The DO is responsible for disposing of material accumulated in developing an inquiry where no claim is filed. This material will be retained or disposed of by returning it to its source, sending it to DEBS (see B. below), or destroying it (see C. below).

Some of the material, such as a written request for benefits and the 6-month closeout notice or the claimant's statement that they do not wish to file a claim, must be kept in the DO for at least 6 months in accordance with GN 00204.030 before being destroyed.

When no claim is filed, the certified earnings record (hardcopy SSA-794 or MCER) may be destroyed in the DO. Before taking this action, the CAPS orbit must be deleted.

Attach a route slip to file material being sent to DEBS. Route slip is to be addressed to: 6100 Wabash Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21215. Include the following statement in the remarks portion of the route slip, “Attached material is to be filed in Division of Certification and Coverage's (DCC) Correspondence Files.”

Medical reports submitted by or through the NH may be returned if no application is filed. However, any medical evidence which the NH has not seen should be sent to ODO for filing instead of being returned to its source. See GN 01050.055 B. and GN 01050.110.

Never forward an application for benefits to DEBS. Also never forward material to DEBS when it is known that a claims folder has been set up in a processing center (i.e., there has been a prior action). If the material is not pertinent to the claim, destroy it. For example, destroy certified E/R's which were requested in error or were requested to determine if the NH could qualify for benefits or a recomputation.

If a DO has received a title XVI claims folder from the Data Operations Center (DOC) and no subsequent claim is filed, the claims folder and any pertinent material must be returned to the DOC by route slip stating: “No subsequent claim filed.”

The procedures described in the following subsections do not apply to earnings discrepancy cases (see POMS Chapter RM 038).

1. 1. 

   Original SS-5, OAAN-7003 (except those used internally and are not signed by the NH).

2. 2. 

   SSA-7011 (Statement of Employer), Civil Service Commission requests for eligibility to RSI benefits (BR 146-289), RR-90 (Railroad Retirement Board Certification of Compensation).

3. 3. 

   Document(s) that are accompanied by earnings discrepancy case material;

4. 4. 

   Document(s) solicited by DEBS in an effort to develop earnings or obtain additional evidence necessary whenever coverage is questionable;

5. 5. 

   Certification of an original document(s) solicited by DEBS. This type of material is to be returned to DEBS with their request attached;

6. 6. 

   SSA-553 (Special Determination). Whenever a covered wage or SEI determination is submitted, an RC should be completed calling to DEBS's attention that there is a determination to be reviewed and that an adjustment to the earnings record may be required.

7. 7. 

   Form 4361, Application for Exemption from Self-Employment Tax for Use by Ministers, Members of Religious Orders and Christian Science Practitioners, and Form 4029, Application for Exemption from Social Security and Medicare Taxes and Waiver of Benefits. These are IRS forms.

8. 8. 

   United States Civil Service Commission Form, Request for Verification of OASI Entitlement.

9. 9. 

   Form DD-13, Statement of Service and Form DD 1300, Report of Casualty.

The following list, which is not all-inclusive, represent the majority of types of material which has been determined to have no future value and should not be returned to DEBS:

1. 1. 

   NUMIDENT Printouts (formerly SS-5);

2. 2. 

   SSA-450;

3. 3. 

   SSA-794

4. 4. 

   Photocopies of E/R's;

5. 5. 

   SSA-3018 (formerly OAR-3018);

6. 6. 

   SSA-555-U3, Request for Status Delayed;

7. 7. 

   SSA-2339-U3, Request for Postentitlement;

8. 8. 

   Routine Reports of Contact (RC's) which contain no essential entitlement information;

9. 9. 

   Copies of DO come-in letters;

10. 10. 

    Letters requesting general information about the social security law which do not express an intent to file for benefits;

11. 11. 

    Copies of letters explaining the general provisions of the law;

12. 12. 

    Assorted questionnaires not related to DEBS activities;

13. 13. 

    Disability material (including medical reports) that may affect an established period of disability. This material is to be sent to ODO. Any disability determination and/or other material received from ODO must be returned to ODO. See GN 01050.055 B. and GN 01050.110.

14. 14. 

    Forms SSA-795, Statement of Claimant or Other Persons, or SSA-5002, Report of Contact, which do not request a service that is performed by DEBS and do not state or imply intent to file for benefits;

15. 15. 

    Applications for benefits on which the NH failed to follow up (material of this nature is retained by the DO for six months);

16. 16. 

    Report of telephone contact relating to taking of an application or other DO activities by the claims representative;

17. 17. 

    Loose material which cannot be associated to a claim or work currently in progress in DEBS;

18. 18. 

    Primary and secondary evidence which has not been requested by DEBS;

19. 19. 

    Copies of materials which DEBS already has on record (Numident, ERF printouts, etc.);

20. 20. 

    DO records of interviews which do not involve DEBS;

21. 21. 

    Irrational, incoherent material or reports of interviews that deal basically in personalities and do not request a specific service of DEBS;

22. 22. 

    Proof document(s) submitted more than 12 months before the anticipated filing date for benefits. If any material is sent to DEBS that should have been retained by the DO (e.g., questionnaires) or should have been sent to ODO (e.g., disability determinations sent to DEBS), or should have been forwarded to another DO or processing center in the field (e.g., claims folders), DEBS will return the material to the forwarding DO.