What happens to SSDI benefits if a person dies?

When a person receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits dies, the benefits cease immediately. The Social Security Administration does not issue any payments for the month of death or for any subsequent months. This is because SSDI benefits are intended for the individual who is disabled and, upon death, the eligibility for those benefits effectively ends.

Dependents of the deceased may be eligible for survivor benefits, but those are distinct from the SSDI benefits that were paid to the individual before their death. Essentially, the SSDI benefits do not carry over or extend for any period after a recipient's death, aligning with the concept that these benefits are programmatically tied to the eligibility of the living claimant.