When to claim $255 Social Security death benefit after father's passing - before or after probate?

I'm sorry for your loss. The $255 death benefit has nothing to do with probate - you should apply for it as soon as you have the death certificate. It's typically paid to the surviving spouse, but if there's no spouse, it can go to a child who was receiving benefits on the deceased's record or was eligible to receive benefits upon their death. You'll need to call SSA directly to apply as this benefit can't be applied for online. Do it sooner rather than later as there's a 2-year time limit.

when my husband died last yr i got that $255 like 3 weeks after i called them. had to go to the SS office with death cert and marriage license. never had anything to do with probate stuff. just make sure u have all the paperwork they need when u go.

This is a common question. To clarify what others have said: the $255 death benefit is completely separate from probate. It's a one-time payment that goes to a surviving spouse who was living with the deceased, OR to a spouse who wasn't living with the deceased but was eligible for certain benefits on the deceased's record. If there's no surviving spouse, it can go to a child who was eligible for benefits on the deceased person's record in the month of death. You'll need to apply by phone or in person at your local SSA office. Bring the death certificate, your ID, your father's Social Security number, and your own Social Security number. If you weren't receiving benefits on your father's record and there's no surviving spouse, you might not be eligible for this payment - but the SSA can make that determination when you apply.

dont worry about that $255 its barely enough to pay for a decent flower arrangement at the funeral anyway... the real question is if your dad was getting monthly SS benefits you need to return any payment that came after he died. they will want that money back and will come after the estate if they don't get it! happened to my neighbor and they froze his accounts

I just went through this in January when my mother passed. The $255 death benefit process is frustrating because you HAVE to call SSA or visit in person - there's no online option. I tried calling for weeks and either got busy signals or was on hold for hours before getting disconnected. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once I actually talked to someone, the process was simple. Just needed the death certificate and they verified all the information. The benefit was deposited about 3 weeks later. And yes, this is completely separate from probate - don't wait for that to be completed as probate can take months or even years.

You mentioned you're the executor. I'm in the same boat with my mom's estate and learning a TON. For the death benefit, that's between you and Social Security directly - not part of the estate. BUT be careful about that last Social Security payment! If your dad received a payment for the month in which he died, you typically don't have to return it. But if he received any payments for months AFTER the month of death, those must be returned. This is separate from the $255 death benefit question but important to handle right away. Also, make sure to notify Social Security of his passing as soon as possible if you haven't already. They don't always get this information automatically from the death certificate filing.

Sorry about ur dad. That $255 is a joke these days. Barely covers anything. Been the same amount since like the 1950s with no increases for inflation. Should be at least $3000 by now if they had kept up with costs!!

To follow up on my earlier comment - after seeing your response about not receiving benefits on your father's record, I checked the SSA rules again. Unfortunately, adult children who weren't receiving benefits on the deceased parent's record generally aren't eligible for the lump-sum death benefit unless they were disabled before age 22 and receiving SSDI based on the parent's work record. However, I still recommend contacting SSA to confirm, as there are sometimes exceptions based on individual circumstances. Focus on notifying them about your father's passing and returning any benefits paid after his death - that's more important than the $255 at this point.