Differences between Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Survivor (Survivor Benefits) (SSA)

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

A Federal supplemental income program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes). It helps aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income by providing monthly cash payments to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. For more information see Supplemental Security Income.

Source: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/glossary.htm

The individual is limit to $2000.00 per month in any accounts.

Social Security Administration benefits (SSA)

You should apply for survivors benefits promptly because, in some cases, benefits will be paid from the time you apply and not from the time the worker died.

You can apply by telephone or at any Social Security office. We will need certain information, but do not delay applying if you do not have everything. We will help you get what you need. We need either original documents or copies certified by the agency that issued them.

The information we need includes:

Proof of death—either from a funeral home or death certificate;
Your Social Security number, as well as the deceased worker’s;
Your birth certificate;
Your marriage certificate, if you are a widow or widower;
Your divorce papers, if you are applying as a divorced widow or widower;
Dependent children’s Social Security numbers, if available;
Deceased worker’s W-2 forms or federal self-employment tax return for the most recent year; and
The name of your bank and your account number so your benefits can be deposited directly into your account.
If you are already getting Social Security benefits

If you are getting benefits as a wife or husband based on your spouse’s work, when you report the death to us, we will change your payments to survivors benefits. If we need more information, we will contact you.

If you are getting benefits based on your own work, call or visit us, and we will check to see if you can get more money as a widow or widower. You will receive the higher benefit, not a combination of the two types of benefits. You will need to complete an application to switch to survivors benefits, and we will need to see your spouse’s death certificate.

Benefits for any children automatically will be changed to survivors benefits after the death is reported to us. We will contact you if we need more information.

How much will I receive?
The benefit amount is based on the earnings of the person who died. The more the worker paid into Social Security, the greater your benefits will be.

Social Security uses the deceased worker’s basic benefit amount and calculates what percentage survivors are entitled to. The percentage depends on the survivors’ ages and relationship to the worker. Here are the most typical situations:

A widow or widower, at full retirement age or older, receives 100 percent of the worker’s basic benefit amount
A widow or widower, age 60 or older, but under full retirement age, receives about 71-99 percent of the worker’s basic benefit amount; or
A widow or widower, any age, with a child under age 16, receives 75 percent of the worker’s benefit amount.
Children receive 75 percent of the worker’s benefit amount.
Maximum family benefits
There is a limit to the benefits that can be paid to you and other family members each month. The limit varies, but is generally between 150 and 180 percent of the deceased’s benefit amount.

What if I work?
If you work while getting Social Security survivors benefits and are younger than full retirement age, your benefits may be reduced if your earnings exceed certain limits. (The full retirement age was 65 for people born before 1938 but will gradually increase to 67 for people born in 1960 or later.) To find out what the earnings limits are this year and how earnings above those limits reduce your Social Security benefits, contact us to request the publication, How Work Affects Your Benefits (Publication No. 05-10069).

There is no earnings limit after you reach full retirement age.

Also, your earnings will reduce only your benefits, not the benefits of other family members.

What if I remarry?
Generally, you cannot get widow’s or widower’s benefits if you remarry before age 60. But remarriage after age 60 (or age 50 if you are disabled) will not prevent you from getting benefit payments based on your former spouse’s work. And at age 62 or older, you may get benefits based on your new spouse’s work, if those benefits would be higher.

Right to appeal
If you disagree with a decision made on your claim, you can appeal it. The steps you can take are explained in the publication, The Appeals Process (Publication No. 05-10041), which is available from Social Security.

You have the right to be represented by an attorney or other qualified person of your choice. More information is in the publication, Your Right To Representation (Publication No. 05-10075), which is also available from Social Security.

Source: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10084.html

The individual is not limit to any $ in any accounts.

You can apply for this benefit or services by contacting your local Social Security office