TN 12 (07-97)
GN 00904.026 Servicing Office - Representative Payee Involved Initial Claims
“Servicing office jurisdiction and processing responsibilities involving initial claims
are consistent with the principles established in GN 00904.010. The servicing office is responsible for providing service to an individual who files
a claim as a representative payee for a potential beneficiary and the potential beneficiary
has not filed a claim on his own behalf. In this capacity the DO is referred to as
the “servicing office” for the representative payee applicant or address. When a potential
beneficiary does not file on his own behalf, the servicing office is determined by
the address or preference of the representative payee applicant (GN 00904.064). In the event of multiple representative payee applications, the office servicing
the applicant highest on the list of preferences (GN 00502.130) is the servicing office. Auxiliary or other claims filed by nonprincipal claimants
should be kept and completely processed in the servicing nonresident office, UNLESS
there is a claim pending on the primary claimant in the resident office. This information
can be determined by making appropriate systems queries (first check the microfiche
to see if the principal claimant is on the rolls) or telephoning the resident office
if it can be identified.
The servicing nonresident office should send all claims and development to the resident
office if there is a primary claim pending in the resident office. If it is necessary
to delay forwarding such claims (longer than 10 days), the file should be documented
as to the reason for the delay; e.g., additional development time was required, etc.
If the resident office no longer has possession of the primary claim, the servicing
office should retain such claim(s) and process according to the established procedures
in GN 01010.027 through GN
01010.040."