Becoming a Representative Payee for Social Security

Dio

Is there any benefit to becoming DH's representative payee? Seems it requires a lot of trouble to get approval and possibly having to open a separate savings/checking account and keep accounting of this money. Currently, every monthly payment is auto deposited and available to pay for bills. So why is this needed?

fayth

I live in Wisconsin and had POA for financial/health, etc. I was NOT DH's rep payee for Social Security. The check went into a joint account. This worked from the time he was eligible until his death. I wonder if rep payees are more for those who are not spouses or don't have POA?

Joe C.

I am aware of people that have done this for family members that do not have there own bank accounts but I don’t see any benefit in our situation. I am assigned as DW’s representatives on her social security account since she is no longer capable, I can make changes such was bank account information but that is different from a payee.

ButterflyWings

I became rep payee for my DH in order to legally divert those funds (his only income) to where they needed to be. They go into a bank account in his name, with my name as signatory too - rep payee and wife.

It was the only way to keep him from depleting those assets after a couple of months where he got the check, cashed it, and poof -- I went looking for a solution and forum mates explained about Rep Payee.

I use online banking to pay it toward part of the mortgage, other major bills and living expenses, prescriptions, medical bills etc. Although I technically could generate a check from the account and sign it for him, without generating any kind of red flag, he would not be allowed to do that. Both of us would have to sign. He can't due to his condition now anyway, but there was a time when that's all that saved us from his financial mismanagement.

DH was depleting assets rapidly and I am POA but the SS administration does not recognize POAs. So, if there is any question that your LO might disagree with how you use the funds, or might access them and divert it, Rep Payee is the way to guard against this. This is a separate bank account, no co-mingling if there ever is a question of what I spent his SS income on. So, it was safer, easier, and provides documentation.

If he were not declining, it could theoretically be reversed if he no longer needed a rep payee at some point, but sadly, AD only goes one way.

Crushed

I am DW's rep payee. I found that SS simply will not talk to you unless you are.

My bank BOA set up a free separate account Payment comes in every month and is immediately shifted to the joint account

Dio

Crushed is so right. SS refused to talk to me unless I became DH's rep payee. I only wanted to ask a question, not to change anything. But it was a flat NO, can't divulge any info if I'm not his rep payee.

Joe C., how were you able to become your wife's representative without becoming a rep payee? I didn't see any category for "rep" only. I even told the SS person on the phone that I just have a question. She said she couldn't help me unless I became the rep payee...ugh.

It's a lot of work to pull all the documents they require so that SS will review my application. Good grief. I know these rules are set in place to help secure our info, but somehow common sense gets lost.