If a man dies and has no spouse and his ex spouse has remarried, to whom does his SS death benefit go?

Question

I'm not pesonally worried about the money.

In 1978 my grandfather passed away and the benefit went to his sister - she was the informant listed on his death certificate. I was just curious how the SS administration obtains info to procede with a benefit - was it sent to her based on the info she gave?

Answer 1

His parents or siblings or children

Linda

Answer 2

Children?

Answer 3

If he has kids and they are on some kind of government assistance, they would get the money.

But if he doesn't have any kids, or any dependents via his tax records, then the benefits would cease.

Answer 4

the funeral home files for it. Just an FYI the SS death benefit is $255 it didn't cover the flowers at my husband's funeral

Also this is a "one time death benefit" which might make you ask "who dies twice"?

But what it means is you can collect it once so since I collected my husband's in 2003 I can never get another "one time death benefit"

Answer 5

What benefit to u get from dying? I thought they did away with that.

Answer 6

No one ,if the children are adults, if not...the children can receive the benefits. Since his x - wife remarried, she is no longer eligible to receive them. If she had never remarried, she could have received them when she became the right age, whether it be 62 or 65 and in some states it is older than that.

Answer 7

It is only $255, so it is not something to worry yourself over.

Answer 8

to his children or parents

Answer 9

children if there are any if not another close family member  

Answer 10

Might go to the ex if the marriage lasted 10 years.  Good question.