What To Do If Someone Dies Without Life Insurance and Has No Close Family?

What To Do If Someone Dies Without Life Insurance and Has No Close Family?

If somebody dies without the benefit of life insurance and no close family to foot the bill of the burial, then the body may be taken care of by the state. This may involve donating the body to medical science (yes, it does happen, not just in science fiction or horror movies) or a cut-price burial or cremation without a headstone.

Social Security Administration SSA Lump Sum Death Benefit

A surviving spouse or child may receive a special lump-sum death payment of $255 if they meet certain requirements.

Generally, the lump-sum is paid to the surviving spouse who was living in the same household with the worker when he or she died. If they were living apart, the surviving spouse can still receive the lump-sum if, during the month the worker died, he or she:

• was already receiving benefits on the worker’s record; or
• became eligible for benefits upon the worker’s death.

If there’s no eligible surviving spouse, the lump-sum can be paid to the worker’s child (or children) if, during the month the worker died, the child:

• was already receiving benefits on the worker’s record; or
• became eligible for benefits upon the worker’s death.

SSA Lump Sum Death Benefit Steps

If you would like to find out if you may be eligible for any of the benefits the Social Security Administration (SSA) administers, visit http://best.ssa.gov.

Once you have completed the eligibility screening questionnaire, you will be provided with a list of benefits for which you may be eligible. Print this page for your records before going to the application site.

Once you know which benefits you can apply for, go to http://www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline/ to apply online.

You can also call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY: 1-800-325-0778) for additional information about SSA benefits and for application information.

SSA Lump Sum Death Benefit Program Contact Information

For more information on this and any SSA benefit, call: 1-800-772-1213 (TTY: 1-800-325-0778)

If you don’t like the idea of this there is something you can do to make sure that it doesn’t happen to you. Find out about final expense insurance now, before it’s too late. You might be surprised at how little piece of mind actually costs.

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