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Title 20

Displaying title 20, up to date as of 10/07/2026. Title 20 was last amended 9/30/2026.
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Lump-Sum Death Payment

§ 404.390 General.

If a person is fully or currently insured when he or she dies, a lump-sum death payment of $255 may be paid to the widow or widower of the deceased if he or she was living in the same household with the deceased at the time of his or her death. If the insured is not survived by a widow(er) who meets this requirement, all or part of the $255 payment may be made to someone else as described in § 404.392.

[44 FR 34481, June 15, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 21929, May 16, 1983; 61 FR 41330, Aug. 8, 1996]

§ 404.391 Who is entitled to the lump-sum death payment as a widow or widower who was living in the same household?

You are entitled to the lump-sum death payment as a widow or widower who was living in the same household if—

(a) You are the widow or widower of the deceased insured individual based upon a relationship described in § 404.345 or § 404.346;

(b) You apply for this payment within two years after the date of the insured's death. You need not apply again if, in the month prior to the death of the insured, you were entitled to wife's or husband's benefits on his or her earnings record; and

(c) You were living in the same household with the insured at the time of his or her death. The term living in the same household is defined in § 404.347.

[44 FR 34481, June 15, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 21929, May 16, 1983]

§ 404.392 Who is entitled to the lump-sum death payment when there is no widow(er) who was living in the same household?

(a) General. If the insured individual is not survived by a widow(er) who meets the requirements of § 404.391, the lump-sum death payment shall be paid as follows:

(1) To a person who is entitled (or would have been entitled had a timely application been filed) to widow's or widower's benefits (as described in § 404.335) or mother's or father's benefits (as described in § 404.339) on the work record of the deceased worker for the month of that worker's death; or

(2) If no person described in (1) survives, in equal shares to each person who is entitled (or would have been entitled had a timely application been filed) to child's benefits (as described in § 404.350) on the work record of the deceased worker for the month of that worker's death.

(b) Application requirement. A person who meets the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section need not apply to receive the lump-sum death payment if, for the month prior to the death of the insured, that person was entitled to wife's or husband's benefits on the insured's earnings record. Otherwise, an application must be filed within 2 years of the insured's death.

[48 FR 21929, May 16, 1983; 61 FR 41330, Aug. 8, 1996]