What To Do When A Social Security Beneficiary Dies
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS: WHAT TO DO WHEN A BENEFICIARY DIES In June of 2010, 7,837,400 people in America were receiving social security benefits. This is 200,000 more people receiving these benefits than the same month a year earlier. With the number of individuals receiving social security benefits increasing at this rate, it is inevitable that you will know someone or be the family member of someone who is receiving these benefits. When someone you know or someone you are related to dies while they are receiving social security benefits, there are a few things that you should know to do. A family member or other person responsible for the beneficiary's affairs should do the following:
- Promptly notify the Social Security Administration of the beneficiary's death by calling SSA toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. It will be helpful if you already have information such as the decedent's social security number, date of death, and possibly a copy of their death certificate.