To properly identify the plan participant, and to safeguard against an invasion of privacy, each request for information from our records must contain a proper signature of the plan participant whose record is involved.

1. 1. 

   This means there should be an SSA-795 (Statement of Claimant or other Person) or the request for information should have the same information contained on the SSA-795 and the appropriate signature.

2. 2. 

   Presume that a signature is valid in the absence of evidence to the contrary.

3. 3. 

   Forward requests that appear altered without the plan participant's knowledge to the servicing district office for investigation.

4. 4. 

   A signature is NOT required when the request is submitted on or accompanied by a form SSA-L99-C1 (Potential Private Retirement Benefit Information Notice) which was previously furnished to the individual.

Consider a request as containing an improper signature and process accordingly if:

• •

  An “X” mark is not witnessed or not properly witnessed.

NOTE: If the signature of at least one witness is given, the “X” mark may be accepted as properly witnessed.

• •

  The plan participant's signature is typed, stamped, pre-printed, or hand-printed.

• •

  It appears a third party signed and initialed the signature on the request.

Other than the actual plan participant, only the court-appointed legal guardian of an incompetent individual may request or authorize the release of information from the individual's records.

If the individual is deceased, a surviving relative or the legal representative of an estate may request or authorize the release of information from the deceased plan participant's pension record after proof of death is established.

Release information to a third party upon signed authorization of the individual whose vested pension record is involved.