Can I get a prorated Social Security payment for deceased ex who died mid-month?

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but SSA does not prorate Social Security payments. The general rule is that a person must live for the entire month to receive a payment for that month. Since your ex passed away on January 15th, there won't be any payment issued for January. The last payment he was entitled to would have been for December (which was probably received in January).

my dad passed last yr and we had the SAME EXACT problem!!! the social security lady told us that the person has to be alive the ENTIRE month to get paid for that month. its stupid but thats how they do it. we were short like $1800 for the month he died

This is correct information. Social Security benefits are not prorated. To receive a benefit payment for the month of death, the person must have lived the entire month. This is established in the Social Security Act and applies to all types of Social Security benefits including retirement, disability, and survivors benefits. What you should know: - The payment received in January was actually for December benefits - No payment will be issued for January since he didn't survive the entire month - Any payments received after death must be returned to SSA Your son should contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to report the death if he hasn't already. There may be a small lump-sum death payment ($255) available to a surviving spouse or child if they qualify.

sorry for your loss. when my mom died we had to give back her last check because it came after she passed. you might want to check if your ex qualified for the death benefit thing, i think its like $250 or something. not much but better than nothing i guess

I understand your frustration. When my husband died, I was shocked to discover this policy too. It seems particularly unfair because other government programs DO prorate benefits when someone passes mid-month. Your son should definitely apply for the lump-sum death payment of $255 if he qualifies. By the way, when I was trying to sort this all out, I kept getting disconnected when calling the SSA. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual SSA representative within 20 minutes instead of spending days trying. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. It really helped when I needed specific answers about death benefits and returning payments.

This is one of my biggest frustrations with the Social Security system. The rule that you must be alive the ENTIRE month to receive benefits for that month is arbitrary and outdated. It creates unnecessary hardship for families already dealing with loss. If I pay rent and die on the 29th of the month, my landlord doesn't refund the rent. If I pay my electric bill and die mid-month, the utility company doesn't prorate my bill. Yet SSA acts like the person didn't exist that month if they don't make it to midnight on the last day. I've written to my representatives about this issue multiple times. The policy needs to change, but until it does, unfortunately you're out of luck for January's payment.

wait i just thought of something - was ur ex receiving SSDI or regular retirement? the rules might be different

Make sure your son checks if he's eligible for any survivor benefits from your ex's record. Depending on your son's age and situation, there might be some benefits available to him that could help offset some costs. Also, if you were married for at least 10 years before divorcing, you might be eligible for ex-spouse survivor benefits depending on your current marital status and age.

just be careful about any checks that come in after he died! my dad got a payment AFTER he died and we spent it, then SS wanted it back and it was a huge mess

I'm so sorry for your loss, Theodore. This whole situation is really tough to navigate while you're grieving. Based on what everyone has shared here, it sounds like the no-prorating rule is unfortunately set in stone, but I wanted to add a few practical tips that might help your son with the estate settlement: 1. Keep detailed records of when Social Security was notified of the death - this protects against any overpayment issues later 2. If any payments do come in after the death date, don't spend them even if they seem legitimate - set them aside immediately 3. The $255 death benefit might seem small, but it can at least cover some paperwork/administrative costs 4. Consider reaching out to a local Area Agency on Aging - they sometimes have resources or advice for families dealing with these transitions It really is frustrating how the system works against families when they're already dealing with so much. I hope the survivor benefit information from AaliyahAli helps provide some longer-term financial relief when you turn 60. Hang in there.