Janke,

This is because I'm curious and was waiting to see what the 'answer' to BB's question would be, because I had no idea how SSA would handle this.......but why don't they just pay it to the deceased's estate ?

I prefer the idea that the money would go straight to the child, as the debt of the deceased could eat up the whole award, but it just seems to me that any debtors would be entitled to recover their losses.......or say a deceased man was estranged from his ex wife and child and wanted to leave all assets to his new wife.

I'm contemplating divorce and on a divorce forum, so that 'angle' may color my perception on this.