Social Security deposited my deceased father's benefit after death - do I need to report it?

You definitely need to contact Social Security again. ANY benefits paid for the month of death and after must be returned. Since your father passed on November 3rd, he wasn't eligible for November's payment. SSA doesn't automatically reverse these payments - they expect the family or bank to return them. If you don't report it, they'll eventually discover it during their reconciliation process and could consider this an overpayment that you're responsible for repaying with potential penalties.

same thing happened when my mom died. don't touch that money!! the bank should be handling this but sometimes they don't. when i called social security they told me that technically the check needs returned since she wasn't alive the whole month. they'll figure it out eventually and take it back

The rules about this are VERY clear. Social Security benefits are NOT prorated - if someone dies ANYTIME during the month, they are not entitled to the benefit for that month. I had to deal with this nightmare when my husband died. Had to go through this whole process of returning the money and the SSA was threatening me with fraud charges until I got it sorted out!! It's absolutely ridiculous that they deposit the money and then expect it back, but that's how their outdated system works. CALL THEM IMMEDIATELY and document everything!!!

I've helped several clients navigate this exact situation. Here's what you need to do: 1) Do not withdraw or use any of the funds 2) Call your local SSA office directly (not the main number) and explain the situation 3) They will provide instructions for the bank to return the payment 4) Get a confirmation number or name of the representative you speak with 5) Follow up with the bank to ensure they process the return correctly The reason this happens is that SSA processes payments in advance of the actual payment date, so the death notification didn't get processed in time to stop the automated payment. This is very common and easily resolved as long as you're proactive about reporting it.

I went through this last year when my mother passed. I tried for WEEKS to get through to someone at Social Security to handle this. Kept getting disconnected or waiting on hold for hours. Finally I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual person at SSA without the wait. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once I got through, they explained exactly what to do. The bank needed a specific form from SSA before they could return the payment. Got it all sorted in one call after weeks of frustration.

so sorry about your dad. when my aunt died the social security check came through too and we just left it there. about a month later they took it back automatically. bank said this happens all the time

isnt there a death benefit from social security too? like $255 or something? make sure you ask about that when you call them! i almost forgot to claim it when my father passed

Just an additional point of clarification since I see some confusion in the comments - Social Security benefits are paid in arrears, meaning the payment received in November is actually for October. However, the rule still stands that if the beneficiary dies, any payment made for the month of death or after must be returned. In your case, since your father passed in early November, the November payment (for October) was correctly paid, but any payment in December (which would be for November) would need to be returned. I recommend calling SSA to verify the specific details for your father's case. Each benefit type has slightly different rules, and they can confirm exactly which payments need to be returned.

my friend just went through this... she said if you wait too long they might put a freeze on your dads account and then its a huge headache to sort out. def call them soon

I'm sorry for your loss, Chloe. I went through something similar when my grandmother passed away last year. The key thing is to act quickly - don't wait for SSA to figure it out on their own. From my experience, here's what worked: Call the SSA customer service line early in the morning (around 8 AM) when wait times are shorter. Have your father's SSN, date of death, and the bank account information ready. They'll walk you through the exact process for returning the payment. In my case, they sent a form to the bank that authorized the return of the funds. The whole process took about 10 days once I made the call. Don't stress too much - this happens frequently and they have a standard procedure for handling it. Just make sure you don't spend or move that money until it's resolved.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Chloe. This is actually a very common situation that many families face. The Social Security Administration has a specific process for handling posthumous payments. Here's what you need to know: SSA typically requires the return of any benefits paid for the month of death and after, regardless of when in the month the person passed away. The system doesn't automatically stop payments immediately upon notification of death - there's usually a processing delay. I'd recommend calling SSA's main number (1-800-772-1213) and specifically asking to speak with someone about "posthumous benefit recovery." They'll likely need your father's SSN, date of death, and information about the bank account. Don't worry about getting in trouble - this happens frequently and they have established procedures. Just don't use those funds until you get clear guidance from SSA. The representative will either arrange for the bank to return the payment or provide you with specific instructions on how to handle it.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your father, Chloe. This situation is indeed very common and you're absolutely right to be proactive about it. As others have mentioned, SSA benefits for the month of death need to be returned regardless of when in the month the person passed away. From my experience working with families in similar situations, I'd suggest calling SSA first thing tomorrow morning and specifically mentioning that you need to report a "posthumous payment" that needs to be returned. Have your father's Social Security number, date of death (November 3rd), and the bank account information ready. The key thing is documentation - get the name of the representative you speak with and any reference numbers they provide. SSA will typically send instructions directly to the bank for the return process. Don't feel bad about this happening - their payment systems aren't designed to stop immediately upon death notification, so there's always a lag time. You're handling this exactly the right way by being proactive rather than waiting. Most families I've helped get this resolved within 1-2 weeks once they make that initial call.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Chloe. This is definitely something you need to address quickly, but don't panic - it's a very common issue that SSA deals with regularly. The payment system isn't connected in real-time to death notifications, so there's always this lag where payments continue briefly after someone passes. Here's what I learned when I went through this with my stepfather: Call SSA as early as possible in the morning (8 AM is ideal) and tell them you need to report an "overpayment due to death" - using those exact words will get you to the right department faster. Have his SSN, exact date of death, and the bank routing/account information ready. They'll likely send a form directly to the bank authorizing the return of the funds. Whatever you do, don't touch that money until you get the all-clear from SSA. The whole process usually takes 1-2 weeks once you make contact. You're doing everything right by being proactive about this. Many people just ignore it and then face bigger headaches later when SSA discovers it during their regular audits.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Chloe. I went through this exact situation when my uncle passed away in September. The key thing that helped me was calling SSA's automated phone system outside of peak hours - I had success calling around 7 PM on a weekday evening. The automated system can actually handle simple benefit inquiries and death notifications without needing to speak to a live person initially. When you do speak with someone, make sure to ask them to note in your father's file that you've reported the posthumous payment and are awaiting instructions for return. This creates a paper trail showing you were proactive about reporting it, which protects you if there are any delays in the return process. Also, ask the bank to place a hold or note on that specific deposit so it doesn't accidentally get mixed in with other account activity. Most banks are familiar with this situation and can flag SSA deposits separately until they receive return authorization. The whole thing took about 3 weeks for me, but having that documentation helped avoid any complications. You're handling this the right way by addressing it quickly.