A valid, acceptable signature must be unique to the person, verifiable and secure (i.e., under the person's sole control so that one might presume from its use that the person intended to be bound).

Effective June 21, 2004, an acceptable signature also includes signature proxy alternatives for some applications for benefits, redeterminations, and other SSA processes (see GN 00201.015 for policy and procedures for the use of alternative signature methods).

This instruction is not intended to replace any other POMS procedure requiring a signature. Generally however, SSA requires claimant and/or third party signatures in the following situations:

1. a. 

   Applications for benefit entitlement/eligibility and withdrawals of these applications;

2. b. 

   Representative payee applications and accounting forms;

3. c. 

   Forms and statements for which there is an external requirement for a signature;

4. d. 

   Title XVI redeterminations;

5. e. 

   Forms and statements supporting initial entitlement to benefits;

6. f. 

   Forms and statements which decrease a claimant's liability to repay monies owed the Federal Government (e.g., request for waiver of an overpayment);

7. g. 

   Special situations that may arise (e.g., persons interpreting on behalf of non-English speaking claimants where SSA determines signatures must be obtained).

SSA employee signatures are generally required for paper documents in the following situations:

1. a. 

   Adjudicative documents that authorize award or disallowance of benefits/payments when there is no system record of the adjudicator's Personal Identification Number (PIN)/password; and

2. b. 

   Special determinations that are not recorded electronically and establish a material fact related to benefit eligibility, entitlement or payment.