PLAN FOR ONE BUT LIVE AS TWO -

[GailL1]

Once again this week, I am seeing individual beneficiaries living in a marriage, each with their own benefits, being devastated financially when one of them dies.

I do not know where they get the idea that the living spouse will get both benefits - THEY DO NOT - the living spouse will receive a Survivors benefit that equals the higher of the two benefits.  That still means that the sum of the Survivor receives is less than the (2) individual benefits which they got before the death of their spouse.

This could mean the loss of several hundreds of dollars a month.  If the couple is living on a very tight budget, this loss of income could result in unintended consequences -

So, please do a bit of planning if you think this situation might affect you.  

[papawofboo]

If check comes on 10th and person passes on 15th.

How many checks after someone passes do you get to keep? 

[GailL1]

@papawofboo 

If it done in that type of time period - where the check comes before the death - then that particular one should be fine.  However, you never know what the bank that received the money might do - because they are informed of the death and may not pay attention to the date of deposit relative to the death and send it back for the SSA to take care of - since they don’t want to get in trouble with the SSA.   But it can be easily rectified under whatever situation.

The rule is and would always apply - a Social Security benefit check (or ever how it is received) can NEVER be paid to a deceased person. So all benefits to the deceased STOP at death.  But that does not mean that the heirs are not due the money.  

SSA can not pay a deceased person so it will be clawed back. After that occurs the benefit can be filed for via:  

SSA.gov - Form SSA-1724 | Claim For Amounts Due In The Case Of Deceased Beneficiary | SSA

The benefit amount will be reissued to the heirs in the order indicated:

• The surviving spouse who was either living in the same household as the deceased at the time of death or who, for the month of death, was entitled to a monthly benefit on the same record as the deceased;
• Children who, for the month of death, were entitled to a monthly benefit on the same record as the deceased;
• Parents who, for the month of death, were entitled to a monthly benefit on the same record as the deceased;
• A surviving spouse not qualified under 1. above;
• Children not qualified under 2. above;
• Parents not qualified under 3. above; or
• The legal representative of the deceased person's estate.