POMS Reference

DI 23510: Death Cases

BASIC (09-08)

Use this chart to determine required disability determination services (DDS) actions regarding Form SSA-831 (Disability Determination and Transmittal), notification, and any special routing instructions. For additional instructions related to these procedures, please see DI 23510.001 and DI 23510.010.

Situation Claim Type Determination DDS action

Alleged onset date (AOD) less than five full months before the month of death and no possibility of earlier onset (waiting period case). Also see, DI 23510.001C for additional instructions.

Disability insurance benefit (DIB) or disabled widow(er) benefit (DWB) (Initial or Reconsideration)

No Determination

(See, DI 81020.127 Processing “No Determination” Claims)

SSA-831 required

(Determined by current legacy system limitations) Complete only the following items not propagated by the system:

Items 30 & 31: Examiner signs and dates.

Item 34 (Remarks): Enter “Death in waiting period -- no possibility of earlier onset.”

Notification

No DDS-prepared notification is required.

SSA-831 not required

(Determined by current legacy system limitations) Process per the instructions in DI 81020.127

Established onset date (EOD) same as AOD

DIB, childhood disability beneficiary (CDB), DWB (Initial or Reconsideration)

Allowance

SSA-831

Complete as usual with the following exceptions:

Item 17 (Diary): Enter

  • NXP” for the diary type,

  • 0000” for the diary date (may be 4 or 6 characters depending on DDS legacy system), and

  • 7” for the diary reason.

Notification

No DDS-prepared notification is required.

EOD after AOD (whether the EOD is more than or less than five full months before the month of death);

or

Closed Period

DIB, CDB, or DWB (Initial or
Reconsideration)

Partially Favorable Allowance

SSA-831

Complete as usual with the following exceptions:

Item 17 (Diary): Enter

  • NXP” for the diary type,

  • 0000” for the diary date (may be 4 or 6 characters depending on DDS legacy system), and

  • 7” for the diary reason.

Do not complete for closed period cases.

Item 29 (Ltr): Enter “PSC/DL”. (If the system is unable to generate the proper disability determination notice and a manual notice must be prepared.)

Notification

Prepare a personalized disability explanation in the third person.

Routing

Route case to the field office (FO) with a Special Handling flag (see, DI 81030.090 Certified Electronic Folder (CEF) Alerts, Flags, and Messages). Alert the FO via email to release the notice attachment when the case is processed.

For electronic disability insurance benefit (eDib) cases, see DI 81020.130 Electronic Case Closure.

Severe impairment did not last 12 months nor was it the cause of death

Or

Any fully unfavorable determination (excludes “death in the waiting period”)

DIB, CDB, or DWB (Initial or Reconsideration)

Denial

SSA-831

Complete as usual with the following exceptions:

Item 29 (Ltr): Enter “PSC/DL”. (If the system is unable to generate the proper disability determination notice and a manual notice must be prepared.)

Item 34: Enter an appropriate decision paragraph from DI 23510.030 Determination Paragraph, Disability Insurance Benefit (DIB) Claim filed after Death (Chart) for DIB cases. Make no entry for DWB or CDB cases.

Notification

Prepare a personalized disability explanation in the third person.

For DWB and CDB cases, the personalized disability explanation does not include a decision paragraph.

Routing

Route the case to the FO with a Special Handling flag (see, DI 81030.090 Certified Electronic Folder (CEF) Alerts, Flags, and Messages).

Alert the FO via email that the notice attachment should be released when the claim is processed.

For eDib cases, see DI 81020.130 Electronic Case Closure.