POMS Reference

VB: Special Veterans Benefits

BASIC (04-01)

A. Policy

1. List of What to Report

The following lists the types of SVB post qualification and postentitlement events that must be reported:

  • a change in mailing address or residence for either the beneficiary or his/her representative payee;

  • the cessation of the beneficiary's foreign residency;

  • a beneficiary's planned visit to the United States;

  • a beneficiary's return to the United States for a full calendar month or longer;

  • the death of the beneficiary or his/her representative payee;

  • a change in the beneficiary's pension, annuity or other recurring benefit income;

  • a beneficiary is no longer able to manage his or her own benefits;

  • a representative payee is no longer able to or no longer wishes to serve as payee for the beneficiary;

  • a representative payee has been convicted of a felony or determined to have misused benefits;

  • the beneficiary has left a jurisdiction within the United States to avoid prosecution or custody or confinement after conviction for a crime that is a felony, or in New Jersey, a high misdemeanor;

  • the beneficiary is in violation of probation or parole imposed under Federal or State law; and

  • the beneficiary has been removed or deported from the U.S.

2. Who Must Report

SVB beneficiaries or their representative payees are responsible for reporting changes that can affect the qualification for, entitlement to and/or amount of SVB. These reporting responsibilities must be explained to legally competent beneficiaries and/or representative payees during interviews (face-to-face or telephone).

Written explanations of reporting responsibilities are provided to legally competent beneficiaries and/or representative payees on SVB applications and forms, and are cited in various SVB award and postentitlement notices, check stuffers, and pamphlets.

Beneficiaries who are legally incompetent are not responsible for reporting changes, but their representative payees are.

NOTE: Competency data are not reflected on the San Francisco Intranet Site at. However, certain representative payee identifiers are maintained on the Payee Data page on the Intranet site. These data may be used in verifying identities of representative payees for a first-party or third-party report determinations (see VB 01501.010D.).

3. Content of Report

Reports should include:

  • the reporter's name and a phone number and/or address where he/she can be reached if subsequent contact is necessary;

  • the name of the person the report is about;

  • the social security number (SSN) of the person the report is about;

  • an explanation of the event being reported;

  • facts about the change; and

  • when the event or change happened.

B. Procedure

1. When and How to Report

Advise beneficiaries and/or representative payees that they should report an event as soon as it happens. Events can be reported in writing, by telephone, by fax, or in person at an FO, TSC, or Federal Benefit Unit (FBU).

2. Consequences of Not Reporting

Explain that events that are not reported on time may result in:

  • not receiving correct benefits when due;

  • having to pay back an overpayment; or

  • the loss of SVB if they do not report information that SSA requests to determine continuing entitlement and benefits (see VB 01503.000 - Failure to Provide Information).