TN 29 (02-03)

A. Policy

Each payee in the eRPS will be identified under a specific numeric identifier. The SSN is the identifier for an individual applicant/payee. Since employer identification numbers (EINs) are not similarly unique and there are no unique indicators for organizations, the eRPS establishes an identifier using the zip code of the physical location of the organization.

Ensuring that the proper SSN or location zip code is used is critical when taking a payee application in the eRPS.

B. Procedure

1. Sole Owners of Small Businesses

If a small business owner whom you have determined to be an individual applicant insists that the checks be issued in the business name, honor his/her request. Complete the payee application and enter all data as for an individual payee (use the owner's SSN and enter an individual type of payee). However, show the business name as the legend preference on the Payment Legend screen in the eRPS (MS INTRANETERPS 011.006).

2. Joint Guardian

Only one identifier (SSN) can be used for cases involving joint guardians.

Enter all data about the guardians under the first named guardian's SSN and enter the type of payee based on that person's relationship to the beneficiary. Use the Rep Payee Applicant “Note Type” on the Make Note screen (MS INTRANETERPS 015.002 and MS INTRANETERPS 015.003B) to put additional information about the second guardian on the Make Note screen as appropriate. On the Payment Legend screen (MS INTRANETERPS 011.006), enter the legend preference exactly as shown in the court order naming the guardians. Joint guardians are two or more legal statutory guardians appointed as guardians for with equal responsibility for the beneficiary (for joint guardians see GN 00502.139A.3.).

3. Public Guardians

Public guardians are considered to be organizational payees and generally the legend should reflect the official's title.

However, in some localities where only one person serves as the public guardian, he/she will prefer that the payment be made in his/her own name (e.g., Jane Smith, Public GDN for -). In other localities, the law requires that the public guardian's name be included in the check legends. In those situations, process the payee application as for an organizational payee (i.e., use the correct location zip code and verify the EIN). On the RP Organization Basis info screen (MS INTRANETERPS 014.007), show the legend preference using the public guardian's name and title.

C. Reference

Definitions of individual and organizational payees, GN 00501.012.