Social Security

· We expanded the scope of the new FI verification requirement to now apply to all SSI claim allowances, including disability, blindness, and aged claims and reopenings, and appeal reversals that establish initial SSI eligibility. Previously, the FI verification requirement only applied to SSI Aged claim allowances processed on or after 08/01/25.
· In support of the expansion, we reorganized content and added detailed instructions covering the timing of FI verifications in various claim situations.
· We added an example showing how the FI verification requirement would be applied in a common disability claim situation.

The purpose of this emergency message (EM) is to inform technicians about the expansion of the new verification requirement for financial institution (FI) accounts and Access to Financial Institutions (AFI).

Effective 05/04/2026, we have expanded the new requirement for FI account verification to apply to all SSI allowances, including initial claim reopenings, and appeal reversals establishing initial eligibility.

For all SSI claim allowances processed on or after 05/04/2026, AFI verification is now required regardless of the claimant’s liquid resource or FI account ownership allegations for all SSI initial claims (aged, disability, or blindness) following the instructions in this EM.

For FI verification in post-eligibility situations, technicians must continue to follow current policies in SI 01140.010 and SI 01140.206 to request AFI verifications and apply the $400 liquid resource tolerance, when applicable.

B. Background

AFI improves our efficiency in obtaining evidence related to FI accounts in claims and post eligibility workloads. It also reduces SSI payment errors and improper payments related to financial account balances and undisclosed accounts. We generally request AFI verifications when an individual alleges $400 or more in liquid resources during initial claims, redeterminations, and limited issues. However, for redeterminations and limited issues with a resource-related diary, we request AFI verification regardless of the liquid resource verification tolerance.

Effective with allowances processed on or after 8/1/2025, FI account verification using AFI became mandatory for all SSI Aged 65+ (SSIAI) allowances. This requirement also applied to SSIAI claims that required a disability or blindness determination (multicategory eligibility), aged spouse claims, SSIAI initial claim reopenings, and initial claim appeal reversals.

Effective 05/04/2026, we have extended mandatory AFI verifications to all initial SSI claim allowances, including simultaneous development claims, initial claim reopenings, and appeal reversals establishing initial eligibility.

C. Field office instructions for verifying FI accounts using AFI for all SSI initial claim allowances, including simultaneous development claims, initial claim reopenings, and appeal reversals establishing initial eligibility

1. Verify FI accounts using AFI.




Effective 05/04/2026, when processing any type of initial SSI claim (e.g., aged, disability, blindness) with at least one month of potential eligibility:




· request AFI verification prior to adjudication and payment of the allowance, and




· verify FI accounts using AFI regardless of the claimant’s liquid resource or FI account ownership allegations.










· For disability and blindness awards involving deferred development (see SI 00603.003), complete AFI verification during the pre-effectuation review (PERC).




· For disability and blindness claims involving simultaneous development (see SI 00603.004), complete AFI verification before processing the claim to “blank” payment status. Do not delay transferring the case to DDS while developing FI account balances.










Note: if a PERC is required after a case has been processed to “blank” payment status, a new AFI verification is only required during the PERC if liquid resources are alleged or found to have exceeded the $400 liquid resource verification tolerance at any point during initial round of development.





To request FI account information, follow AFI procedures in:




· SI 01140.206E for electronic cases; or




· SI 01140.206F for non-SSI Claims system cases.





Requests must include all alleged FI accounts (if applicable), a geographic search, and applicable relationship-related searches. To minimize processing delays, initiate verification requests as early as possible in the application process once there is a reasonable expectation that the claim will be approved. Do not delay adjudication of claims if the only outstanding AFI responses are for Sub-Requests or geographic searches (SI 01140.206H.1).




NOTE: Do not verify FI accounts for technical denials.





2. Determine whether verification of other liquid resources is needed, given results of FI verification.




The $400 liquid resource verification tolerance described in SI 01140.010B.2.a and SI 01140.010C may still apply to all other types of liquid resources if:




· the claimant alleges liquid resources below the $400 tolerance; and




· the FI account verification corroborates that allegation (i.e., AFI verification combined with alleged values of other resources do not exceed the $400 threshold in any month subject to verification.)





If FI account verification indicates liquid resources are over the $400 tolerance, verify liquid resources according to SI 01140.010B.1.




3. FI account verification reminders:









· Financial Permission: Obtain the claimant’s (and, as appliable, deemor’s) financial permission before verifying FI account balance information, following SI 00515.001.




· Alternative verifications: After requesting AFI, if a claimant provides alternative documentation of all alleged account balances for the entire verification period, do not delay adjudication of the claim.










Use the “received alternative documentation” checkbox on the eAFI subsystem “View Request” screen to clear the SSI Claims system edit. Process any eAFI or e4641 responses received post-adjudicatively as a stand-alone post-eligibility event. See SI 01140.200C.3 for acceptable alternative evidence.

1. Example of applying the $400 liquid resource tolerance to other resources after FI verification




During an initial claim for an aged individual, the SSI applicant alleges they have $20 in a checking account, and a $100 Certificate of Deposit (CD). The total liquid resource allegation is $120. Under the new bank account verification rules, the CS must run AFI to verify the bank balances, since it is now required in all initial claim allowances regardless of the amount of alleged resources. The AFI response verifies the checking account balance was $19, and no other accounts were found. After considering the verified bank balance, liquid resources are valued at $119 ($19 in the checking account and $100 CD) and still under the $400 tolerance. Therefore, the CS does not need to verify the Certificate of Deposit value.









If the AFI verification showed $350 instead of $19, the CS would need to verify the Certificate of Deposit. Liquid resources would be valued at $450 ($350 in the checking account and $100 Certificate of Deposit) and the $400 liquid resource verification tolerance no longer applies.





2. Example of verifying FI information while processing an initial disability application.
During an initial application for a disabled child, the CS determines a full application with simultaneous development is required. The CS secures all financial permissions for the claimant and deemor parents, completes all non-disability development, and requests FI verification using AFI. The only alleged resource is a joint checking account co-owned by the deemor parents. FI verification supports that allegation, returning an account balance ranging from $200 to $900 since the application date. With all non-medical eligibility requirements met, the technician processes the claim to blank payment status.

After seven months, DDS returns a disability allowance and the CS contacts the applicant to complete a PERC. Given that AFI previously returned financial account balances over the $400 liquid resource tolerance during the period of review, the CS requests another FI verification using AFI before processing the allowance.

If the claimant had alleged (and FI verification corroborated) resource values below the $400 liquid resource tolerance in all months since the application month, the second AFI verification at the PERC would not have been required.