SSA - POMS: GN 02402.359 - Coding Ghana Bank Data on the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR)

A. Background for coding Ghana bank data

This section describes how to code bank data for international direct deposit (IDD) of Title II benefits to a financial institution (FI) in Ghana. The Social Security Administration (SSA) stores bank data on the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) in the same fields used for U.S. direct deposit.

Special coding identifies the data as a Ghana direct deposit and allows SSA to route benefit payments through the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (FRBKC) and the processor bank in Ghana to the beneficiary's FI.

If you receive an IDD request in a U.S. domestic (i.e, non-border) field office (FO), forward all appropriate information to the Office of Earnings and International Operations, (OEIO), Division of International Operations (DIO) to process.

For detailed instructions on IDD requests and forwarding information, see

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GN 02402.201 Background and Policy for Direct Deposit Outside the U.S.
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GN 02402.205, Direct Deposit Enrollment Outside the U.S.
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GN 01010.255, Adjudication of Foreign Claims
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GN 01702.310C Routing of Claims for U.S. Benefits Involving Totalization

B. How we receive IDD bank data

We receive requests to input bank data by mail, phone, or fax in the following formats:

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a blank check,
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SSA-1199-OP40 International Direct Deposit Signup Form for Ghana; or
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any document that contains the required banking information.

If you receive information with discrepancies, see the following instructions:

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GN 00203.020 Identity of Claimants
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GN 02402.025 Direct Deposit Post Entitlement Interview

C. Multi-country contract

The processing FI in Ghana will have a “66” at the beginning of the routing and transit number (RTN). The first letter of the depositor account number (DAN) field has the letter “K” assigned for Ghana.

D. Overview of IDD for Ghana

IDD payments sent to Ghana must be in Ghanaian Cedi (GHS) accounts at local FIs. The beneficiary must provide complete information to DIO or the Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) for input. DIO will fax incomplete forms to the FBU that serves Ghana. The FBU contacts the beneficiary or FI for additional information.

E. Description of Ghana direct deposit data

The IDD coding data for Ghana will come from FIs that the FRBKC has determined can receive IDD payments. The FRBKC identified and listed the participating FIs on the International Treasury Services (ITS.gov) website as part of the ITS help file. If you do not have access to ITS.gov, to verify bank codes when processing direct deposit to Ghana banks, refer to the listing in GN 02402.359H in this section.

The IDD coding for Ghana FIs consist of 23 characters, including the country code of “K” for Ghana. The account number contains:

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a 9-digit RTN 66000BBBX: where “66” is the country code field, positions 2 through 4 are filler “0”s, BBB = 3-digit bank code, X = the check digit code; and
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a 14-digit DAN KAAAAAAAAAAAAA: where “K” is the country code for Ghana, followed by a 13-digit account number.

NOTE: Account type when enrolling in ITS.gov can be defaulted to checking if there is no indication of whether the account is a checking or a savings account.

F. Procedure for coding Ghana routing and account numbers

The FRBKC relies on us to provide the complete bank data to ensure correct posting of payments to a customer’s account. If the information is incomplete, the FRBKC rejects the payment and returns the funds to our agency.

You may establish or change IDD bank data for Djibouti using an SSA system (e.g. Modernized Claims System (MCS), Manual Adjustment Credit and Award Data Entry (MACADE)).

You must then go to ITS.gov to enter the following data:

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account ownership
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account type
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account number
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beneficiary address
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beneficiary phone number
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country
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enrollment status
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first and last name of the beneficiary
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payee indicator
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reclamation country

1. Process initial award

You must update ITS.gov with the bank account information prior to processing an initial award to ensure that the beneficiary receives payment. If the complete bank account information is not in ITS.gov when the payment processes, the payment rejects and returns to our agency.

2. Add or update bank data using SSA systems

When you add or update IDD bank data using SSA system (e.g. Post Entitlement Online System (POS), MACADE), you must:

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update ITS.gov on the same day;
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enter all POS direct deposit changes according to normal procedures;

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use procedures outlined in the following chart when processing within four business days of the current operational month (COM) cutoff date.

Step	Action
1	Are you coding an initial claim? If yes, go to step 3. If no, go to step 2.
2	Is the beneficiary's address on the MBR in a foreign country (PCOC = 8)? If no, STOP. REASON: The MBR will not accept the IDD information. If yes, go to step 3.
3	Is the beneficiary's account a Ghanaian Cedi account in Ghana? If no, STOP. REASON: Beneficiaries in Ghana can only receive IDD payments in Cedi accounts. If yes, go to step 4.
4	To derive the 9-digit RTN for Ghana, follow the below instructions: • Code the prefix of 66 (the multi-country prefix SSA and FRBKC designated to use for IDD to Ghana). • Code the 3-filler zeros “000”s. • Code the 3-digit bank code based on FI name after verifying accuracy against either the ITS.gov help file or the listing in GN 02402.359H in this section. When receiving IDD bank information from a beneficiary in Ghana, look up the bank name and city on the bank code listing found in either the ITS.gov help file or in GN 02402.359H of this section. – If the bank name and city combination are on the list use the assigned pseudo or dummy bank number. – If the bank name appears on the list with the incorrect city name, observe the 11-digit corresponding Society for Worldwide Interbank Telecommunication (SWIFT) code. – If the last 3 characters of the SWIFT are "XXX", this represents the main headquarter or branch for that bank. Use the pseudo bank number assigned to that 11-digit primary SWIFT code ending in "XXX." If the bank name is not on the list, inform the Office of Payment and Recovery Policy (OPRP) via email (^OPRP Reporting). OPRP will provide ITS the information to update the bank code listing. Include the following information in the body of the email (request from beneficiary): Email Heading: Unlisted Financial Institution - IDD Body: Full Name of Financial Institution Street Address Location SWIFT Code Country Code Currency • Code the 1-digit check code, (obtained through Title II Interactive Computations). NOTE: The final digit is the U.S. check digit code and is subject to change. Obtain check digit code through the Title II Interactive Computations from the Main Menus 07/Sub Menu 16.
5	Code the account type: – “S” for savings, or – “C” for checking. If no account type indicated, use a “C” for checking account.
6	To code the Depositor Account Number (DAN) for Ghana , code: – Code “K” designated for Ghana. – Code the13-digit account number.
7	You must take action on the same business day to enter into ITS.gov all the information listed in GN 02402.459F. You must access ITS.gov or ask a co-worker to update the required information into ITS.gov. REMINDER: When information is not available, FRBKC rejects the payment and returns it to our agency.

G. Example of coding Ghana bank data

The beneficiary or recipient provides us with a sign-up form for Ghana containing the following information:

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Bank Code: 123, and
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Account Number: 4567890123456.

1. Derive the RTN

The technician enters the information for the RTN

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prefix of “66” (the multi-country prefix for Ghana),
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3 filler zeros “000”,
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3-digit bank code “123” after verifying accuracy against either the ITS.gov help file or the listing in GN 02402.359H in this section,
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1-digit check code (i.e., 8) (obtained from the Title II interactive Computations from the Main Menus 07/Sub Menu 16), and
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type of account as an “S” for savings or a “C” for checking . If there is no indicated account type, use a “C” for checking.

2. Derive the DAN

The technician codes the DAN

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“K” (for Ghana), and
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13-digit account number 4567890123456.

3. Obtain the following information:

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RTN: 660001238
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Checking
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DAN: K4567890123456

a. POS reflects the direct deposit information

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DIRECT DEPOSIT ROUTING TRANSIT NUMBER: 660001238 ACCOUNT TYPE (C/S): C
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DEPOSITOR ACCOUNT NUMBER: K4567890123456
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CANCEL DIRECT DEPOSIT (Y):
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DIRECT EXPRESS (Y):

b. The MBR reflects the following information

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RTN-660001238
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DAN-CK4567890123456

H. Ghana bank codes

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I. References

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GN 00203.020 Identity of Claimants
•

GN 01010.255 Adjudication of Foreign Claims
•

GN 01702.310C Routing of Claims for U.S. Benefits Involving Totalization
•

GN 02402.025 Direct Deposit Post Entitlement Interview
•

GN 02402.201 Background and Policy for Direct Deposit Outside the U.S.
•

GN 02402.205 Direct Deposit Enrollment Outside the U.S.
•

ITS.gov International Treasury Services (U.S. Treasury system)

Social Security

Program Operations Manual System (POMS)

GN 02402.359 Coding Ghana Bank Data on the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR)