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, 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:

 

• 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

 

Applying for Benefits

You must apply in order to receive benefits.You may also apply at any Social Security office or, if you wish, you may apply by telephone or online at www.ssa.gov. 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.

Contact Social Security

You may contact Social Security toll-free, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. The number to use is 1-800-772-1213. You may visit the Social Security website at www.ssa.gov. 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 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.

When a loved one dies, it can be difficult to know how to help kids cope with the loss, particularly as you work through your own grief. By being open and honest, encouraging communication, and sharing your own feelings, you and your children cope with painful times and begin your healing journey together.

Childhood and Grief

A child's ability to understand death varies according to his or her age.

Infants and Toddlers feel a loss through the absence of a loved one, interruption in their regular routine, and through the grief and stress they sense in their parents or other family members. Make sure to spend extra time holding and cuddling the child, and try to keep them on a regular schedule as much as possible.

Younger children might have trouble understanding the permanence of death or differentiating between fantasy and reality. They also might believe the death of a loved one is a form of punishment for something the child did. When you talk to young children about death, make sure to use concrete language, avoid euphemisms, and reassure the child that the death is not a consequence of something he or she did.

 

Older children are beginning to understand the permanence of death, and might associate it with old age or personify it in terms of frightening images or a cartoonish boogeyman. They often know more about how the body works, and have more specific questions. It's important to answer their questions to the best of your ability, and provide as much specific, factual information as possible. Try to keep them to regular routines, and give them opportunities for the constructive venting of feelings and grief.

 

Teenagers process grief more like adults, experiencing anger and sadness as they begin to cope. Don't feel disappointed if it seems that they may want to talk more to their friends than to parents, this is normal and can help them to share their feelings and heal. Because their grief is similar to that of an adult, a teenager may take longer to recover from a loss than a younger child. Questions may come up about mortality and vulnerability, and your role is to empathize with them, listen to their concerns, and remind them that their feelings are normal and things will get better with time.

 

Tips for Talking to Children about Death

• Use concrete terms when talking about death. Don't shy away from the words "death" and "dead". While it might seem gentler to use phrases like "passed away" or "went to sleep", this can be confusing for a child and lead to difficulty understanding the finality of death.
• If your child doesn't understand what death means, try explaining it in terms of the body, such as "Aunt Rachel's body stopped working".
• Encourage questions, and answer them to the best of your ability.
• Be honest when you don't know the answer. An honest, "I just don't know the answer to that one", can be more comforting than a made-up answer or an answer you don't believe.
• Your child will probably be dealing with a lot of difficult emotions, some of which he or she may not have experience before. Give your child a safe space to express his or her emotions, and spend time talking openly about his or her feelings and thoughts.
• Remember that recovery is an ongoing process. Young children often experience periods of normalcy which interrupt their intense grief, and the alternating periods might shift over the course of hours, days, or even years.
• Listen to their fears and reassure them. Children can develop fears as the result of a loved one's death. Whether it's an irrational fear linked to the cause of death, a fear of losing you or another family member, or a fear that something they did caused the death to happen, spend time comforting your children and helping to assuage their fears.
• If your family holds particular religious beliefs about what happens after you die, you can share them with your child as a source of comfort (but don't introduce it too soon, as it might be too abstract for kids under age 5). An alternate approach is to let them decide for themselves, by saying something like, "No one knows for sure. Some people think you go to heaven, while others believe people come back on earth as different creatures. What do you think?"
• Don't hide your own grief. It's important for children to know that adults cry when they're very sad, too, and that their feelings of grief are normal and shared by others. Let them know that you're okay, and find comfort together by sharing your feelings and remembering the loved one who is gone.
• If your child seems to be struggling especially hard with a loss, or if grief is seriously interfering with their day-to-day activities, routines, and outlook on life, don't be afraid to seek professional help or therapy when it's needed.

Handling the death of a loved one is never an easy task. We've put together some of the important information you'll need to make the initial decisions, reach out to the appropriate people, and begin the process of designing your loved one's final farewell. Remember that, as you begin to cope with your loss, it's often a good idea to enlist the help and support of a trusted friend in making the necessary arrangements.

If you have any questions about your next steps, the options available to you, or what the funeral arrangement process will entail, we'd be honored to walk you through this information in more detail and answer your questions. Don't hesitate to contact us for anything you might need.

Within Hours

When a death occurs at home or in the workplace, you'll need to contact emergency personnel or your loved one's physician if he or she was under medical care. If no one else was present when the death occurred, you'll also need to notify the police before the deceased is moved to a secondary location.

When a death occurs while your loved one is in a hospital, care facility or hospice program, the professional staff will notify you and contact the appropriate authorities. If you've already given them the name of a funeral home, the facility will contact them as well.

 

The next steps involve registration of the death, and the processes and documentation involved depend upon the circumstances. The professionals you've contacted will help to guide you through obtaining a medical certificate and the appropriate registration procedures.

 

If you're ever unsure of whom you should notify or what your next steps should be, please call us for assistance in determining the appropriate course of action for your particular situation.

 

Within the First Few Days

After you've taken care of the initial necessary arrangements, you'll want to notify friends and relatives of the death. If it is too painful for you to do this yourself, it's absolutely okay for a trusted friend to make the call in your place. Now is the time to review any prearranged wishes or plans your loved one may have put in place, and meet with the professionals at your chosen funeral home to discuss your options and begin designing a funeral. You'll also write a death notice or obituary to notify those in the community of your loved one's passing.

 

Don't hesitate to contact us with any questions you might have about what you need to do, even if your concerns aren't directly related to the funeral. We're well-versed in all topics relating to the loss of a loved one, and we'd be honored to provide you with answers, advice, and guidance in your time of need.

 

A Network of Support

Your initial call with our funeral director will allow us to inquire about any prearrangements and gather the information we need to transport your loved one to the funeral home, but you can also feel free to ask any questions you may have and resolve any of your initial concerns. At later meetings you'll be able to discuss your arrangements in greater detail, but we're always available in your time of need to provide emotional support, a sympathetic ear, and careful guidance.

 

Know that, during your time of loss, your greatest resource will be loved ones who want to offer their assistance in any way they can. We encourage you to get in touch with relatives, neighbors, friends, clergy members or other spiritual advisors, and other trusted members of your community. They are often more than happy to prepare food, look after children, help with arrangements, or simply offer a kind word and open arms.

 

What If There Aren't Any Prearrangements?

If your loved one has not specified any arrangements or preferences beforehand, there are some initial questions you will likely need to answer when you consult with your funeral home:

 

• Should I choose embalming?
• Do I need to purchase a casket?
• Will I care for my loved one's physical remains through burial or cremation?
• What sort of funeral or memorial service should I plan?
• Are there any religious traditions or customs I need to plan for? Should I engage the services of a clergy member or spiritual leader?

These questions are just a starting point, and you don't need to know the answers right away. Start thinking about your decisions, and contact us to gain a better understanding of your options and discuss what might be the most appropriate solution for your situation. We're here to make this process easier for you, and we can start by making sure that you have all of the information and guidance you'll need.

 

What to Expect When You Meet With Us

When you meet with a member of our staff to discuss your arrangements, we'll first provide you with a general price list to give you a basic idea of what our services cost. We'll then walk you through the entire arrangement process, and ask you about your loved one to gain an understanding of the person the services will honor. Use this time to communicate your ideas and preferences, share your loved one's life story, revisit memories and highlight their accomplishments. Our professionals will use this information to guide you in the creation of a personalized, meaningful celebration of your loved one's unique journey.

 

This process may include:

• Preparing and filing the official death certificate
• Scheduling the services and events (including the location, date, and time)
• Selecting a casket, urn, or other products you may need
• Drafting an obituary
• Arranging necessary transportation
• Selecting pallbearers

To help express your loved one's personality and life story, feel free to bring any memorabilia - like photos, videos, music, crafts, or treasured items - that might give us a better understanding of how you envision paying tribute to your loved one. Even if you're not sure how a particular aspect of their life might be incorporated, don't hesitate to ask; we can often make unique suggestions on a way to add that element as a special touch to their service.

 

We'd like to make this process as smooth and stress-free for you as we can, and you can come prepared for your meeting by making sure that you have the following information about your loved one on hand when you meet with our professionals to discuss your arrangements:

• Full legal name & home address
• Social Security number
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Father's name
• Mother's maiden name
• Veteran's discharge papers (DD-214), if applicable
• Highest education
• Occupation
• Chosen place of burial, if applicable
• Clergy name and phone number, if applicable
• Names and relationships of survivors
• Insurance policy information, if applicable

**Please also bring a recent photograph and any clothing you'd like us to use when dressing them for the service.**