Under the Social Security survivor program, a surviving spouse of a fully insured worker may be eligible for:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
Social Security provides survivor benefits funded by the deceased worker's payroll taxes, including a modest one-time lump-sum death payment and ongoing monthly survivor income to eligible family members such as a surviving spouse, minor children, and dependent parents. Eligibility for monthly benefits depends on the worker being fully or currently insured and the survivor's age and circumstances. The lump-sum payment is a small fixed amount, while monthly benefits continue according to the survivor's own benefit category. These benefits are a key reason life insurance planning often accounts for Social Security survivor income.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) Private pensions are paid under the employer's retirement plan and are entirely separate from Social Security survivor benefits, which are funded by payroll taxes and administered by the federal government. The worker's pension does not replace the Social Security survivor program.
- C) Survivor benefits replace only a portion of the worker's earnings, calculated under statutory formulas with benefit caps. They do not replicate the worker's full salary, so a guaranteed income match is impossible.
- D) Survivor benefits can begin well before age 65. A widow or widower may receive reduced benefits at age 60, or at any age while caring for a qualifying child of the deceased worker.
Memory hook
Social Security survivor = a lump sum plus monthly checks to the spouse and kids.