Effective Dates: 01/29/2016 - Present Previous | Next

TN 173 (09-20)

GN 02402.339 Coding Greek Bank Data for the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR)

This section describes how to code bank data for international direct deposit (IDD) of Title II benefits to a financial institution in Greece. 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 Greece direct deposit (IDD) and allows benefit payments to route through the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (FRBKC) and the processor bank in Greece to the beneficiary's FI.

NOTE: U.S. domestic (i.e., 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 to the Office of Earnings and International Operations, Division of International Operations (OEIO, DIO) for processing (For more information on forwarding IDD information, see GN 02402.205C, 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,
•

an International Direct Deposit Signup Form for Greece (SSA-1199-OPGR) (see GN 02402.339G in this section), or
•

any document that contains the required banking information.

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

B. Multi-country contract

The processing FI in Greece will have a prefix of 65 at the beginning of the Routing Transit Number (RTN).

C. Description of Greece IDD bank data

The data for coding IDD for Greece will come from the International Bank Account Number (IBAN) provided to the beneficiary from his or her FI. The IBAN will be 27 characters. However, the IDD bank data reflected on the MBR will consist of 26 characters. Technicians will use the IBAN to derive the RTN and DAN when processing an IDD request.

D. Policy for coding Greece 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 Greece, you can use an SSA system (i.e. Modernized Claims System (MCS), Manual Adjustment Credit and Award Data Entry (MACADE), etc.). 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 four business days.

The SWIFT code consists of 8 to 11 alphanumeric characters. When an 8-digit code is given, it refers to the primary office:

•

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 will have "1" in the second character)
•

Last 3 characters - branch code, optional ('XXX' for primary office) (letters and digits)

1. Initial award processing of IDD

Secure IBAN and SWIFT-BIC coding from the beneficiary at the time of filing. The FBU inputs an initial IDD claim if the beneficiary elects the option of direct deposit. All initial IDD claims that an FBU takes for Greece require input into ITS.gov and an SSA system (i.e. MCS, MACADE, etc.) on the same day. You must complete all initial claims that the International Benefits Office (IBO) takes. You must input all initial claims involving Greece IDD into ITS.gov and an SSA system (i.e. MCS, MACADE, etc.) on the same day.

NOTE: If there is dire need or hardship involved, advise the beneficiary of the option of initiating payment via a paper check. Inform the beneficiary that the bank may charge for cashing the check. If the beneficiary chooses the option of paper check, the FBU documents and processes the initial claim.

2. Adding or updating bank data using SSA systems

All changes to direct deposit information for Greece require input into ITS.gov and an SSA system (i.e. Post Entitlement Online System (POS), MACADE, etc…) on the same day. Enter all POS direct deposit changes according to normal procedures. When coding IDD bank data in an SSA system for Greece within four 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 will not accept IDD information unless the address is in a foreign country. If yes, go to step 3.
3	Is the beneficiary's account a Euro account at an FI in Greece? If yes, STOP. REASON: Beneficiaries in Greece can only receive IDD payments in Euro accounts. If no, go to step 4.
4	To begin coding the RTN field (nine digits total), • Start with 65, the IDD prefix SSA has designated for Greece. • Code the 3-digit bank code. • Code the first three digits of the 4-digit branch code. • Code the U.S. check digit. Obtain the check digit from Title II Interactive Comps, option Check Digit Code. 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 (on the SSA screen) as Checking or Savings. If you do not know the type, code it as Checking.
6	To begin coding the DAN field, • Code the 4th digit of the branch code. • Code 16-digit account number.
7	All IDD payments made in Euros must include the applicable IBAN and SWIFT/BIC codes. Technicians must code this information in ITS.gov and an SSA system (i.e. MACADE, MCS) on the same day.

E. Example – coding Greece IDD

The customer provides us with a signup form for Greece containing the following information: GR1601101250000000012300695

NOTE: The first 2 characters of the Greece IBAN are “GR”, which represents the International Organizational for Standardization (ISO) country code. The third and fourth characters of the IBAN are the IBAN check digits. The technician should never code the IBAN ISO country code or check digit to the MBR. The next three characters are the three-digit bank code. The next four characters are the four-digit branch code. The next sixteen characters of the IBAN represent the 16-digit bank account number.

1. Derive the RTN as follows

Code the prefix of 65 (SSA designated prefix for IDD).

Code the three digits bank code “011”;

Code the first three digits of the branch code “012”

Code the one-digit check code (i.e., 8) (obtained from the Title II interactive Comps from the Main Menus 07/Sub Menu 16);

Code 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 as follows

Code the last digits of the branch code “5”

Code the 16-digit account number “0000000012300695”

3. Coding in ITS.gov will reflect

IBAN: GR1601101250000000012300695 SWIFT: Full code (example ETHNGRAA125)

The technician will obtain the following:

RTN: 650110128

Checking

DAN: 50000000012300695

The coding in an SSA System will reflect:

DIRECT DEPOSIT ROUTING TRANSIT NUMBER: 650110128

ACCOUNT TYPE (C/S): C

DEPOSITOR ACCOUNT NUMBER: 50000000012300695

CANCEL DIRECT DEPOSIT (Y):

DIRECT EXPRESS (Y):

The MBR will reflect the following information:

RTN-650110128 DAN- C50000000012300695

F. Exhibit – IDD enrollment form for Greece

Both the Greek and the English versions of the enrollment form for Greece can be printed from here. The form is also available from OIO or the FBU, in English or Greek.

Select SSA-1199-GR-OP1 below to view in pdf.

View In PDF

Select SSA-1199-GR below to view in pdf.