Historical Payments of the Lump Sum Death Benefit

Table 6.D9
Number and average amount of lump-sum death payment awards, 1940-2004
Number of -
Year Deceased Workers Lump-sum Payments Average lump-sum
per worker (dollars)
1940 61,080 75,095 145.79
1941 90,941 117,303 144.58
1942 103,322 134,991 144.77
1943 122,185 163,011 145.66
1944 151,869 205,117 145.68
1945 178,813 247,012 146.05
1946 179,588 250,706 151.74
1947 181,992 218,787 162.16
1948 200,090 213,096 161.50
1949 202,154 212,614 164.02
1950 200,411 209,960 147.81
1951 414,470 431,229 138.24
1952 437,896 456,531 178.20
1953 511,986 532,846 174.16
1954 516,158 536,341 207.86
1955 566,830 589,612 202.72
1956 546,984 572,291 200.80
1957 689,282 718,672 201.63
1958 a 656,825 683,964 202.52
1959 b 822,413 855,032 212.67
1960 778,660 809,194 211.55
1961 813,464 843,308 210.46
1962 865,217 892,261 212.02
1963 968,651 1,015,536 212.61
1964 1,011,414 1,073,044 213.94
1965 989,848 1,046,874 226.01
1966 1,060,335 1,138,317 224.00
1967 1,133,787 1,217,980 222.51
1968 1,158,666 1,216,910 236.30
1969 1,253,467 1,295,897 232.60
1970 1,220,248 1,257,687 243.90
1971 1,251,831 1,283,924 244.20
1972 1,290,133 1,320,637 247.90
1973 1,299,223 1,325,833 253.10
1974 1,285,221 1,307,890 254.64
1975 1,334,914 1,344,095 252.47
1976 1,321,516 1,328,008 251.60
1977 1,227,390 1,240,304 254.17
1978 1,437,275 1,451,140 254.65
1979 1,500,944 1,515,614 254.68
1980 1,522,617 1,566,330 254.70
1981 1,305,261 1,321,565 254.72
1982 797,096 808,041 255.00
1983 805,524 807,537 255.00
1984 825,494 831,761 255.00
1985 823,053 825,395 255.00
1986 809,487 811,946 255.00
1987 810,066 812,814 255.00
1988 839,802 842,037 255.00
1989 829,682 831,825 255.00
1990 830,799 832,900 255.00
1991 847,838 850,100 255.00
1992 855,073 857,614 255.00
1993 860,861 863,492 255.00
1994 852,289 855,278 255.00
1995 835,360 c 838,015 c 255.00
1996 832,304 835,277 255.00
1997 825,176 828,072 255.00
1998 833,770 836,468 255.00
1999 873,890 876,878 255.00
2000 845,135 c 850,411 c 255.00
2001 843,983 c 849,102 c 255.00
2002 837,338 842,060 255.00
2003 817,591 821,613 255.00
2004 821,491 826,408 255.00

SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Master Beneficiary Record, 100 percent data.
a. January–November.
b. Includes December 1958.
c. Revised data.