The U.S. Treasury Department has prevented nearly $100 million in taxpayer funds from being disbursed to deceased individuals since the implementation of a government-wide payment verification process last year. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service identified these payments during a review of approximately 885 million transactions totaling nearly $2.7 trillion.
Since March 2025, the screening measures flagged more than 4,900 payments, valued at approximately $99 million, associated with deceased recipients. These payments, often an indicator of fraud, were returned to their originating federal agencies for further review before any funds were issued. The Treasury stated that this $99 million represents a minimal fraction, about 0.0036%, of the total reviewed amount.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent highlighted the initiative as a fulfillment of a commitment to prevent improper payments and fraud. "Together with Vice President Vance’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, this new safeguard addresses a longstanding vulnerability and helps ensure every dollar the federal government spends reaches its intended recipient," Bessent said in a statement. He added that the department will continue to modernize the federal payment system and strengthen safeguards against fraud.
The department enhanced its use of the federal Do Not Pay program, which verifies a recipient's identity, eligibility, and bank account information prior to issuing payments, along with other new verification tools. This expansion was ordered by former President Trump. Legislation passed in 2021 provided the Treasury with temporary access to the Social Security Administration’s “Full Death Master File,” which aided in identifying some deceased payees. In February, the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act was signed into law, granting the Treasury permanent access to this death file.
The Treasury projects a net benefit of $330 million from reducing improper payments to deceased individuals.