Karen Holden, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who researches social security and pensions, said that in most cases, if an individual dies before their payment distribution date, there is no workaround.
“When people apply for compassion allowances, their doctors clarify when the individual was first impacted by their illness; however, even if that date falls before the date of application, the person is subject to a five-month waiting period,” Holden said.