What must survivors be eligible for to receive benefits after a worker's death?

Survivors must be dependents of the deceased worker to be eligible for benefits after their death. This means that individuals who relied on the deceased worker's income, such as a spouse or children, are entitled to receive benefits from Social Security. The program is designed to provide financial support to those who have lost a family member whose work history contributed to Social Security, emphasizing the importance of dependency in assessing eligibility. While citizenship, employment status, and residency can have implications for various social programs, they are not criteria for survivor benefits specifically under Social Security. The focus here is on the relationship of dependency to ensure that those who are economically affected by the death of the worker receive critical financial assistance.