Can surviving spouse get $255 death benefit if deceased was in nursing home before passing?

Yes, your mother is still eligible for the $255 lump-sum death payment regardless of where your father was living when he passed away. The key requirements are: 1) they were married, 2) she was living in the same household OR she's eligible for survivor benefits on his record. Since they were married for 52 years, she definitely qualifies. She'll need to apply for it within 2 years by calling SSA or visiting an office. Sorry for your loss.

when my husband died last year i had SUCH a hard time getting through to SS on the phone!!! waited 3+ hours twice and got disconnected both times!!! the death benefit isn't much but with funeral costs every bit helps. nursing home doesn't matter for eligibility its about if your married or eligible for benefits on their record.

I had the same question when my wife passed last year. The $255 death benefit is payable to a surviving spouse who was living with the deceased OR is eligible for certain survivor benefits. The nursing home situation doesn't affect this eligibility at all. Your mother will need to apply for this benefit - it's not automatic. She should bring your father's death certificate and their marriage certificate when she visits the SSA office. Since it's only $255, it may not seem worth the trouble, but it's a straightforward process once she gets an appointment.

I don't mean to hijack this thread but does anyone know if this death benefit has EVER been increased? It's been $255 for as long as I can remember. With today's funeral costs being $10,000+, it seems almost insulting. The SSA should really update this amount for inflation!

When I needed to report my husband's death and claim benefits last year, I couldn't get through on the phone either. After days of frustration, I found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to a SSA representative in under 10 minutes! I was skeptical at first, but it worked perfectly. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU or visit their website at claimyr.com. Saved me hours of hold time during an already difficult period.

Just to clarify one point - if your mother is already receiving her own retirement benefit that's higher than what she would receive as a widow, she'll still get the $255 death benefit, but her monthly benefit amount won't change. However, if your father's benefit was higher, she should apply for survivor benefits to receive the higher amount going forward. The SSA won't automatically give her the higher amount - she needs to apply for it.

sorry about ur dad :( my mom had to deal with this last year and the funeral home actually helped her fill out the paperwork for the death benefit! maybe ask if yours can help too?

DONT WAIT TOO LONG to apply!! You only have 2 years from the date of death to claim the lump sum death benefit!! Ask me how I know... missed out because I waited too long dealing with everything else after my husband passed.