Pension for death: find out how to receive the benefit

A death benefit is one of the benefits of the INSS for those who depend financially on a worker who died or had death decreed by the court, which happens when there is a case of disappearance for a period equal to or greater than 6 months.

If you depend on a person who died, you can request death benefit  and, after analysis, start receiving a monthly amount equivalent to a minimum wage.

If you want to know more about death benefit, and in addition, how to apply for the benefit and other information, read on!

Learn more about death benefit

unfortunately the death benefit it is not one of the benefits that anyone would like to request, as it is the death of someone close to them, but it is necessary, especially when it comes to being the family's only income, which is the situation of many Brazilian families today. 

The objective of this article is to guide people and families who financially depended on someone who died, unfortunately causing a situation of compromising the family income.

To summarize, the death benefit entitles the dependent to receive an amount every month that was received as retirement by the person who died or even as a salary, in some cases.

Who is entitled to receive?

To have direct access to the benefit, you must be dependent on the deceased person. In other words, you need to have a bond of financial dependence and provide proof of this at the INSS. It may seem daunting, but rest assured, we'll help you understand how this process works.

See if you fit any of these criteria:

Spouse: It is necessary to provide proof of stable union or marriage until the date of death. If you had no “paper” connection with the person who died, we recommend that you seek a lawyer specializing in cases like this to receive proper guidance.

Children: Children have the right to death benefit , however, only those under the age of 21 years old.

Sick or disabled children: Proof of disability must be provided through INSS expertise and proof of financial dependence.

Parents: You may be surprised, but in some cases, parents may also be entitled to receive death benefit However, it is also necessary to prove the financial dependence of the deceased.

Siblings: In specific cases, siblings can receive the benefit, as long as they fit the following criteria: Be under 21 years old and provide proof of financial dependence. Except for exceptions in which the dependent is disabled or has a disability, duly proven through examinations.

How to apply for a pension for death at the INSS online

If you fit into any of the groups mentioned above, know that you can apply for death benefit online through the INSS website. This process is completely practical and simple, and eliminates the need for the applicant to appear at a local agency.

Check out the steps below to apply for your benefit:

1. First, go to the INSS website;
2. Second, login to your account. If you don't have one, register;
3. Third, click on “New Order”;
4. Fourth, click on the name of the benefit and click again to proceed;
5. Finally, fill in the requested data to complete the process;

Ready! Your request has been fulfilled;

Note: It is essential that you correctly fill in all requested data and review the information before completing. It is worth remembering that for the process to be analyzed and accepted, it is necessary that the data be consistent.

We recommend that, after filing the process, you pay attention to your e-mail or follow up on the progress through the official INSS website using the protocol number or your account.

How to apply for a Death Benefit over the phone

If for any reason you prefer to apply for death benefit  through another channel, it is also possible to request it over the phone, at number 135.

How long does this process last?

In general, the INSS gives an average period of 45 consecutive days for requests for death benefit. That is, your request can be answered quickly or take a little longer depending on the case, so it is important to make the request as soon as possible, correctly sending all the data to prevent the process from becoming slower and time consuming and that you need to go again for approval for some documentation error.

Download the INSS application on your cell phone

The INSS has an application where you can consult information and follow up on some requests. It is completely free and very simple to use. This app is available for Android and iOS. To download, just go to your phone's app store, download and log in.

If you would like more information or clarify doubts, we recommend accessing the official INSS portal or contacting us through the 

main official service channels of the agency. 

We reinforce that in case of denied requests or other situations, the best thing to do is to seek a lawyer specializing in social security matters.