Table 4.
OASI survivors benefits, by type of beneficiary, August 2004–August 2005
Month All beneficiaries Widow(er)s
and parents a		 Widowed mothers
and fathers b		 Children
Number (thousands)
2004
August 6,717 4,663 181 1,873
September 6,724 4,663 183 1,878
October 6,729 4,658 182 1,888
November 6,737 4,656 184 1,898
December 6,734 4,645 184 1,905
2005
January 6,703 4,616 173 1,913
February 6,704 4,610 171 1,923
March 6,713 4,606 173 1,934
April 6,720 4,602 175 1,943
May 6,685 4,601 176 1,907
June 6,641 4,602 178 1,861
July 6,644 4,600 178 1,867
August 6,641 4,593 177 1,871
Total monthly benefits (millions of dollars)
2004
August 5,354 4,097 121 1,135
September 5,362 4,100 122 1,139
October 5,367 4,098 122 1,146
November 5,377 4,099 123 1,154
December 5,520 4,203 127 1,191
2005
January 5,496 4,179 118 1,199
February 5,500 4,177 117 1,207
March 5,510 4,177 118 1,214
April 5,518 4,177 119 1,221
May 5,500 4,180 121 1,199
June 5,474 4,184 123 1,167
July 5,479 4,184 123 1,171
August 5,479 4,181 123 1,175
Average monthly benefit (dollars)
2004
August 797.00 878.70 667.90 606.20
September 797.40 879.30 669.50 606.50
October 797.50 879.80 669.80 607.00
November 798.10 880.50 671.90 608.20
December 819.80 904.70 689.40 625.30
2005
January 820.00 905.40 680.90 626.70
February 820.50 906.20 680.80 627.50
March 820.80 907.00 682.10 628.00
April 821.20 907.70 683.50 628.60
May 822.70 908.40 687.00 628.60
June 824.20 909.00 691.60 627.20
July 824.60 909.60 692.90 627.50
August 824.90 910.30 694.00 627.80
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Master Beneficiary Record, 100 percent data.
NOTES: Data are for the end of the specified month.
Some Social Security beneficiaries are entitled to more than one type of benefit. In most cases, they are dually entitled to a worker benefit and a higher spouse or widow(er) benefit. If both benefits are financed from the same trust fund, the beneficiary is usually counted only once in the statistics, as a retired-worker or a disabled-worker beneficiary, and the benefit amount recorded is the larger amount associated with the auxiliary benefit. If the benefits are paid from different trust funds the beneficiary is counted twice, and the respective benefit amounts are recorded for each type of benefit.
a. Includes nondisabled widow(er)s aged 60 or older, disabled widow(er)s aged 50 or older, and dependent parents of deceased workers aged 62 or older.
b. A widow(er) or surviving divorced parent caring for the entitled child of a deceased worker who is under age 16 or is disabled.
CONTACT: Rona Blumenthal (410) 965-0163 for further information.