Social Security payment timing for deceased relative - October vs November payment confusion

Social Security benefits are paid in the month they're due but cover the previous month. So the payment she received on October 23rd was for September. Since she passed in November, she would be entitled to the October payment (which would normally arrive on November 27th). However, no benefits are payable for the month of death - so November benefits won't be paid. The funeral home will notify SSA of her passing, but you should follow up to make sure the October payment is properly processed.

sorry for your loss. when my uncle died last year they paid his last ss check but then took it back a month later!!! You might want to not spend that money right away cuz SSA might decide they want it back for some reason they never explained to us.

Let me clarify how this works with exact details: 1. SS benefits are paid in arrears (for the previous month) 2. The October 23rd payment was for September benefits 3. The November 27th payment (if it comes) would be for October 4. Since she was alive for all of October, that payment is due to her estate 5. No payment will be made for November (the month of death) The most important thing is to make sure SSA knows about her passing. Don't assume the funeral home notification went through. I'd recommend calling SSA directly to confirm everything is processed correctly so you get that final October payment.

If you need to reach SSA quickly, I had great luck using Claimyr (claimyr.com). After struggling to get through for WEEKS about my dad's survivor benefits, I found their service and they got me connected to an actual SSA agent in about 15 minutes instead of hours on hold. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - totally worth it when dealing with time-sensitive issues like death reporting and final payments. My situation got resolved in one call after that.

My experience with my mother's passing last year was frustrating!!!! I got SO many different answers from SSA people. First they said we'd get her final check, then they said no, then they sent it anyway and took it back 3 weeks later!!! Make SURE you understand which month is which because it's confusing when they pay for the previous month. Also be careful about spending any money that comes in after death because they might decide it was an error and demand it back.

One more important point: as executor, you should also check if she was eligible for the one-time death benefit of $255. It's not much, but it helps with funeral expenses. It's typically paid to a surviving spouse, or if there's no spouse, to eligible children. You'd need to file form SSA-8 to claim it if there's an eligible person. As for that final payment, yes - she is entitled to October's payment (paid in November) since she was alive all of October.

I used to work for a bank that handled lots of SSA direct deposits. Here's what you need to know: Once the death is reported to SSA, they'll review the account and determine what final payments are due. If your aunt was due the October payment (paid in November), they'll issue it. But be aware that sometimes SSA places a hold on the account temporarily while they sort everything out. This is normal. Also, if any payments come in AFTER the month of death, don't spend them - those will likely be reclaimed.

my mom got her payment at a different time than your aunt cuz she was born on the 8th so she got hers on the second wednesday. its so confusing why they do it different for different birthdates!!