• •

  Verify the value of all non-cash liquid resources if alleged liquid resources total $400 or more. For more information on the liquid resource tolerance, see SI 01140.010C in this section.

• •

  Accept an allegation of cash, regardless of the amount, when an individual alleges cash as a liquid resource. Never ask to see or count cash. Verify all other non-cash liquid resources if the alleged liquid resources total $400 or more.

• •

  Verify financial institution (FI) account balances using Access to Financial Institutions (AFI) without regard to the $400 liquid resource tolerance when processing initial SSI allowances and certain redeterminations (RZs) and limited issues (LIs) involving resource-related diaries. See SI 01140.010B.2.a and SI 01140.010B.2.b in this section for more information on when AFI verification is required during these events.

  NOTE: 

  For instructions on how to verify financial institution (FI) accounts using AFI, see Electronic Financial Institution Verification SI 01140.206.

For information on how to develop SSI interfaces, follow the instructions in SI 02310.000.

Use these procedures to determine the value of a non-liquid resource only if other specific instructions do not exist in Programs Operations Manual System (POMS).

1. a. 

   Develop the CMV of a resource. For more information, see What Values Apply to Resources, SI 01110.400.

2. b. 

   Develop the equity value (EV) of a resource whenever the:

   • •

     CMV of all countable resources exceeds the applicable limit;

   • •

     individual alleges a debt against the resource; and

   • •

     alleged equity value could permit eligibility. For more information on how to determine the equity value of a non-liquid resource, see SI 01140.042.

3. c. 

   Develop the value of a non-liquid resource when there is evidence of shared ownership according to SI 01110.510, Sole vs. Shared Ownership.

Develop the CMV or EV of a resource for a given month except:

• •

  Do not develop the CMV or EV when specific instructions for developing that resource say not to;

• •

  Do not develop the EV if the CMV of all countable resources does not exceed the applicable resource limit; or

• •

  Accept the allegation and do not develop the CMV or EV if the individual is ineligible because of alleged resources or is ineligible for any other reason and does not qualify for conditional benefits per SI 01150.200.

A claimant has a scheduled RZ in July 2025 and alleges the following resources:

$200 Savings account designated for burial

$400 Non-home real property

$50 Checking account

$100 Certificate of Deposit (CD)

$300 CSV of countable life insurance

= $1050 Total

$350 Liquid resources

Excludable burial funds in an FI account plus countable liquid resources (savings account for burial, checking account, and CD) do not exceed $400 (treat the $300 life insurance CSV, as well as the $400 in non-home real property, as a non-liquid resource). The liquid resource verification tolerance applies because the total amount of liquid resources (including the burial funds held in an FI account) is below $400. There is no need to verify the value of liquid resources.

The claimant from example 1 calls the office the following day and changes their allegation after checking their records. The claimant’s new resource allegations are:

$400 Savings account designated for burial

$400 Non-home real property

$275 Checking account

$200 CD

$300 CSV of countable life insurance

= $1,575 Total

$875 Liquid resources

The liquid resource development tolerance does not apply because the total amount of liquid resources (including the burial account, checking account, and CD) is $400 or more.

Tracy and Jane Smith, a married couple living together, are both receiving SSI. During an RZ, they allege the following resources:

Tracy Smith:

$35 Cash

$200 Joint checking account

$500 CSV of countable life insurance

Jane Smith:

$20 Cash

$100 Checking account

$250 Savings account

= $1105 Total

$605 Liquid resources

Liquid resource development during RZs may be subject to the $400 liquid resource development tolerance. However, in this example, it does not apply because the combined total amount of liquid resources in the form of cash and FI accounts is $400 or more.

During an initial claim for an aged individual, the SSI applicant alleges they have:

$20 in a checking account, and

$100 in a CD.

The total liquid resource allegation is $120. Because the CS is processing an initial claim, the CS runs AFI to verify the FI account balance and conduct a geographical search, 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 FI account balance, liquid resources are valued at $119 ($19 in the checking account and the alleged $100 CD) and are still under the $400 tolerance. Therefore, the CS does not need to verify the CD value.

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

During a scheduled RZ, the recipient alleges having no resources except for a Direct Express card with no more than $5 on it at the end of each month. However, there is a 5B diary associated with this RZ. When asked about it, the claimant alleges winning a $1,000 cash prize from the local radio station last year and spending it all within the month of receipt. Even though the recipient alleged resources are below the tolerance for the entire period of review, the presence of a 5B diary during an RZ or LI is an exception to the tolerance. The CS runs an AFI search following SI 01140.206E to verify the Direct Express card balance.

It is legal to photocopy checks issued by the Federal Government, U.S. Savings Bonds, Treasury notes, and other securities and obligations of the U.S. Government only if the photocopies are:

• •

  in black and white, and

• •

  of a size, less than three-fourths or more than one and one-half in linear dimension, of each part of the item illustrated.

If equipment limitations or restrictions imposed by State or Federal law do not permit legal photocopying of a document, make a certification (i.e., place or record the data in Shared Processes) from the original document involved.

If the document appears to have been altered in some way, certify it “as is” with a notation as to the apparent alteration. For additional information, see Photocopying Process, GN 00301.280.

Use the following assumptions when evaluating whether checking or savings accounts meet the general definition of a resource found in SI 01110.100.

NOTE: Consider whether evidence exists that shows the account does not meet the definition of a resource as provided in SI 01140.200B.2 in this section.

A checking or savings account does not meet the definition of a resource if the account owner does not have the legal right to withdraw funds from the account or is otherwise restricted from using the funds. For more information on the definition of a resource, see SI 01110.100.

The following are examples of limitations that may preclude a checking or savings account from meeting the definition of a resource.

The value of an FI account for a given month is the first of the month (FOM) balance of the account in that month. When evidence does not show a FOM balance, the account value is the closing balance on the last day of the prior month.

When FI account balances contribute to an excess resources determination and a deduction or exclusion applied to the account would bring countable resources below the resource limit, the value of an account is the FOM balance less any applicable deductions or exclusions.

Develop for potential exclusions or deductions that may lower the countable account balance when the claimant alleges, or you have reason to believe an exclusion or deduction applies. Common examples include:

• •

  early deposits of benefit payments or recurring income (SI 01140.200D.6);

• •

  pending transactions not already reflected in the FOM balance (e.g., checks that have yet to clear); and

• •

  retained funds that are excluded under a resource exclusion (e.g., SI 01130.050).

See SI 01140.200F in this section for examples of applying exclusions and determining the FOM balances using bank statements.

See SI 01130.700 for determining countable resources when commingled accounts are involved.

Electronic verification using AFI is the preferred method to verify checking and savings account ownership and balance information. How we verify financial account balances depends on whether the FI is participating or nonparticipating with the AFI initiative. For more information on participating and non-participating FIs, see SI 01140.206B.7.

Electronic verification is the preferred method to verify FI accounts. However, in certain situations, you may request or accept bank statements or other FI records from the individual. As a last resort when bank records are unavailable, an individual may provide a signed statement as evidence. To request evidence, follow procedure in SI 00601.100.

The order of preference for accepting alternative evidence when AFI verification or the SSA-e4641 is not used is:

1. 1. 

   bank statements,

2. 2. 

   other FI evidence (including evidence from telephone contact),

3. 3. 

   a signed statement.

NOTE: In situations discussed in SI 04410.206H, alternative evidence may be developed and accepted while AFI requests are pending. When alternative evidence is used to adjudicate an event, process as a stand-alone post-eligibility event any electronic responses received post-adjudicatively.

Follow these instructions to verify account balances when using an automated telephone service:

• •

  Ensure financial permission has been documented according to SI 00515.001.

• •

  Use an automated telephone customer service line to obtain account balances only if it provides complete transaction information, i.e., deposits, withdrawals, cleared checks, and transfers to and from the account along with transaction dates.

• •

  To be certain that you access the correct account, dial the bank's customer service line provided by the individual or on the FIs official website and enter the proper account numbers. However, if required to respond to security prompts, for privacy purposes have individuals enter their own security information (i.e. login ID, PINs or pass codes, etc.). Never ask the person to provide you with this information.

• •

  If telephone verification would cause the individual's security information to be compromised (i.e. you are verifying via a three-way conference call and the automated line requires you to key in security information), stop and verify account information another way.

• •

  Examine all account activity to determine the account balance as of the FOM. The records do not have to specify a FOM balance; they need only to make it possible to extrapolate the FOM balance using balances before and after that date. For more information, see the examples in SI 01140.205G.

  Be alert for payments for both direct deposit and payment by check situations that have an advance date. For example, we treat any payment made early because a payday falls on a holiday or weekend as income for the month of normal receipt. For more information, see SI 00810.030B.

• •

  If contact with an FI representative is necessary to resolve an issue or question not resolved using the automated customer service line, privacy concerns may prevent the FI from disclosing information without the account holder's presence or expressed consent. FIs may also require consent in writing. Technicians should not contact an FI representative directly when the FI is a participating FI for AFI purposes and electronic verification has been requested. In these cases, the AFI vendor is responsible for liaising with the FI to resolve any issues. See SI 01140.206I for more information.

  NOTE: 

  If attempts to reach an FI representative are unsuccessful, do not leave a voicemail disclosing PII nor recommend claimant do so.

Record the results of the telephone verification on a Report of Contact and lock it. Include the telephone number, date and time of the contact, automated service or person contacted, account information, and the transaction and balance information verified.

If no other evidence is available, accept the individual’s allegation as evidence of bank account balances and adjudicate the event. Accept the allegation according to the following:

• •

  Document the individual’s signed statement on an SSA-795 (Statement of Claimant or Other Person) or on the Person Statement screen in the SSI Claims system. Include all information relevant to the resource determination, such as:

  • –

    name of FI;

  • –

    names of any co-owners;

  • –

    type of account and account number;

  • –

    FOM account balances covering all months in the review period; and

  • –

    other information material to the resource determination (e.g., exclusions, access restrictions, etc.).

• •

  Document attempts to obtain evidence and why they were unsuccessful on a Report of Contact.

• •

  Process any evidence received post-adjudicatively as a stand-alone post eligibility event.

Advise individuals of their reporting responsibilities as follows:

• •

  Individuals must report any bank account on which their name appears, regardless of any special purpose of the account or whose money is in it; and

• •

  We may use electronic account verification or other forms to obtain information from any bank or FI to verify the allegations when needed to determine their eligibility.

Determine whether the recipient or deemor has granted SSA permission to request financial account balance information per SI 00515.001. Financial permission may be collected:

• •

  electronically during claim events and redeterminations;

• •

  within application forms (e.g., SSA-8000, SSA-8203); and

• •

  on the SSA-4641 (standard form).

Once given, financial permission is recorded in the SSI claims system on the Financial Institutions Permission page (see MS 08108.020). For instructions on electronic financial institution verification, see SI 01140.206C.

The FI may show the opening balance for the first day of a given month or the closing balance for the last business day of the previous month. Accept either; the amount will be the same.

Do not verify account balances under any of the following circumstances:

• •

  The tolerance for verifying liquid resources applies and the individual is not rebutting ownership of funds in a joint account. For the liquid resource tolerance, see SI 01140.010C. For joint accounts, see SI 01140.205C;

  NOTE: 

  The tolerance does not apply when processing initial claim allowances.

• •

  Advance filing applies (e.g., pre-release cases, claims for youth transitioning out of foster care). Develop FI account balances when processing these allowances to payment (i.e., during the pre-effectuation review); or

• •

  The individual alleges countable resources in excess of the resource limit, and is ineligible for or declines conditional benefits.

In addition to the account balances, document all of the following on the Financial Institution Accounts page:

• •

  The name and address of the FI;

• •

  The account number(s); and

• •

  The exact account designation.

When deductions and exclusions from an FI account balance are material to eligibility, the value of an FI account is the first of the month (FOM) balance less applicable exclusions or deductions. Development is "material to eligibility" when applying deductions and exclusions means the difference between eligibility and ineligibility. For example, applying the resource exclusion for Federal tax refunds (SI 01130.676) to an FI account is material to eligibility when the recipient’s resources exceed the resource limit by an amount equal to or less than the retained tax refund and applying the exclusion would result in the person's eligibility.

In any month where account balances contribute to an excess resources determination, screen for potential deductions and exclusions. Apply them when material to eligibility. Review the case according to the following procedures to determine the appropriate FI account value.

For information on the treatment of interest for income purposes, see Dividends and Interest SI 00830.500.

When a claimant or recipient provides bank statements or passbooks for documentation, review the supplied evidence for deposits that you cannot account for from their stated income. If deposits indicate potential undisclosed income sources, contact the individual to develop the income and follow the appropriate policy in SI 00810.000 to document the record.

For the definition of income, and when to count it, refer to SI 00810.005 and SI 00810.030, respectively.

A bank sends out checking account statements that cover the 10^th of April through the 9^th of May. The last transaction shown for April is a cash deposit that creates a $100 balance. The first transaction in May is a $50 purchase that leaves a $50 balance. Based on the transaction details from the statement, the technician records the FOM balance in May as $100.

Consider using other available evidence to confirm the account balance information. In the example above, the receipt from the first transaction in May can corroborate the remaining account balance, and confirm extrapolated FOM balance.

The claims specialist (CS) initiates a redetermination for a recipient on 6/2/2026. The recipient alleges having the following resources:

• •

  Checking account balance $1,250;

• •

  Savings account balance $650; and

• •

  A single vehicle used for transportation.

During the interview, the recipient provides bank statements covering the review period up to 4/15/2026, but the CS still runs AFI, given that the liquid resource allegation is over the tolerance and AFI is the preferred verification method. AFI returns account balances over the resource limit in 4/2026 and 5/2026.

The CS screens for potential deductions and exclusions in these months and determines that neither 04/2026 nor 05/2026 were an early deposit month per SM 01315.005. When reviewing the bank statements the recipient provided at the interview, the CS notices a Federal tax return was deposited into the checking account in 3/2026, which would reduce the countable balance below the resource limit for April. Having no bank records for May but suspecting a continuing tax return exclusion, the CS contacts the recipient to obtain more information. The recipient alleges still having some of the tax return funds in May and sends the CS the full transaction history for the checking account covering the period from 4/15/2026 to 5/4/2026 using Upload Documents. The CS calculates the excludable funds in May based on the transaction records.

The following table depicts the balance information returned by AFI for the savings account for 3/2026 through 5/2026:

The following tables depict the account activity and balance information for the checking account from AFI, bank statements, and financial records:

Using the bank statements and transaction logs provided by the claimant and applying the commingling assumptions in SI 01130.700, the CS is able to exclude the retained tax return from the checking account balance for 4/2026 and 05/2026 resulting in eligibility for those months.

AFI returns checking account balance information that contributes to an excess resource determination for 05/2026. While the CS screens for potential resource exclusions, the claimant alleges the checking account balance of $1,350 as of 5/1/2026 includes a rent check of $500 written and given to their landlord on April 25^th, but that the landlord has not cashed the check yet. The CS requests other financial records corroborating the claimant's statement and receives a bank statement covering 4/15/2026 through 5/15/2026 and copy of the claimant's check register covering the last 6 months.

The CS examines the claimant’s bank statement and check register and finds an annotation for check number 1345 for $500 written on April 25^th. The CS also notes that check 1346 has already cleared the bank and the amount has been deducted from the claimant's account on the bank statement. Next, the CS notes that the claimant has written a $500 check to their landlord for rent on the 25^th of each month for the last six months since the claimant moved into the apartment.

Since there is evidence that the claimant has written the check and legally obligated those funds in the account, and the records provide a complete and consistent picture of the account, the CS deducts the amount of the uncashed check from the 5/1/2026 balance. The CS can deduct the uncashed check because SSI equity value rules state that in determining equity value, we deduct encumbrances from the current market value (CMV). The new checking account balance of $850, which reflects the deduction of the encumbered funds, now permits resource eligibility.

While verifying bank account balances using AFI during a redetermination, a CS discovers several months over the period of review in which the recipient’s account balances were higher than usual. Because the balances in many of these months caused an excess resources determination, the CS screens for potential exclusions or deductions.

Using the chart in SM 01315.005, the CS notes the early deposit months during the period of review were: 6/2019, 9/2019, 12/2019, 1/2020, 2/2020, and 3/2020.

In reviewing the SSR, the CS finds that the recipient received the full benefit rate in every month during the period of review.

The CS applies early deposit exclusions as follows:

*Even though early deposit occurred in 9/2019 and 3/2020, the total resource value was under the $2,000 resource limit. In these months, deducting the early deposit is not necessary. We only develop for exclusions or deductions when the early deposit amount affects eligibility. You do not need to record an amount in the "Excluded Amount" field on the Financial Institution Account page for these months.