When a parent dies: benefit steps for the family

1. Tell Social Security

Funeral homes generally report deaths to Social Security, so you usually do not need to. Give the funeral director your parent's Social Security number.

If no funeral home is involved, or it does not report the death, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Have ready the person's name, Social Security number, date of birth and date of death. Help is available in English, Spanish and other languages. Social Security does not accept death reports online or by email.

Social Security handles death reports for both Social Security and Medicare, so you do not need to report the death to Medicare separately.

2. Return payments for the month of death and later

Social Security does not pay benefits for the month a person dies. Benefits are paid a month behind, so if your parent died in July, the payment that arrives in August is for July and must be returned.

• Direct deposit: tell the bank as soon as possible. The bank returns the payments made for the month of death and later.
• Paper check: do not cash it. Return it to Social Security.
• SSI: the same applies. Any SSI payment for the months after the death must be returned, and money deposited after the death should not be withdrawn. If your parent's spouse also gets SSI, their amount may change, so tell Social Security.

Family members who qualify for survivor benefits may be paid for the month of death.

3. The one-time death payment ($255)

Social Security pays a one-time payment of $255 to:

• the surviving spouse who was living with your parent, or
• a surviving spouse who lived apart but can get benefits on your parent's work record, or
• if there is no spouse, a child who can get benefits on the record (generally 17 or younger, 18 or 19 and in school full time, or any age with a disability that began before 22).

Apply within 2 years of the death, by phone at 1-800-772-1213 or through a my Social Security account.

4. Monthly benefits for the surviving parent

A widow or widower may get monthly survivor benefits if they:

• are 60 or older (50 to 59 with a disability), and
• were married at least 9 months before the death, and
• did not remarry before 60 (50 if disabled).

They can get benefits at any age if they care for the deceased's child who is younger than 16 or has a disability. Divorced spouses can qualify too.

Survivor payments start at 71.5% of the late spouse's benefit and rise to 100% at the survivor's full retirement age. If the surviving parent already gets their own benefit, Social Security pays the higher of the two, not both. Full details: Survivor benefits.

5. The final tax return

The final federal income tax return is prepared the same way as when the person was alive: report income up to the date of death and claim the credits and deductions they qualify for.

• It is usually due by April 15 of the year after the death, the same date it would have been due anyway.
• The personal representative (executor) files it on Form 1040 or 1040-SR. A surviving spouse can file a joint return.
• To claim a refund, file Form 1310 with the return.
• If your parent had not filed returns for earlier years, those may need to be filed too.

6. If your parent was a veteran

VA burial benefits can include:

• a burial allowance and plot or interment allowance toward funeral and burial costs, and payment for transporting the remains. For a death on or after October 1, 2026 that was not caused by military service, VA lists $1,032 for burial and $1,032 for a plot. Apply online or with VA Form 21P-530EZ, generally within 2 years of the burial. A surviving spouse listed on the veteran's VA profile is paid a set amount automatically.
• burial in a VA national cemetery (scheduling office 1-800-535-1117).
• a free headstone, marker or medallion (1-800-697-6947) and a Presidential Memorial Certificate.
• a U.S. flag for the casket or urn: apply with VA Form 27-2008 through the funeral director, a VA regional office or a post office.
• survivor pension or compensation for the surviving spouse or dependent children.

VA benefits hotline: 1-800-827-1000.

7. Other things to do

• Keep several certified copies of the death certificate. Banks, insurers and pension plans ask for them.
• Contact any pension plan, life insurance company and the bank.
• If your parent had a representative payee or you were their payee, tell Social Security.
• Watch for mail about Medicare or a drug plan and call the plan if premiums are still being charged.
• Tell banks and credit card companies about the death.

Protect your parent's identity

Thieves sometimes use a dead person's information. To reduce the risk:

• Send each of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) a copy of the death certificate and ask them to put a "deceased alert" on your parent's credit report. Check the reports for activity.
• Limit personal details in the obituary, such as the date of birth or mother's maiden name.
• File your parent's final tax return. If the IRS tells you a return was already filed in their name, you can file Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) for them.

Free help

• Eldercare Locator: 1-800-677-1116, for local help for the surviving parent.
• Benefits check: see what the surviving parent may now qualify for, for example SSI or help with Medicare costs.

Related guides

• Managing a parent's benefits: representative payee and power of attorney
• Social Security survivor benefits

Check what you may qualify for