The Social Security Administration appoints a payee to receive the Social Security or SSI benefits for anyone who can’t manage or direct the management of their benefits.
A trusted family member or friend can be nominated to be a representative payee, but is subject to the Social Security Administration’s approval
.
Do Social Security representative payees get paid?
While most people receive their Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments directly, some need assistance in managing their benefits.
Payments to these individuals are paid through a representative payee
who receives the check on behalf of the beneficiary and provides for their personal needs.
Who can be a representative payee for Social Security?
In most cases,
someone who knows you asks us if he/she
can be your payee. It may be a family member, a friend, a legal guardian or a lawyer. In some cases social service agencies, nursing homes or other organizations offer to serve as payees.
What can a representative payee not do?
- Use a beneficiary’s funds for their own personal expenses, or spend funds in a way that would leave the beneficiary without necessary items or services (housing, food and medical care)
- Put a beneficiary’s Social Security or SSI funds in the Representative Payee’s or another person’s account.
Can a rep payee account have a debit card?
It is important to remember that
you are not allowed to give the beneficiary direct access to the bank account as the representative payee
. That means you cannot just hand over the debit card to your child. However, many companies offer programs that help young people (and adults) manage their money.
How do I hide money from SSI?
- Buying a home or paying off a mortgage, if the SSI recipient is on the title or has a lifetime agreement to be a tenant of the home. …
- Buying a car or paying off a car, if the SSI recipient is on the title.
- Buying homeowner’s insurance or car insurance.
Do you get paid for being a payee?
The fee is collected from the beneficiary’s monthly Social Security and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits
. Individuals who serve as payees are not allowed to collect a fee for performing payee services.
Can a payee go to jail?
Payees are required to spend the beneficiary’s money only on the payee’s medical needs and personal expenditures.
If a representative is caught misusing a beneficiary’s funds, he or she will not only have to repay the beneficiary, but also face fines and even imprisonment if found guilty
.
Can a payee withhold money?
Your Representative Payee Cannot Withhold Funds as Punishment
. The funds in a beneficiary’s account are to be used for the beneficiary only. Period. The representative payee cannot make decisions about the funds that are not in the best interests of the beneficiary.
What can I spend my disability money on?
After paying for the disabled person’s food, shelter, clothing, medical and dental costs, and any rehab expenses, the representative payee can spend disability benefit money on
personal comfort items and recreation costs
(such as outings, movie tickets, or magazine subscriptions).
Who is entitled to death benefits in Social Security?
A widow or widower age 60 or older (age 50 or older if they have a disability). A surviving divorced spouse, under certain circumstances. A widow or widower at any age who is caring for the deceased’s child who is under age 16 or has a disability and receiving child’s benefits.
What can a representative payee spend money on?
You can only use money in a dedicated account for the following expenses:
Medical treatment and education or job skills training. Personal needs related to the child’s disability — such as therapy and rehabilitation, special equipment, and housing modifications
.
What disqualifies you from being a payee?
REMEMBER: The Social Security Act prohibits anyone from serving as payee
if he or she was ever convicted of a violation under section 208, 811, or 1632(a)
. This prohibition is permanent; that is, if an individual was ever convicted under one of these statutes, he or she is barred from serving as payee for life.
Do rep payees get stimulus checks?
In this case,
representative payees will receive the stimulus payments on behalf of their beneficiaries in the same way they get monthly benefit payments
— namely, by direct deposit, Direct Express debit card or paper check.
Can Social Security check your bank account?
For those receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the short answer is
yes, the Social Security Administration (SSA) can check your bank accounts because you have to give them permission to do so
.
Can I spend my SSI on anything?
While you can use your SSI benefits for
virtually anything that’s legal
, you must be wary of using the money in ways that can increase your resources. For example, purchasing luxury items is not prohibited, but it can increase your assets and may push your resources past the limit.
How does a representative payee account work?
What is a Representative Payee? A representative payee is a person or an organization.
We appoint a payee to receive the Social Security or SSI benefits for anyone who can’t manage or direct the management of his or her benefits
. .
How much can my car be worth on SSI?
The SSA is not concerned with the value of the vehicle
. Owning one $20,000 car won’t count hurt you. However, owning two cars that are valued at just over $1,000 will count against you.
How much money can I have in bank on SSI?
To get SSI, your countable resources must not be worth more than
$2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple
. We call this the resource limit. Countable resources are the things you own that count toward the resource limit. Many things you own do not count.
How far back can SSI check your bank account?
Any payments that you get from SSI or Social Security for past months won’t be counted as a resource for
nine months after the month you get them
. If there are any past payments left over after the nine-month period, they’ll count as resources.
How does SSI know your assets?
When determining what your assets or resources are, the SSA will review things such as how much cash you have, bank accounts, savings accounts, land, life insurance, personal property, vehicles and pretty much anything else that you own that you could sell and use to pay for housing and food for your family.
Does representative payee end at death?
If the beneficiary dies, any saved benefits belong to his or her estate
. They must be given to the legal representative of the estate or otherwise handled according to state law. If you need information about state law, contact the probate court or an attorney.
How long do you have to spend your back pay from Social Security?
You must spend your back payment
within six months
so that your total resources are below $2,000. If you don’t you may receive more than you are supposed to and your SSI payments may stop. Call Social Security’s toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on business days.
Can you have two rep payees?
Payees of some individuals who are entitled to Social Security benefits on two different Social Security numbers will receive two different Representative Payee Report forms during the same year
. Each report form will show a different SSN and will ask the payee about the amount of benefits that were paid on that SSN.
How do I transfer my payee for SSI?
When you want to change your rep payee,
go to your Social Security Administration field office and request a change of payee
. You will be given a form to fill out, and guidance will be provided if necessary.
