Does the Funeral Home Notify Social Security After a Hospice Death?

Usually, yes. The Social Security Administration (SSA) says funeral homes generally tell it when someone dies, so most families do not need to report the death themselves. Give the funeral director your loved one's Social Security number so they can make the report. If no funeral home is involved, or it does not report the death, you call Social Security yourself. Either way, there are two things the funeral home does not handle for you: returning any benefit paid for the month of death, and applying for survivor benefits.

Do not count on the hospice to make this report. SSA's guidance names funeral homes, not hospices, as the ones that generally report deaths. The hospice nurse confirms the death and starts the death-certificate process; the funeral home files the certificate and, in most cases, reports the death to SSA.

How the report usually happens

1. The hospice nurse responds after the death and begins the paperwork; see who signs the death certificate on hospice.
2. The funeral home collects your loved one's personal details, including the Social Security number, for the death certificate. SSA's publication on what to do when a family member dies tells families to give the Social Security number to the funeral director "because they usually report the person's death to us."
3. Medicare.gov says the same thing: in most cases the funeral home will report the death to Social Security, and you should give them the Social Security number if you want them to make the report.

If you are not sure the report was made, ask the funeral director. It is a reasonable question, and they hear it often.

When you need to report the death yourself

SSA says that if a funeral home is not involved, or does not report the death for some reason, you should call and provide the person's name, Social Security number, date of birth, and date of death. That might apply if your loved one donated their body to a medical school, or if the family handled arrangements without a funeral home.

• Phone: 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), weekdays 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in most U.S. time zones.
• Outside the U.S.: SSA directs callers to a Federal Benefits Unit or its international number.

The payment for the month of death must go back

This is the part that catches families by surprise. SSA states that if the person who died was receiving Social Security benefits, you must return the benefits received for the month of death and any later months.

• Direct deposit: SSA says to contact the bank or other financial institution and ask it to return any funds received for the month of death or later.
• Paper check: do not cash it; return it to Social Security as soon as possible.

Social Security pays each month's benefit in the following month, so the payment that arrives in the month after the death is the payment for the month of death and must go back. For example, if your loved one died in July, the payment received in August must be returned. Before anyone spends money that lands in the account after the death, call Social Security and confirm. SSA also notes that eligible family members may be able to receive survivor benefits for the month the beneficiary died, so the call is worth making anyway.

Benefits the family may be able to claim

Reporting the death does not file any claim for the family. SSA describes two kinds of help:

• A one-time lump-sum death payment of $255. It can go to a surviving spouse who was living with the person who died, or who lived apart but was eligible for certain benefits on that person's record. If there is no surviving spouse, a child who is eligible for benefits on the record in the month of death may receive it. SSA says you must apply for this payment within 2 years of the death.
• Monthly survivor benefits for certain family members. SSA lists, among others, a surviving spouse age 60 or older (50 or older with a disability), a spouse of any age caring for the deceased's child under 16 or a child with a disability, unmarried children under 18 (up to 19 in elementary or secondary school full time), adult children disabled before age 22, dependent parents age 62 or older, and, in some cases, a surviving divorced spouse.

To find out what applies to your family, contact Social Security directly. A hospice social worker can help you prepare for the call; see financial help and resources for hospice families.

What about Medicare and other plans?

Medicare.gov's instruction for reporting the death of a person with Medicare is to call Social Security with the person's Social Security number, and it notes the funeral home usually makes that report. If your loved one also had a private plan, such as a Medicare Advantage plan, a Part D drug plan, a Medigap policy, or a retiree plan, call that plan as well to confirm the coverage and any premium payments have stopped. Hospice services end with the death, and the hospice will still offer the family bereavement support.

Frequently asked questions

Does the hospice tell Social Security?

Do not assume it will. The hospice confirms the death and starts the death-certificate process, but SSA's guidance says it is funeral homes that generally report deaths. Give the funeral home the Social Security number, or call SSA yourself if no funeral home is involved.

Do I need a death certificate to report the death?

Not to start. SSA asks a family reporting by phone for the person's name, Social Security number, date of birth, and date of death, and USA.gov says you can begin the report without the death certificate but will need it later to complete it. SSA takes death reports only by phone or in person, not online. You will want certified copies of the death certificate for many other accounts; see the paperwork steps in what to do immediately after a hospice death.

Can we keep the Social Security payment that arrived the week after the death?

It depends on the month. Social Security pays each month's benefit the following month, so a payment that arrives in the calendar month after the death is the payment for the month of death and must be returned; if the death was in July, the August payment goes back. Ask the bank to return a direct deposit, or send back an uncashed check. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) works differently: SSI is paid for the current month, so the SSI payment for the month of death is not owed back, but any SSI payment for a later month is. Call SSA if you are unsure which month a payment covers.

Is the $255 payment automatic?

Not always. A surviving spouse who was already receiving spouse's benefits on the deceased's record for the month before the death does not need to apply. Anyone else must apply, and SSA says the application must be made within 2 years of the death. Contact Social Security to confirm whether anyone in the family is eligible.

What to do next

When you meet with the funeral home, bring the Social Security number and ask the director to confirm they will report the death. Then call Social Security yourself about the month-of-death payment and any survivor benefits, and call any private health or drug plans. For what the funeral home and hospice each handle, see does hospice help with funeral or cremation arrangements.