Final SS Check

[Looking4Ward]

Our mom passed away last month on the 8th of March. Her birthday was November 29th so her SS deposits were made on the 4th Wednesday of every month.

We are just now starting to close down her bank accounts but left her primary checking account open so that any pending deposits and payments could clear.

There was no SS deposit on the 4th Wednesday of March. We thought that since she passed on March 8th her February SS payment would still be deposited in March since SS payments are in arrears.

Or is that not the case?

 

[REWahoo]

This from the AARP website:

Benefits end in the month of the beneficiary's death, regardless of the date, because under Social Security regulations a person must live an entire month to qualify for benefits. There is no prorating of a final benefit for the month of death.

Seems unfair, but that's the way it works as I learned when each of my parents died.

 

[mf15]

First thing the undertaker did when we went in for my mom. He called a special SS number to report the death.

 

[Looking4Ward]

This from the AARP website:

Seems unfair, but that's the way it works as I learned when each of my parents died.

Yes, the way we read it is our mom would not receive her March benefit because she passed in that month. But we also read it to mean she would have received her February benefit (paid in March) because she was alive that month.

In other words, she did not receive her February benefit.

 

[Looking4Ward]

First thing the undertaker did when we went in for my mom. He called a special SS number to report the death.

Same here.

 

[SecondCor521]

OP and REWahoo are both correct.

SS payments are one month in arrears, so the March payment is for living all of February.

OP's Mom is entitled to the payment in March for February. If not received they may want to contact SS and straighten it out.

 

[N02L84ER]

OP and REWahoo are both correct.

SS payments are one month in arrears, so the March payment is for living all of February.

OP's Mom is entitled to the payment in March for February. If not received they may want to contact SS and straighten it out.

+1
We received the final SS deposit into the checking account for my MIL the month of her death. Then the bank sent it back. So, we had to contact SS with the beneficiary information and they sent 50% to each beneficiary 3 months later.

 

[Looking4Ward]

+1
We received the final SS deposit into the checking account for my MIL the month of her death. Then the bank sent it back. So, we had to contact SS with the beneficiary information and they sent 50% to each beneficiary 3 months later.

Yes, I just found the form SSA-1724-F4 to do just that.