7. Apply for Survivor Benefits

When a Social Security recipient passes away, their surviving spouses are eligible for survivor benefits. But that’s not all. A surviving spouse can get 100% of the late spouse’s retirement benefit if the survivor has reached full retirement age. However, the amount will be reduced if the deceased spouse started getting Social Security checks before they reached FRA.

If you were already receiving spousal benefits, you will be switched automatically to survivor benefits once the death is reported.

Here’s something you should remember: If you start getting your retirement benefits before you reach your FRA, not only will you have a reduced Social Security check, but after your death, your surviving spouse will also receive less.