This bill became law on 2026-02-10 as Public Law No. 119-77.
The summary below describes the bill at the version we last reviewed; the enacted text may differ.
When the Social Security Administration has a death record, that information must now reach the federal "Do Not Pay" system — a government-wide tool used to screen benefit payments before they go out. The law also sets a new evidentiary floor: SSA may not mark someone as deceased without clear and convincing evidence, a protection against the longstanding problem of living Americans being wrongly flagged as dead and losing access to Social Security and other federal benefits. When an error is discovered, agencies that share data with SSA must be notified promptly so payments can be restored. The changes take effect December 27, 2026.
Average Household Impact
- Evidence standard for death designation — SSA must have clear and convincing evidence before recording someone as deceased in federal benefit records
Transparency & Accountability
- Death-record data sharing — SSA required to provide death information to the federal Do Not Pay system to screen benefit payments
- Error notification requirement — Partner agencies must be notified when a recipient is incorrectly identified as deceased
Congressional Summary
Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People ActThis act permanently allows the Department of the Treasury to access certain death records maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to help prevent and recover improper payments (e.g., payments to deceased individuals). The act also establishes evidentiary requirements the SSA must meet before identifying an individual as deceased.Current law requires the SSA to share its Death Master File with the Do Not Pay system maintained by Treasury for three years. The act makes this requirement permanent. Treasury must enter into an agreement with the SSA related to Treasury's share of the cost of state death data.The act also prohibits the SSA from recording a death in the master file unless the SSA has clear and convincing evidence that the individual should be presumed deceased. If an individual is incorrectly identified as deceased and provides the SSA with supporting documentation, the SSA may notify certain agencies that have access to the master file, including Treasury and federal or state agencies that provide or disburse federally funded benefits.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Public Law
- Action Date
- 2026-02-10
- Date Added
- 2026-06-26
- Source
- Congress.gov →
Like reading a bill in plain English?
We're building an app that does this for every bill in Congress and lets you tell your reps how you want them to vote. We're a small team getting ready to launch, and we're trying to show investors that real people want this. Be one of them. Help us get it built. Leave your email and we'll tell you the moment the app is ready.