social security death benefits

[MelodyD2973]

Jurisdiction

Minnesota

Grandmother has legal custody of her grandchildren (4 total) they receive county benefits including SNAP. The father of 2 of the children passed away. She is urged to sign them up for social security, the mother who has no custody of the children and hasn't had custody of them for many years, files the social security and the SSI told the grandmother that the non custodial mother has been receiving the benefits. The grandmother did not find out until the monthly county support came in cut from over $600 a month to $69. Is there any action the grandmother can take in this case???

 

[ElleMD]

Certainly she can report it to Social Security but it isn't clear that the mother is obtaining benefits unlawfully, or that Granny can file on the children's behalf. www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10085.pdf