Social Security Benefits
Social Security Benefits
Our staff will file a statement of death with Social Security on your family’s behalf. You will not need a certified copy of the death certificate for this notification.
Applying for Benefits
We notify Social Security of your loved one’s passing, but it is important to know that benefits vary by the individual. You must apply in order to receive benefits.
You may apply at any Social Security office or, if you wish, you may apply by telephone. 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.
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
Contact Social Security
You may call Social Security toll-free, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. The number to use is 1-800-772-1213. 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.
For the most up-to-date information, please visit https://socialsecurity.gov/
Our local Social Security office is currently located at
Social Security
2nd Floor
4050 West Ridge Road
Rochester NY 14626
