TN 1 (06-10)

RM 03254.005 Examine for Mailing Address (4403)

A. Assess address information

Examine incoming correspondence to determine if it contains a complete and legible address to which the vested pension information will be mailed.

1. Acceptable address

— Continue processing in accordance with this section to ensure that the remaining address information such as the zip code is correct.

2. Unacceptable address

— Process according to the instructions furnished below.

  • Request bears no address or one which is incomplete or illegible.

  • Mark the material for immediate destruction and take no further action.

3. Request contains an altered address

Consider the request unacceptable if:

  • There has been an alteration in the name appearing in the address portion of the request, or

  • The original address has been lined through, and a different address has been entered.

Consider the request acceptable if:

  • The altered address appears to be in the same handwriting (or printing) as the request and appears to be a correction to the original address, or

  • An address attached to or written on the request bears the address of a third party and is the only return address on the request.

Process unacceptable requests as follows:

  • Do not obtain the requested vested pension information.

  • Forward the request to the servicing district office under cover of a route slip annotated, “The original address on the request has been altered. Contact the person responsible for the alteration and explain that since we cannot be sure the SSN holder authorized the change, we must deny the request in accordance with Privacy Act provisions and Regulation No. 1 (20 CFR, Part 401).”

4. Request contains a third party or “in care of” address.

If the signature of the plan participant appears on the request, obtain the requested pension notice and continue processing in the routine manner which involves investigating and responding to the request.

If the signature of the plan participant does not appear on the request, process according to RM 03254.004.

B. Evaluate zip code information

Screen each request to determine whether it contains the zip code of the address of where to send the requested pension notice.

1. Request contains zip code

Continue processing in routine manner which involves investigating and responding to the request

2. Request does not contain a zip code

Process as follows:

  • Separate requests which do not contain zip codes according to the States where you would be sending the requested ERISA pension notices.

  • Obtain the appropriate zip code from the zip code directory, and enter it in the appropriate space on the request.

  • Continue the process of evaluating and responding to the ERISA request to determine whether to access the SSA-L99-C1according to the procedures in RM 03254.011.


To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0103254005
RM 03254.005 - Examine for Mailing Address (4403) - 06/30/2010
Batch run: 03/07/2019
Rev:06/30/2010