NL: Notices, Letters and Paragraphs
TN 6 (12-93)
A. Policy - general
When an individual is being awarded benefits, we must send a notice of award. This is true both when two, or more, benefits are being awarded simultaneously, and when one benefit is being awarded subsequent to another benefit. We should not send a postentitlement notice when awarding a subsequent benefit in a dual entitlement case even though this subsequent award may contain postentitlement information regarding the benefit that was previously awarded.
B. Kinds of dual entitlement awards
Dual entitlement awards are:
1. Simultaneous entitlement
Simultaneous entitlement occurs when two or more benefits are awarded at the same time, but not necessarily with the same date of entitlement.
2. Subsequent entitlement
Subsequent entitlement occurs when benefits are awarded at separate times.
The most common situation is when an auxiliary or survivor benefit is awarded after a primary award to the same person.
The other situation is when the primary benefit is awarded after an auxiliary or survivor award.
C. Policy - methods of payment
Methods of payment are as follows:
1. Benefits combined in one payment
We issue a combined payment under the primary claim number when both benefits are paid from the same trust fund (see below for exception).
2. Benefits paid in separate payments
We issue separate payments, each under the claim number of the benefit paid, when:
benefits are paid under different trust funds;
there is entitlement to a remarried widow(er)'s benefit on another SSN and the spouse's benefit exceeds the widow(er)'s benefit.
D. Description of award notice
Award notices show the following:
1. Third line heading
Third line heading should be “Notice of Award.”
2. Opening statement
The opening statement will be one of the following:
| IF | THEN USE: |
|---|---|
|
AWD013 |
|
AWD013 followed by ENT027 |
|
AWD013 |
|
BEN089 |
3. Paragraph explaining payment on each SSN
A paragraph explaining payment on each SSN will be one of the following:
| IF | THEN USE: |
|---|---|
|
|
|
Primary Award ENT028 (under “Your Benefits”) Auxiliary/Survivor Award ENT029 (under “Your Benefits”) |
|
ADJ021 (under “What We Will Pay”) |
|
|
|
ADJ020 (under “What We Will Pay”) |
|
BEN053 (under “Your Benefits”) - provide MBP for auxiliary survivor in fill-in 2, and MBP for primary in fill-in 4. (These should add up to the monthly benefit payment shown in the check paragraph.) |
|
PAY032 (under “What We Will Pay”) |
4. Other dual entitlement paragraphs
Other dual entitlement paragraphs are as follows:
| IF | THEN USE: |
|---|---|
|
DTH009 |
|
BEN051 |
|
BEN052 |
|
HIB021 |
|
HIB022 |
5. Other paragraphs
Include any other paragraph applicable to the specific case, e.g., work deductions, COLA, etc.
Include mandatory award paragraphs (see NL 00601.010B)