In a previous article we reviewed the very confusing  Social Security Spousal Benefit. That article raised a lot of questions from readers about another confusing provision of the Social Security system: the Survivor Benefit.

As with all of these discussions, don’t expect to immediately understand it – this stuff is complicated, and even the Social Security staff often have difficulty explaining it. Read through this carefully, see the referenced articles for background, and then re-read as needed. And ask questions if you have them.

The Survivor Benefit is not related to the Spousal Benefit, although certain portions of the article with further explanations of the Spousal Benefit will be useful to review as we discuss the Survivor Benefit.

To start with, there are two benefits available to the spouse of a deceased Social Security participant. The first is a small death benefit, amounting to $255 in a one-time payment. The

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