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• Legally Dead -- but, Actually Alive!

  • When
    October 06, 2025
  •  
    11:00 AM - 11:50 AM
  • Location
    Group Live; Virtual via Zoom

  Register

  Legally Dead -- But, Actually Alive!

  Description:  You just thought you were having a bad day until you found out you had been declared dead by the Social Security Administration.  The ramifications are far-reaching, time-consuming, and costly to unravel until your records are corrected to reflect that you are actually alive.  As described on the SSA website, "Instances when a person is erroneously reported as deceased to Social Security can be devasting... Benefits are stopped in the short term which can cause financial hardship until fixed and benefits restored..." SSA's current estimates are that ~10,000 people experience such errors each year.  Court cases addressing this problem are interesting and could provide new perspectives for fraud examiners using the SSA's Death Master File for missing persons and other searches.  

  
  

  Speaker:  Benjamin (Benjy) Schirm, J.D.  As an undergraduate, he worked as an award-winning theater artist, and went on to earn a J.D. from Western Michigan University...so he could take his storytelling from the stage to the courtroom. He has contributed to legal publications in Minnesota, and is a North Star Lawyer, full-time Public Defender serving Wright County, and serves on the State and District Wellness Committees for the Office of Public Defender, is a member of the Fit-to-Practice Wellness team of the ABA YLD, is a member of a number of local boards and committees in central MN, has served on the 4th District Ethics Committee, and is an avid Ironman triathlete and ultramarathon runner. 

  
  

  Learning Objectives: After attending this session, participants will be able to: (1) Explain the ramifications of someone being erroneously declared dead by the Social Security Administration; (2) Describe several situations in which this occurred and the consequences; (3) Take corrective action in such a situation; (4) Evaluate how these types of errors might impact aspects of a fraud examination

  Recommended CPE credit & Field of Study:  1 CPE hour & Specialized Knowledge

  Refund, Cancellation & No-Show Policy: Refunds of frees paid for internet-based sessions may be provided only if registrant contacts Austin ACFE not later than 24 hours prior to the start time of the session & documents an emergency or similar event that prevented participation.  For in-person events, registration cancellations and refund request must be made by contacting Austin ACFE not later than 5 calendar days from the start time of the session.  Cancellations received less than 5 days prior to the event will not be refunded except for exigent circumstances.  Contact must be made via e-mailto:info@austinacfe.com
  

  
  

  In the event a registrant does not attend event, the registration cost will be forfeited.  If payment at the door for in-person events was the selected method, the registrant will be billed for the full cost of the event.  Austin ACFE reserves the right to bar from future events registrants who routinely register and fail to pay &/or attend events.  For events provided by the Austin chapter at no cost to registrants, there will be no refunds.
  

  
  

  Complaint Resolution Policy:  Any concerns or complaints about registration for an event must be made within 14 calendar days of the event (with the event date counting as day 1) in writing to:  info@austinacfe.com  

  
  

  NASBA Registry: The Austin Area chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org

  
  

  Non-profit Status:  The Austin Area Chapter of The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners is a non-profit organization formed in the State of Texas and registered as a 501 (C) (6) organization with the IRS.

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