Effective Dates: 08/22/2016 - Present Previous | Next

TN 70 (08-16)

GN 02402.334 Coding Swiss Bank Data for the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR)

These instructions describe how to code bank data for international direct deposit (IDD) of Title II benefits to a financial institution (FI) in Switzerland. The Social Security Administration (SSA) stores IDD bank data on the MBR in the same fields used for United States (U.S.) direct deposit. Special coding identifies the data as a Swiss direct deposit and allows us to route benefit payments through the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (FRBKC) and the processor bank in Switzerland to the beneficiary's local FI.

NOTE: U.S. domestic (non-border) field offices (FOs) should not attempt to process an IDD request for this country. U.S. domestic FOs must forward all appropriate information for processing to the Office of Earnings and International Operations, Division of International Operations (OEIO, DIO). For more detail on IDD requests and forwarding information, see GN 02402.201, GN 02402.205, GN 01010.255, and GN 01702.310C.

A. How we receive IDD bank data

We receive requests to input bank data by mail, phone, or fax in the following formats:

  • •

    a blank check;

  • •

    a SSA-1199-SZ (International Direct Deposit Sign-up Form (Switzerland)); or

  • •

    any document that contains the required banking information.

NOTE: If there are any discrepancies upon receipt of the IDD request, follow instructions in GN 00203.020 and GN 02402.025.

B. Multi-country contract

The processor bank in Switzerland will have a prefix of “71” at the beginning of the routing number (RTN) and an assigned letter in the first position of the Depositor Account Number (DAN). The letter assigned for Switzerland is “N.”

C. Overview of IDD for Switzerland

The beneficiary must provide complete information to DIO or the Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) for input. DIO will fax incomplete forms to the FBU that serves Switzerland. The FBU contacts the beneficiary or FI for additional information.

D. Description of Switzerland IDD bank data

The data for coding IDD for Switzerland will come from the International Bank Account Number (IBAN) provided to the beneficiary from his or her FI. The IBAN for Switzerland consists of 21 characters. However, the bank data reflected on the MBR will reflect 23 characters including the country code of “N” for Switzerland.

E. Policy for coding Switzerland IDD bank data

The FRBKC relies on SSA to provide the complete bank data to ensure correct posting of payments to a customer’s account. If the information is incomplete, the FRBKC rejects the payment and returns the funds to SSA. When establishing or changing IDD bank data for Switzerland, you can use an SSA system (Modernized Claims System (MCS), Manual Adjustment Credit and Award Data Entry (MACADE)). However, you must go to ITS.gov to enter the full IBAN and Society for Worldwide Internet Financial Telecommunication-Business Identifier Code (SWIFT-BIC). If the complete bank account information is not in ITS.gov when the payment processes, the payment rejects and returns to SSA. When using ITS.gov, bank data posts to the MBR within 4 business days.

The SWIFT code consists of 8 to 11 alphanumeric characters, as follows:

  • •

    first 4 characters - bank code (only letters);

  • •

    next 2 characters - ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code (only letters);

  • •

    next 2 characters - location code (letters and digits) (passive participant have "1" in the second character); and

  • •

    last three characters - branch code, optional ('XXX' for primary office) (letters and digits).

1. Initial award processing

Secure the full IBAN and SWIFT-BIC coding from the beneficiary at the time of filing. If you are working on an initial award, you must update ITS.gov using the bank account information prior to processing the award to ensure that the beneficiary receives his or her payment. If the complete bank account information is not in ITS.gov when the payment processes, the payment rejects and returns to SSA.

2. Adding or updating bank data using SSA systems

You must enter the full IBAN and SWIFT-BIC bank information into ITS.gov on the same day if you use an SSA system to add or update bank data on the MBR (Post Entitlement Online System (POS), MACADE). Enter all POS direct deposit changes according to normal procedures. When coding IDD bank data in an SSA system for Switzerland within 4 business days of the current operational month (COM) cutoff date, use the procedure outlined in the following chart:

Step

Action

1

Are you coding an initial claim?

If yes, go to step 3.

If no, go to step 2.

2

Is the beneficiary's address on the MBR in a foreign country (PCOC = 8)? If no, STOP.

Reason: The MBR does not accept the IDD information unless the address is in a foreign country.

If yes, go to step 3.

3

Is the beneficiary's account a Swiss Franc account in Switzerland? If no, STOP.

Reason: Beneficiaries in Switzerland can only receive IDD payments in Swiss Franc accounts.

If yes, go to step 4.

4

Code the 9-digit RTN for Switzerland, as follows:

  • •

    the prefix of “71”, (the multi-country prefix SSA and FRBKC designated to use for IDD to Switzerland);

  • •

    a filler “0”;

  • •

    the 5-digit bank code; and

  • •

    the 1-digit check code (obtain through Title II Interactive Comps).

NOTE: The final digit is the U.S. check digit code and is subject to change. Obtain check digit code through the Title II Interactive Comps from the Main Menus 07/Sub Menu 16.

5

Code the Type of Account as an “S” for savings or a “C” for checking. If no indicated account type, use a “C” for checking account.

6

Code the Depositor Account Number (DAN) for Switzerland as follows:

  • •

    start with a country code of “N” designated for Switzerland; and

  • •

    code the 12-digit Customer Account Number.

7

You must take action on the same business day to update the full IBAN and SWIFT into ITS.gov.

If you do not have access to ITS.gov, ask a co-worker who has access to update the required information into ITS.gov. FRBKC will need all of this information in order to process the IDD payment. When this information is not available, FRBKC will reject the payment and return it to SSA.

F. Examples of coding Switzerland direct deposit

The customer provides us with the IBAN: CH9300762011623852957.

NOTE: The first 2 characters of a Swiss IBAN are “CH,” which represents the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) country code and the third and fourth characters of the IBAN are the IBAN check digits. The technicians should never code the IBAN ISO country code or the check digit to the MBR. The next 5 characters represent the 5-digit bank code. The remaining 12 digits of the IBAN represent the account number.

1. Derive the RTN

Code as follows:

  • •

    prefix of “71”;

  • •

    a filler zero “0”;

  • •

    the 5-digit bank code “00762”;

  • •

    the 1-digit check code (for example; “7”, which is obtained from the Title II interactive Comps from the Main Menus 07/Sub Menu 16); and

  • •

    the type of account as a “C” for Checking or an “S” for Savings. If no account type indicated, use a “C” for Checking.

2. Derive the DAN

Code as follows:

  • •

    start with a country code of “N” designated for Switzerland; and

  • •

    code the 12-digit Account Number “011623852957”.

The technician obtains the following:

CH9300762011623852957

RTN: 710007627

Checking

DAN: N011623852957

The coding in an SSA System reflects:

DIRECT DEPOSIT ROUTING TRANSIT NUMBER: 710007627

ACCOUNT TYPE (C/S): C

DEPOSITOR ACCOUNT NUMBER: N011623852957

CANCEL DIRECT DEPOSIT (Y):

DIRECT EXPRESS (Y):

The MBR reflects the following information:

RTN-710007627 DAN-CN011623852957

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0202402334
GN 02402.334 - Coding Swiss Bank Data for the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) - 08/22/2016
Batch run: 07/09/2019
Rev:08/22/2016