Updates, and new features for planning ahead
Important update to my Social Security’s Representative Payee portal
Millions of Americans who get monthly Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits need help managing their money and may need a representative payee. A representative payee is a person or an organization we appoint to receive the Social Security or SSI benefits for beneficiaries who can’t manage or direct the management of their benefits.
Representative payees must know the beneficiary’s needs to decide the best use of benefits for care and well-being. To help with this responsibility, representative payees can now get, save, email, and print a benefit verification letter for the person they represent using their own my Social Security account at http://www.ssa.gov/myaccount. There is no need to visit or call a field office.
Many representative payees are also responsible for completing an annual form to account for the benefit payments received. To complete this process, representative payees can either fill out the form and return it to Social Security or conveniently go online at http://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/rep-payee.html to file the report. It is important to know that a state Protection and Advocacy agency may contact the representative payee to review the receipts and records of income and expenses.
Visit http://www.ssa.gov/payee if you have questions about Representative Payees.
In control for the future
The future can be uncertain. However, Social Security’s new Advance Designation program can help put you in control of your benefits if a time comes when you need a representative payee to help manage your money. Advance Designation enables you to identify up to three people, in priority order, whom you would like to serve as your potential representative payee.
The following people may choose an Advance Designation:
Adults applying for benefits who do not have a representative payee.
Adult beneficiaries or recipients who do not have a representative payee.
Emancipated minors applying for benefits who do not have a representative payee.
Emancipated minor beneficiaries or recipients who do not have a representative payee.
If you fall into one of the above categories, you may provide and update Advance Designation information when you:
File a claim for benefits online.
Use the application available in your personal my Social Security account at http://www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
You may also change your Advance Designation(s), including the priority order, at any time while you are still capable of making your own decisions. In the event that you can no longer make your own decisions, you and your family will have peace of mind knowing you already chose someone you trust to manage your benefits.
