Do Social Security survivor benefits for minor children continue after receiving the $255 death benefit?

The monthly benefits and the $255 one-time payment are completely different things. The $255 is just a small one-time death benefit, while the monthly payments your niece and nephew were receiving will continue as survivor benefits since they're under 18. The monthly payments should actually be recalculated and might even increase slightly. Your sister should make sure she's reported the death to SSA though, as this transition from auxiliary benefits to survivor benefits sometimes requires additional paperwork.

my kids went thru this when their dad passed. the $255 is just a joke of a death benefit (hasnt changed since like the 1950s!) but the GOOD NEWS is the monthly checks DEFINITELY continue until they turn 18 (or 19 if still in high school). they're called survivors benefits now instead of dependents benefits but its basically the same thing

Whoa $255 doesn't seem like much for a death benefit! Is that really all they give??? What happens to all the money people pay into Social Security??? My cousin's husband died and I swear she got WAY more than that for her kids.

Hi there! Sorry for your sister's loss. I work at an attorney's office that deals with SS cases. The kids will continue to receive benefits, but now they'll be classified as survivor benefits rather than auxiliary/dependent benefits. The amount is typically similar or sometimes higher. Your sister may need to provide birth certificates and the death certificate if she hasn't already. The one-time $255 payment is completely separate from the monthly benefits.

Your sister should be proactive and not wait for SSA to contact her. There's a special form for survivor benefits called the "Application for Survivor Benefits" (Form SSA-8). Usually this transition should happen automatically once the death is reported, but sometimes it gets delayed in the system. If she's tried calling without success, I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it's a service that gets you through to a real Social Security agent quickly instead of waiting on hold forever. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. I used it last month when dealing with my mom's survivor benefits, and it saved me hours of frustration.

I had this EXACT situation after my husband died!! The $255 payment comes right away but has NOTHING to do with the monthly benefits. My kids kept getting their checks every month without interruption. BUT - and this is important - there's a family maximum benefit (FMB) that limits the total amount a family can receive. So depending on your sister's situation, the total might be different than what they were getting before. The SSA should send her a letter explaining any changes.

If it's been over a month since she reported the death and she hasn't received any communication about the children's ongoing benefits, she should definitely follow up. The transition from auxiliary benefits to survivor benefits should happen automatically, but system delays or paperwork issues can occur. She should try to speak directly with a claims representative. Ask specifically about the status of the children's survivor benefits and whether any additional documentation is needed. Make sure she has her late husband's Social Security number, death certificate, and the children's birth certificates ready when she calls.

Thank you all so much for the helpful responses! I talked to my sister and it turns out the kids' regular benefits did come in this month - she just didn't notice because they're direct deposited and she was so focused on the funeral arrangements and everything else. She's going to keep an eye out for any letters from SSA about changes to the benefit amount. Really appreciate everyone's advice and reassurance!

So glad to hear everything worked out! It's completely understandable that she missed the direct deposit during such a difficult time. For future reference, she can also set up a my Social Security account online at ssa.gov to track all payments and communications in one place - it's really helpful for keeping tabs on benefit changes without having to call or visit the office. Wishing your family all the best during this transition.