social security benefits

[liberty]

This is not a tax question, hope it's ok to ask here. Husband's SS benefit is around 2000 a month, wife's SS benefit is 1000 a month. Husband just died. Does wife needs to go to SS admin to tell them to switch her benefit to husband's benefit. Or does SS admin automatically up her SS benefit when they receive death notice.

[Twin Turbo Z]

My father passed last fall and it was the same situation. We were getting ready to take my mother to the local Soc. Sec. office, when she received a letter from Soc. Security. Basically saying they were upping her benefits. No need to visit the office. I guess funeral homes are obligated to send death info into a national database that the Soc. Security mainframe is part of. Crazy. But no she doesn't need to.

[Rapid Robert]

I guess funeral homes are obligated to send death info into a national database that the Soc. Security mainframe is part of. Crazy.

No, not obligated, and why is it crazy? Having the funeral home provide the notice to SSA is to help speed up the process for the benefit of the survivors.

What "national database that Soc. Security is part of" are you referring to?

[Gene V]

From Social Security Website
https://www.ssa.gov/planners/survivors/ifyou.html

We should be notified as soon as possible when a person dies. However, you cannot report a death or apply for survivors benefits online.
In most cases, the funeral home will report the person’s death to us. You should give the funeral home the deceased person’s Social Security number if you want them to make the report.
If you need to report a death or apply for benefits, call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). You can speak to a Social Security representative between 8:00 am – 5:30 pm. Monday through Friday. You can also visit your local Social Security office. An appointment is not required, but if you call ahead and schedule one, it may reduce the time you spend waiting to speak to someone.

[TAX4US]

Are they even open? With a child who qualifies under her dad's benefits they want you to mail all original documents to them. Man I hate to tell them to send in original's.What do you think? mail or wait?

[Burke]

They have been closed since 3/17/20. Don't mail original documents. Wait to see what happens, if nothing then visit office when they do open. She will get back benefits.