Representative Payee Services
A representative payee is an organization appointed by SSA to receive Social Security and/or SSI benefits for someone who cannot manage or direct someone else to manage his or her money. The main responsibilities of a payee are to use the benefits to pay for the current and foreseeable needs of the beneficiary and properly save any benefits not needed to meet current needs. A payee must also keep records of expenses. When SSA requests a report, a payee must provide an accounting to SSA of how benefits were used or saved.
Required Documents to Establish Representative Payee Services
Referral Form
Service Agreement
Budget Statement
Embrace Journey's Representative Payee Service Assist with:
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Review and create a budget identifying the beneficiary’s needs
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Use payments to meet identified needs
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Saving any money left after meeting the beneficiary’s current needs in an interest-bearing account
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Reporting changes or events that could affect the beneficiary’s eligibility
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Keeping records of payments received and how the money is spent and/or saved
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Notify SSA of any changes of the payee’s circumstances that would affect payments
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Complete written reports accounting for the use of funds; and
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Return any payments to which the beneficiary is not entitled to SSA.
A representative payee is a person, agency, organization or institution we select to manage your benefits when we determine that you are unable to do so yourself or direct others to do it for you.
A beneficiary has a mental or physical impairment that may prevent them from managing or directing the management of benefits.
and/ or
An individual needs help in managing money and meeting current financial needs.
What if I already have a Power of Attorney. Do I still need a Representative Payee?
Having power of attorney, being an authorized representative or having a joint bank account with the beneficiary is not the same thing as being a payee. These arrangements do not give legal authority to negotiate and manage a beneficiary’s Social Security and/or SSI payments. In order to be a payee a person or organization must apply for and be appointed by SSA.
What is the cost to have a Representative Payee?
The law permits a qualified organization to collect a monthly fee for expenses incurred in providing services performed as such individual's representative payee. For 2023 the fee is limited to the lesser of (1) 10 percent of the monthly benefit involved, or (2) $52 per month.
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Embracing Others Through Their Journey
Steps To Obtain A Representative Payee
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A Beneficiary must determine that they are no longer able to manage their finances on their own.
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Once a decision is made our agency will work with the client to become their payee and manage their assets.
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We will conduct a meeting in person or through a virtual meeting to discuss our services and the client's needs. At this time A budget is established and forms are signed to begin the process.
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Once all the requirements are met the application will be submitted to the Social Security Administrative Office on behalf of the client.
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Upon submission of the application, it can take 30 to 60 days for payee services to be set in place.