POMS Reference

GN 02605: Processing Change of Address

TN 23 (12-04)

A. INTRODUCTION

A COA for a SSI recipient may mean a change in circumstances that can affect eligibility and payment amount. Therefore, when an SSI recipient or a dually entitled SSI/RSDI beneficiary requests a COA, there are special considerations in addition to the requirements in GN 02605.001. (Also see SI 02306.010 (SSI policy and procedures for SSI COA) and SM 01301.385C. (the effects of death and COA in SSI program).)

B. PROCEDURE

1. Different RSDI and SSI Addresses

  • Discourage requests for different mailing addresses for SSI and RSDI purposes.

  • The mailing address does not have to be the same as the residence address (see SM 01301.390 and SM 01301.485).

  • Develop a single address whenever different RSDI and SSI addresses are detected; do not wait until a redetermination is scheduled.

2. Household Composition, Living Arrangements, In-Kind Support and Maintenance, Institutionalization, Income, and the House as a Principal Place of Residence

  • Determine whether the COA has resulted in a change in household composition, living arrangements, in-kind support and maintenance, institutionalization or income. See SI 02305.022 and SI 02305.092 for a discussion of events which may trigger unscheduled re-determinations. Even though a re-determination may not be required, the above changes will need to be developed in conjunction with the address change. Be alert to the need for new residence state and county coding.

  • Determine whether the COA results in a move from a house reported as the primary place of residence. Refer to the resource indicator (RE) in the PRSN segment of the SSR. If it is coded “A,” the recipient is moving from a house in which he/she has ownership interest and was previously excluded from the resource determination for eligibility. Ascertain the disposition of the house and initiate a new resource determination. Refer to SI 01130.100 (THE HOME).

3. State Supplement

Determine whether the change of residence (i.e., from one State to another or even within certain States) affects eligibility or payment amount because of State supplementation. See SM 01005.100 and SM 01301.365 if residence Zip code will not match living arrangement state and county code for state supplementation for systems override procedure.

4. Foreign Addresses

  • SSI payments generally should not be directed outside the 50 States, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands. See GN 00303.700. Under special circumstances check/mail can be directed outside of the U.S.

  • If an SSI recipient requests an in-care-of address which borders on Canada or Mexico, determine whether he/she will be leaving the U.S. for 30 or more days. See SI 02301.225.

NOTE: For SSI cases, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are considered foreign addresses. See SM 01301.425 for exceptions to posting foreign addresses in SSI cases. If an SSR in current pay has a foreign mailing address, but a residence address for a Social Security Office serving as a Central Processing Site, this may be a Special Veterans' Benefit case (see VB 04001.001). These cases can also be identified by an SVB indicator of “Y” in the header line of the SSID.

5. Input

  • A single input cannot change both the MBR and the SSR. Separate inputs must be made to the MBR and SSR in dual SSI/RSDI cases.

  • Except for Debt Management Branches, and some PC employees, who are functioning as 800 number agents, PCs do not have the capability to process SSI COAs. PCs will refer these COAs to the FOs for processing.

C. REFERENCES

  • MSSICS Mailing address, MSOM MSSICS 008.005

  • MSSICS Residence address changes, MSOM MSSICS 010.004

  • Additional data, MSOM MSSICS 010.001 and MSOM MSSICS 010.001

  • Send data, MSOM ORIENTATION 002.001 and MSOM APPTS 003.001

  • Non-MSSICS change of address, SM 01301.403