Problem Solver: Dead Man Walking

Why did the Social Security Administration and the IRS have a man listed as "deceased" on their records? 7 On Your Side finds out what can be done to help.

By: Dianne Derby | WSPA-TV
Published: July 15, 2008

Imagine if your father passed away but the Social Security Administration also listed you as deceased! The headache one man faced from this mistake was something 7 On Your Side wanted to take on. Dianne Derby gets him the attention he needs in a 7 On Your Side Problem Solver.

Have you ever seen a dead man walking? Well take a look at Thomas Sosbee, Jr. He's alive and well...sort of... the Social Security Administration has listed him as deceased.

"We went to vacation in May and when we got back we checked on our taxes," said Sosbee. "When we called I just turned 50 and found out I was dead at 49."

Sosbee said it all started when he sent the death certificate for his father, Thomas Sosbee Sr., to the SSA back in December of 2006.

Sosbee says the first time he went to the Social Security office in downtown Spartanburg to get help...

"The lady said 'No you're not dead' she put it in the computer and it came up you're deceased," said Sosbee. "(I said) 'Well I'm sitting here and I'm alive and everything now how can you tell me I'm dead'."

SSA spokesperson Patti Patterson spoke with us by phone from Atlanta. She said she didn't know how the error was made but said it was not a case of Jr. versus Sr.

"We certainly apologize for Mr. Sosbee for the inconvenience that this has caused him and want to assure him we have taken action and we did as soon as it was brought to our attention," said Patterson.

Patterson says the SSA passed on the update to the IRS...but Sosbee was still hitting dead ends.

"He eats, he breaths, he walks, I wash clothes for him, he goes to work, he pays taxes they collect and yet they won't give any of it back," said Sosbee's wife Cheryl.

"It's like somebody's sitting on a pot of gold and it's not here," said Thomas.

When we asked IRS spokesperson Mark Hanson for help he wouldn't breathe a word about the case citing federal privacy laws...even though we had a signed letter from Mr. Sosbee giving us access to his case.

But we spoke with the Taxpayer Advocate office in Columbia who said a local office was working to put the case to rest.

If you are having a problem with the Social Security Administration call 1-800-772-1213.

Also for cases where you just can't get anywhere with the IRS we urge you to call your local taxpayer advocate's office. For a list of locations click here.