The FO is responsible for finding the person or organization best suited to be payee
and is required to keep a list of available payees located in the local service area and community.
FOs are encouraged to develop ongoing, cooperative relationships with community social
service providers who can often provide payee contacts. Good working relationships
with these providers may also help provide insight into a beneficiary’s well-being
and daily life. In addition, local social service providers may also serve as good
reference contacts to verify allegations made by other payee applicants.
NOTE: The list of available payees is for SSA use only. When contacting prospective payees
or potential sources of payee leads, only disclose information necessary to assist
us with selecting a representative payee. For information about the limited disclosures
SSA can make without consent to the prospective payee, see GN 03316.120A.1. For information about the limited disclosures SSA can make without consent to general
third party contacts to assist SSA in locating a suitable representative payee and
administer SSA programs, see GN 03316.065F and GN 03316.065H.
Additionally, it is important for the FO to utilize the advance designee list when
finding a suitable payee. The advance designee list is the first lead in payee development,
per GN 00502.085I. However, advance designation of representative payee does not replace complete payee
suitability development. If the beneficiary has no advance designation(s), FO technicians
must look at other sources and develop for a suitable payee using the preferred representative
payee order of selection (see GN 00502.105).