Do I need an original copy of the death certificate to send to Social Security when someone dies?

Yes

The funeral home in charge takes care of notifying SS. So I am told.

The funeral home notifies Social Security. If the deceased has a spouse or minor child, there may be $255 coming to them for burial costs. Yes, that is the correct amount, a measly $255. I called SS 1-800-772-1213 to notify them of a parent's death. They were completely willing to take this report over the phone. I don't recall needing to prove it. A letter is sent to the person receiving SS payments informing them that their death was reported and allowing them to correct the report. If you delay reporting, and there is direct deposit, they will want their money back. The funeral directors usually tells you to get 10 death certs and they arrange it for you. It's cheaper to get them this way, and a lot faster, than to contact the state agency. A lot of times, the bank just wants to see the original. They make a copy and note on the copy that they saw the original.

Well.. indeed They would probably be number one. Original copy you will need. I lost my mum & dad & I ordered 5 each. I still didn't have enough.
But less critical people will take copies. Ie; banks,

In most cases, that is a task that the funeral home takes care of.

When my mother passed away shortly before last Christmas, the funeral home notified Social Security. I checked her account due to her having direct deposit and her benefit had been deposited. Planned to call them to notify them, but after checking her account prior to my planned call, it was gone.....magic!! Amazing how they can grab their/her money back so fast but take their time dispensing it. It took me two months to have her pensions stopped and reclaimed.

Somebody mentioned a $250 death benefit. Is that only for spouses? Just curious since we never saw any more money after what they deposited on December 1st, 2017.

Hi Jefferson1. In my own case yes but I live in The South of Ireland, and I needed the original copy of my late Mothers Death Certificate as a photo copy would not be accepted. I guess some Countries may differ.

Our local funeral homes charge a fee per copy of the death certificate. Part of their "package" of fees.
You can go to the local County Health Department where the deceased died and get certified copies of a death certificate for much less than the funeral home will charge for getting them for you.
I do think SS will require a certified copy. Probably many funeral homes send it to SS routinely.

My mother passed while in a nursing home. I called SS a day or so after her passing. They took her information and stopped the upcoming deposit. They asked that I bring the death certificate to the office for verification. Went to the SS office, showed the death certificate, they updated whatever in their data base and returned the document.

Generally the Funeral Home takes care of that.

Social Security can request the original and they make a copy and return the original to you.

When my DH passed, I applied for the difference between his Social Security and mine. I brought a death certificate and my marriage license - they scanned both into their system and returned the originals to me. Even though the Funeral Home had notified them, it was just better to be prepared with an original death certificate and I was thanked for bringing it with me.

BTW, I was granted the difference between the 2 amounts. Not a lot of $$ but every little bit helps.

The funeral home took care of it when my mother passed.

The funeral home told me that as soon as they put in for the death certificate Social Security was notified immediately. I got a letter not long after with their condolences. So I would say no. State retirement does require an original though. But they sent my father’s back once they saw it. This was January 2018.

I did not need a death certificate at all in 2017..I called Social Security and asked what I should do and he took my wife's SS number and in minutes said I was all set and asked for my checking account routing and account numbers  for the $250 death benefit and in a few days it was there...Simple, easy.

Grace + Peace,

Gog

Personally, I have never contacted SS. Mom has been gone almost a year, and I have received nothing from them requesting a death certificate. My funeral director said I didn't need to. Moms NH was her payee so they had to deal with SS in the end.

The funeral home did notify SS of my MILs death but when we called SS, they said they still needed an official copy of her death certificate. So we brought it in to the local SS office.

Talk to the funeral director. Mine notified SS of Moms death. Since I was one death certificate short, he must have sent it.

Social Security is usually notified by the funeral home or you can call them.
1-800-722-1213.
The funeral home will need the social security number. A certified death certificate takes awhile to receive.

When my mom passed in April, my sister, who works for a funeral home, said I didn't need to do it. That was a service of the funeral home to send it off. Of course, that may be a state law so you may want to check with the funeral home, if you had one, if they do that for you.

Yes you do. You can go in person & show it to them, that’s what we did.