Social Security won't return my deceased husband's last check - Form 1724 nightmare for 10+ months

There's a lot of confusion about this. As a surviving spouse, you're entitled to a one-time death benefit of $255, but not the last month's check if he passed before the last day of the month. SSA's policy is to reclaim the payment for the month of death, regardless of when in the month the person died. That said, Form 1724 is actually for underpayments, not the death benefit. For the $255 death benefit, you should have filed Form SSA-8 instead. Did anyone at SSA explain this to you?

They absolutely DO take back the entire month's payment regardless of when the person died. If someone passes on the 1st or the 30th, SSA still takes back the entire month's benefit. It's one of those awful policies that feels completely unfair but is how the system works. My father passed on the 29th day of the month and they still took back his whole payment.

I just double-checked my bank records. His last deposit was made on November 3rd (he died Oct 28), and they pulled it back on November 5th. So they took back his October payment that arrived a few days after his death. Does that change anything about my situation?

OMG the EXACT same thing happened to me!!!! My wife passed and they yanked back her last check even though i was told i could keep it! The 1724 form is such a JOKE - i submitted 3 times and nothing happened. SSA is completely BROKEN!!! They dont care about us at all!!

This might be a dumb question but have you tried visiting your local SSA office in person again? Sometimes that's the only way to get anything done with them. Bring all your documentation, including bank statements showing the deposit and withdrawal, death certificate, marriage certificate, and copies of the Form 1724 you submitted.

I had a similar issue trying to reach someone at SSA about my widow's benefits last year. After weeks of failed attempts, I found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual SSA agent in under 2 hours (instead of days of trying). It really saved me so much stress. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU if you want to see how it works. Their website is claimyr.com - might be worth checking out since you need to actually talk to someone who can look into your specific case.

teh congressmans office should help!! mine was AMAZING when i had problems with SS. call them again maybe? sumtimes they need a reminder or maybe they lost ur info. they have special ppl who only deal with SS problems

I'd recommend three specific actions: 1. File a formal appeal using Form SSA-561-U2 (Request for Reconsideration). This creates a different tracking process in their system. 2. Request a copy of your deceased husband's benefit payment history through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. This documentation shows exactly what payments were made and reclaimed. 3. When you speak with SSA again, specifically ask for a "Technical Expert" who specializes in survivor benefits and underpayments. Regular claims representatives often don't have the specialized knowledge for these situations. Persistence is unfortunately necessary with SSA, especially for widows and widowers dealing with end-of-life benefit issues.

For the FOIA request, you can submit it through SSA's website, but I recommend bringing a written request to the office that specifically states you're requesting "a complete benefit payment history for [husband's name and SSN] for the period of [relevant months]". Note that you're the surviving spouse and include your relationship and contact information. Keep a copy and ask for a receipt or confirmation that they received it. Also important: when you speak with the Technical Expert, make sure they understand that the issue is specifically about a payment for a month when your husband was alive for the entire month, which was erroneously reclaimed after his death. This is different from the standard "month of death" payment situation.

I'm so sorry for your loss and the additional stress SSA is putting you through during an already difficult time. Based on what you've shared, it sounds like you have a strong case since your husband was alive for the entire month of September (the payment they reclaimed was for September, paid in October). One thing that might help while you're pursuing the formal channels is to document everything meticulously. Keep a log of every phone call, visit, and submission with dates, times, and the names of representatives you spoke with. This creates a paper trail that can be invaluable if you need to escalate further. Also, don't give up on your congressman's office - they often have dedicated staff for Social Security issues who can cut through the bureaucracy. If you haven't heard back in 7 weeks, definitely follow up. Sometimes a simple call from their office can move things along much faster than individual efforts. You're doing everything right by being persistent. The system is frustrating, but you deserve that payment and shouldn't have to fight this hard for it.

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare on top of grieving your husband. Reading through this thread, it's clear you're absolutely entitled to that September payment since your husband was alive for the entire month. One additional step that might help: consider filing a complaint with the SSA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) online at oig.ssa.gov. They investigate cases where SSA isn't following proper procedures, and your situation - where forms are being "lost" and you're getting contradictory information - sounds like it could benefit from their oversight. Also, when you go to your Tuesday appointment, ask to speak with a supervisor or manager if the regular representative can't resolve this. Don't leave without getting a clear timeline for resolution and a direct contact number for follow-up. You've been more than patient with this process. After 10+ months, you deserve answers and action, not more runaround. Stay strong - you're fighting for what's rightfully yours.

I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare, Sean. What you're describing is unfortunately all too common with SSA, but you absolutely should not give up. Based on your timeline, you have a legitimate claim to that payment. A few additional suggestions that might help: 1. When you visit on Tuesday, bring multiple copies of everything and ask them to stamp one copy as "received" for your records. This prevents future claims that they "never got" your paperwork. 2. Consider reaching out to your state's Protection and Advocacy agency or local legal aid society. Many have specialists who deal specifically with Social Security issues and can provide free assistance. 3. If all else fails, you might want to consult with a Social Security disability attorney who handles survivor benefits. Many work on contingency and can navigate the system more effectively than individuals. The fact that you're still fighting after 10+ months shows incredible strength during what must be an incredibly difficult time. Keep pushing - you're entitled to that payment and shouldn't have to jump through these hoops to get it. Please do update us after your Tuesday appointment!

I'm heartbroken reading about your situation, Sean. Losing a spouse is devastating enough without having to fight the SSA bureaucracy for months just to get what's rightfully yours. From everything you've described, you have a rock-solid case. Your husband was alive for all of September, so that payment (received in October after his death) should absolutely be yours to keep. The fact that SSA "lost" your forms multiple times and gave you contradictory information is completely unacceptable. I went through something similar with my mother's benefits last year, and what finally worked was escalating to multiple levels simultaneously. Don't just rely on one approach - hit them from every angle: - File that Form SSA-561-U2 for formal reconsideration - Submit the OIG complaint online about the mishandled paperwork - Have your congressman's office put pressure on them - Document absolutely everything going forward The key is creating multiple paper trails so they can't ignore you or claim things got "lost" again. You've been incredibly patient for 10+ months, but now it's time to be assertive and demand the resolution you deserve. Wishing you strength for Tuesday's appointment. Don't accept any more vague responses - you need concrete action and timelines. Keep fighting!

I'm so sorry for your loss and the incredibly frustrating experience you're having with SSA. What you're going through is unfortunately very common, but that doesn't make it any less maddening. Based on your timeline, you absolutely have a valid claim. If your husband passed on October 28th and they reclaimed the payment that arrived November 3rd, they took back his September payment - which he was alive for the entire month to earn. That payment is rightfully yours. Here's what I'd recommend for your Tuesday appointment: - Bring bank statements showing both the deposit and withdrawal - Request to speak with a "Technical Expert" who specializes in survivor benefits - Ask for all interactions to be documented with case numbers - Don't accept vague promises - demand specific timelines Also consider filing a complaint with the SSA Office of Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov about the lost paperwork and contradictory information you've received. After 10+ months of runaround, you need external pressure to get this resolved. Stay strong - you're fighting for what's rightfully yours, and persistence will eventually pay off. Please keep us updated on how things go!

I'm so sorry for your loss and the incredible frustration you're experiencing with SSA. As someone who has helped family members navigate similar survivor benefit issues, I can tell you that your situation is unfortunately common but absolutely solvable. Based on your timeline, you have a very strong case. Your husband passed on October 28th, and the payment they reclaimed (deposited November 3rd) was for September - a month he was alive for entirely. That payment is rightfully yours. For your Tuesday appointment, I'd recommend bringing: - Bank statements showing the deposit and withdrawal - Death certificate and marriage certificate - All previous Form 1724 submissions (copies) - A written timeline of all your attempts to resolve this Most importantly, ask to speak with a "Technical Expert" who specializes in survivor benefits - regular representatives often lack the expertise for complex underpayment cases like yours. Don't accept vague promises about "processing" - demand specific timelines and case reference numbers. Also consider filing a complaint with the SSA Office of Inspector General (oig.ssa.gov) about the lost paperwork and contradictory information. After 10+ months, you need external pressure to cut through the bureaucracy. You've shown incredible persistence during an already difficult time. Keep fighting - you deserve that payment and shouldn't have to jump through these hoops to get it. Please update us after Tuesday's meeting!