Can we keep social security check after mom dies?

To be on the legal side and do the right thing, you should ask your local social security office or the funeral home director. I know it would seem okay to keep the money, but the gov't is not a forgiving outfit and you could be in trouble.

Since social security checks are automatic deposits, if said check lands into the checking or saving account, the U.S. government will eventually remove said amount from the account.

i concur with brandywine . the funeral directors are great with those kind of answers and will in fact help you with all kind of legal stuff . life insurance policies and such .

Thank you all for your responses. You have so many questions on so many things.

If it is direct deposited SS finds out in a day or two. They track death certificates and reverse the transaction.

The VA will send you a bill for their check. Do not spend either check.

You have to pay it back, my mother died on the 30th of the month, I kid you not at the funeral home one of the things they discussed was paying the money back.

My dad died in the middle of the month and his social security check for the next month wasn't deposited. The SSA knows when someone dies.

When my mother mom had her SS# stolen and the thief changed where her money went I thought that the SS people told me that money that she got at the end of the month was for that month ending. Certainly seems a stupid way of doing it, medication invoice will come early the next month and will need to be paid.

They will take the SS money out of the account before the ink has even dried on the death certificate. I don't know how they do that but it has happened with every death in my family.