TN 10 (08-23)

RM 00207.035 Enumeration Requirement for Payment of Auxiliary and Survivor Benefits

CITATIONS: Section 205(c) of the Social Security Act, 20 CFR § 404.469, and P.L. 100-647

A. Enumeration requirement

1. General

Although not required for entitlement, all Title II beneficiaries entitled June 1989 or later must have a Social Security number (SSN), or must have applied for one, to receive benefits.

A monthly Title II benefit is payable if a beneficiary meets all requirements for entitlement and:

  • has an SSN; or

  • has applied for an SSN, submitting the required evidence and completing the in-person interview, when required (see RM 10205.110).

A monthly Title II benefit is not payable if a beneficiary who meets all requirements for entitlement:

  • refuses enumeration; or

  • fails to provide a properly completed application to obtain an original SSN with the required evidence or fails to complete the in-person interview, when required (see RM 10205.110).

The beneficiary would be entitled, but is placed in suspense.

2. Undocumented aliens

If the claimant is an undocumented alien, do not process an application for an original SSN until you establish the alien will be entitled to benefits (see RM 10211.500 and RM 10211.610).

B. Field Office (FO) procedures for initial claims

1. Claimant has an SSN

If the claimant has an SSN, process the claim following established procedures.

2. Claimant without an SSN is not entitled to benefits

If a claimant without an SSN does not meet the requirements for entitlement to the benefit for which they applied, e.g., age or relationship, use the factor of entitlement not established as the reason for the disallowance or denial. Process the denial, which will be a Modernized Claims System (MCS) exclusion, using the Manual Adjustment Credit and Award Data Entry (MACADE) Function 5 (see SM 00380.500).

REMINDER: If an undocumented alien does not establish entitlement to benefits, do not process an application for an original SSN (see RM 10211.500 and RM 10211.610).

3. Claimant without an SSN meets requirements for entitlement and completes an application for an SSN

If a claimant without an SSN meets all requirements for entitlement to the benefit for which they applied, e.g., age or relationship, and the claimant properly completes an application for an original SSN, submits the required evidence, and completes the in-person interview when required (see RM 10205.110), adjudicate the claim without an SSN and follow established procedures (see RM 00207.045).

4. Claimant without an SSN meets requirements for entitlement but does not complete an application for an SSN or refuses enumeration

If a claimant without an SSN meets all requirements for entitlement to the benefit for which they applied, e.g., age or relationship, but fails to complete the application process for an original SSN (see RM 10205.000 and RM 10210.000), or refuses enumeration:

  • Advise the claimant that monthly benefits are not payable until after we assign an SSN, or they complete the application process;

  • Prepare a Determination of Award, A101, or EF101, and annotate the beneficiary's failure to provide the required evidence or refusal to enumerate in the "Remarks" portion in accordance with MS 06309.024;

  • Suspend benefits via Suspension Events in MCS, Function 8-MISC SUSPENSION;

  • Add a Special Message (SP MSG) to the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) via Miscellaneous Online Edited Transaction (MONET) of "No beneficiary's own account number (BOAN) - Claimant refused enumeration effective with the date of entitlement (DOE)"; and

  • If the award cannot be processed via MCS, forward the claim to the appropriate Payment Center (PC) via Paperless for processing.

C. Procedures for post-entitlement cases

Monthly benefits are payable to beneficiaries who complete an application for an original SSN (via SS-5 or SSNAP), provide the required evidence, and complete the in-person interview when required (see RM 10205.010). The BOAN Verification System monitors the MBR to make sure all beneficiaries receiving benefits have a verified BOAN on the MBR. For more information on the BOAN Verification System, refer to SM 03003.005.

1. FO action when beneficiary fails to provide evidence or information

If during subsequent development to resolve an SSN processing alert, the beneficiary fails to provide necessary evidence or information, suspend benefits with the S-9 code effective with the current operating month (COM) (see MS 06302.003 and MS 06302.005). For information on assisting applicants who are homeless, have amnesia, or who are mentally impaired, see RM 10210.120.

2. FO action when the beneficiary who is in suspense provides evidence or information

The FO should first attempt to reinstate benefits effective with the month of suspension via the Post Entitlement Online System (POS).

If the POS input fails to update the record, the PC will be alerted via a POS exception output in Paperless to take a manual MACADE action.

D. Procedures for processing an application to obtain an original SSN

Process the application to obtain an original SSN using the Social Security Number Application Process (SSNAP) or Form SS-5 (Application for a Social Security Card) following procedures in RM 10205.000. Enter the auxiliary or survivor claim account number (CAN), e.g., XXX-XX-XXXXHC3, in the CAN block on the SS-5. Be sure that the complete claim number is present on the SS-5. When discussing SSNs with the claimant, distinguish between the CAN and the person’s own SSN.

Note: 

Incomplete or omitted CANs, illegible entries, and misrouted SS-5s will prevent proper cross-reference even though an SSN is located or assigned. If SSA does not have a verified SSN for the auxiliary or survivor after the claim is established on the MBR, alerts will be issued and benefits may be suspended (see RM 00207.035C).

E. PC action for beneficiary notification when a beneficiary without an SSN is entitled but placed in suspense

Tailor the award notice to the addressee, e.g., individual, representative payee for minor child, or representative payee for adult.

Include in the notice:

  • the reason for nonpayment, and

  • all other appropriate paragraphs including the standard appeal and referral paragraphs.

F. References

RM 00207.040 FO Procedures - Auxiliary or Survivor Claimant Has an SSN

RM 00207.045 FO Procedures - Auxiliary or Survivor Claimant Does Not Have SSN

RM 10205.000 Social Security Number (SSN) Applications - Table of Contents

RM 10205.010 When to Consider an Application for an SSN Card Filed

RM 10210.000 SSN Evidence Requirements - Table of Contents

RM 10211.000 Alien Evidence for an SSN - Table of Contents


To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100207035
RM 00207.035 - Enumeration Requirement for Payment of Auxiliary and Survivor Benefits - 08/24/2023
Batch run: 10/21/2024
Rev:08/24/2023