#SocialSecurity #Benefits #DeceasedParent
Hey there! I’m so sorry to hear about your dad’s passing. Dealing with financial matters after a loved one’s death can be overwhelming, but I’m here to help guide you through this process.
## What to Do When a Deceased Parent Still Receives Social Security Checks
1. Contact the Social Security Administration
If your dad is still receiving Social Security checks after his passing, the first step is to get in touch with the Social Security Administration (SSA). You can reach out to them by phone, visiting a local office, or even online.
2. Return the Checks
While it might be tempting to hold onto the checks, it’s important to return any payments received after your dad’s passing. Keeping these checks can lead to complications down the road, and it’s best to handle this situation promptly.
3. Provide Necessary Documentation
The SSA will likely require documentation of your dad’s death, such as a death certificate, to stop the payments. Be prepared to provide this information to ensure a smooth process.
## Understanding Survivor Benefits
1. Eligibility
As your dad’s child, you may be eligible for survivor benefits through Social Security. These benefits can help provide financial support during this difficult time.
2. Applying for Benefits
To apply for survivor benefits, you’ll need to contact the SSA and provide information about your relationship to the deceased individual. The process can vary, so it’s best to reach out for personalized guidance.
I hope this information helps you navigate the situation with your dad’s Social Security checks. Remember, it’s essential to address these matters promptly to avoid any unnecessary complications. Take care! 💙 #FinancialSupport #SurvivorBenefits
https://faq.ssa.gov/en-us/Topic/article/KA-02077
SSA can claw back the entire amount, including the deposit in the month he died – there’s a process for a specific survivor to claim his “last check.”
Normally the funeral home, or your county health department (which issues the death certificate) notifies SSA. My wife died on a Wednesday, I called SSA on Friday and they already knew, and warned me not to spend the deposit that landed in her account on Wednesday, that they would be taking it back by the end of the day.
If you haven’t closed the account yet, don’t. Notify SSA and they will tell you what they are going to do about it.
Call the Social Security Administration, not the IRS.
The SSA will walk you through the steps of either returning the funds or will instruct you on who can or how to access the funds.
I had to leave my Mothers account open until they pulled the checks back. They will eventually come for their money. It’s best to report it to them & get it over now.
Yes, they’re going take their money back, and don’t interfere in that process in any way. Call the SSA immediately and tell them everything.
>Can they even take the money back?
Of course. All the money his account got after his passing will go back.
https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10008.pdf
Follow the steps in this PDF.
>I’m wondering what the next steps should be?
[Notify the SSA of the death of a beneficiary.](https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/ifyou.html)
[Local Office locator](https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp)
>Do I tell the IRS?
The IRS is not the SSA.
>Can they even take the money back?
The SSA will require the return of the improperly distributed funds.
Ignore everyone telling you to put the money in a HYSA. That is a great way to cause a LOT of headaches for you in order to earn a few dollars of interest. Contact SSA, after they’ve delt with it, do what you want with what remains.
You *need* to inform the SSA asap. They’re going to hit his estate with an overpayment, and they may just withdraw it if there are any accounts still open in his name, but you don’t want to be stuck with the interest because nobody informed them. It’s not up to the funeral home or the state to notify SS, it’s up to the estate. The IRS is also NOT the Social Security Administration.
SSA needs to be notified immediately so no further overpayment occurs.
The executor of the estate is responsible for filing his final tax return, that would be trigger for ending the social security.
I’d move and live somewhere off that pay check smh
Depends how poor you are.
I know people that collected mothers/father SSC for over 10-20 years, and got only 6 months in prison.
Seems worth it if your poor.
Now if your well off financially, do what other people told you to do.
Funeral home should have contacted SSA. You will owe for the month of death and every month since then
Are you sure they’re not survivor’s benefits?
This makes me wonder if my late ex-wife’s greedy family is still receiving her social security checks? She was a foreign national who died in her home country, and I doubt anyone reported the death to the embassy.
SSA will figure it out eventually and claw the money back. Leave the money alone and notify the SSA that you recently discovered this.
I’ve been helping my mom unravel the finances since dad died in December and it is horrible the red tape and confusion you must navigate – she would be lost without me.
This happened to my mother-in-law. A final 1040 needed to be filed, and the IRS took it all back as excess SS payment. I guess the question is, do you or the executor plan on filling a final tax year.
I strongly recommend against using it, as you could potentially face charges for the federal criminal offense of Theft of Government Money, pursuant to Title 18 of the United States Code, Section 641.
When my Mom died in September 2023, the funeral home said they advised Social Security. But her monthly SS payments kept being deposited in her account. I left the money in there, and finally after the third payment I called the local Social Security office and advised them that she was still receiving payments. About a month after that the exact amount of the overpayment was withdrawn from her account and sent back to Social Security. I advise you not to even consider keeping or spending that money, they will figure it out eventually and you’ll be on the hook. Call them and tell them what’s going on. You’ll have to wait on hold for a really long time to speak to a person but don’t give up.
That’s surprising when my father died it felt like the government knew before I did and I was with him!
As executor to my father’s estate, one of the first things I did when he died was to notify Social Security of his death.
Not same situation but Nebraska overpaid my sons Covid unemployment,by $11..sent a letter saying he owed the $11….before the month was up another letter came saying they were sending his $11 to collections.