The most important legal procedure following a death is to obtain a death certificate which is the most important legal document in existence.
The death certificate is considered the most important legal procedure as it's the only legal proof that someone has died.
The state uses the death certificate after someone dies to stop benefits, pensions and social security payments.
You can notify Social Security of a death by contacting the Social Security office at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778)
You can then send them a copy of the death certificate proving the person is deceased.
However if you use a funeral home which most people do then the funeral home can notify the Social Security about the death themselves.
Just provide the funeral director with the deceased persons social security number so they can report the death to the SSA.
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 the SSA.
You should give the funeral home the deceased person's Social Security number if you want them to make the report.
Then sometimes a deceased person who has social security may need to pay back some of the social security.
The Social Security office automatically notifies Medicare of the death.
Only the widow, widower or child of a Social Security beneficiary can collect the $255.00 death benefit, also known as a lump-sum death payment.
Priority goes to a surviving spouse if any of the following apply:
The widow or widower was living with the deceased at the time of death.