SSA Death File Available Online

March 23, 2004 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The Social Security Administration's Death Master File (DMF) is now available online.

Plan sponsors can collect data found in the DMF either via Web in a search function on the Internet or as raw data on a CD.   This would allow for a cross reference of payments being made to retirement plan participants against records the Social Security Administration has of deaths, thereby cutting down on errors or potential fraud , according to the National Technical Information Service (NTIS).

Contained in the DMF areover 65 million records of deaths that have been reported to the Social Security Administration.   Each file includes the same data available to the Administration, which includes:

  • social security number
  • name
  • date of birth
  • date of death
  • state or country of residence
  • ZIP code of last residence
  • ZIP code of lump sum payment.

The NTIS though caveats the information by saying the Social Security Administrationdoes not have a death record for all persons.   Thus, the fact that a name is not found in the DMF is not proof that the person is alive.

More information is available at www.ntis.gov/ssa-dmf .  

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