If someone dies and is on social security how long does it take for the checks to be discontinued?

That would depend on if the checks are being cashed or not….

Years.. The only mechanization in place is the box on the checks envelope that says “IF Recipient deceased”.

Actually, the funeral home is required to report the death, according to the Social Security Administration. Any benefits received after the death must be returned. The SSA will ask you to return the money as soon as they figure out what is going on. I’m sure they prosecute people who deliberately stole the money.

However, family members may be eligible for continued benefits. A spouse and children under the age of 18 are eligible, among others.

Long time. Just make sure you collect the mail regularly.

Once the death is discovered, all of the money that has been used is reclaimed by the government.

Yes, @wundayatta is right, the funeral home reports the death to Social Security. They are the one entity, the Social Security Administration, that I didn’t have to call or contact myself to report my father’s death. Depending on what day of the month the person dies, the checks stop in about a month. My father died on the 4th of April and by the time the May check would have been direct deposited into his account Social Security had processed his death but if he had died later in the month it might have been too late to stop the May deposit and I would have been required to return that money, the May money, to them.

If the checks are not being cashed, they will probably continue forever. If they are cashed, someone will eventually discover it and the person cashing them will go to jail.

When the funeral home notifies the government the checks stop immediately, and usually there is a letter to have the most recent check returned.