TN 3 (03-97)

GN 01708.320 Providing Monthly Benefit Data to German Agencies

A. Policy

SSA has agreed to routinely certify to the German liaison agencies only the amount of RIB (A) or DIB (HA) benefits that a person is receiving. The amounts of other U.S. benefits that a person receives such as spouses, widows and children's benefits, may be certified if specifically requested by the German agency.

B. Definitions

1. Month of entitlement

Month of Entitlement - for purposes of this instruction, month of entitlement pertains to the first month for which the beneficiary received his /her full monthly benefit amount (but no earlier than December 1979, the effective month of the German Agreement).

2. Monthly benefit amount

Monthly benefit amount (MBA - for purposes of this instruction, the MBA is defined as the monthly benefit credited (MBC), i.e., the monthly amount before SMI premiums or taxes are actually withheld, but after the appropriate dollar rounding (considering any deductible SMI premium).

C. When to certify benefit data

  • Certify the amount of RIB or DIB, i.e., A or HA benefits, that a person is receiving in all initial claims packages sent to a German liaison agency or in response to a German liaison agency's request.

  • Certify the amounts of other types of benefits only in response to specific German liaison agency requests.

D. Procedure

  • Obtain a current MBR printout for the SSN on which the claim has been filed or the assistance request has been received.

  • If the claimant or person about whom the information has been requested is the widow, widower or former spouse of the worker on this SSN, obtain a current MBR printout on that person's SSN also.

  • If the MBRs indicate that the person is dual-entitled, ask a CA or BA to provide the amount payable on the person's own SSN, i.e., his/her A or HA amount and the first month for which the beneficiary received that full monthly amount. Enter those on the SSA-2960-U3-GE in accordance with GN 01708.220D.4.

    Note: Dual entitlement is indicated by the presence of a DE DATA field on the MBR.

  • If there is no DE DATA field, refer to the HISTORY field of the MBR.

    Note: The first column of that field contains the effective date of each benefit amount or change of status, the fifth column contains codes to explain the status of the benefits and the seventh (last) column contains the MBC amount.

  • Find the first line in the HISTORY field that contains a status code of “01.” The effective date and MBC found in that line are the date and monthly amount to be certified to the German agency. Enter them on the SSA-2960-U3-GE in accordance with GN 01708.220D.4.


To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0201708320
GN 01708.320 - Providing Monthly Benefit Data to German Agencies - 03/18/1997
Batch run: 10/17/2016
Rev:03/18/1997