A final accounting is not necessary if the criteria in GN 00605.250 is not met. When a FO or PC technician inputs a payee change and a final accounting is not necessary, a final notice is produced and sent to the former payee. The notice includes the paragraph 3821A, requesting the return of any conserved funds. (See NL 00703.821).

Although a final accounting may not required as specified in GN 00605.250, SSA may request a final accounting from a former payee when information raises a question about the payee’s use of monthly benefits or conserved funds.

When processing a change of payee action, the FO must query the SSR to determine if a final accounting is required:

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  If the date in the REPY S: MMDDYY field on the SSR is 13 months or more from the month of input of the change of payee, a final accounting is not required.

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  If there is no REPY S field, look at the PRSN AP: MMDDYY field. If the date is 13 months or more, a final accounting is not necessary.

When a final accounting is not necessary, the FO inputting the payee change sends the final notice to the former payee, requesting the return of any conserved funds. The former payee is not required to complete the Representative Payee Report form.

In cases in which a final accounting is not required, if the former payee:

1. 1. 

   does not allege or return any conserved funds, and there is no reason to believe that money is being held, do not request completion of the Representative Payee Report form.

2. 2. 

   does not report any conserved funds, but there is reason to believe that money belonging to the beneficiary is still being held, request a final accounting. Send the Representative Payee Report form along with the final notice.

3. 3. 

   alleges conserved funds, follow the steps in GN 00605.370A. Compare the amount alleged to the amount of conserved funds actually returned. If the amount returned is consistent with the payee’s allegation and if it appears consistent with the prior accounting, recertify the conserved funds to the successor payee or beneficiary.

See Details:

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  GN 00603.055 - Transfer of conserved funds.

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  NL 00703.354 - Conserved Benefits Entire Amount Paid to New Representative Payee or to the Beneficiary

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  NL 00703.356 - Conserved Benefits Monthly Installments Paid To New Representative Payee; and

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  SM 01301.639 - Conserved Funds (CF)

Check the MBR and SSR for the former payee’s date of selection. The payee information on both queries should coincide. However, if they do not, but either query indicates that an annual accounting form was previously sent to the former payee, a Representative Payee Report form does not have to be sent.

See Details:

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  GN 00603.055 - Transfer of conserved funds

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  SM 01301.639 - Annotating conserved funds to the SSI record