Effective Dates: 12/08/2004 - Present Previous | Next

TN 23 (12-04)

GN 02605.005 Questionable Addresses-COA

A. POLICY

Generally, the individual's mailing address should be the address where he/ she resides or his/her own post office (PO) box (or the residence address or PO box of his/her representative payee). Any other address is questionable and will not be acceptable if it:

  • •

    Facilitates an assignment of benefits (see GN 02410.001), or

  • •

    Directs checks to a location where the check payee cannot readily negotiate them, or

  • •

    Permits the check payee to conceal information which, if known to SSA, would result in nonpayment of benefits, substitution of payee, etc.

B. PROCEDURE

 

1. QUESTIONABLE ADDRESSES—PSCs and 800 # Answering Sites

If the address request is “questionable”, PSCs and 800# Answering Sites should forward the request to the FO for development. (See TC 09005.000 for Title II and TC 09010.000 for Title XVI.)

 

2. IN-CARE-OF ADDRESSES

Any address which directs mail to someone other than the entitled individual or his/ her representative payee is an in-care-of address, whether or not “in-care-of” actually appears in the address.

  1. a. 

    If the address is the entitled individual's or his/her representative payee's PO Box, business address, or the address of a friend or relative, and the reason for using the address is convenience or safety, the address is acceptable.

  2. b. 

    If the address is that of a creditor, bankruptcy trustee, or someone who might claim all or part of the check, inform the beneficiary/recipient that he/she is under no obligation by SSA to use that address. Also, inform him/her that any correspondence from SSA will be sent to the address. If the entitled individual insists on using the address, accept it.

3. INSTITUTIONAL ADDRESSES

If the address is that of a hospital, nursing home, rest home, etc., this may indicate that the entitled individual needs a representative payee or that a new representative payee should be appointed. It may also indicate a change in circumstances affecting eligibility or payment amount for an SSI recipient. Input the new address and develop per GN 00502.001. See also GN 02605.030.

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0202605005
GN 02605.005 - Questionable Addresses-COA - 12/08/2004
Batch run: 04/14/2025
Rev:12/08/2004