Under the Philippine Social Security Act of 1997 (Republic Act No. 8282), as amended, the Social Security System (SSS) extends death benefits to qualified members and their beneficiaries irrespective of the member’s place of residence at the time of death. Filipino citizens residing abroad—whether as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), voluntary members, or former locally employed members who continue coverage—are fully covered by the same statutory eligibility rules that apply to members within the Philippines. The law treats membership status and contribution compliance as the sole determinants of entitlement, without distinction based on geographic location.

1. Legal Basis and Scope
Republic Act No. 8282, together with its implementing rules and the amendments introduced by Republic Act No. 11199 (Social Security Act of 2018), mandates the SSS to provide death benefits upon the death of a covered member. These benefits consist of two distinct components: (a) the survivor’s death benefit (monthly pension or lump-sum payment) and (b) the funeral benefit. Eligibility for both is governed exclusively by the member’s contribution record relative to the “semester of death,” defined as the six consecutive calendar months ending with the month in which death occurs. Residence abroad does not disqualify a member or beneficiary; it merely affects the documentary and procedural requirements for filing the claim.

2. SSS Membership for Filipino Citizens Abroad
Any Filipino citizen may maintain or establish SSS membership while residing outside the Philippines in the following capacities:

Voluntary Member – former SSS members who were previously covered as employees in the Philippines and who elect to continue contributions after departure.
OFW Member – Filipinos employed abroad, including seafarers and land-based workers, who register directly with the SSS as self-employed or voluntary contributors.

Registration may be accomplished online through the SSS website, at Philippine embassies or consulates, or through accredited foreign banks and payment partners. Contributions are payable in Philippine pesos or, in designated countries, in equivalent foreign currency at the prevailing exchange rate. The member must select a Monthly Salary Credit (MSC) within the range prescribed by the SSS at the time of payment. Continuous payment of the required monthly contributions (both employee and employer shares for voluntary/OFW members) preserves eligibility for all benefits, including death benefits.

3. General Eligibility Requirements for Death Benefits
A deceased SSS member qualifies for death benefits if the following conditions are met:

The decedent was a registered SSS member at any time prior to death.
At least one (1) monthly contribution was paid prior to the semester of death.

No minimum age, employment duration, or current contribution status is required beyond the one-contribution threshold. Death from any cause—including illness, accident, or suicide—is covered without exclusion, provided the contribution condition is satisfied.

4. Distinction Between Monthly Pension and Lump-Sum Death Benefit
The form and amount of the survivor’s death benefit depend on the number of contributions paid prior to the semester of death:

Monthly Death Pension
Entitlement arises when the deceased member has paid at least thirty-six (36) monthly contributions prior to the semester of death.
The pension is payable for life to the primary beneficiaries (legal surviving spouse and dependent legitimate, legitimated, legally adopted, or illegitimate children below 21 years of age, or incapacitated children of any age).
The monthly amount is computed using the standard SSS retirement pension formula: the higher of (a) the minimum pension of ₱1,200 (or the amount prescribed at the time of claim), or (b) 40% of the Average Monthly Salary Credit (AMSC), subject to the applicable ceilings and increments for years of service.
The pension is subject to the 13th-month pension and annual indexation adjustments under current SSS rules.
Lump-Sum Death Benefit
When the deceased member has paid fewer than thirty-six (36) monthly contributions prior to the semester of death, the primary beneficiaries receive a lump-sum amount equivalent to twelve (12) times the monthly pension that would have been payable had the 36-contribution threshold been met. In no case shall the lump sum be lower than the total actual contributions remitted by the member and employer(s), with interest as prescribed by the SSS.

5. Order of Beneficiaries

Primary Beneficiaries: Legal spouse and dependent children. The spouse’s pension ceases upon remarriage or upon reaching the age where children are no longer dependent.
Secondary Beneficiaries: In the absence of primary beneficiaries, the dependent parents (natural or adoptive) receive the benefit.
Designated Beneficiaries: A member may designate other persons in the absence of primary or secondary statutory beneficiaries, provided the designation is duly recorded with the SSS.

Beneficiaries who are themselves residing abroad retain full entitlement; the benefit is not forfeited because of foreign residence.

6. Funeral Benefit
Separate from but invariably arising upon the same contingency is the funeral benefit, a fixed cash grant intended to defray burial expenses. As of the latest prescribed amount under SSS regulations, the funeral benefit is ₱40,000 (subject to periodic adjustment by the SSS).

Eligibility requires only that the deceased member paid at least one (1) monthly contribution prior to the semester of death. The benefit is payable to the person or persons who actually incurred the funeral expenses, upon presentation of official receipts and other proof of payment. There is no requirement that the payor be a statutory beneficiary.

7. Special Considerations for Members and Beneficiaries Residing Abroad

Proof of Death Abroad: A foreign death certificate must be submitted. If issued by a non-Philippine authority, it must be authenticated by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate (red-ribbon) or apostilled if the issuing country is a party to the Apostille Convention. The death must also be reported to the Philippine Embassy or Consulate for registration with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Claim Filing by Overseas Beneficiaries: Claims may be filed through a duly authorized representative in the Philippines via a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) executed before a Philippine consul or notary public and authenticated. Certain SSS services allow online pre-filing or status checking from abroad via the My.SSS portal.
Payment Modalities: Benefits are credited to the beneficiary’s nominated Philippine bank account. International wire transfers or arrangements through partner banks abroad may be availed of upon request, subject to applicable foreign exchange and banking regulations.
Prescriptive Period: While the Social Security Act does not impose a strict prescriptive period for death claims, the general four-year period under the Civil Code applies from the date the right of action accrues. Prompt filing is nevertheless required to avoid complications in documentation and interest computation.
Non-Discrimination Clause: SSS Circulars and Board resolutions consistently affirm that membership and benefit entitlement shall not be affected by the member’s residence outside Philippine territory, provided all contribution obligations are met.

8. Maintenance of Membership and Avoidance of Lapse
To preserve death-benefit eligibility, the member must ensure contributions are remitted every month (or quarterly, where allowed) without gap. Voluntary and OFW members may pay in advance for up to twelve months. Failure to pay does not retroactively cancel prior contributions already credited, but new deaths occurring in a semester with no prior paid contributions will result in denial of benefits. Members abroad are encouraged to utilize the SSS online portal, mobile app, or embassy-assisted payment facilities to maintain continuous coverage.

9. Exclusions and Disqualifications
No death benefit is payable if:

No contribution was paid at any time prior to the semester of death; or
The claimant is not a qualified primary or secondary beneficiary and no valid designation exists.

There is no exclusion for deaths occurring while the member is outside the Philippines, nor for deaths resulting from war, civil unrest, or natural calamities.

10. Rights of Beneficiaries and Legal Remedies
Beneficiaries have the right to appeal any denial of claim to the SSS Appeals Council within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the denial letter, and thereafter to the Court of Appeals or Supreme Court on questions of law. All death benefits are exempt from attachment, garnishment, tax, or lien under Section 33 of R.A. 8282.

Filipino citizens residing abroad who maintain active SSS membership enjoy identical death-benefit protection as their domestically based counterparts. The statutory scheme ensures that contributions made anywhere in the world translate into tangible security for the member’s family upon the contingency of death, subject only to compliance with contribution and documentary requirements. Full and timely payment of contributions, proper beneficiary designation, and prompt claim filing with authenticated foreign documents remain the practical keys to securing these statutory rights.