I have legal guardianship for my partner. He passed away on August 22, 2019. He received his SSA benefits on the 3rd of every month. If SSA benefits are paid a month behind, then the benefits he received in August would have been for July. However, SSA states that he wasn't entitled for monthly benefits beginning August 2019. My question is this...he didn't receive any benefits on 09/03/19. Why would we need to pay back the benefits received on 08/03/19?
So I think a check deposited for July's living expenses would not be owed back to Social Security.
If the last check ever received is supposed to be for the last full month of survival. So the check intended to cover the entire month of (July) would be correct - unless I'm not understanding something. I would be trying to get the payment back into my partner's bank/estate account. Had SS deposited any additional monthly check, it would have been incorrect on the Social Security side.
Some of my confusion is the mention of a 9/3/19 check. If it was never received but July's benefit was received, it seems to me that would zero out everyone - no payments nor deposits would be owed to anybody.
After death, no future monthly payments are supposed to be received, no matter the actual date of death. The more "benefit" dates SS uses, especially with a tired, grieving family member just trying to tackle after-death finances I think complicates this situation.
Wouldn't it be easier or more clear to advise after death that any monthly checks are stopped? Since the payments are for the previous full month, it does seem that SS would never have to recover any deposits made.
If SS does have to recover overpaid benefits it means someone accepted the check, either through misunderstanding or intentionally spending what it not his/hers to spend. It was someone spending what belonged to Social Security.
Since someone used Social Security's money without the blessings of SS, they have essentially borrowed those funds. Borrowed monies are always owed back - otherwise it would be a gift. In my way of thinking, monies spent and owed back are essentially loans. Again, we may not have intended to borrow the money but somehow did. That is why I'm thinking of over payments to essentially be a loan when it comes to settlement of an SS debt.
As to my way of thinking, even if I borrow by mistake and owe it back, I don't see how it is anything but a loan. If we borrow from our neighbor or friend and repayment is expected or agreed upon, it's still a loan even if we did not all sit down with an understanding that it needed to be paid back.
Let me know what you think as I have people who question this often and I want to be sure I develop both a working understanding and an understanding of what people perceive it to be.
Given the information provided by everyone on this site, and after looking at the SS booklet, yes, it's a very good idea to take the death certificate to the Social Security office to verify if the partners check is to be kept, or to be returned.
That said, I've taken a slightly different approach in trying to make sense of a last- check requirement. I may be all wrong, so if I am, someone else jump in and try to clarify this:
He did not fulfill requirements for the month of August- to survive for 31 days.
A check received in August covers his living expenses already incurred in July. Well, he survived that entire month, so I too ask "Why was this check taken back"?
I still take it to mean, in this case, the last check/benefit received was for July. This is because the person survived that entire month.
He didn't survive the entire month of September, so Social Security was actually providing a short-term 22 day loan for that time period only. Repayment of this loan would be due on September 3rd.
I still think Social Security is failing the public when explaining how this works in real terms that people might understand.
Please help me clarify this point. This topic comes up frequently among ladies whose spouses are in nursing homes and receiving checks.
What you need to know when you get retirement or Survivors Benefits.
What you need to when you get supplemental security income (SSI)
Publication No. 05-11011
"We pay Social Security benefits monthly. the benefits are paid in the month following for which they are due. for Example, you would receive your July benefit in August. Generally, the day of the month you receive your benefit payment depends on the birth date of the person for whose earnings record you receive benefits. for example, if you get benefits as a retired worker, we base your benefit payment date on your birth date. If you receive benefits based on your spouse's work, we base your benefit payment on yur spouse's date on your spouse's birth date."
Date of birth: Benefits paid each month on:
1st - 10th Second wednesday
11th - 20th Third Wednesday
21st - 31th Fourth Wednesday
"If you receive both Social Security and SSI benefits, your Social Security payment will arrive on the third of the month and your SSI payment will arrive on the first of the month."
Now all of that being retyped with my aching fingers, I would suggest that you take a copy of the death certificate and go to your local SS office to ensure that the correct date of death has been entered, to clarify the month for which the last payment was made, and to apply for the death benefit
The death benefit I received was no much but is intended to help off set the funeral costs. If I remember correctly it was $255.00. Not much for a $12K funeral and burial.
going to their office is a struggle but, worth the time.
What you need to know when you get retirement or Survivors Benefits.
What you need to when you get supplemental security income (SSI)
Publication No. 05-11011
"We pay Social Security benefits monthly. the benefits are paid in the month following for which they are due. for Example, you would receive your July benefit in August. Generally, the day of the month you receive your benefit payment depends on the birth date of the person for whose earnings record you receive benefits. for example, if you get benefits as a retired worker, we base your benefit payment date on your birth date. If you receive benefits based on your spouse's work, we base your benefit payment on yur spouse's date on your spouse's birth date."
Date of birth: Benefits paid each month on:
1st - 10th Second wednesday
11th - 20th Third Wednesday
21st - 31th Fourth Wednesday
"If you receive both Social Security and SSI benefits, your Social Security payment will arrive on the third of the month and your SSI payment will arrive on the first of the month."
Now all of that being retyped with my aching fingers, I would suggest that you take a copy of the death certificate and go to your local SS office to ensure that the correct date of death has been entered, to clarify the month for which the last payment was made, and to apply for the death benefit
The death benefit I received was no much but is intended to help off set the funeral costs. If I remember correctly it was $255.00. Not much for a $12K funeral and burial.
I believe that you will receive the payment back.
correct me if I aam wrong but don't throw your vegetables at me.
Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to your question. However, I remember that back in 1983 my grandfather died March 29 or 30, and when my mother wondered why there was no SS check a few days later, the local postmaster (this was in a little village) said he had to send his SS check back because my grandfather had died before the end of the month.
Social Security needs to provide a uniform explanation that is understandable. I'm not real sure Soc. Sec. employees know the right answer.
Explanations are written in English, yet I've found no one who knows the answer.
If SS even understands it's own policies, it is either very adept at being sneaky or too disoriented to communicate the right answer.
”the benefits are paid in the month following the month in which they are due. for example you receive your July benefit in August”.