As the SS office is only 10 minutes from my home I chose to go there in person. I had made an appointment and was taken on time. What I learned: death certificate was not needed as the funeral home had forwarded the info. I did need our marriage certificate. I had been told that I would need the death certificate and wouldn't need marriage license. Point is-check before you go. The entire process took less time than being on eternal telephone hold or getting confused with on line procedures.
Did they say how long it took to process the death benefit claim? Or how long before the new deposit will begin? I know there is a delay. I know my husband's will stop immediately and that they will take back that month's income out of our account, but I have never heard anyone here say how long before SS begins paying.
I'm glad you were able to get it done in one trip! Thank you for the advice!
Do they "take back that month's income"? My understanding was that they were paying in June for May, etc. I do know that they will back pay any owed amounts, so I'm not worried about that.
Jim passed away on the 7th of March, so I was able to keep all of Aprils Check. My Dad passed on the 24th of November and my Mom had to pay back Novembers check! There is a method to it, not fair, but there is a method. So the lesson here is don't die until the 1st of the month!
Maybe having to return the check depends on when you are paid each month. My husband's checks are deposited on the fourth Wednesday of the month for the prior month.
Foster had received his November Check. He died on the 17th of November. They debited our account for the 18-30th of November. I received MY regular SS check in December. He didn't get one in December, of course. Then, the first Survivor SS Check..in which I would chose to receive his benefit instead of mine because it was greater, funded in mid January (my regular date. It was retroactive back to the day of his death. So, to make this even more complicated... In January...once again, they funded ME my check, PLUS another check for the difference in the two checks back to the day of this death. After that, beginning in February, it was all in one check. Look folks, it's the guv'ment, it's the only way they know how to do things...paperwork!
I went to the SS office on Thursday. When I went on line today the death benefit and extra amount that should be added to my check was already in my account. I don't understand while my increased benefit was in this month's payment. Wait and see if they take it back????
There was a good bit of shifting SS funds in our account - but it had been explained to me and I was expecting it. I just watched my account on-line and it was soon evened out. I kept the same bank account open for 6 months in case there would be something to come up - then I went to the bank and had them remove Paul's name from our joint account and ordered new free checks with just my name on them. I did not close the account - they just made a notation on the account and removed his name. My SS checks and online banking remains the same as before. Very simple and easy to do.
I believe they DID debit my account one more time in late January. For Medicare deductions- and I just stood back and watched the ins and outs on my account. My SS lady (she gave me her extension # earlier) said that wasn't unusual. By February, it was settled, but it was, indeed, a bit confusing. They had sent me an award letter early on, and the first time I got SS PAYMENT IN ONE CHECK was in February... it was confusing...but in the end, it balanced out.
I was advised to keep his name on an account in case a dividend check should come in with his name on it. I could just write "For Deposit Only" and put it in the account. Sure enough, I've gotten two dividend checks in his name, ...even though the companies had the paperwork. --and it will eventually be worked out. My banker suggested I keep the joint account for 1 year...and that's been easy. I opened a second account with my name on it and that's my operating account.
Jen the only reason that I'm getting checks (I'm 54) is that we were/are both disability checks. I have 4 herinated discs from a work injury in 1996 and of course Jim was disabled from FTD. I get about 1/3 of his check because we are rasing our grandsons along with my ususal check.