An adverse action is a determination resulting in either nonentitlement, termination
of entitlement, or a benefit reduction to a currently or previously entitled beneficiary,
because of a subsequent award to a late-filing claimant on the same SSN.
We may disclose any adverse information that is relevant to the determination to any
adversely affected beneficiary.
CAUTION: Do not disclose the new first and last names of adopted children.
EXAMPLE: We sent an adverse adjustment notice to the primary beneficiary's wife. She questions
her low benefit rate as a spouse, and the FO explains that the family maximum is a
factor because of several children entitled in another household. She requests evidence
that reflects her husband is the father of the children, and requests the first and
last names and addresses of the children or their payee.
Because the wife’s benefits are adversely affected by the addition of the other auxiliary
beneficiaries, we may disclose information establishing paternity (including the first
and last names of the children and of the children's mother, which would be on their
birth certificates). This is relevant to her own benefit rate. However, she is not
entitled to the address of the children, nor the first and last name or address of
their payee.