We all know how important the Social Security Number (SSN) is for your earnings, work benefits and receiving retirement income. The Social Security Services keep a record of people who are eligible for the benefits and the ones who are dead. Many people cheat the system as they receive benefits for dead people.
However, in one incident, a man in Seattle was declared falsely dead and barred from receiving any benefits after his retirement.
Ned Johnson tells the Seattle Times, “You wake up one day and discover you’re dead, It’s been truly surreal.” The 82-year-old Johnson was very much alive when he learnt about this mess up.
He did not know what made him a part of the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) death master file. All his benefits ended in November, the month he was marked as dead. All the funds were deducted from his bank for retirement benefits, adding up to $5,201. Johnson did not receive the benefits even till March.
Social Security Wrongly Declares Elderly Man Dead, Now He Has To Prove He’s Still Alive To Get Benefitshttps://t.co/KKRaOr414l
— Sue Powell (@SuePowell8) March 27, 2025
Moreover, his Medicare insurance was cancelled, and he was marked dead even on the credit report. Therefore, making him ineligible for a loan. Johnson was close to going broke and dumpster diving as he explains in the interview. He was totally dependent on the benefits to survive. He got a chance to make an appointment with the office after two long weeks and several calls.
Even after that, there was a delay, so he had to go to the agency’s downtown office. After waiting in a long queue, he was able to prove he was alive to the tellers. The office assured him the issue would be resolved, and he’ll receive the benefits soon.
Over the last few years, Social Security services have made some similar mistakes. Among a million death reports, less than 0.3% are incorrect and need to be rectified. Moreover, the agency made a payment of $72 billion incorrectly in the last few years. Even Elon Musk says that many people are falsely receiving social security benefits.
Social Security Administration incorrectly declares San Antonio man dead, halting benefits https://t.co/UcBPBX3Czi
— KSAT 12 (@ksatnews) April 12, 2025
Even though the opposite occurred with Johnson, it was still a grave error on the part of the social security office. Any issue, such as overpayments or missing payments, is redirected as the receiver’s fault by the office. Therefore you must be aware of such potential errors to resolve them quickly. Possible causes of these issues include human errors, data entry mistakes and administrative delays. If something similar happens to you, it’s your duty to reach out to the office and rectify the situation.
In general, you cannot blame anyone and fix the issue as soon as possible. Make sure you keep a check of your earnings and incoming benefits to learn about discrepancies. Connect with the Social Security office via phone or visit the office. You may also file an appeal if there is a delay in the meeting or correction is denied.
