If both spouses are receiving Social Security benefits and one dies, will the survivor receive both payments?

• A. The survivor will receive whichever payment is larger, but will NOT continue to receive both payments.
• B. They will receive both payments
• C. They will receive nothing
• D. They will receive a fixed average of the two payments

Answer: (A)

Social Security coordinates benefits for married couples so that a survivor isn’t paid double. If both spouses are receiving benefits and one dies, the survivor does not get both checks. Instead, they receive the larger amount between their own benefit and the deceased spouse’s benefit. If the deceased’s benefit is higher, the survivor will receive that higher amount as a survivor benefit. If the survivor’s own benefit is higher, they continue with their own amount. In short, one payment—the larger of the two—replaces the two payments that were being received before death.