Good Cause Defined

1519.1 What does good cause mean?
“Good cause” means that you did not file the social security lump-sum death payment application within the time limit because of:
Circumstances beyond your control, such as extended illness, communication difficulties, etc.;
Incorrect or incomplete information given to you by us;
Your efforts to get the evidence to support the claim, not realizing you could file the application within the time limit and submit the supporting evidence later; or
Unusual or unavoidable circumstances that show that you could not reasonably be expected to have been aware of the need to file the application within a specified period.

1519.2 When is good cause NOT established?
Good cause is not established if:
You were informed that a social security application for the lump-sum death payment had to be filed within the initial two-year period; and
You did not file the application because of neglect, or because you did not then want to claim the lump-sum death payment.