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GN 02402.115: Power of Attorney to Foreign Financial Institutions (FI) for Title II Beneficiaries

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  • Effective Dates: 07/13/2016 - Present
  • Effective Dates: 02/21/2018 - Present
  • TN 52 (04-14)
  • TN 96 (02-18)
  • GN 02402.115 Power of Attorney to Foreign Financial Institutions (FI)
  • GN 02402.115 Power of Attorney to Foreign Financial Institutions (FI) for Title II Beneficiaries
  • A. Introduction to power of attorney to a foreign FI
  • A. General information on Power of Attorney to a foreign FI
  • Any beneficiary living outside the U.S. can use either direct deposit to a FI in the U.S. or International Direct Deposit (IDD) of title II payments to an FI in any country where it is available. However, it is not always feasible to use IDD when it is not available in the beneficiary's country of residence. For a list of countries where IDD is available, see GN 02402.200. For beneficiaries in non-IDD countries, we can grant a power of attorney to a foreign FI so we can mail checks to the FI. For more information see GN 02402.115B in this section.
  • International Direct Deposit (IDD) and corresponding banking are not available in some foreign countries where Title II beneficiaries reside. If a Title II beneficiary resides in a foreign country where IDD and correspondent banking are unavailable, we can grant Power of Attorney to a foreign FI. This allows us to mail the beneficiary’s checks to a foreign FI.
  • We should pay all title II payments electronically, unless the beneficiary:
  • * lives in a country where we have not yet made arrangements for electronic payments or
  • * states that direct deposit would cause a hardship For more information on direct deposit waiver see GN 02402.201B.1.
  • NOTE: Power of Attorney to a foreign institution is not a form of electronic payment.
  • When we send checks to the foreign FI by power of attorney, this arrangement is not a form of electronic payment.
  • B. How to process Power of Attorney requests
  • B. Policy for granting power of attorney to a foreign FI
  • If you receive a Power of Attorney request for the situation described in this section, provide the beneficiary with a form FMS 233 “Special Power of Attorney by Individuals For the Collection of Checks Drawn on the United States Treasury.”
  • The Office of Earnings and International Operations (OEIO) approves a request for power of attorney to a foreign FI when the title II beneficiary has completed a Form FMS 233 (Special Power of Attorney by Individual to a Bank for the Collection of Checks Drawn on the United States Treasury) and:
  • * filed the original with the FI;
  • * filed a copy with us;
  • * kept one copy; and
  • * provides us with the complete address of his or her residence abroad.
  • 1. Completing the FMS 233
  • IMPORTANT: When checks go to a foreign FI under a Power of Attorney, the address on the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) is the foreign FI’s address. All notices go to the FI. To avoid suspension for failure to complete and return certain forms that we send to beneficiaries living outside the U.S., the beneficiary needs to arrange with the FI to pick up the notices.
  • C. Procedure for completing the FMS 233
  • When a title II beneficiary who resides in a non-IDD country requests that his or her checks go to a foreign FI, provide him or her with a copy of an FMS 233, located in GN 02402.115D (This form is not available in foreign FIs).
  • Instruct the beneficiary or representative payee to do the following:
  • * Enter either “retirement and survivors payments” or “disability insurance benefits” in the space titled “State purpose for which checks are issued.” The person providing the form may complete this section before giving it to the beneficiary if she or he knows the claim number.
  • The beneficiary or representative payee must follow these instructions.
  • * Enter either “retirement and survivors payments” or “disability insurance benefits” in the space titled “Purpose for which checks are issued”. You may complete this section before giving it to the beneficiary if the claim number is available.
  • * Indicate the period for which the authorization applies.
  • * Send a completed copy of the form to: Office of International Operations PO Box 17769 Baltimore, MD 21235-7769
  • The FI should keep the original copy of this form. Inform the beneficiary to keep the duplicate.
  • * Send a completed copy of the form to the Office of Earnings and International Operations PO Box 17769 Baltimore, MD 21235-7769;
  • * Send the original form to the FI.
  • * Keep a copy for his or her records.
  • * Provide us with the residence abroad address.
  • D. Exhibit: FMS 233 – Special Power of Attorney by Individual for the Collection of Checks Drawn on the United States Treasury
  • 2. Processing the FMS 233
  •  View PDF Version
  • The Office of Earnings and International Operations (OEIO) processes and approves a Power of Attorney request after the Title II beneficiary submits a complete FMS 233.
  •  View PDF Version
  • When checks go to a foreign FI under a Power of Attorney, the address on the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) is the foreign FI’s address. All notices go to the FI. To avoid suspension for failure to complete and return certain forms that we send to beneficiaries living outside the United States, the beneficiary must arrange with the FI to pick up the notices.
The materials available at this web site are provided free of charge, for informational purposes only, and without warrant by True Link Financial, Inc., and are not legal advice or Social Security benefits advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem, or the Social Security Administration with any general inquiries. Click here to view this section of the POMS on the Social Security Administration website.