 3435.5,
        "lumpSum": 255
      },
      "source": "SSA, What you could get from Survivor benefits (https://www.ssa.gov/survivor/amount): up to 100% at full retirement age, $255 lump sum; SSA family maximum formula (https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/familymax.html): 1.5 × 1,643 + 2.72 × 357 = 3,435.54, $3,435.50"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "pia": 2000,
        "spouse": "care",
        "kids": 2,
        "parents": 0
      },
      "expect": {
        "spouseBenefit": 1145,
        "child": 1145,
        "total": 3435,
        "familyMax": 3435.5
      },
      "source": "SSA Bulletin 70(3) (https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v70n3/v70n3p89.html): 75% caring for a child; Social Security Act 203(a) (https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title02/0203.htm): benefits proportionately decreased; 3,435.50 ÷ 3 = 1,145.16, $1,145.10 to the dime, $1,145 paid"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "pia": 2000,
        "spouse": "aged",
        "age": 60,
        "mo": 0,
        "kids": 0,
        "parents": 0
      },
      "expect": {
        "spouseBenefit": 1430,
        "total": 1430
      },
      "source": "SSA, What you could get from Survivor benefits: payments start at 71.5% at 60; 2,000 × 0.715 = $1,430"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "pia": 1800,
        "spouse": "aged",
        "age": 63,
        "mo": 6,
        "kids": 0,
        "parents": 0
      },
      "expect": {
        "spouseBenefit": 1543,
        "familyMax": 2891.5
      },
      "source": "Social Security Act 202(q) reduction, 28.5% over the 84 months from 60 to 67: 42 months early, 1 − 0.285 × 42 ÷ 84 = 0.8575; 1,800 × 0.8575 = 1,543.50, $1,543 paid (hand calculation in content.mdx)"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "pia": 3500,
        "spouse": "disabled",
        "kids": 1,
        "parents": 1
      },
      "expect": {
        "familyMax": 6124.3,
        "spouseBenefit": 1700,
        "child": 1783,
        "parent": 1962,
        "total": 5445
      },
      "source": "SSA family maximum formula: 2,464.50 + 1,980.16 + 967.48 + 712.25 = 6,124.39, $6,124.30; Social Security Act 202(h): one parent 82.5%; disabled widow 71.5% (SSA Bulletin 70(3)); proportional cut per Act 203(a) (hand calculation in content.mdx)"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "pia": 1234.5,
        "spouse": "none",
        "kids": 3,
        "parents": 0,
        "fmax": 2000
      },
      "expect": {
        "child": 666,
        "total": 1998,
        "familyMax": 2000,
        "lumpSum": 255
      },
      "source": "SSA: children get 75% (925.875, $925.80 to the dime); a $2,000 family maximum gives 2,000 × 925.80 ÷ 2,777.40 = 666.67, $666.60, $666 paid"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "pia": 2000,
        "spouse": "aged",
        "age": 67,
        "mo": 0,
        "kids": 0,
        "parents": 2
      },
      "expect": {
        "spouseBenefit": 1374,
        "parent": 1030,
        "total": 3434,
        "familyMax": 3435.5
      },
      "source": "Social Security Act 202(h) (https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title02/0202.htm): two parents get 75% each; Act 203(a) proportional cut: 3,435.50 × 2,000 ÷ 5,000 = 1,374.20 and 3,435.50 × 1,500 ÷ 5,000 = 1,030.65, $1,030.60 (hand calculation)"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "pia": 1000,
        "spouse": "none",
        "kids": 0,
        "parents": 1
      },
      "expect": {
        "parent": 825,
        "total": 825,
        "lumpSum": 0
      },
      "source": "Social Security Act 202(h)(2)(A) (https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title02/0202.htm): one parent gets 82.5% of the PIA; no lump sum without a spouse or child"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    "Social Security Administration, What you could get from Survivor benefits: https://www.ssa.gov/survivor/amount (retrieved 2026-10-05)",
    "Social Security Administration, Office of the Chief Actuary, Formula for Family Maximum Benefit: https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/familymax.html (retrieved 2026-10-05)",
    "Social Security Administration, Social Security Act section 202 (benefit rates for widows, children and parents): https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title02/0202.htm (retrieved 2026-10-05)",
    "Social Security Administration, Social Security Act section 203 (family maximum; benefits proportionately decreased): https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title02/0203.htm (retrieved 2026-10-05)",
    "Social Security Bulletin, Vol. 70, No. 3, Widows and Social Security (benefit rates by type of widow): https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v70n3/v70n3p89.html (retrieved 2026-10-05)"
  ],
  "related": [
    "social-security",
    "ssdi",
    "social-security-break-even"
  ],
  "changelog": []
}