Social Security Agency Makes ‘Significant Progress’ in Updating Death Records

The agency said that it’s trying to address a ‘longstanding oversight concern.’

A Social Security card sits alongside checks from the U.S. Treasury in Washington on Oct. 14, 2021. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

The Social Security Administration (SSA) in an update said that it has made headway in determining data accuracy for individuals marked as eligible to receive payments but are likely deceased.

In an April 29 statement, the agency said it “has made significant progress in improving the accuracy of death data, addressing a longstanding oversight concern,” adding that it has improved on “established procedures to identify people who have a higher likelihood of being deceased due to their age or incomplete death reports.”