My mother passed away how do I stop her benefits?

Q) My mother passed away on 3/4/14, how do I stop her benefits or how do you prefer to be notified?

A) I’m sorry to hear about the passing of your mother. The process for stopping her benefits will depend on the specific benefits she was receiving. Here are some general guidelines for notifying the appropriate agencies:

1. Social Security benefits: If your mother was receiving Social Security benefits, you should contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) as soon as possible to report her death. You can do this by calling their toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 or by visiting your local SSA office. They will likely ask you for a copy of the death certificate to verify the death.
2. Medicare benefits: If your mother was enrolled in Medicare, you should also notify them of her death. You can do this by calling their toll-free number at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or by visiting their website at Medicare.gov.
3. Veterans benefits: If your mother was a veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran, you should contact the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report her death. You can do this by calling their toll-free number at 1-800-827-1000 or by visiting their website at va.gov.
4. Other benefits: If your mother was receiving any other types of benefits, such as pension or retirement benefits, you should contact the appropriate agency or company to report her death and stop the benefits.

It’s important to contact the appropriate agencies directly to ensure that her benefits are stopped and that any necessary paperwork or documentation is submitted.

According to Social Security Administration website you need to Notify Social Security Association as soon as possible. Then, you can ensure your family receives all your entitled benefits. This includes a one-time payment of $255. However, the funeral director usually will report the death. In this case, give the director the deceased’s Social Security number so the director can report to Social Security.

Report the death yourself by calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Also, remember you and the deceased’s financial institution must return any funds received for the month of death or thereafter. read more