My wife passed away November 1, 2018. We'd been married since valentine's day 1975.
I went into s.s. office Nov 26, 2018 to enquire about her final check, as it had not shown up in our account. She was entitled to that (October) payment because she had lived till November 1.
For 5 months now, I have been getting the runaround and delay like I've never seen before.
At 1st it was 'you'll receive the payment in 15 days.
15 days later and another hours wait on the phone it became 30 days, and I kept hearing 30 days for 5 months now.
The most recent call was a '2nd top priority note' to the higher ups and if that doesn't work it will be a manager to manager call. That date came, and went, today. Now its '15 working days'.
It's been 5 months! Come on!!
I imagine s.s. does this 'department wife's, knowing many will just give up, saving s.s. millions. They're not going to go searching the bereaving out to inform them they have money owed to them.
It's bad enough I have to live out my life now without my soulmate. They have to pour salt in the wiynd by making me hump jump thru every conceivable hoop they can come up with. I see no end to this. I've been on hold 7 times for over 12 hours and twice to the s.s. office.they keep saying YOULL GET THE MONEY. Right! If only I could so the same with my bill collectors. How patient would they be?
Hi,
I'm sorry for your loss.
It's a shame that you've been getting such a run around from Social Security. It shouldn't take nearly as long as you've waited to receive an underpayment like you appear to be due, so I'm not sure what's taking them so long.
Assuming that your own benefit rate was higher than your wife's rate and you don't qualify for widower's benefits, you would probably need to complete and submit a form in order to get Social Security to reissue your wife's missing last payment to you. If that hasn't been done, that may be the root of the problem. You can find a link to the required form on the following Social Security website: https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-1724.html.
Best, Jerry
