Social Security survivor benefits deposit confusion - numbers don't add up

Yes, SSA should be able to provide you with a detailed monthly breakdown. The discrepancy could be due to several factors like COLA increases (there was one in January 2025), possible Medicare premiums, or tax withholding. What you need to ask for is a "Payment History" and a "Benefit Calculation Statement" which will show exactly how they arrived at those figures. The $70 overpayment mention is concerning though. Make sure you specifically ask about that when you call.

went thru something similar last year with my husband's benefits. the math never made sense and when i called they just kept saying "the computer calculates it" but couldnt explain why! so frustrating!!!

The discrepancy is likely due to several factors that aren't evident from the basic award letter: 1. The COLA adjustment for 2025 would have increased your monthly amount for January 2025 compared to previous months 2. There might have been income adjustments if the deceased had earnings in 2024 3. Sometimes they withhold a percentage for potential Medicare premiums even before you're enrolled 4. The family maximum limit might be affecting your benefit amount if there are other survivors receiving benefits What you should request is a "PEBES" (Post Entitlement Benefit Explanation Statement) which will break down each month's payment and show adjustments. You'll need to specifically ask for this as it's not automatically provided.

my mom just had this happen and it turned out they did the math wrong lol. she had to pay back $2300 six months later :( definitely call and get it sorted!

I had a similar issue with survivor benefits last year. I spent WEEKS trying to get through to SSA on the phone with no luck. I finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person at SSA in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold forever. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU When I finally got through, I asked for an itemized statement of my backpay and they sent me a form called SSA-1099 which showed all the payments. Turns out they had calculated mine correctly but hadn't explained the COLA adjustment or the offset for my pension. Definitely worth getting it sorted out now rather than being surprised by an overpayment notice later!

I see this confusion all the time. The math doesn't add up because survivor benefits calculations are incredibly complex. Here's what's likely happening: 1. Your monthly amount probably wasn't $1,771 for all 8 months. The $1,771 is your CURRENT monthly benefit after the latest COLA adjustment. 2. There's something called the "LUMP SUM DEATH PAYMENT" of $255 that might be included in your backpay if you qualified. 3. If the deceased worked during the benefit period, there could be adjustments based on the Retirement Earnings Test. 4. If there are multiple survivors collecting on the same record, the Family Maximum Benefit rules complicate things further. The $70 overpayment mention suggests there was an adjustment after the initial calculation. This happens frequently when income information is reported late or processed after initial payments are made. Definitely request an itemized breakdown. The specific form you want is a "BOAN" (Benefit Overpayment Action Notice) which will explain any overpayment calculations.

i would just be happy with the extra money lol dont rock the boat

These confusing notices are EXACTLY why so many people get hit with overpayment notices years later! The SSA is notorious for giving you money then demanding it back with little explanation. My sister got hit with a $12,000 overpayment notice THREE YEARS after receiving survivor benefits because of some calculation error they never explained properly. The system is designed to confuse people!!!

One additional thing to consider - if you received retroactive survivors benefits while also receiving another type of benefit (like retirement on your own record), there might be an offset calculation happening too. Also, I'd recommend checking if the $13,358.20 figure includes any amount they might have withheld for potential tax liability. For larger backpay amounts, SSA sometimes withholds 10% for federal taxes unless you specifically requested otherwise. When you call, ask for a "MACADE" printout (Master Beneficiary Record Computer Access Data Extract) which shows all payment calculations and adjustments. Most representatives don't offer this unless specifically requested.