Death Registration Information for Funeral Directors and Staff
Faxing Form SSA-721
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), Form SSA-721 is and has always been a voluntary report. In the past, SSA has encouraged funeral directors to fax Form SSA-721.
SSA's new policy is that if a funeral director is using an electronic death registration system (EDRS), SSA will no longer encourage that funeral director to report via faxing Form SSA-721. Please refer to the letter from Brian Cronin, SSA's Director of Payment Policy.
If a funeral director does not use an EDRS, he or she will be encouraged to continue to fax Form SSA-721. SSA distributes the SSA-721 at the local level. Each local SSA office has a supply of forms that can be supplied to funeral home staff upon request. Funeral home industry software may also include the form.