A Note to Anyone Whose Parent on Social Security Dies

[MineralMan]

Social Security gets notified of their death by the funeral home that handles the death. However, you should also report the death to the SSA right away. You can Google "SSA Report Death" to find the proper phone number. When you call, you will need the person's SS number, along with the date and place of death and their full legal name. Funeral homes sometimes don't report deaths in a timely fashion, and sometimes don't do it at all.

However, that doesn't end the process. It is very likely that the SSA will deposit another payment for the deceased person. It takes time for the information about the death to make it into the automated system that sends out payments.

You should not close the bank account where that deposit goes. The SSA will try to retrieve the invalid payment from that account within about 60 days. If the account is not still open and holding enough funds to make that retrieval, you'll get a surprise communication from the SSA months later, demanding that the payment be returned immediately. That could be inconvenient for you.

So, leave a deceased parent's bank account open and with enough funds in it for the SSA to claw back the payment they made after the person's death. That will simplify the process and save you some additional grief down the road.

[FreepFryer]

1. It's a mitzvah that u are turning this profound loss into a chance to help others.

Someone must’ve raised you right.

[MineralMan]

3. Glad to do it. Most people are clueless about dealing

with a close relative's death. I actually learned that lesson after my Mother-in-law died a few years ago. We had no idea, and the SSA's demand for repayment came at a very inconvenient time.

There are so many things that must be done after someone dies. I had no idea until my own recent experience. Over two months later, and I'm still dealing with notifications of people I wasn't even aware of.

It all adds to the pain of the loss, for sure.

Here's a pretty good guide from Consumer Reports. It's not 100% complete, though:

https://www.consumerreports.org/family/what-to-do-when-a-loved-one-dies/

[malaise]

4. +1,000

MineralMan is one of what we call GOOD PEOPLE!

[MineralMan]

6. And now I'm blushing...

[Ferrets are Cool]

9. +1

[Blue_playwright]

75. You both are, malaise and mm!

[yardwork]

43. I agree with this kind and thoughtful post.

[Ilsa]

49. Mineral Man is a mensch!

Fortunately, I left my parent's account open for months to make certain everything cleared or SSI was rebated.

[Wounded Bear]

2. Good PSA. Should probably be cross-posted in the Seniors Group...nt

[rickford66]

5. My experience when my wife passed away.

My wife died on the 19th of the month. Our direct deposit was on the 17th. When I contacted SS they wanted their money back. So I returned it. Then they turned around and sent it back. When my parents died I remember the payments in the month of their deaths had to be returned. Two different outcomes.

[MineralMan]

7. Many confusing things happen, I've discovered.

[rickford66]

10. I also inquired about the $250 death benefit.

My wife didn't qualify since she was collecting on my earnings. I always recommend going into the SS office and talking face to face with a human one year before retiring. That helped us since my wife was British and we had an adopted son still in school. Since she turned 65 a year before me, she couldn't be on Medicare until I turned 65. Do not depend on what is on the website.

[Butterflylady]

35. I don't understand why your parents payments had to be returned.

When my husband died on the 9th of October 2019, his ss payment on Oct 3rd was for the month of September so I didn't need to return the money because he was alive the whole month of September.

And ss was on the ball for his October payment was quickly cancelled.

The one thing that caught off guard was that I had to call SS after his death to get my benefits changed. I thought they contacted me. Nope, you must call them.

[rickford66]

39. What you wrote seems to be what happened with my wife.

With my parents, the SS said to return the payments in the month of their deaths and they did ask for me to repay my wife's and I did, but as I said they ended up returning it. My parents died in 2003 and 2005. Maybe the law was different. Just relating what happened. Rereading your post a little closer, you wrote your husband died in October and his October payment was cancelled. So, he didn't get a payment in the month of his death, just what occurred with my parents, but not with my wife.

My son will have to take care of my SS when I go I'm done with SS regulations.

[PJMcK]

8. Excellent comments, thanks, MM

5 or 6 years ago, I went into a bank to pay off my credit card. The teller said there was a problem and wanted me to talk with a manager. The manager informed me that the bank had frozen the account because they had received notice from the SSA that I had passed away! I asked if that meant I didn't have to pay my bill. No such luck, of course. Interestingly, none of the other financial institutions I deal with were notified.

The people at the SSA that I dealt with were professional, friendly and helpful in "resurrecting" me. It took about 6 or 7 weeks and there haven't been any repercussions.

[twodogsbarking]

40. How old do you have to be to qualify for

resurrection? Asking for a friend.

[Ilsa]

52. I wonder if the notice was in the form of a letter

or phone call, and if someone might have been playing a dirty trick on you.

[aocommunalpunch]

11. Thanks, MyMinMan!

I’m one of those clueless folk and I’m going to be dealing with this some day, so I really appreciate your post. I know you’ve been dealing with personal experience, so as noted, it’s dope to bring that to help the rest of us. May you find some back breezes in your near future.

[KS Toronado]

12. More good old common sense from a Democrat that's useful to people

If it was the GQP giving this advice, they would be telling their followers to get their guns and storm the SSA
offices to show them that "we tell it like it is".

[Pugee]

13. Just an additional note

My mom passed from Covid a few months ago. She received Railroad SS and Medicare. While SS was notified, Railroad SS/Medicare was not until I called them a few days later.

[MineralMan]

32. There are many, many calls that have to be made.

It's shocking!

[bluescribbler]

14. Not just for a parent.

When my wife passed away in 2009, I immediately notified SSA because she was collecting SSDI at the time. Payments were halted immediately, and I had no further problem with that.

[sarge43]

19. SSA will also want a copy of the death certificate.

At least my local office did.

[bluescribbler]

81. True

And, in my case at least, they wanted a copy of our marriage license so I could get the $295.00 survivor benefit.

[sarge43]

83. That, too for a spousal claim. n/t

[NewEnglandAutumn]

15. This is also true for anyone receiving VA or Military Retirement funds

Even if you are a surviving spouse and you get a part of your spouse's benefits they will take back any overpayments in a single lump sum which can cause a major financial hardship.

[TNNurse]

16. Excellent points

Also, if you have family members who have accounts that need to be closed, you may need passwords.

Be very aware of those that have automatic payments which may continue to be withdrawn or charged to a credit card.

When my late brother-in-law died in an accident, we had to handle his affairs. The internet and phone company were quite a project. We did not know passwords, or what elementary school he attended or his favorite actor. Those are some of the questions asked to verify an account. My husband was distraught so I had to handle things like that. I will always be grateful to the man one one call who gave me a hint about favorite actor...pretty sure he was not supposed to do that. Once he said "Clint", I knew I could provide the rest.

I finally had to say to one woman, that the account was not going to be paid by anyone, but she could leave it active if she wished. His credit and debit cards were cancelled.

[MineralMan]

33. You don't necessarily need passwords.

Once you have the death certificates, you can notify their bank(s) and other places and get those accounts frozen. I found the banks to be cooperative, once I had sent them the death certificates, along with proof that I was the executor and trustee. I had the family's attorney create an affidavit to that effect, which I signed and had notarized. Getting the money out of those banks, though, is more complicated. But, they will freeze the accounts for you and block any automatic withdrawals. Then, you have to notify everyone who was making those withdrawals. It's all a big PITA.

[TNNurse]

60. We had no will, no bank accounts, found no check book,

no actual legal rights, but he lived on our property. We made sure his daughter got anything of value and as we sold his car, tools and such we sent her the money.

We had no idea how his phone and internet were paid for or how to log on to his computer.. We just had to work with what we had.

[PatSeg]

17. K&R

[IbogaProject]

18. Fyi

Fyi. They may also pull the month of passing, they may not prorate it either.

[JohnnyRingo]

20. Good advice.

Don't ask how you know this.

[blueinredohio]

21. My brother and I were co-executors when my mother passed.

I was her power of attorney. I was told when she passed her account was automatically closed and everything put in a trust until all was settled. I paid her social security back, her utility bills and any other little bills she had. I was reimbursed when the estate was settled.

[jmbar2]

22. Another tidbit of advice, if not covered already

Get multiple copies of death certificates - one for SS, one for banks, attorneys, etc. More than you think you'll need. You'll need more than you think.

MM, perhaps you can address this as well since you are posting such good info.

[MineralMan]

26. Good point about death certificates. I asked the funeral home how many I should get.

They gave good suggestions. Eventually, you will need at least 10, but get 15. Some places will take photocopies of death certificates, while others insist on certified copies issued by the county they died in. If you get enough certified copies, you can just send those and never get notified that they need certified copies.

Warning: Depending on where the person died, those certified copies can cost $20 each. Shocking.

Another tip: The site below can get such things very quickly for you, but they will cost you a bit more. I used that site to get death certificates for my brother, which were needed with my parents' insurance companies. He had died, but was still listed as a beneficiary, so I had to provide his death certificate as well:

https://www.vitalchek.com/death-certificates

Very fast service with overnight delivery. Spendy, but worth using. They also get birth, marriage, and other recorded certificates equally well. I ordered our marriage certificate from them because I realized that we didn't have one, and we have different last names. We have had to use it, too, since my parents' deaths. Takes less than a week if you use that website, and is much, much easier.

[jmbar2]

28. helpful post

All this information should be catalogued somewhere on DU. We will all need it at some point. Thanks MM.

[MineralMan]

30. Thanks. The worst thing is that many of the things that must

be done happen soon after someone's death - just when you don't want to think about that any more.

What was most surprising to me was how much information I needed just to arrange for my parents' remains to be picked up by the funeral home. Fortunately, I knew who prepared their income taxes, so one call got me their social security numbers. Fortunately, I remember their dates of birth, where they were born, what their parents names were, and other questions I was asked.

Of course, the other questions had to do with even more troubling details, like choosing a casket and how did I want to pay for all that. Fortunately, I could handle the cost at the time. Funeral homes want their money, as do cemeteries, before they will do anything at all.

Immediately after someone dies, there is a storm of things that must be done immediately. I was not prepared for that, actually. Plus, I was nowhere near where they lived, so I couldn't go to their house and find the papers I needed. Fortunately, my brother-in-law and nephew were there and boxed up all of their paperwork and shipped it to me with two-day delivery. Expensive, but essential.

Also helpful was the family's attorney, who has helped with many things since then.

[SharonClark]

41. Ten? We get 5 for my father and have 4 left.

The banks and credit unions took copies and returned them to us. It must matter if you mail them or take them in person.

[MineralMan]

56. Yes. When you live 2500 miles away, you get to send them off

to everyone. However, some organizations and businesses will accept a copy. I have them scanned and ready to print out or send as a .pdf file. In fact, I scan everything official so I can send it in email if that is accepted, which it often is these days, due to COVID-19.

It's a good idea to ask the person requesting a death certificate whether a copy will do, and if you can send a .pdf file. Often, the answer is yes.

To other places, I've had to send a packet of documents of various kinds. If you do that, you should use Priority Mail, Express Mail, or FedEx, so you can track the things you send out. It's good to know they have arrived safely.

[Unwind Your Mind]

23. We had a recent death in the family too

It’s been messy but one thing that helped was an unlocked iPad that was signed into her email. With that we were able to get into everything. Just don’t lose yours

[BobTheSubgenius]

24. Depending on the extent of the party's estate and their diligence and organization,

that account might stay open for a long time. I found that early on, and it was reinforced several times along the way. It was a few years before some kind of deposit account, or insurance or something (it was in the early 90's, and I forget) an agent for a company employed by my father's former employer got in touch, said there was some money that needed a final reckoning, and would I like a cheque to be sent.

I of course accepted, and in a few weeks, $8800 arrived in the mail. It costs nothing to be patient and make sure the last loose ends are tied up. Oh...and that wasn't even the end of it. Turned out, there was a mutual fund that had gone dormant years ago, and IG called, looking for my father. That was 8 years on, I believe.

[COL Mustard]

25. Same With Other Retirement Benefits That Are Paid In

Military retirement, civil service retirement, state retirement, etc. I was just thinking about that this morning, for no particular reason other than discussing it with my kids down the road.

[marie999]

27. Social Security pay one month behind

so if someone has died or does die this month their direct deposit this month is actually for February so it stays in the bank. VA disability is different. It is paid on the first of the month for that month so when a person dies you must return the deposit for that month. I don't know about any other VA deposits.

[dixiechiken1]

34. I can attest to this...

Conversely, if someone dies the month before payment is received - even if it is the last day of the month - the payment must be returned. For example, if someone dies on July 31st, the payment received on August 1st must be returned since that payment is for July and that person wasn't alive for the entire month.

[MiniMe]

50. Usually, but my mom died on the 5th of the month

and they took the whole check back that they had deposited.

[marie999]

68. I don't know how long ago that was,

but you should contact them. That check was for the preceding month.

[nitpicker]

74. It usually depends on the day of the month someone was born

SS pays out in staggers based on day-of-month birth. So someone born at the end of month 1 gets their checks for living through month 2 late in month 3.

I don't know what happened in your case.

[orleans]

29. i was on my mom's checking account

she set it up that way in case... "anything happens"

SS did withdraw her last check back out of the account

i left the account open for years. couldn't bring myself to close it--too final.

[MineralMan]

31. She was very smart. I talked to my father about doing that,

but he never got around to it. I wish he had.

[MiniMe]

47. My parents did that on all their accounts

I kept asking them for a check book, they always said no.

[yardwork]

51. I was going to mention this. Power of Attorney is also very helpful.

Several years ago I discovered that my mother wasn't handling her finances well, due to the beginnings of dementia. Fortunately, years earlier she had (reluctantly) given me power of attorney and healthcare powers. This is the only way I was able to move money into her overdrawn accounts, close unnecessary accounts, pay her bills, and arrange for her annual tax preparations.

Nobody - and I mean nobody - would even talk with me about my mom's overdrawn accounts and past-due bills until I emailed the power of attorney to them. It's actually frightening to think what would have happened if she hadn't given me this years earlier. I guess I would have had to go to court and petition a judge to be allowed to handle things.

[True Blue American]

70. It is most important

You have a will, POA for both Financial and Health. Make sure the person knows where everything is.

Revocable Living Wills can be useful.

[shanti]

62. Mom did that with me too

And I am so grateful. She also put all of us kids on her mh and car titles. Voila, no probate issues! Mom was one smart cookie.

[dixiechiken1]

36. Excellent, excellent post, MM.

Lots of good replies, too. Wealth of information here that I wish I'd have had a few months ago. This will no doubt help many others in the future. Thank you!

[Traildogbob]

37. Thank you MM

So many potholes facing survivors we never even know about. When we go flocks of the greedy vultures swarm in to pick away at anything you hope to leave your children.

[flying_wahini]

38. Also worthy of mention is to remember to change

All titles of homes and cars to share with whomever is going to be inherited or sold.
Cars cannot be sold if your name isn’t on the title. Same with stocks and bonds, it saves lots of money on attny fees later.

[MiniMe]

46. You need a lot of death certificates to make all those changes.

I even had to send a death certificate to change the power over.

[MineralMan]

59. Most people don't do that, though.

Cars aren't all that difficult, really. In most states, there is a form a surviving heir can fill out that transfers the title, so the vehicle can be sold. Once again, a death certificate is needed, but you basically sign a statement that you are the person who is responsible and you can sell the vehicle.

I bought my 96 Ford Ranger from the widow of its owner. We went together to the DMV office. It took about 10 minutes to complete the forms and transfer ownership.

If all details weren't taken care of beforehand, and even if they were, an attorney can be needed, though, for sure. Certainly in my parents' case that was true. They had sold their farm property and it was already in escrow when they died. It was included in the family trust, but it still required a lot of legal paperwork. I think that's all done now and the escrow should close next week, but it has been a flurry of paperwork to make that happen.

If you do retain an attorney for this purpose, make sure that attorney is experienced in that particular area. Also, ask the attorney what steps you can take on your own, rather than letting the attorney handle it. If you're knowledgeable, you can save a great deal on attorney fees. Everything you take care of on your own saves money and, more importantly, time. The attorney I have welcomes my active participation. I am far from his only client, so I'm doing everything I possibly can without his participation. I ask him questions an then follow his advice and get things done myself. He likes that, actually. We're on a friendly basis at this point. Also, pay your attorney promptly. They like that, as well.

[twodogsbarking]

42. Our local SS office employees are helpful.

There are a lot of rules they have to follow but the people are great. First person you see asks if you have a gun. They don't like it if you reply "will I need one?"

[mia]

44. Your thread and all of the posts that followed were so informative!

Thank you, MineralMan.

[MineralMan]

58. Sharing experiences helps everyone, I think.

I've learned many things from reading people's threads. Sharing is good.

[MiniMe]

45. I went through that when my mom died

I called Social Security pretty quick, but she had died on the 5th of the month, and they wanted the deposit back. It wasn't a problem, mom had money and it wasn't dire for her, or for me since I had to pay all her bills. I also had to call the school system that she got her pension from. Glad I hadn't spent any on it. For some reason, I was surprised that they took the whole month back. I sort of figured you got to keep what they had deposited, but you shouldn't get any more. I was wrong.

[dflprincess]

48. You may need both parents' SS#

My mom collected on my dad's account and I needed to give his, number as well. Fortunately it was on Mom's Medicare card. (Medicare cards no longer have SS# on them.) He had been dead nearly 50 years, it would have taken a lot of digging to find his number.

[LittleGirl]

79. His parents died a few hours apart. Nt

[dflprincess]

82. I understand that

And I appteciate that MM took the time to give advice on how to deal with Social Security and other legalities when a parent dies. My comment was intended to point out another situation to be prepared for when Social Security is called.

[LittleGirl]

84. No harm, no fowl. Nt

[CaptainTruth]

53. Thank you for posting this.

It's the kind of thing we don't like to think about, but eventually we're forced to think about it.

Know that you are helping others by sharing what you have learned in this difficult time.

[iluvtennis]

54. Very helpful and much appreciated. Thank you MineralMan. nt

[llmart]

55. Good information for everyone here.

The fact that you've had so much on your plate with their deaths yet took the time to compose this informative post is admirable. I was not fortunate enough to have parents that lived long enough to receive Social Security and they were very poor and didn't own anything, but I'm 72 and have two grown children and a grandchild, so I can use this information to make notes for them when I shuffle off this good earth.

Thank you.

[MineralMan]

57. That's another good point to make.

If you're older, it's very important that you create a packet of documents those who survive you will need. Then, store them in a safe location and let people who will need them know where they are. I have all of mine and my wife's in a fireproof metal box that is designed just for that purpose.

Fortunately, my parents, when they were younger (60s), got a filing cabinet. While they were still active and cogent, they stored documents in there, all sorted and in labeled folders. After they reached their 90s, they were far less careful. But, the most important documents were easy to find. I even have their original birth certificates and SS cards, along with every old drivers' license and passport of theirs. My father's WWII military records had their own folder in that filing cabinet.

My brother-in-law and his son boxed up everything in the filing cabinet and shipped it to me. I've been sorting through every folder, first quickly to find necessary documents, and then more carefully, to preserve things I want to make sure are retained.

It has been 2 1/2 months since they died, so the grief has settled down to a dull roar, now, and I can look at things from a new perspective now.

[shanti]

61. Timely for me

My mother passed on March 8, peacefully at home. She had been suffering from dementia and was 88, 3 weeks before her 89th birthday. I was able to be with her 10 days before she died. I am the executor of her will/trust. Bro and I were wondering if the stimulus check would hit her account or not, but we surmised that SS would claw it back if it did arrive. Thanks for the info. I'm still kind of in a fog.

How long did it take before you received the death certificate? I feel like I can't do anything until then.

[MineralMan]

63. Normally, it takes 10 days to 2 weeks.

Depends on how soon the funeral home sent in the paperwork and the pandemic. Call the funeral home and ask.

[LiberalFighter]

64. As a genealogist I can confirm that not everyone's death is reported to Social Security. nt

[Iggo]

65. Good advice.

Thanks for posting it.

I have an elderly parent living with me. He’s as healthy as a 90 year old cancer survivor can be. But he’s still 90, and life is life. I read all posts like this with interest.

[Hekate]

66. KnR

[AllaN01Bear]

67. hihowdi. thanks for this information. i copied and pasted this onto my word processer

and am printing it out and will put it on the inside of my apartment's metal fire door. i use that as a "bullitan board . will give this to my health care worker for his records . thanks again. im sure it can apply to ssi and ssd as well.

[FuzzyRabbit]

69. Thanks, MM, for this valuable information.

[Deminpenn]

71. You might have to open an estate account instead

That's what I was required to do here in Pennsylvania. The funds from the deceased's checking account were transferred into it. Power of Attorneys end at death so there's no longer a way for the executor to write checks against any remaining checking account.

Depending on the cut-off date, you may or may not have to reimburse SSA for an extra payment. This is also true for VA disability payments and some pensions.

[Generic Brad]

72. It's not just SSA that will claw back payments received after death

Anyone receiving a federal government pension (like from the Dept of Defense or Veterans Administration) or Railroad Pensions are also subject to return if they were received after death.

[nitpicker]

73. And regarding civil service retirees

People need to call the Office of Personnel Mangling- er, OPM- when a retirement recipient dies. WITH the claim number.

((I actually worked there briefly in that department when it was still in DC, so I can make that joke.))

[burrowowl]

76. Thanks for the information!

[Tree Lady]

77. My older daughter is on my older moms checking

Account with her because she does her bills. We took it over a few years ago when we moved her to a place that does meals and housekeeping.

I am a bit concerned that my daughter being on my moms account might get stuck with medical bills in the future. I thought I read something years ago that you are not responsible for their bills so long as you are off accounts and don't have loan with them.

I suppose the same thing will happen with automatic pension my mom gets from my dad when he died, that is separate from SS. That is what has been paying her rent.

[lillypaddle]

78. BUT SS pays a month in arrears

so one payment after death should be valid, right? That's my understanding.

[dflprincess]

85. Yes they pay a month in arrears. No the last payment isn't valid

My mom died on May 21st, the entire May check was taken back. Even if a person dies on the last day of the month, the check is taken back.

[lillypaddle]

86. So where is the month payment that was in arrears?

Because wouldn't the May 21st check have been for April? I be so confused!

[dflprincess]

87. Mom received her last check for April around May 5th

That check she (or the estate) kept.

The check for May arrived June 5, that money was returned. It would have been returned even had she died on May 31st.

[lillypaddle]

88. Thanks for your patience and the info

[dflprincess]

89. No problem

This all gets confusing, even a pretty simple estate like my mother's.

[LittleGirl]

80. When my baby brother died two years ago in march

He had everything set up for his daughter to take over his property and 3 vehicles. He had an attorney draw everything up exactly 3 months before he died. The reason for doing that was because my oldest brother died exactly 6 months before he did. My mother asked my baby brother if he had a will and he didn’t. He got a filing cabinet and put everything in the proper folders so my niece had everything laid out for her. Considering his death was sudden, despite his heart with 9 stents, we were all able to handle his affairs soon after he died.

Because it was in the state of Indiana, my niece had to set up an estate account because his cash balance including CDs was over the limit. It took 9 months before they could settle the estate. She got 20 copies of the death certificate because she needed one each for each vehicle.