My father died a few days ago and I went to the ATM tonight and pulled the money off of his direct express card to take care of some expenses. Is this illegal? What will happen? Should I contact social security? Need help please!
Short answer: I know this sounds freaky and all, but SS probably already knows.
When we made funeral arrangements for Mom (she died Oct. 27 of last year) the funeral director asked for her SSN and did the notification. Standard operating procedure, I guess. Her check arrived via direct deposit on the 3rd per normal, but we didn't touch that money. Sure enough, SS snapped it right back a few days later. As far as the money that was paid while she was still alive, that was okay to use.
If the direct deposit hasn't been reversed within say, a month, might be necessary to notify SS like Zombie said. For sure, don't use any money that is paid after your Dad passes.
What you could do if you happen to be a trustee or co-owner on that account is to go into the bank and immediately close the account right after your loved one's death. You would then use the money to pay the funeral home because this is a much higher priority. There's always probate for the estate, and if you must repay anything to social security, it can very easily come out of the estate.
If you're not on the account, you want to act as fast as possible to get a copy of the death certificate to take to the bank. Take any identifying information required to close the bank account. You can then take the money and still go pay the funeral home and focus on the estate after it goes through probate. This is what I would've done had my surrogate dad not gone into a nursing home. I was fortunate enough to be a co-owner of the account, and had he died, I could've closed the account and paid the funeral home. If a copy that certificate would've been necessary, I would've gotten it at the time of closing the account.
Actually, the social security check for the month of death (even if they die on the last day of the month) must be returned to social security and will be taken back out of the account. A small death benefit (about $250) will arrive at a later time. Seems like it makes no fair sense, but it is what happens.
Private1: Don't close out her bank accounts until you file that year's income tax returns, assuming that she had reportable income, including interest income and qualified and ordinary dividend income, etc.
When we made funeral arrangements for Mom (she died Oct. 27 of last year) the funeral director asked for her SSN and did the notification. Standard operating procedure, I guess. Her check arrived via direct deposit on the 3rd per normal, but we didn't touch that money. Sure enough, SS snapped it right back a few days later. As far as the money that was paid while she was still alive, that was okay to use.
If the direct deposit hasn't been reversed within say, a month, might be necessary to notify SS like Zombie said. For sure, don't use any money that is paid after your Dad passes.
If you're not on the account, you want to act as fast as possible to get a copy of the death certificate to take to the bank. Take any identifying information required to close the bank account. You can then take the money and still go pay the funeral home and focus on the estate after it goes through probate. This is what I would've done had my surrogate dad not gone into a nursing home. I was fortunate enough to be a co-owner of the account, and had he died, I could've closed the account and paid the funeral home. If a copy that certificate would've been necessary, I would've gotten it at the time of closing the account.