The Treasury Department has blocked $175 million in federal payments tied to deceased recipients in fiscal year 2026, a significant increase from the $99 million identified earlier. This increase follows expanded government-wide screening for improper payments initiated by the Trump administration.
Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana expressed his approval, emphasizing the importance of preventing taxpayer money from being sent to deceased individuals. Kennedy highlighted his efforts in passing legislation to stop fraudsters from exploiting the system. His efforts culminated in a 2020 law that authorized temporary data-sharing between the Social Security Administration and the Treasury Department. In February 2026, the law became permanent with Trump’s signature on the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act.
The Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, recently announced additional sanctions against individuals linked to the Maduro regime. President Trump has tasked his administration with eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse across the federal government. This initiative to prevent federal benefit payments to dead people is part of that broader effort.
According to the White House spokesman Taylor Rogers, the administration is setting new standards quickly to prevent fraud and improper payments. Treasury screened over 1.1 billion federal payments totaling roughly $3.7 trillion in FY2026, identifying about 13,500 payments worth $175 million that would have gone to ineligible recipients.
A press release from Treasury Secretary Bessent stated that the department is transforming its protection of taxpayer dollars by using improved data, stronger controls, and advanced technology to prevent fraud. They have built new safeguards, verifying over $3.7 trillion in federal payments and expanded access to the Do Not Pay program from 4 to 99 percent of federal programs.
The Treasury’s Do Not Pay program screened 1.1 billion payments worth $3.7 trillion, catching 13,500 improper payments to deceased individuals. The program’s expansion stems from a March 2025 executive order by Trump to strengthen fraud safeguards. The department also screened more than 2.3 billion records against Do Not Pay data in FY2026.
New checks, fully operational as of September 30, verify that bank accounts belong to intended recipients, and validate Taxpayer Identification Numbers tied to federal payments, allowing Treasury to flag and return faulty payments before processing.