Two month’s ago, I shared how easy my appointment and the process was to become the “representative payee” with the Social Security Administration (SSA) for my parent’s using my durable power of attorney.
I was told I would get all the details mailed to me within 4 weeks. At 6 weeks, I started to call and cursed my belief that SSA would live up to the promise of services. The window for phone inquiries is relatively small (M, T, TH & F from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., W 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.). On my first call during the “open” hours, the call volume was so heavy, I took the option to request a return call. A half of an hour later a woman calls from their central phone bank who is unable to help me. I am told I need to back during office hours to reach the local office. I explained that I called the number I was given during office hours. I’m told that I need to try again and know that when call volume is heavy, all calls are redirected to the central number , who in my case are unable to help me.
I tried calling more than eight times over a two-week period and was always bumped to the central phone bank. After ten weeks, my first confirmation that the process worked was my mom giving me a letter that she got from Social Security. She hands it over and asks me what it means. I tell her and she responds “Okay, Babe!” It took a lot longer than I had expected, but at least it’s finally done. Now … if only I would get the notice and details on how to login so I can update the address to make sure this year I get the tax forms. Completed.
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Sorry it took you so long. It worked fairly easily for me. I went in to the SS office to report that mom died and to request her death benefit for dad. Since dad was unable to do this for himself, they did the paperwork for me to be his personal representative. I had brought in my health care POA and durable POA when I went in.
Soon I got the papers saying I was Personal Rep and instructions on my responsibilities. Look online and you may find the answers to your questions. They also have a pamphlet on being a personal representative. It sure simplified my life.
It does require that you create a specific bank account in which the parent is the beneficiary and the personal representative is the one who signs all the paperwork and the checks, etc. This is a totally separate account just for social security income and in our case, I use it only to pay dad’s rent about 3 times a year as Social Security income is about 25% of the cost of one month’s rent in his ALF. The rest comes from his pension and mostly savings.
Thanks … can’t imagine how the sequestration might make it worse for others! Thankfully, it’s all set up to deposit into the bank account in their name, of which I am included. I initially just wanted to change the mailing address! Onward and upward.
Glad you finally had success after such a frustrating experience.
Me too! Sadly, so far, they are still one of the easier institutions to navigate. I’m still working through the process with several others.