The monthly Social Security check is one of the most widely received benefits in the United States. This retirement payment is personal, individual and, in addition, is only given during your lifetime. This means that no one except the beneficiary can cash the monthly check.
And that is why some retirees choose to retire early. It is a way to squeeze as much as possible out of the monthly retirement check. Still, we must remember that the earlier we apply for the Social Security payment the smaller it will be. If we want to get a large check, we must wait until we are about 70 years old.
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Also, the death of a Social Security beneficiary directly affects family members. The moment a citizen dies while collecting a retirement benefit there are certain mandatory items we must do.
And that is that a spouse is affected at all times at the moment he or she loses his or her partner. We must not forget at any time that Social Security is an individual and personalized check.
WHAT HAPPENS TO SOCIAL SECURITY WHEN A SPOUSE DIES?
The first thing to keep in mind is that a citizen’s retirement benefit cannot be passed on to his or her spouse. Each citizen has his or her individual check. So we cannot collect payment from a different person.
Regarding this, it is also important to know that we can get a lump sum death payment. This payment can be $255 and we will get it if we meet all the requirements. Among other things, it is mandatory to prove that we lived with the deceased spouse.
On the other hand, another important fact is that any Social Security check cashed in the month of death must be returned. Likewise, any subsequent checks made out to the deceased must also be returned.
Finally, some spouses may be able to cash a Social Security check after widowhood. This is called a Survivor’s benefit. And we can apply for it in some cases. While it is true that we will not get an excessively large check it may be enough to live on.