Receiving Social Security Survivor's Benefits?

cybergrannie
Gold Feedback Medal for All Time! 949 Feedbacks

September 5, 20180 found this helpful

It is a fact that most people do not know how survivor benefits for children are supposed to be use.

• Since this is a one year old it would seem that money would be needed for all kinds of things; such as food, clothing, diapers, housing, utilities, doctors, transportation, and other things I feel sure.
• I am not sure what "people" are telling you that money is being spent on but many times there is not much left over after "necessities" have been taken care of.
Advertisement


• The guardian should also be receiving a check due to the fact that she is taking care of a young child.
• But - still - the answer is yes - you can make an inquiry but the Social Security Administration may want to know about things that you may not have privy too and may question if you believe the child is being neglected.
• If you feel the guardian is not taking care of your sister properly then by all means you should be reporting it to someone.
• As a general rule, the Social Security Administration can require an annual reporting of how the money was used and you can request that be done but the SSA has set guide lines and receive many complaints about how funds are being used because, as I stated in the beginning, most people do not understand how the funds are supposed to be used.
Advertisement


• Here is an article with information on how a child's benefits are supposed to be used.
• www.livestrong.com/.../
• I believe you will need your dad's SS number to be able to report this but the SSA will only take whatever information you supply and they will not disclose any information to you and they will not tell you what will happen or if anything does happen you will not be informed.
• What does happen will be entirely at their discretion and will depend a lot on just how much credibility the information you supply actually has.
• Sometimes people do not like the way someone is living their life and feel it is their responsibility to make sure the person is using "free" money the way it is supposed to be used.
• If you feel you should report this person to the SSA, then you should take steps to do so.
• I just think you should be prepared to state what you think is wrong with the way your sister is being cared for.

Judy
Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts

September 5, 20180 found this helpful

Social Security has every right to ask for receipts and bills to prove that the money was used for the childs care. If you are sure the money is not being used appropriately, you could report it.

Pghgirl40
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 196 Feedbacks

September 6, 20180 found this helpful

You have my sympathy on the loss of your father. You are to be commended on caring about your little sister.

You don't mention how old you are and if you are also receiving survivor benefits. If you are under age 18, you would want to have an adult working with you on this matter.

This sounds like a team effort is needed...for example, is there a shared grandparent alive (your father's mother or father or grandmother or grandfather) or your father's sister or brother who could help figure things out as they would also be related to this child?

No matter what you do, you need to be sure to have all of your ducks in a row and exact evidence and reasons for making your claim. You do not want to cause issues for the child or the child's mother if you do not have all the facts.

Have you or an adult you trust (like the examples above) talked to the child's mother? That would be my first step is to just see what is what. If that isn't possible and you feel you must proceed, there are different avenues.

For example, you (if you are over 18) can file a fraud report with the Social Security office using this link. There is a phone number to call for more information:

oig.ssa.gov/.../fraud-waste-and-abuse

Remember, Social Security fraud is a very serious issue so you may want to be very careful to understand exactly what is happening in this situation before you make such a report. You don't want to get yourself in any hot water for filing a false claims.

If you feel the child is being neglected or abused there is a website that gives you a how to do that also:

www.childwelfare.gov/.../

Again, you have to have very solid information before doing this.

There are many long term implications that need to be considered here! If the child's mother ended up going to jail, who would take care of the child?

Will send up prayers that this all is figured out and that everyone is safe.