Social Security survivor benefits after mom's death - what are options for dad (77) and adult child?

I'm sorry for your loss. First, your dad won't automatically get your mom's full benefit - the SSA needs to be notified of her passing. Usually the funeral home reports the death, but you should call SSA to confirm this happened. Your dad may be eligible for survivor benefits if your mom's benefit was higher than his current payment. He would receive the higher of the two amounts, not both. As for you, adult children generally don't qualify for survivor benefits unless they're disabled. There is a one-time death benefit of $255 that can be paid to a surviving spouse or child if they meet certain requirements. You should contact SSA directly to apply for this.

sorry about ur mom passing. when my dad died we got that $255 death benefit thing but thats basicly nothing these days. doesnt even cover the flowers at the funeral tbh.

Your father should definitely contact SSA directly or have you call on his behalf (you'll need him present to speak with them). When my wife passed, I found out I was eligible for her higher benefit amount even though I was already collecting my own. The difference was substantial - about $470 more per month. The key is that your father would receive the HIGHER of either his current benefit OR your mother's benefit (not both combined). So if her benefit was higher than his, he should apply for survivor benefits right away. If his was already higher, then nothing changes with his payment. Make sure to get several original death certificates - SSA will need one, plus banks, insurance companies, etc. Also, double-check that the funeral home actually reported the death. Sometimes this falls through the cracks.

When my husband died the funeral home said they would notify Social Security but then I found out 2 months later they never did! So I had to go to the SSA office with the death certificate. Also they were still depositing his checks which I was told I would have to pay back. What a mess!

I went through this exact situation when my mother passed last year. The most important things you need to do immediately: 1) Verify the death has been reported to SSA (don't just trust the funeral home) 2) If any SS payments come through after her death date, DO NOT SPEND THEM - they will need to be returned 3) Apply for the lump-sum death payment ($255) - you can do this by calling SSA In your situation, since your father's benefit is higher than your mother's was, he'll continue receiving his own benefit. The survivor benefit only comes into play if the deceased spouse's benefit was higher. I tried calling SSA for WEEKS after my mom died and could never get through. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real SSA agent in under 10 minutes. Their video shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Totally worth it during such a stressful time instead of waiting on hold for hours.

fyi I just wanna add that the funeral director is SUPPOSED to notify social security but sometimes they forget. when my grandmother died last year we had to call SSA ourselves because the funeral home never reported it. its worth double checking.

dont they stop the payments automaticly? my uncles checks kept coming for 3 months after he died and then social security wanted all the money back! his wife had already spent it and it was a huge mess.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - even though your father won't receive your mother's benefits (since his own are higher), he should still officially apply for survivor benefits. This creates a record in the system that he was eligible for them, which can sometimes impact other benefits or future calculations. It sounds counterintuitive to apply for something you won't receive, but it's just how their system works. Also, make sure your father knows that if he had been receiving any Medicare premiums that were being deducted from your mother's benefit, those arrangements will need to be updated. Those deductions don't automatically transfer to his benefit.

Just wanted to express my condolences for your loss. Dealing with all this paperwork stuff while grieving is SO HARD. Take care of yourself during this time too. ❤️

I'm so sorry for your loss. Having gone through this with my own family, I'd recommend creating a checklist to help manage all the tasks during this difficult time. Here's what worked for us: 1. Call SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213 to confirm the death was reported - don't rely solely on the funeral home 2. Ask specifically about the $255 lump-sum death payment (there's usually a 2-year time limit to apply) 3. Have your dad apply for survivor benefits even though he'll keep receiving his higher amount - it establishes a record in their system 4. Monitor his account for any erroneous payments and don't spend them if they appear 5. Check if any Medicare premiums were being deducted from your mom's benefit that need to be transferred The SSA phone lines can be really backed up, so try calling early in the morning or late in the week. If you can't get through, consider having your dad visit a local SSA office with you. Bring multiple copies of the death certificate. Take care of yourself during this process - handling administrative tasks while grieving is exhausting.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Harper. Losing a parent is never easy, and having to navigate all these administrative details while grieving makes it even harder. I wanted to add one more important point that I learned when my father passed - make sure to ask SSA about any potential underpayments or back benefits your mother might have been owed. Sometimes there can be adjustments or corrections that were pending at the time of death, and these can be paid to survivors. Also, if your mother had any pension or retirement accounts that were paying joint survivor benefits, those companies will also need to be notified separately from SSA. The death certificate requirements vary by company, so it's worth calling each one directly. You're doing a great job taking care of your father during this difficult time. Don't forget to lean on other family members or friends for support when you need it.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Harper. Losing a parent is incredibly difficult, and having to handle all these administrative tasks while grieving adds so much stress. From my experience working with SSA cases, here are the key immediate steps: 1. **Verify death reporting**: Call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to confirm the funeral home reported your mother's death. This is critical - don't assume it was done. 2. **Apply for the $255 death benefit**: You have up to 2 years to apply, but it's best to do it soon. Your father as the surviving spouse is eligible for this. 3. **Monitor for overpayments**: Any Social Security payment dated after your mother's death must be returned to SSA. Don't spend these if they appear. 4. **Survivor benefits application**: Even though your father's benefit is higher, he should still formally apply for survivor benefits. This creates an official record in SSA's system. Since your father's current benefit ($2,250) is higher than your mother's ($1,750), he'll continue receiving his own amount - there won't be an increase. One often-overlooked item: if your mother had any Medicare premiums deducted from her Social Security, those arrangements will need to be updated for your father's account. The SSA phone lines can be extremely busy. Try calling right when they open at 7 AM local time for the shortest wait times. Take care of yourself during this process - you're handling a lot right now.

I'm deeply sorry for your loss, Harper. Losing a parent unexpectedly is devastating, and you're showing incredible strength by taking care of all these details for your father. I wanted to share something that might help streamline this process - when you call SSA (definitely do this to verify the death was reported), ask them to walk you through everything in one call rather than making multiple calls later. Specifically ask about: - Confirming the death report - The $255 lump-sum death benefit application - Survivor benefits application (even though your dad's benefit is higher) - Any Medicare premium adjustments needed - Whether there were any pending benefit adjustments for your mother Also, when you call, have your father available to give verbal consent for you to handle his SSA matters. This can save you from having to make separate calls or visits later. One practical tip that helped me when I went through this - keep a simple log of every call you make (date, time, who you spoke with, confirmation numbers). SSA representatives sometimes give different information, and having a record helps if you need to follow up. You're doing everything right by being proactive about this. Take care of yourself too during this difficult time.