When Kathryn Simms applies for SSI benefits in August 2015, she indicates that she
is unmarried. Karen Anders, an unrelated adult, lives in the same household. The property
tax records and mortgage for the home are in Ms. Simms' name.
The FO learns from a field contact that the neighbors refer to Ms. Anders and Ms.
Simms as a married couple. The FO develops following the procedure in SI 00501.152C.1.c. in this section. Ms. Simms admits that she does not correct the neighbors when they
refer to them as spouses.
The responses on the SSA-4178 indicate that Ms. Anders and Ms. Simms filed tax returns
as “married filing jointly.” They also share the same charge accounts. Based on this
information and the available evidence, the FO decides that they are holding themselves
out to the community as a married couple.