My understanding is that SS doesn't "distribute partial month checks" and that all the money has to be returned to SS, so that my mother can then begin receiving widow's benefits. Can anyone clarify or shed some light? I know the gooberment has info on their website, but does anyone have any real life experience?
Unless they die in the first few days of the month, then the following month the regular SS will go out. Could be two months, but usually only 1. BUT check(s) will have a "full clawback" and need to be repaid. If your dad did a direct deposit then you should contact the bank that the SS check needs to be returned - this should be in writing from your mom (you can do it on her behalf) . If it's a check, then just hold the check. Doing either of these will make it faster for your mom to start getting her benefits - otherwise SSA will have to wait to make sure that the SS check is cleared and then you repaid the full amount and then the repayment check cleared (this could be 60 days as the banks and feds can move like glaciers). So don't spend the SS $. Most SSA offices have staff that are trained to deal with death so try to see that staff - most SSA staff deal with work issues.
There are no "partial payments." If you die on the 31st of the month, then the entire month is considered the month of death......same thing happens if you die on the first of the month. Since Medicare is billed about one month in advance, and the S.S. benefits are paid one month in arrears, usually on the fourth Wednesday of every month, it shouldn't be a problem.
The Administration will calculate the new benefit due to the remaining spouse, based on the greater amount of the two recipients. Again, a check will be forthcoming on or about the fourth Wednesday of every month, to the remaining spouse, for that month. That's why I said that it is paid about one month in arrears. Example: The entire month of March benefit will arrive on March 28, 2012. if the spouse dies, there's no more money.
If there is not a pre-need done, the funeral home often suggests that the SSA death benefit of $ 250 be used towards funeral/burial expenses. That's about 1/4 of a cremation cost, so a lot of family do this.
If there wasn't a preneed done, then the family has to figure out how to pay the often hefty costs of a funeral/burial, transferring the $ from insurance or SS death benefit can come in handy as a way to do this. Cost wise this is probably the most expensive way as the family is under duress in making choices or infighting on who pays for what. Even with a preneed done, there will still be some costs. For some, signing over SSA $255 is just an easy way to deal with last minute costs.
Tammy - contact the FH who did the preneed to see what they can set up.
Any heir or family can qualify for the one time "death benefit" of $ 255.
There are 2 types of SSA benefits, retirement (usually called SS) and disability
(which is called SSI or SSDI). Retirement survivor benefits go to a qualifying spouse or even a former spouse; a child under 18 (this age can be raised to 19 - 22 if full time college or if child certified disabled). SSA has a set formula on how spouse's and children's are done and qualify for. Disability benefits usually do not transfer to surviving family. Did you dad get both?
Your dad paid into the SSA and got benefits from SSA by receiving disability. The money that workers pay into SSA are in a central trust and used for claims. Some pay into never get a disability payment.Others never leave a survivor benefit either because they die before retirement age, or never work the credits needed to get SS or had no qualifying survivors. While others do and receive lots more benefit then they ever paid into the system. It's like insurance - say you pay a 1K premium for the year and if nothing happens you don't get that $ back but if there is a hail storm, you get 5K to fix the hail damage. The insurance company uses the $ paid by others to offset the cost of your claim. Kinda the same basic theory for how SSA is set up. It's all based on probabilities.
I have two friends who's husband's died - both are 2nd wives - one 68 and gets 100% of his SS retirement, the other 52 only gets 70%. For one, the first wife is also getting his SS too as #1 never remarried and they were married 15 years so qualifies. My mom gets a SS retirement benefit based on my dad's work - my mom is mid 90's in a NH and has been collecting on my dad's SS for like 30 years. For my mom, SSA has likely paid out lots more than my dad ever paid into it as he retired and died in the 1970's but most people don't qualify for 30 years! My uncle never married & worked 40 yrs but left no qualifying survivor to get his SS. We joke that he kinda balanced what my mom has been getting all these years.