Information You Will Need When You Apply for Parent’s Benefits

Whether it’s by phone or in person, we want your visit to go as smoothly as possible. You can arrange for an appointment to file your application by calling our national toll-free service at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). An appointment is not required, but may reduce the amount of time you spend waiting in the office.

You can help by being ready to answer the following questions and having as many of the needed documents as possible.

We may also ask you to provide documents to show that you are eligible, such as:

• Birth certificate or other proof of birth;
• Naturalization papers;
• U.S. military discharge paper(s);
• W-2 forms(s) and/or self-employment tax returns for last year; and
• Death certificate for the deceased child

We accept photocopies of W-2 forms, self-employment tax returns or medical documents, but we must see the original of most other documents, such as your birth certificate. (We will return them to you.)

Don’t delay filing your claim just because you don’t have all the documents. We’ll help you get them.

When you apply for parent's benefits, we will ask you:

• Your name and social security number;
• Your name at birth (if different);
• Your deceased child's name, gender, date of birth and social security number;
• Your date of birth and place of birth (State or foreign country);
• Your deceased child's date and place of death;
• Whether a public or religious record was made of your birth before age 5;
• Your citizenship status;
• Whether you have used any other Social Security number;
• Whether you were dependent on the worker for 1/2 of your support at the time of the worker's death or at the time the worker became disabled. (If “Yes”, we will ask for proof.);
• Whether you or anyone else has ever filed for Social Security benefits, Medicare or Supplemental Security Income on your behalf. (If so, we will also ask for information on whose Social Security record you applied);
• Whether the deceased worker ever filed for Social Security benefits, Medicare or Supplemental Security Income. (If so, we will also ask for information on whose Social Security record you applied);
• Whether you  became unable to work because of illnesses, injuries or conditions at any time within the past 14 months. (If "Yes," we will also ask  the date you became unable to work.);
• Depending on when the worker died, we may ask you whether he or she was unable to work because of a disabling condition.  (If so, we will ask you for the date he or she became unable to work.);
• Whether you or the worker were ever in the active military service before 1968 or worked for the railroad industry.  (If so, we will ask for the dates of service and whether you or the worker received or expect to receive a pension from a military or Federal civilian agency.);
• Whether your spouse ever worked for the railroad industry;
• Whether you have earned social security credits under another country's social security system;
• Whether you have married since the worker's death; Social Security uses this information to determine your eligibility for parent's benefits.
• The amount of the worker's earnings in the year of death and the preceding year;
• Whether the worker had earnings in each year since 1978;
• The amount of your earnings for this year, last year and next year;
• Whether you have any unsatisfied felony warrants for your arrest or unsatisfied Federal or State warrants for your arrest for any violations of the conditions of your parole or probation; and
• If you are within 3 months of age 65, whether you want to enroll in Supplemental Medical Insurance (Part B of Medicare).

Depending on the information you provide, we may need to ask other questions or obtain additional evidence.