If she received a check after her death then it must be returned. I've always known that you can't cash a check belonging to someone else. In a situation like this, just do the right thing and return it with a note to the sender
Special note: When a person dies, they have no more need for money and they certainly won't be using it in the afterlife
Okay, this depends if the home was put into a trust, which allows another person to be on the elder's bank accounts. In my late mother's case, my brother, who is an attorney and qualified to practice law in our late mother's state, put her estate in a trust years ago. Therefore, after she had deceased, he was able to pay the bills that came in for her care when she was alive. After a certain period when we knew and were certain there would be no more bills incurred WHEN SHE WAS LIVING and after he filed her Federal and State tax returns, we closed the accounts.
You didn't mention the month that your mother passed, but you can get answers for your specific facts directly from the Dept of Veterans Affairs.
If the decedent was receiving Aid and Attendance or other Veteran's benefits, the next of kin or Personal Representative of the Estate should call 1-877-838-2778 and request that the VA payments be stopped.
Like Social Security, the VA also pays one month in arrears. For example: the check received in July is for the month of June. Therefore, the estate of a single veteran with no dependents who passes in July will keep the check received in July. However, the August check (for July) must be returned. If the veteran was married or leaves a dependent child, the check for the entire month of death can be kept.
The next of kin or Personal Representative of a Veteran’s Estate should apply for burial benefits of $300.00 for plot and $300.00 for burial, using form 21-530. These benefits can reimburse you if you have already paid for the burial or the plot.
The VA rules allow them to recover any benefit payments where the beneficiary dies before the check was cashed, I would cash it with the understanding that they may seek repayment. However, this is your mother's money. If they take it back you can file for reimbursement of expenses you had on your mother's final health care and funeral up to the amount of the check.
I would have to say no, don't cash it or you will wind up having to reimburse the government. My mom received a small stipend from a Certificate of deposit each month. She passed away November 22nd but the stipend for December was already deposited and I was notified I may owe a reimbursement. Don't mess with the government. It always comes back to bite you in the rear, usually with interest. Call the issuing agency and see how to proceed.
My mom passed away on May 2nd. Her VA check was in her account on May 3rd and her SS check was deposited on May 3rd as well. Both checks were for the month of April and neither government agency took the money back. It was used for funeral expenses. I hope this helps.
I do NOT get SS at all--meaning, I don't understand it! Daddy died at 12:45 am on Jan 1st. Mother actually received a COL increase in the next check. So glad my hubby and I are not relying on SS to even be a factor in retirement--and he's retiring in 18 months! So, anything we get will just be gravy, which we will squirrel away.
Hounding all my kids to save 20-30% before taxes for retirement. There likely won't even BE SS in 30 years!! Glad I will not be around to see that.
The date of death is going to be the key in all this. For SS, they have to live the entire month in order for the following months check to be ok. Federal retirements - like civil service ones - do the same. I'd imagine the VA does the same. Neither SS or federal pro-rate for days lived in a month.
If mom gets a check, it will be clawed back from her bank account. SSA did my moms clawback within 30 days. But her widows federal retirement took almost 3 months to get its clawback. You need to leave the $ there for the clawback.
Special note:
When a person dies, they have no more need for money and they certainly won't be using it in the afterlife
If the decedent was receiving Aid and Attendance or other Veteran's benefits, the next of kin or Personal Representative of the Estate should call 1-877-838-2778 and request that the VA payments be stopped.
Like Social Security, the VA also pays one month in arrears. For example: the check received in July is for the month of June. Therefore, the estate of a single veteran with no dependents who passes in July will keep the check received in July. However, the August check (for July) must be returned. If the veteran was married or leaves a dependent child, the check for the entire month of death can be kept.
The next of kin or Personal Representative of a Veteran’s Estate should apply for burial benefits of $300.00 for plot and $300.00 for burial, using form 21-530. These benefits can reimburse you if you have already paid for the burial or the plot.
However, this is your mother's money. If they take it back you can file for reimbursement of expenses you had on your mother's final health care and funeral up to the amount of the check.
Daddy died at 12:45 am on Jan 1st. Mother actually received a COL increase in the next check.
So glad my hubby and I are not relying on SS to even be a factor in retirement--and he's retiring in 18 months! So, anything we get will just be gravy, which we will squirrel away.
Hounding all my kids to save 20-30% before taxes for retirement. There likely won't even BE SS in 30 years!! Glad I will not be around to see that.
For SS, they have to live the entire month in order for the following months check to be ok. Federal retirements - like civil service ones - do the same. I'd imagine the VA does the same. Neither SS or federal pro-rate for days lived in a month.
If mom gets a check, it will be clawed back from her bank account. SSA did my moms clawback within 30 days. But her widows federal retirement took almost 3 months to get its clawback. You need to leave the $ there for the clawback.