Filing SSA Form 1724 with maiden name issues - need guidance for deceased parent's benefits
My father passed away last November, and I'm facing issues with my older brother who was named executor (we're 3 siblings total). He keeps putting off handling Dad's Social Security matters despite my offers to help. I'm looking at Form 1724 (the Application for Survivor's Benefits) and wondering if I can submit it myself rather than waiting on him. My specific question is about section #3 on the form. It states that "if any child listed has a different name from that given at birth, attach a separate sheet with the following information..." explaining the difference. Both my sister and I changed our last names when we got married. I'm not sure what documentation to provide here. Do we need to include copies of our marriage certificates, or is it sufficient to just write an explanation on a separate paper? I'm thinking the simple explanation should be enough, but don't want the application rejected over something so basic. Has anyone gone through this process recently? Any advice would be appreciated.
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Kaitlyn Otto
My condolences on your loss. You're right that you can file the Form 1724 yourself - any eligible survivor can file regardless of executor status. For the name change question, a simple note explaining that "Jane Smith was born Jane Johnson and changed her name upon marriage to John Smith on [date]" is sufficient. No need to include marriage certificates with the initial application, though SSA may request them later during processing. Make sure you're also gathering death certificate, birth certificates for all applicants, and marriage certificate of your parents if your mother is applying for widow's benefits.
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Kristian Bishop
AuthorThank you so much for this clear explanation. That makes the process much easier. I've got the death certificate already, and I'll gather our birth certificates too. Mom passed away years ago, so it's just surviving children applying. I'll draft up the simple explanation for our name changes right away.
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Axel Far
when i filed this after my husbands death i just wrote on blank paper that said my maiden name and when i got married. they didnt ask for marriage certificate but bring it with you if you go in person just incase. be prepared to wait a LONG time for processing!! took almost 5 months for my daughters claim to go through!!
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Kristian Bishop
AuthorThanks for sharing your experience! I'm planning to mail in the form rather than going in person, but I'll keep copies of everything just in case they request more documentation later. 5 months is a long wait - did you call to check on the status during that time?
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Axel Far
yes called every 2 weeks!!! nobody could tell me anything useful just that it was "processing" so frustrating!!!
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Jasmine Hernandez
I'm sorry for your loss. I went through something similar with my mom passing. Just FYI - if your father was receiving Social Security before he died, you should also check if you qualify for the one-time death payment of $255. Easy to miss that.
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Kristian Bishop
AuthorThank you for mentioning that. I'd actually forgotten about the death benefit. My brother might have handled that already, but I'll definitely check on it.
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Luis Johnson
I just want to point out that Form 1724 is specifically for surviving children's benefits, which typically only applies if you're disabled from before age 22, under 18, or under 19 and still in high school. Are you sure this is the correct form for your situation? Most adult children don't qualify for survivor benefits unless disabled before age 22. If you're filing for the $255 death benefit, that's a different form (SSA-8).
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Kristian Bishop
AuthorOh! I think I might have the wrong form then. My youngest sister is 19 and still in college, so I was trying to help her file. I thought adult children could get survivors benefits too, but sounds like I was mistaken. Thank you for pointing this out - I'll double check which form we actually need.
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Luis Johnson
College students actually lost eligibility for survivor benefits back in the early 1980s. If your sister is in high school and under 19, she would qualify, but college doesn't count. Only children under 18, high school students under 19, or adult children disabled before 22 can receive survivor benefits. Definitely check with SSA directly to confirm eligibility before submitting anything.
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Ellie Kim
just call ssa and ASK them what to do!!!! why is everyone making this so COMPLICATED
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Fiona Sand
Have you tried calling SSA lately? It's nearly impossible to get through. I spent THREE HOURS on hold last month trying to resolve an issue with my widow's benefits only to get disconnected right as someone finally answered. Then called back and waited another hour before giving up. Their phone system is completely overwhelmed.
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Kristian Bishop
AuthorI've tried calling several times but haven't been able to get through to a person. That's why I came here hoping someone had experience with this specific form and situation. I appreciate everyone's input!
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Mohammad Khaled
If your sister is still in high school and under 19, she's in the sweet spot for eligibility. For the name change question, I submitted a simple statement listing my birth name and current name due to marriage. No problems with that approach. The key is making sure you submit ALL required documentation together: death certificate (certified copy), birth certificates for all applicants, possibly marriage certificates, etc. Missing documentation will delay the process significantly.
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Kristian Bishop
AuthorThanks for confirming the simple statement approach works! Would you recommend sending certified copies of everything or are regular photocopies acceptable? I don't want to send original documents in the mail.
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Mohammad Khaled
NEVER send originals! For birth and death certificates, they typically want certified copies (with the raised seal). For other supporting documents like marriage certificates, regular photocopies are usually fine. When I submitted my deceased husband's paperwork, I included a cover letter with my phone number and a list of all documents enclosed - that helped ensure nothing got lost in the shuffle.
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Aisha Ali
I'm sorry for your loss. I recently went through this process for my mother's passing. Just want to add that if you're planning to visit a local SSA office instead of mailing, try calling them early in the morning (around 8 AM) to schedule an appointment - it's often easier than the national number. Also, bring multiple copies of everything since they sometimes keep documents for their files. One thing that helped me was creating a simple family tree on paper showing all the children, their birth names, current names, and ages - the SSA worker really appreciated having that visual reference when reviewing our case.
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