Can my mother still receive my father's social security after she dies?

Perhaps you misstated your question? Did you mean after "he" dies? If that is the question, then here is the answer:

If both are receiving Social Security when he dies then mom gets to pick either his benefit or her benefit. Usually the highest is selected (sensibly!). This is a huge problem for so many elder households, losing a third to one-half of income upon the demise of a spouse.

Was dad a vet? As a surviving spouse she may be eligible for up to $1,000 per month for care when the time comes. See: http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/pension/vetpen.htm#7

My father (a WWII vet) passed away in June 2009. I immediately filed a claim for survivor's benefit for my mother (age 90). After a full year and congressman involvement, she still had not received any payment although recently the VA decided she was eligible for aid and assistance. Unfortunately, she passed away recently and now I am told the ongoing claim (which payout was soon to come) is halted and we (the children) must now file a new claim for any payment. We were paying over $1500 monthly for a caretaker and other fees for her care. Why would it take 13 months to even decide favorably was beyond my comprehension and now to have to re-file a claim after all that time is ridiculous to me. Thus the inefficiencies of our U.S. government in taking care of their own! What are our chances of ever receiving any compensation for my mother's long term care these past 13 months now?

my mother died 10 years ago and my father was collecting her benefits what will happen if they discover that he was sighning her checks

Cat said it correctly, however, when you choose the larger of the two SS checks, the amount is not the same as your spouse received during the end of his life. I don't know why. You just don't get all of it.

Also, and this is very important: SS checks are automatically deposited into the bank account of record on the fourth Wednesday of every month.( All months havea fourth Wednesday). However, during the month of the decedent's death, that check MUST be returned to The Social Security Administration. SS will contact the bank, and the bank will contact you. This applied to all SS recipients, no matter what day of the month they died..even if they died on the last day of the month and had already received their SS check for having lived almost all of the month in which they received their check. Go figure.

Absolutely not. Each person has their own S S number and that number is assigned to only that person. After your father passes, the surviviing spouse must notify the S S Administration as to the date of death. Certificate required. The Administration will calculate 1) Whether or not the survivng spouse earned more or less in their lifetime so far. One payment will stop completely and the greater payment will take over. The spouse who survives will receive a check on the fourth Wednesday of every month which will represent the better of the two checks that theyhad beenreceiving. If there is an overpayment they will collect from your depository bank.

I AM NOT SURE IF THE RULES AND REGS ARE DIFFERENT FROM STATE TO STATE-HOWEVER, WHEN MY DAD PASSED~ MY MOM BECAME ELIGIBLE TO CONTINUE COLLECTING HERS OR TO COLLECT THAT WHAT MY DAD HAD BROUGHT IN (BUT NOT BOTH) . YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE, WILL BE ABLE TO GO THRU THE PROCESS WITH YOU.

HAP

When my husband died I did get his SS benifit because his was bigger but after taxes were taken out it was not too much more than what I was getting but every little bit helps.

I think that Mr. Robbins has very favorably honored the VA with the abilitity to offer benefits to Vets and spouses of Vets. This is simply not the case. I find that very few Vets have collected on benefits from the VA, with the exception of burial rights and life insurance.. My guess is that the requirements are difficult to meet ( low income, low assets etc.) and a long investigative process which may result in denial of benefits. Sad but true.

Your mother can elect to take her benefit, or her deceased husbands benefit - whichever is larger. She cannot however take both. So the answer is yes, she can get his benefit after he passes.

Call SSA and a rep can answer any questions you might have on how to do it.

You need to see a lawyer especially if he was receiving his own SS and hers there could be a problem unless he has dementia this is againt the law and I am suprissed the bank would be cashing the checks.