The current rules regarding rep payees without a SSN
There have been questions recently about whether or not someone who does not have a Social Security Number can be a representative payee for a child receiving Social Security cash benefits. Although there have been recent reports about a possible change, the short answer is that according to current rules, yes.
The Social Security rules, which are called POMS, state that although there is a manual process and an additional form (SSA-11BK) that must be completed to authorize a representative payee with out a Social Security Number, that this is possible. The two POMS to reference in situations where this is in question includes:
- GN 00502.117: Verifying Information Provided by a Payee or Payee Applicant
- GN 00502.190: Processing Manual Representative Payee (Payee) Selections
Key language within POMS GN 00502.190: Processing Manual Representative Payee (Payee) Selections is as follows:
“[A Social Security Representative] can manually process a payee application when the applicant does not have an SSN, i.e., an undocumented alien parent payee who cannot be assigned an SSN or foreign payee applicant. The payee applicant must complete a paper form SSA-11BK, and you must update the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) or Supplemental Security Record (SSR) with your payee selection via manual action.”
If you or someone you know has been refused representative payee status due to not having a Social Security Number, please refer them back to this information and Social Security POMS and encourage them to complete and submit the SSA-11 BK form prior to speaking with Social Security.
