Does $40.3 million seem like a lot of money to you? It does to me.
But to the Social Security Administration? It’s a drop in the bucket.
Or, a drop out of the bucket.
You see, while the federal government is scheduled to soon reinstate the estate tax on the wealth of deceased people, we now learn that it has also been giving money to the dearly departed.
Yes, an internal audit of the Social Security Administration revealed that it paid out more than $40 million to over six thousand dead people.
These benefits were given out weeks, months, years after receiving death certificates. The bureaucracy had been duly notified. And yet it went blithely on, continuing to send monthly checks.
Bureaucratic error. Hey, we all make mistakes. But it’s worth noting that this was an internal audit. Who knows what we’d catch if it were an external audit, with teeth?
Lately, the federal government has been talking over car companies and banks. Now the president and Congress plan to take control of the medical sector of our economy. They tell us they’ll cut medical costs by cutting waste. Yeah, right.
On a cheerier note, we needn’t fear the institution of those so-called “death panels” to cut costs. The way the feds work, there’d be no savings — they’d still be paying for care long after the patients were dead and gone.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
4 replies on “Drop Out of the Bucket”
Many years ago, my mother received Social security benefits a month before she was eligible. Mistake- we returned it.
SEVEN months later, after numerous requests for beenefits, and papers lost in the shuffle, my sister met with my mother’s Congressman. He got the matter straightened out in a matter of days..
Several MONTHS LATER, the local S.S. office called, and said that they hoped to have it resolved in another 5 or so months- which would have been over 1 year since the check sent in error was returned. When told it was reslved, months before- the local office was unaware of it.
So, that competence and organizational ability is ruining 0–I mean runnin– the banks; car compabnies, and other fiascos.
heaven help us.
I beleive it is normal for Social Security to request the money back for the month in which the elderly person dies. This was our experience when our mother died. Thankfully we had her funreal paid for ahead of time (she was almost 97) so we were not in a panic when this happened.
I can’t imagine Social Security being so generous giving benefits to family members for months or even years after the person is diseased. I am sure they asked for the money back with interest!
I have no doubt that the tombstones have PO boxes and bank accounts.
Ever heard of a guy named Crosby, or seen his DVD on the VA?
I could forward you a copy!
Keep up the good work!
Semper Fi !
Living in the land “Down Under” we have the same issues, the record keepers cannot keep there records up to date. You would think it not hard when they issue the death certificates and probate forms. Not much thought comes from the government when it knocks on your door demanding for the payment which should have been stopped by them, and it is your fault they over paid…. You always wonder what they would do, if it was someone from their family.