TMG-L Archives

From: Miriam <>
Subject: [TMG] SSDI Info
Date: Mon, 02 Jul 2001 20:02:11 -0400

This might explain who might be found on the SSDI:
"The database is an index to basic information about persons with Social
Security numbers whose deaths have been reported to the Social Security
Administration. The death may have been reported by a survivor requesting
benefits. It may have been reported in order to stop Social Security
Benefits to the deceased. Funeral homes often report deaths to the SSA as a
service to family members. Beginning in 1962, the SSA began to use a
computer database for processing requests for benefits. About 98% percent
of the people in the SSDI died after 1962, but a few death dates go back as
far as 1937. Because legal Aliens in the U.S. can obtain a Social Security
card, their names may appear in the SSDI if their deaths were reported.
Some 400,000 railroad retirees are also included in the SSDI.
The Social Security Death Index is not an index to all deceased individuals
who have held Social Security Numbers. It is not a database of all deceased
individuals who have received Social Security Benefits, or whose families
have received survivor benefits."
As a long-time social security employee, I have read with interest the
speculation on the list recently. The above explanation is pretty close.
Many funeral homes report deaths to SSA routinely as a service to the
family. They usually furnish the name, social security number, date of
birth and date of death of the deceased as well as the name, address, and
phone number of any surviving spouse. Funeral homes began reporting to SSA
many years ago when a lump-sum death payment of up to $255 was often paid
to the funeral home if there was no surviving spouse.

Also, to the person whose ancestor never got social security because "she
couldn't prove she was born" it was probably because she could not prove
when she was born. Since age is a factor if entitlement to many types of
social security benefits, the actual date of birth often determines whether
a person is entitled as well as the amount of the benefit.

One other thing - there will be no record on the SSDI as long as a survivor
is receiving social security benefits on that deceased worker's
record. Only after the last benefit is terminated will the record be
eligible for inclusion on the SSDI.

In the earlier days of SS, the Railroad Retirement Board issued social
security numbers to railroad employees. Those numbers all began with "7."
The first three digits of other social security numbers do denote the
geographical area of assignment.

Hope you find this helpful.
Miriam

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• [TMG] SSDI Info by Miriam <>