What is a widow's pension, and how do you get one in the US?

This guide is general information, not advice

This page explains how survivor benefits generally work in the United States. It is general information, not legal, tax, financial or medical advice. Your own eligibility depends on your work history, marriage and the veteran's service record, so confirm your numbers with the Social Security Administration or the VA before making decisions.

What does "widow's pension" mean in the US?

Widow's pension is not an official US program name. It is an everyday phrase people search when they mean one of three different things: Social Security survivor benefits (sometimes called "widow's benefits," and not the same as SSI widow benefits), the VA Survivors Pension for the spouse of a wartime veteran (once called the "VA death pension"), or a state or local property tax break for a surviving spouse. The programs are run by different agencies, use different eligibility tests, and can often be collected at the same time (Department of Veterans Affairs, checked 2026-09-22)¹.

Social Security survivor benefits (the most common "widow's pension")

Social Security survivor benefits replace part of a deceased worker's earnings for their widow, widower or surviving divorced spouse, based on the worker's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), the amount they received or would have received at full retirement age¹.

Who qualifies, and at what age?

• Age 60 or later: A widow or widower can claim a reduced benefit starting at 60. Claiming at exactly 60 locks in 71.5 percent of the deceased spouse's PIA for life¹.
• Age 50, if disabled: A widow or widower with a qualifying disability can claim as early as 50¹.
• Any age, with a child in care: A widow or widower caring for the worker's child under 16, or disabled before age 22, can get a widowed mother or father benefit at any age¹.
• Surviving divorced spouse: If the marriage lasted at least 10 years, a surviving divorced spouse can claim under the same age rules, without reducing benefits paid to other survivors¹.
• Full retirement age: Survivor full retirement age differs from retirement full retirement age; for people born in 1962 or later, it is 67¹.

How much does the benefit pay?

The percentage of PIA rises the longer a widow or widower waits, from 71.5 percent at age 60 up to 100 percent at survivor full retirement age¹.

Remarriage rules

Remarrying at age 60 or later (50 or later if disabled) does not affect eligibility for survivor benefits. Remarrying before that age generally ends eligibility on the deceased spouse's record, unless the later marriage itself ends¹.

The Government Pension Offset repeal

For decades, the Government Pension Offset cut a widow's survivor benefit by two-thirds of any pension from a job that did not pay into Social Security, such as many government jobs¹. The Social Security Fairness Act, signed January 5, 2025, repealed the offset. The SSA had issued more than 3.1 million retroactive payments totaling $17 billion by July 2025¹,⁹. A widow who was told years ago that her own pension would cut her benefit should check again with the SSA.

The lump-sum death payment

Social Security pays a one-time $255 lump-sum death payment to an eligible surviving spouse who was living with the worker, or otherwise an eligible child, claimed within two years of the death; the amount has not changed since before 1981¹.

How to apply

Survivor benefits cannot be started online. Call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., or visit a local office. Do not wait to have every document ready; the SSA will help gather what is missing. See our guide on how to notify Social Security of a death for the full process¹.

VA Survivors Pension (sometimes called the "VA widow's pension")

The VA Survivors Pension is a needs-based monthly payment for the low-income surviving spouse (and unmarried dependent children) of a wartime veteran. It does not require the veteran's death to be service-connected, unlike DIC below (Department of Veterans Affairs, checked 2026-09-22).

Who qualifies

• The surviving spouse has not remarried since the veteran's death (with limited exceptions).
• The veteran served at least 90 days of active duty, with one day during a wartime period, if service began on or before September 7, 1980; later service generally requires 24 months or the full period ordered (Department of Veterans Affairs, checked 2026-09-22).
• Countable family income and net worth fall below limits Congress sets each year. The net worth limit is $163,699 from December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026, and excludes the home, one vehicle and most personal belongings (Department of Veterans Affairs, checked 2026-09-22).

2026 payment rates (effective December 1, 2025)

The VA pays the difference between the maximum annual pension rate (MAPR) and the survivor's countable income, in monthly installments (Department of Veterans Affairs, checked 2026-09-22).

How to apply

Apply online at VA.gov, by mailing VA Form 21P-534EZ, in person at a VA regional office, or with help from an accredited attorney, claims agent or Veterans Service Organization representative. Our veterans' death benefits checklist covers burial, DIC and pension claims together (Department of Veterans Affairs, checked 2026-09-22).

Don't confuse the Survivors Pension with DIC

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a different VA benefit, paid when the veteran's death was connected to military service, or the veteran was totally disabled from a service-connected condition for years before death. Unlike the needs-based Survivors Pension, DIC is not reduced by income. The basic monthly rate for a surviving spouse is $1,699.36 effective December 1, 2025, with add-ons such as $360.85 a month if the veteran was rated totally disabled for the 8 years before death while married to the survivor (Department of Veterans Affairs, checked 2026-09-22). A survivor generally cannot receive both DIC and the Survivors Pension at once (Department of Veterans Affairs, checked 2026-09-22), but Social Security survivor benefits stack with either.

How does this vary by state?

Federal Social Security and VA rules apply the same way nationwide, but many states add their own property tax relief for widows and widowers, sometimes with a larger break where the veteran's death was service-connected. Age, income and residency rules vary by state and county, so this guide does not list dollar amounts; confirm details with your county assessor. Search "[your state] widow property tax exemption assessor" for the current rule where you live.

Step-by-step: applying for survivor benefits

1. Get certified copies of the death certificate; both the SSA and VA will need one.
2. Gather Social Security numbers, the marriage certificate, and, for a VA claim, the veteran's discharge papers (DD-214).
3. Call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to report the death and ask about survivor benefits; do not delay for missing paperwork.
4. If the deceased was a wartime veteran, check VA Survivors Pension eligibility and gather income and net worth records.
5. If the death was service-connected, or the veteran was rated totally disabled for years before death, ask the VA about DIC instead of, or alongside, the Survivors Pension.
6. Ask your county assessor whether your state offers a widow or widower property tax exemption, and what proof it requires.
7. Keep copies of every application, confirmation letter and award notice for taxes and for renewing any income-based benefit.

What to record in a family guide

A family often does not know which of these benefits apply until after a death, which slows down the first few weeks. It helps to record, ahead of time, where the veteran's discharge paperwork and marriage certificate are kept, both spouses' work and marriage history, and any existing Social Security or VA award letters. This is the kind of information a family guide, such as the one Omliva helps families build, keeps in one place.

What mistakes do people commonly make?

• Assuming there is one single widow's pension application, when Social Security and the VA use separate forms.
• Not knowing the Government Pension Offset was repealed in 2025, and skipping a claim because of outdated advice.
• Applying for the Survivors Pension without checking DIC first, since DIC is not income-tested and can pay more for a service-connected death.
• Remarrying before age 60 without knowing it generally ends eligibility for a deceased spouse's survivor benefit.
• Missing the two-year window to claim the $255 lump-sum death payment.
• Not asking the county assessor about a property tax exemption, since it is rarely advertised.

When to get professional help

Contact the SSA directly for anything specific to your own benefit amount, since online estimates cannot see your late spouse's exact earnings record. Contact an accredited VA claims agent, attorney or Veterans Service Organization for a Survivors Pension or DIC claim, especially after a denial, since accredited help is free. Talk to an elder law attorney or a fee-only financial planner when weighing when to start benefits, or handling a remarriage.