Are Dead People Collecting Social Security?

Public confusion around death records, 100-year-old data, and a minuscule number of real fraud cases have sparked a viral myth that tens of millions of dead people are collecting Social Security benefits from the U.S. government. They aren’t—but the notion that this could be true has caused controversy among the living.

Key Takeaways

• Social Security payments can sometimes be issued in error to dead people when their deaths aren’t reported right away. Still, erroneous payments represent a fraction of a percent of all payments issued.
• The default configurations and outdated software used by the SSA have created a misunderstanding among some people of how many deceased individuals are sent Social Security checks.
• Since 2015, the SSA has had an automated process for terminating payments to any Social Security recipient over the age of 115.
• Failing to report a death—or being mistakenly reported dead—to the Social Security Administration can cause serious legal and financial headaches.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) receives over 3 million death reports every year from government agencies, funeral establishments, financial institutions, and relatives of deceased individuals. Less than 0.3% of those deaths are reported incorrectly.

Improper payments can occur in these cases, but Social Security fraud among the dead is nowhere near as widespread as the Trump administration has claimed: Less than 1% of all Social Security payments are made in error, according to the agency’s internal data.

Still, the idea of someone receiving benefits long after they’ve passed has people wondering: Are dead people really collecting Social Security, and if so, what are the consequences?

Why Does the Public Think Dead People Are Getting Social Security Checks?

In February 2025, President Trump and Elon Musk claimed that “millions and millions of people over 100 years old” are still listed as alive in the SSA’s records and therefore must still be receiving benefits. While those records do exist, the associated individuals aren’t necessarily getting Social Security checks from the government.

A report from the SSA confirmed that “almost none” of the flagged individuals are currently receiving payments. According to Lee Dudek, the new acting commissioner of the SSA, many of the individuals who are allegedly receiving benefits were born before 1920 and simply haven’t had their death formally recorded in the system.

This is partly due to the Social Security Administration’s legacy software, which can default to a birth date of more than 150 years ago when information is missing or incomplete.

In other cases, placeholder data has been manually entered, but it is not evidence of fraud: In fact, the SSA implemented an automated process in 2015 to stop all benefits payments after a beneficiary reaches age 115.

These direct beneficiary payments are completely separate from survivor benefits, which are monthly payments legally issued to the surviving spouse, child, or dependent of an individual who paid Social Security taxes prior to their death.

What Happens When Someone Does Get a Social Security Check After Death?

Occasionally, a Social Security payment goes out after someone dies if a funeral home or an official agency didn’t report the death.

Nick Bour, founder and CEO of Inspire Wealth, said that if relatives don’t report the death of a Social Security beneficiary, it could lead to issues like ACH recapture, legal action, and potential criminal fraud charges, and surviving family members are left to face the financial consequences.

“If a joint bank account was the recipient of the funds, such as a spouse, it could create loss or suspension of government benefits,” said Bour. “It could also lead to issues … if the SSA demands that funds are returned, possibly leading to a financial hardship for a surviving spouse.”

Bour noted that most funeral homes report deaths promptly, but you should “always confirm to avoid these potential complications and problems.”

What If Social Security Thinks You’re Dead?

If you receive Social Security benefits and your death is reported by mistake, your benefits will stop, and you’ll need to act quickly to restore them.

“Contact your local SSA office right away to correct the record [and] restore benefits,” said Yehuda Tropper, CEO of Beca Life Settlements.

Tropper added that you should get a letter from the SSA confirming the corrections so you can bring it to your banks and creditors. Bour recommended monitoring your credit report and your finances after the correction is made to “make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

The Bottom Line

Most Social Security death records and payments are accurate and proper, and millions of dead people aren’t getting funds that should be given to living recipients. However, technical or human errors in death records can occur, and they can have big consequences.

If a loved one passes away, report it to the appropriate government agencies right away to prevent costly complications. And if you are mistakenly declared dead to the SSA, act quickly to set the record straight. A little paperwork upfront can save a lot of stress down the road.