How to Use the Social Security Survivor Benefit Calculator
When a Social Security-insured worker dies, eligible surviving family members can receive a percentage of the worker's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) — the benefit the worker earned based on their lifetime earnings. The percentage depends on the survivor's relationship to the worker and their own age or circumstances.
This calculator lets you enter the deceased worker's monthly PIA and choose your survivor scenario — claiming at full retirement age, claiming early at age 60, or caring for a child under 16 — to estimate your monthly survivor benefit.
Keep in mind that Social Security also applies a family maximum, which can reduce individual payments when several family members qualify at the same time. This calculator estimates a single survivor's benefit without applying that cap.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your age and situation. A surviving spouse at full retirement age receives 100% of the worker's benefit, at age 60 about 71.5%, and a spouse caring for a child under 16 receives 75%, regardless of the spouse's own age.
Yes, Social Security applies a family maximum, typically 150-180% of the worker's basic benefit, which can reduce individual amounts when multiple family members qualify. This calculator does not apply the family maximum.