Hello Sir.
My mother passed away on the 17th of last month. Her SS payment was a direct deposit to her checking account on the 3rd of every month. I have been her care giver the last 12 years and am a co-owner on her checking account.
My brother-in-law, who lost his mother (approx. 10-15 yrs. ago) said that when she died SS took back the month that she died (she died on the 27th). Then after they had closed her accounts, after everything they showed had cleared then a few month's later they received a letter from her bank saying that the SSA had forced them to re-open the account and pay back the previous month as well and that then, of course with no money in the account, charged a fee for not having the monies avail. to pay it back. They , eventually, dropped the fee, but they had to pay the bank back the money that the SSA had taken back.
My question is, I have closed her checking account. When I called the local SSA office, a week after my Mother's death, I was told that they no longer pay ahead, so I would not have to pay back the month of her death.
Is this correct?
Thank you.

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

Yes, it sounds like no repayment is needed in your mother's case However, assuming that she died on July 17th, if she had received a payment on August 3rd then that payment would need to be returned since no payment is due for the month of a person's death. The benefit payment that your mother received on the 3rd of July was for June, and that payment is due because she lived throughout the month of June. And, since your mother was still living when the July 3rd payment was issued, that payment would not need to be returned and reissued as an underpayment.

Best, Jerry