How to Report a Death to Social Security

The funeral home was given the Social Security number, the paperwork felt handled, and months later a payment is being clawed back. Social Security's pages say the funeral home usually reports the death, and separately that no benefit is due for the month of death. Reconciling those two is what falls to the family.

Confirm the funeral home actually reported it

The SSA FAQ on notifying Social Security after a death says the funeral director reports the death in most cases, and that the deceased person's Social Security number should be given to the director so the report can be made. The SSA's page on what to do when someone dies says to call if a funeral home is not involved or does not report it.

Call rather than look for an online form

That page gives 1-800-772-1213, TTY 1-800-325-0778, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in most US time zones, and says to provide the name, Social Security number, date of birth and date of death. USAGov's page on reporting the death of a beneficiary says SSA takes death reports only by phone or in person, not by email or online, as of September 2026.

Return the payment for the month of death

The SSA's page on conserved funds when a beneficiary dies says that for retirement, auxiliary, survivor or disability benefits no payment is due for the month of death, even if the person dies on the last day of the month, and that any payment for that month or later must be returned. The USAGov page says that where the money arrived by direct deposit, the financial institution should be told as soon as possible and asked to return the payment for the month the recipient died.

Ask about the lump-sum death payment

The SSA's lump-sum death payment page describes a one-time $255 payment, as of September 2026, that a spouse might get, and says that with no spouse some children may be eligible: age 17 or younger, ages 18 to 19 in school full time, or any age if a disability developed at 21 or younger. It says the application must be made within 2 years of the death.

Read the survivors eligibility list

The SSA page on who can get Survivor benefits lists spouses and ex-spouses, children, adult children with a disability that started before age 22, and dependent parents age 62 or older, each with its own conditions.

Notify the other agencies separately

USAGov's agencies to notify when someone dies says SSA will notify Medicare, and names others to contact directly, among them the Department of Veterans Affairs, the IRS, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, the Office of Personnel Management, a state motor vehicles office and a local election office.

If Social Security still owed money at the death. The SSA's page on Form SSA-1724 sets out the order in which a family member or the legal representative of the estate may be paid an amount due, and says to send the form to a local office, which the field office locator will find.

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