A database listing Americans who have died since the 1960s, the Death Master File is used by the SSA and other federal agencies to determine when to stop paying out benefits to those no longer alive. The database also is used by businesses trying to authentic customers’ identification and prevent identity theft.

Previous investigations have found that SSA officials did not update the database in a timely manner. A new report from the agency’s inspector general uncovered similar concerns, only this time SSA was faulted for not properly recording the deaths of 1.2 million Americans.

As a result of this failure, numerous federal agencies, such as those dispensing farm subsidies and Medicare , continued to send out checks to people who were dead.

In some cases, SSA did manage to update its own records to prevent some of the deceased from continuing to receive Social Security checks. The IG report said that, in 2010, 681 deceased beneficiaries had earnings that were recorded one or more years after their deaths.

The Death Master File is now available as a free app for iPhones and Android phones.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

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