To report a death to Social Security, give the funeral director the deceased person’s Social Security number and they will file the notification for you; if no funeral home is involved or you want to confirm it was done, call Social Security directly at 1-800-772-1213 with the person’s full legal name, Social Security number, date of birth, and date of death. Social Security says funeral homes “generally tell us when someone dies,” so most families never have to make the call themselves.1Social Security Administration. What to Do When Someone Dies Reporting closes out the deceased’s benefit payments and puts survivors in a position to claim a one-time $255 death payment and, in many cases, ongoing monthly benefits.
Who Makes the Report
In almost every case, the funeral home handles it. All you have to do is give the funeral director the deceased’s Social Security number, and they submit a formal notification to the agency.1Social Security Administration. What to Do When Someone Dies
You should report the death yourself when no funeral home is handling arrangements, when you’re not sure the funeral director actually filed the notice, or when you want to confirm the account has been updated before applying for survivor benefits. Executors, surviving spouses, and adult children can all make the report. Even when the funeral home files, it’s worth following up so a delay doesn’t hold up a survivor’s claim later.
Information You’ll Need Before You Call
Social Security needs four pieces of information to locate the record and close the account on the correct date:1Social Security Administration. What to Do When Someone Dies
- Full legal name as it appears on the Social Security card
- Social Security number
- Date of birth
- Date of death, confirmed by the death certificate
If you plan to apply for survivor benefits in the same call or visit, also gather proof of your relationship to the deceased, such as a marriage certificate for a surviving spouse or a birth certificate for a child. Social Security requires originals or certified copies of most identity documents, though the agency returns them after review.2Social Security Administration. Form SSA-10 – Information You Need to Apply for Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Divorced Spouse’s Benefits
How to Make the Report
You cannot report a death through Social Security’s online portal. The agency requires direct contact with a representative.3Social Security Administration. Online Services Two options:
- Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in most U.S. time zones. Service is offered in English, Spanish, and other languages. Wait times of 30 minutes or more are common.1Social Security Administration. What to Do When Someone Dies
- Visit a local Social Security field office. Walk-ins are accepted, but scheduling an appointment by phone first can cut the wait.2Social Security Administration. Form SSA-10 – Information You Need to Apply for Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Divorced Spouse’s Benefits
There is no fixed statutory deadline, but Social Security advises reporting “as soon as possible.”4Social Security Administration. What Should I Do When Someone Dies? Prompt reporting keeps overpayments from piling up and clears the way for survivors to start receiving benefits.
Returning Payments Received After the Death
Social Security pays benefits one month behind. The July benefit, for example, arrives in August. Because of that timing, the person who died is not owed a benefit for the month they pass away, and any payment covering that month or later has to go back to the government.5Social Security Administration. What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement or Survivors Benefits If someone dies in June, the payment that arrives in July (covering June) must be returned.
How you return the money depends on how it was received:
- Paper check: do not cash it. Return the check to your local Social Security office or to the Department of the Treasury.6Social Security Administration. How Social Security Can Help You When a Family Member Dies
- Direct deposit: contact the bank where the money was deposited and ask it to return the payment to Social Security. Banks have procedures to reverse these transactions.6Social Security Administration. How Social Security Can Help You When a Family Member Dies
If the bank doesn’t return the funds on its own, the Treasury can initiate a formal reclamation. Federal regulations give the agency up to 120 calendar days after learning of the death to start reclaiming funds electronically, and the Treasury can reach back up to six years for payments deposited after death.7eCFR. Subpart B – Reclamation of Benefit Payments The government can also reduce future Social Security payments owed to the estate or other family members to recover the overpayment.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 404 – Overpayments and Underpayments
Claiming the $255 Death Payment
Once the death is on record, Social Security pays a one-time $255 lump sum to help with final expenses. The amount is fixed by federal law.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 402 – Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Benefit Payments The deceased must have been fully or currently insured under Social Security (that is, they had enough work credits) for the payment to be available.
Eligibility follows a strict priority order:10Social Security Administration. Lump-Sum Death Payment
- A surviving spouse who was living in the same household as the deceased at the time of death.
- A surviving spouse living separately, if they were already receiving benefits on the deceased’s record or became eligible for survivor benefits when the death occurred.
- If no qualifying spouse exists, the payment is split in equal shares among children who were entitled to benefits on the deceased’s record during the month of death.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 402 – Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Benefit Payments
You must apply within two years of the date of death. Miss the deadline and the payment is forfeited; Social Security does not make exceptions.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 402 – Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Benefit Payments The application is separate from the death report, so you’ll need to contact Social Security again to file for it.
Applying for Monthly Survivor Benefits
The $255 payment is modest. The more meaningful support for most families is monthly survivor benefits, which are based on the deceased’s lifetime earnings and can continue for years.1Social Security Administration. What to Do When Someone Dies Surviving spouses, minor or disabled children, and, in some cases, dependent parents may qualify. A surviving spouse can generally begin reduced benefits at age 60 (age 50 if they have a disability), or at any age if they are caring for the deceased’s child who is under 16 or has a disability. Remarriage before age 60 (or 50 with a disability) usually ends eligibility for a surviving spouse; remarriage after those ages does not.11Social Security Administration. Survivors Benefits
Apply by calling 1-800-772-1213 or visiting a local office. You cannot start a survivor application online. Bring:2Social Security Administration. Form SSA-10 – Information You Need to Apply for Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Divorced Spouse’s Benefits
- Proof of the worker’s death (usually a certified death certificate)
- Your birth certificate
- Your marriage certificate, or final divorce decree if applying as a surviving divorced spouse
- The deceased’s W-2 forms or self-employment tax return from the most recent year
- Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status if you were not born in the United States
Photocopies of W-2s and tax returns are fine, but Social Security wants originals or certified copies of identity documents. Don’t wait to file just because you’re missing something. The date you contact Social Security can affect when benefits begin, and for children’s benefits each month of delay can mean a lost payment.12Social Security Administration. Social Security Benefits for Children After the Death of a Parent
What Happens if No One Reports the Death
When no one notifies Social Security and payments keep flowing into the deceased’s account, the federal government has broad authority to recover the money from the estate, from joint account holders, or from a representative payee who was managing benefits for the deceased.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 404 – Overpayments and Underpayments A surviving joint account holder can be personally on the hook for returning the funds.
Deliberately concealing a death to keep collecting benefits is a federal crime. People who knowingly fail to report a death and spend the payments have been charged with bank fraud, which carries a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. Even unintentional delays can leave a family negotiating repayment with Social Security during an already difficult stretch, so making the call, or confirming that the funeral home made it, is the safest step to take early.