Filing SSA Form 1724 with maiden name issues - need guidance for deceased parent's benefits

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.

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!!

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.

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).

just call ssa and ASK them what to do!!!! why is everyone making this so COMPLICATED

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.

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.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I went through a similar situation when my dad passed two years ago. Just wanted to mention that you might also want to check if your father had any unclaimed benefits or if there are any retroactive payments due. Sometimes there can be benefits owed from the month of death that the family doesn't know about. Also, if you do end up visiting an SSA office, I'd recommend bringing a folder with dividers to organize all your documents - it makes the process much smoother when the agent can quickly find what they need. The workers really appreciate when applicants come prepared and organized. Good luck with everything!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Kristian. I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago when my mother passed. Just wanted to share a few things that might help: First, you're absolutely right that any eligible survivor can file Form 1724 - you don't need to wait for your brother as executor. For the name change documentation, I did exactly what others mentioned - just wrote a simple statement on separate paper explaining the name changes due to marriage. SSA accepted it without any issues. One tip that saved me time: when you gather the required documents, make sure to get multiple certified copies of the death certificate (at least 3-4) because you'll likely need them for other estate matters too. Also, double-check that you're using the most current version of Form 1724 from SSA's website - they updated it recently. Best of luck with the process, and don't hesitate to follow up if you have more questions!

I'm sorry for your loss, Kristian. I just went through this process last year when my father passed away. One thing I wanted to mention that I didn't see covered yet - if you're mailing the Form 1724, I'd strongly recommend sending it via certified mail with return receipt requested. It gives you proof that SSA received your application and a tracking number to reference if there are any issues. I learned this the hard way when my first application seemed to disappear into the void for weeks before I could prove I had actually submitted it. Also, keep photocopies of everything you send for your own records. The whole process can take months, so having your own complete file helps when you need to reference dates or details later. Hope this helps!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Kristian. I went through a very similar situation when my mom passed away last year, including dealing with a reluctant executor sibling. You're absolutely right that you can file Form 1724 yourself - any eligible child can apply for survivor benefits regardless of who the executor is. For the name change section, I simply wrote on a separate sheet: "Jane Doe was born Jane Smith and changed her name upon marriage to John Doe on [date]" for each affected sibling. SSA accepted this without requesting marriage certificates upfront, though I kept copies handy just in case. One thing to double-check: make sure your 19-year-old sister is still in high school, as college students aren't eligible for survivor benefits (that changed back in the 1980s). If she's graduated high school, she unfortunately won't qualify unless she has a qualifying disability. The processing time can be lengthy (mine took about 4 months), so definitely send everything certified mail with tracking. Good luck, and feel free to ask if you have more questions!