GN 00502: Determining the Need for, Developing and Selecting a Representative Payee
TN 43 (04-16)
A. Background
The Electronic Representative Payee System (eRPS) is an online system used to take and process representative payee applications. It also helps the Agency fulfill its legal duty to investigate applicants to determine if their payee appointments are in the best interest of the beneficiaries by providing known information about payee applicants so that you can make well informed payee selection decisions.
The eRPS data on payees and the beneficiaries they serve will be useful to adjudicators in processing subsequent actions as well. Therefore, it is important to maintain its accuracy and to update it with any significant findings about a payee (e.g. misuse). Refer to GN 00502.132 for a discussion of the remarks you may see when you take an application through the eRPS and what these remarks mean.
Processing the payee application in the eRPS will help you accomplish much of the development required when investigating the suitability of a payee applicant. Some of the required development the system will facilitate includes:
verification of SSN and EIN,
verification of receipt of Social Security and Supplemental Security benefits,
whether the person has been convicted of a violation of sections 208, 811 or 1632(a) of the Social Security Act, and
whether the person has a history of criminal activity, poor payee performance or misuse.
B. Definitions
1. Electronic Representative Payee System (eRPS)
The eRPS is the integrated system used to process payee applications, query payee performance, process mass change actions (including change of address of organizational payees), document misuse allegations, document any significant information about the payee (Make Note screen), and document reasons for payee appointment or non-appointment (Selection Notes screen).
2. Master Representative Payee File
The Master Representative Payee File is a part of the eRPS that stores the data about each representative payee and beneficiary in representative payment.
C. Procedure
Below is a list of eRPS steps and actions for some of the required actions for investigating payee applicants.
Investigation Steps |
Action |
|---|---|
1. Verification of Identity |
eRPS asks for proof of an individual identity on the Proof of Identity screen (MS INTRANETERPS 009.011). Acceptable forms of evidence in eRPS are:
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2. Verification of SSN or EIN |
eRPS asks for an applicant’s SSN/EIN on the Verification screen (MS INTRANERPS 009.003). When you enter the applicant’s SSN/EIN, eRPS will verify the applicant’s SSN/EIN. For additional instruction, see GN 00502.132B.3.h and RM 10212.200. |
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3. 208,811,1632 |
The law prohibits anyone convicted under these provisions from ever serving as a payee. There are no exceptions. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) provides SSA Central Office (CO) staff with a list of individuals convicted under 208/811/1632 of the Social Security Act. SSA Regional Office (RO) staff input the list into eRPS. eRPS alerts you when an applicant has this type of conviction. When you see this alert in eRPS, you must non-select the applicant and document your decision. |
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4. Criminal activity, poor payee, performance, or misuse |
Criminal Activity Refer to GN 00502.133. Poor Performance Refer to GN 00502.134. Misuse Refer to GN 00604.000. |
D. References
Entering information into the eRPS, MS INTRANETERPS 001.001 through MS INTRANETERPS 030.007.