50+ Lifestyles

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY | Davenport, Iowa Office

By Pam Shaw
Social Security District Manager
Davenport Social Security Office

MAKING WISE CHOICES WHEN A REPRESENTATIVE PAYEE MANAGES YOUR MONEY

Some of the millions of people who get monthly Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits need help managing this money. A person assigned to help you manage your monthly benefits is called a representative payee. We may decide you need a representative payee if we receive information that indicates you need help to manage your money. We try to select someone who knows you and wants to help you. Your representative payee should be someone who you trust, who sees you often, and who clearly understands your needs.

A representative payee receives your monthly benefits on your behalf and must use the money to pay for your current needs. Eligible costs include:

• housing and utilities
• food
• medical and dental expenses
• personal care items
• clothing
• rehabilitation expenses (if you’re disabled).

If there is someone you want to be your representative payee, tell a Social Security representative, and they will consider your request. Social service agencies, nursing homes, or other organizations are also qualified to be your representative payee. Ask them to contact us.

If you receive a decision that you are appointed a representative payee and don’t agree that you need one, or if you want a different representative payee, write to us within 60 days to appeal that decision.

If you can’t manage your finances, someone else can help. If you have a trusted friend or family member who can be your representative payee, this publication at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10076.pdf will provide more information on our representative payee rules.

Questions and Answers

Question:

My husband has been in poor health for some time and doctors have recently diagnosed him with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)–commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. I’ve heard Social Security has a “fast track” for some people who are disabled. Would you tell me about it?

Answer:

We have two processes to “fast track” applications for disability benefits. Our Compassionate Allowances initiative allows us to fast track certain cases of individuals with very severe disabilities. There are dozens of different types of disabilities that qualify for this expedited decision, including ALS, and that list continues to expand. Learn more about Compassionate Allowances and see the full list of conditions at www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.

Another way we speed up decisions is with our Quick Disability Determinations initiative, which uses technology to identify applicants who have the most severe disabilities and allows us to expedite our decisions on those cases. Read more about Quick Disability Determinations at www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityresearch/qdd.htm.

Question:

How much will I receive if I qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits?

Answer:

The amount of your SSI benefit depends on where you live and how much income you have. The maximum SSI payment varies nationwide. For 2020, the maximum federal SSI payment for an eligible individual is $783 a month and $1,175 a month for an eligible couple. For more information, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi.

Question:

Do disabled children qualify for benefits?

Answer:

Yes. Under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, a child from birth to age 18 may receive monthly payments based on disability or blindness if: the child has an impairment or combination of impairments that meet the definition of disability for children; and the income and resources of the parents and the child are within the allowed limits. You will find helpful information about steps to apply for childhood disability benefits in our publication, Benefits for Children with Disabilities, at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.

Question:

I need proof that I receive Medicare benefits. Where can I get a letter proving that?

Answer:

If you need proof that you get Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Medicare, get an instant benefit verification letter online by using your personal my Social Security account. If you don’t receive benefits, your letter will serve as proof that you don’t receive benefits. If you recently applied for benefits, the letter will make that clear as well. The information on your benefit verification letter will include information that applies to your situation. You can set up your secure, personal my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.