My mom has passed but her social security check was directly deposited to our joint checking account. Will SS take it back or do I need to send it to them?

Actually, Soc. Sec. takes back the payment deposited the month the person dies then no more payment is made. Papa's payment was direct deposited the first of each month then he died on March 21 and they took the March payment back before the end of the month and never made another payment. Try to get them to act that quickly on something you want or need from them.

Our Papa's was sucked out of our account so fast it would have given you whiplash. The funeral home will take care of notifying Soc. Sec. then they will take it out and you're done.

If the deceased was receiving Social Security benefits,
you must return the benefit received for the month of
death or any later months. For example, if the person
dies in July, you must return the benefit paid in August.
If received by direct deposit, contact the bank or other
financial institution and ask them to return any funds
received for the month of death or later.

My Mom died on July 2nd. Just today, October 5th, my sister received a check for 20% of her monthly social security check. At least one of my 3 brothers has received a check to expect similar payment. The same amount was deposited to her checking account last week with my name in notation. I assume these are for what was due to our Mom for June. Since this took over 3 months, you may need to keep the account active longer. Shortly after our Moms death I received a form from SSA asking for all her dependents names, SS#s and addresses. So glad it wasn't a scam!

They can route it right back out of her account. Take a copy of her death certificate to her bank to show she passed so they can take care of this for you. It used to be that in Ohio if the checks routed before you passed then the family got to keep the money but if it routed after you passed then your family had to return it to Social Security's treasury. I didn't know this until someone pointed it out to me but check the current laws of your state. I would actually go in and visit the bank to see what to do with this particular check but her Social Security will definitely have to be stopped and the bank can help you with this

It all has to do with "when" they passed. And from some previous postings on other questions, SS can make a mistake. Like said, the check deposited in October is actually Septembers check. If a family member dies too close to the check being deposited, it's not enough time for SS to pull the check. My Mom died Sept 23. Even though notified, probably not enough time to stop the September check deposited the first week of October. This check will probably have to be returned to SS by the nursing home. I had nothing to do with SS after Mom was admitted. They were set up as payee. I think there is something about what time of the month a person passes.

Country mouse, Good point! However, I think the recipient of SS probably has to agree in the initial application that any money paid in error can be reclaimed.
In any event, I made the mistake of telling the bank to return SS paid later in the same month my loved one died. After a few months, SS repaid that amount to the estate, without my even asking.

Errr...???

I hesitate to comment on another country's banking practices, but there's a world of difference between an organisation's being able to deposit money in your bank account, and its being able to take money out of it (even if they did put it in in the first place). Do you not have to authorise the repayment, or anything at all?

They will automatically withdraw the money
Even though the funeral home called I would make a call yourself or get to one of the offices to file yourself.

126Cher is correct.
My mother passed on January 1 so the check was hers to keep. Well, it was my Dad's to keep.

Watch for pension checks as they too can and will be pulled. I had to send back Dad's pension check.

I'm sorry for the loss of your mother.

My sister died on September 4. The funeral home notified Social Security, and they took care of notifying Medicare. The social security check one receives is for the previous month. My sister's account (on which I'm a co-signer) received a check in September, which was for the month of August, so it was a valid check. I will be keeping her account open until the end of October, just in case they send a check in October (for the month of September). The bank will be notified by Social Security to return this check, which they will do, so the account needs to remain open that long, just in case. I have spoken to the bank, and I have read the rules on the Social Security website, so I am pretty sure that what I have said is accurate.

As another aside on $ after death issues, moms probate atty asked if SSA had issued a check after death and if repaid & how repaid. I’m guessing this is asked to determine if SSA will be on the list of debts / creditors against the estate.

My mom's funeral home and nursing home both called Social Security. She also received a small amount from a certificate of deposit that she had. Both places sent me a letter saying her deposits had been stopped and I would owe the money if they could not retrieve it from her account.

My mom died almost at the end of the month, she did not live the entire full month. However, her SS check was direct deposited on the 3rd of following month. SSA did a clawback within the month. FH notified SSA. In some states if they are in a facility on Medicaid, facility notifies DHHS/Medicaid, which in turn notifies SSA as well.

However her federal spouse’s retirement took almost 3 months before it too was clawed back. $ just needs to stay in whatever account was DD into. 

Only if there is a surviving spouse or existing legally recognized by SSA dependent will SSA issue a funeral expenses check of about $ 255.00.

When my parents passed both times I received a last check, and a funeral expense check. The funeral home took care of notification to the social security and military. So you should be able to keep it.

Im just recently hearing about funeral homes calling. I do not know how they can do they needed to speak directly with everyone on acct to verify short of the President when mom passed away a few years ago. I was told to call or I would not have known. I would call and find out what to do.

I believe that if you get a Social Security check for say Oct 15th 2017 and someone dies say Oct. 20th 2017. The check is really for September of 2017 the last full month that they were alive. This is my understanding so it would not get pulled. But if they die on Oct.31st and the check gets deposited Nov. 1st 2017 for the month of Oct. then if will be pulled because they only let you keep the check if you live a full month.

My dad's social security check was yanked out of his account before we signed the papers at the funeral home.

Sorry for your loss. They will withdraw it from the same account. But it may take a month or two for the paperwork to catch up. Keep enough money in the account so that this can happen. They WILL get it back and the other ways will be harder on you.