Basic (09-87)
When a claimant is incompetent and cannot sign the SSA-1535-U3 or BC-600 to request a census record, the Bureau of the Census will furnish the record only in very restrictive circumstances.
Follow this procedure to request a census record for an incompetent claimant.
1
Is the person signing the census request form the claimant's legal representative?
If yes, go to step 2 and stop.
If no, go to step 3.
2
Include a copy of the representative's proof of appointment with the request
3
Is the person signing the census request a blood relative in the immediate family (i.e., parent, brother, sister, child), or the spouse who has filed to be the claimant's representative payee:
If yes, go to step 4 and stop.
If no, go to step 5.
4
Include the following with the request:
A physician's statement that the claimant is incompetent (see GN 00502.075), and
A statement in the remarks section of the SSA-1535-U3 or the purpose block of the BC-600 along the following lines:
“I am the applicant's (wife, husband, or other specified blood relationship) and have filed to be his(her) Social Security representative payee.”
NOTE: The Bureau of the Census will accept this statement for purposes of requesting the census record; of course, in some cases SSA may eventually select another person to be representative payee for the claimant.
5
Is an institution filing on behalf of an incompetent person as a statutory guardian?
If yes, go to step 6 and stop.
If no, go to step 7.
6
Have the administrator or representative of the mental institution (which is by statute guardian of its inmates) sign the BC-600 or SSA-1535-U3, and
Include with the request a statement as to the institution's statutory authority of guardianship.
7
If none of the above instructions apply, do the following:
Consider the census record to be unavailable, and
Document the file as to why no census record can be requested, and
Attempt to obtain other evidence of acceptable probative value