Social Security Provides Update about its Death Record
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: March 26, 2025
We announced yesterday that more than three million deaths are reported to the Social Security Administration each year and explained that our records are highly accurate. Of these millions of death reports received each year, less than one-third of 1 percent are erroneously reported deaths that need to be corrected.
Deaths are reported to Social Security primarily from the States, but also from other sources, including family members, funeral homes, Federal agencies, and financial institutions. In a 2008 audit report, the Inspector General noted that “SSA receives most death reports from funeral homes or friends/relatives of the deceased. SSA considers such first party death reports to be verified and immediately posts them to the Death Master File.”
Instances when a person is erroneously reported as deceased to Social Security can be devasting to the individual, spouse, and dependent children. Benefits are stopped in the short term which can cause financial hardship until fixed and benefits restored, and the process to prove an erroneous death will always seem too long and challenging.
If a person suspects that they have been incorrectly listed as deceased on their Social Security record, they should contact their local Social Security office as soon as possible. They should be prepared to bring at least one piece of current (not expired) original form of identification. Social Security takes immediate action to correct its records and the agency can provide a letter that the error has been corrected that can be shared with other organizations, agencies, and employers.
For additional information, please visit What to do when someone dies.
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Sue L.
But I’m sure this won’t be achieved over the phone so driving hours to the “local” Social Security office is just a short and easily accessible drive (sarcasm) for the elderly, disabled or others. With the expected reduction in staff and office locations, this will only get worse. Those making these decisions in Washington, DC, seem to forget what these “little” inconveniences are for everyday individuals.
Mary
I find it interesting that you only report the error rate on erroneously reported deaths that need to be corrected. We all know that reporting deaths that really didn’t happen hardly ever occurs. How about reporting the error rate for payments made to dead people! That is the statistic we all want to know!
KarleenB
There should be 0% errors. A certified Death Certificate should be required. Most businesses / financial institutions / etc require this. I went through this when my husband passed 3 years ago. What proof of identity is required when accepting a death report?
Lisa E.
This happened to me in 2021 due to third party A1 reported me deceased. Temporarily lost pension and benefits as well as bank account access. Still having issues 4 years later with IRS. Currently working with House Representative and Taxpayer Advocate Service again. The coordination between agencies does not work as every year this is a problem.
Helene
what do you do as an agency, to find deaths not reported thru the stated means above? and about what % of total people collecting are these unreported deaths.
Joe A.
So if no one reports a Death they still get checks. So is DOGE correct and you still show 150 year old people on the books?
Freddie J.
I am a Retired U.S. Army SFC, U.S. Citizen living in David, Panama. We live here mostly because of my Service Connected Divisibility. My Wife and I have have sent in two (2) Proof of Life forms, because we read on the internet that IRS was saying people in their 70’s needed to. Can you please tell me if you have received them and if we need to send them in if the IRS doesn’t request them?
Freddie J Kimball
8097
Linda R.
There is no mention of the citizens? Who are 120 years old and up and still receiving benefits. Why is this
happening and who is getting this money? Social security has been bastardized to the point that citizens who qualify are not reaping the benefit of what was paid into the fund and em p loyrrs
M W.
Hi, please forward this post to “DOGE” and Mr. Musk as they—actually just Mr. Musk—seem to have misunderstood (bc I am SURE Mr. Musk would nevvvvvvver ‘fudge’ the data nor over-exaggerate the numbers) how to interpret this information. I also would like the Republican leadership in Congress to read this blog as well bc apparently THEY are confused as well. As noted in this article, the erroneous disruption of benefits can be “disastrous” for recipients. I completely agree! I will even further state that if Social Security benefits should be stopped for ANY reason—such as , say, if an unelected person should take it upon themselves to illegally access a beneficiary’s personal information and said person thinks he has the authority to stop or affect the payout in any way—THAT would be every bit as DISASTROUS, if not more so. So thank you for making it known that leadership at the SSA is aware that the number of “dead people “ receiving benefits is minuscule despite what “DOGE” wants to pretend. Finally, I would like to take this moment to say publicly that the SSA has been working well for decades. There is ZERO need to privatize the SSA. We the People object to any such idea simply bc if it ain’t broke-as admitted in this blog post-it don’t need fixin’. Thank you SSA!
Joe A.
UNELECTED PEOPLE RUN EVERYTHING ! SO YOUR REPLY IS TOTAL NONSENSE. WE WANT WASTE OUT OF GOVERNMENT OR THIS COUNTRY DEBT OF 36 TRILLION WILL END ALL SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE!!!!!!!
Sara
You mention how wonderfully SSA ran for decades, I hear mostly concerns of it running out of money (from both parties)
Finally I would like to say the article is about people mistakenly reported dead, not the dead who are still receiving benefits.
This is a sad attempt at damage control.
Richard S.
Why is my social security so low compared to my pay into the system.
C.B.
Hi, Richard. Thanks for reading our blog. Benefits are based on earnings. When an individual is eligible to retire, we use the highest 35 years of earnings to compute their benefit amount. If the individual does not have 35 years of earnings, we will use all of the earnings on the record. We will factor in an annual total of $0.00 earnings for each of the remaining years. For more information, please read Your Retirement Benefit: How It’s Figured. We hope this information is helpful.