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Archiver > TMG > 2001-07 > 0993971675


From: "Cheri Casper" <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] OT SSDI
Date: Sun, 1 Jul 2001 00:14:35 -0700
References: <20010630.221444.-498607.6.dean.scribner@juno.com>


Yes, but weren't both drawing benefits at one time or another? If that is
the case, then the checks that came after the death had to be returned and
that would clue SS that the person was deceased. In my dad's case I think
he is listed because he died in a VA hospital. A family member who shall
remain nameless and relationshipless would have continued to cash the checks
and never let SSA know about his death so I am sure that it came from the
VA.

My grandpa never drew SS (railroad retirement); he is not listed, nor is his
wife, who got RR spousal benefits, but not SS. My great-grandma who died in
1959 and whom I remember well, is not listed. Her husband died in 1922
(before the SS system) so unless she had earnings of her own, wouldn't have
been eligible. Apparently after he died she never worked outside the home
(she was probably getting some sort of RR benefit, also).

According to The Source, A Guidebook of American Genealogy there were 58.2
million deaths between 1962 and 1991. Of those, only 42.5 (73%) are in the
SSDI. It goes on to say that "if a person is not included in the index, it
may be because a Social Security number was never issued; the survivors may
not have reported the death to the SSA; the death may have been reported
before computerization began; or the information was simply not included."
p. 638

I am sure there are exceptions to these statements. Wouldn't be great if we
could find every ancestor who died since 1936 in the index?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dean Scribner" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, June 30, 2001 9:03 PM
Subject: Re: [TMG] OT SSDI


> My father is listed in the SSDI. He was an unremarried widower in his
> 82nd year. His benefit checks stopped immediately upon his death. I am
> his only child, and I did not report anything to the Social Security
> Administration.
>
> My aunt is listed in the SSDI. She was an unremarried widow in her 72nd
> year. All her children were adults with children of their own when she
> died.
>
> Dean
>
> On Sat, 30 Jun 2001 17:39:13 -0500 Lady Bonita <>
> writes:
> > It was my understanding that the only people who are listed on the
> > SSDI
> > were 1) people who's benefits would be going to someone else ..
> > spouse,
> > child, etc. and 2) that the children reported all the death
> > information
> > .. not just that they were deceased.
> >
> > Is that incorrect?
> >
> > Bonita
> >
> > Dean Scribner wrote:
> >
> > > There are untold thousands of people who should have been listed
> > in the
> > > SSDI, but were not, including at least one of my uncles, and my
> > own
> > > mother, whose Social Security card I still have, and who worked
> > in
> > > employment covered by Social Security from before the day her card
> > was
> > > issued in 1936 until the mid-1960's and received her second
> > Social
> > > Security retirement check the month she died, but she has never
> > appeared
> > > in the SSDI.
> > >
> > > The Social Security Administration has traditionally accepted an
> > amazing
> > > number of different kinds of evidence of age and birthdate or
> > birthplace,
> > > including church baptismal records, marriage records, driver's
> > licenses,
> > > insurance policy applications, census records, school report
> > cards, voter
> > > registration records, even a child's birth certificate which shows
> > the
> > > mother was old enough to bear a child at the time. It has always
> > been
> > > inconvenient to apply for benefits when a modern birth certificate
> > is not
> > > available, sometimes difficult, but never impossible.
> > >
> > > Dean
> > >
> > > On Sat, 30 Jun 2001 10:53:07 EDT writes:
> > >
> > >> Cherie,
> > >>
> > >> One of my grandmothers was never able to receive social security
> >
> > >> because they
> > >> said she could not prove that she was born! (She was born in the
> >
> > >> 1880's,
> > >> before birth certificates or birth records were kept in the place
> >
> > >> where she
> > >> was born.) When she tried to apply, only her children were
> > living;
> > >> all of her
> > >> siblings already had died. Had a sibling been living, their
> > >> statement/verification would have been proof that she was whom
> > she
> > >> said she
> > >> was. I have always thought this was very sad. She, of course, is
> > not
> > >> listed
> > >> on the SSDI.
> > >>
> > >> Frankie
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>> I have hunted for my grandpa several times on the SSDI with no
> > >>
> > >> luck. Will
> > >>
> > >>> keep trying. Thanks for the tip.
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> >
> >
>

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