Should Mom's Old Nursing Home Keep Her Social Security?

If your mother has been in a nursing home and they have been redirecting her Social Security payments to cover her care, here's what typically happens if she leaves the nursing home to return home:

1. Ending the Redirection: Once your mother leaves the nursing home, the facility generally cannot continue to take her Social Security payments. The redirection of payments is usually specific to the time she is under their care.
    
2. Notification and Adjustment: It’s important to notify both the nursing home and Social Security Administration (SSA) as soon as your mother decides to leave. The nursing home should stop taking her payments once she’s no longer their resident. The SSA will need to be informed to redirect the payments back to your mother.
    
3. Payment Reversal: After the nursing home is notified and the necessary paperwork is completed, the nursing home should issue a refund or adjustment as needed.
    
4. Using the Payments: Once the payments are redirected to your mother, she can use them as she needs, including for mortgage payments or other living expenses.

Make sure to follow up with both the nursing home and the SSA to confirm that the payment redirection has been stopped and to check if any additional steps are needed. If you encounter difficulties, contacting a Social Security representative or seeking legal advice may be helpful to resolve any issues.