THEY say that the Social Security System’s (SSS) programs provide assistance from womb to tomb, or from cradle to grave. It provides cash assistance for child-birth or maternity, sickness, disability, old age or retirement, and death. I say, even beyond death, members’ beneficiaries are cared for with death benefits or survivorship pension, as well as the funeral grant.
Let me talk about the SSS funeral grant. Recently, the SSS announced an increase in the funeral benefit starting August this year. The funeral benefit is a cash amount granted to whoever pays for the burial or funeral services of the deceased SSS member and, usually, that is the immediate family. Starting August 1, the amount of funeral benefit will no longer be a fixed amount of P20,000, but will range from a minimum of P20,000 to a maximum of P40,000. It will be calculated using the fixed amount of P20,000 plus 5 percent of the member’s total contributions multiplied by the Average Monthly Salary Credit (AMSC) or: P20,000 + (0.005% x (number of contributions x AMSC) ) = funeral benefit (not to exceed P40,000).
Following the formula, a member who has contributed for 21 years and accumulated a total of 250 monthly contributions and an average monthly salary credit of P4,000 will have an additional P5,000 on top of the minimum P20,000 for his or her funeral grant, or a total of P25,000.
For some, talking about one’s funeral benefits might seem morbid. But for the more practical-minded who believe that the only certain thing in life is death, preparing for it is part of one’s expression of caring for one’s loved ones. The SSS funeral grant might not totally assuage the grief of the member’s bereaved family, but it will surely help in defraying the cost of giving the deceased member a decent burial.
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For more information about the SSS and its programs, call our 24-hour call center at (632) 920-6446 to 55, Monday to Friday, or send an e-mail to member_relations@sss.gov.ph.
Susie G. Bugante is the vice president for public affairs and special events of the Social Security System. Send comments about this column to susiebugante.bmirror@gmail.com.