On July 15, 2008, Bank Three received a death notification entry (DNE) for Mr. Supplement, who died on May 25, 2008.

On July 29, 2008, the FI returned the two incorrect payments after his death.

On July 30, 2008, his executor, who had not yet received the FI’s notice of this action, sent a check for the amount to SSA.

Because we received the funds twice, this was a dual recovery.

On August 1, 2008, Bank Four returned a payment of $1240 paid after death to the account of Ms. Em, who died on July 26, 2008.

Unfortunately, the returned payment did not post to the Payment History Update System (PHUS), so an automated reclamation request was sent on August 15, 2008.

A new employee at Bank Four returned the payment for the second time, without checking to see if it had already gone back to SSA.

Because SSA received the funds twice, this was a dual recovery.

The widow returned the payment after death by a bank cashier’s check, but the remittance was not processed to the record in time to prevent a reclamation from going out.

The FI contacted the executor of the estate, who returned the funds to SSA by a check drawn on the estate.

Because we received the funds twice, this was a dual recovery.

The FI inadvertently returns the payment prior to the month of death instead of the actual month of death payment. The bank is unaware that they returned the wrong payment and Treasury has debited the bank’s Federal Reserve account. The FI then contacts SSA requesting a refund for the amount debited, since they did return the payment, just the incorrect one. Because we received the funds twice, this was a dual recovery.

Get statements and any evidence available:

1. a. 

   When a check or money order was involved, ask the sender to obtain a copy of both sides of the item.

2. b. 

   When someone brought cash to an FO, request a copy of the receipt.

3. c. 

   Check the applicable system for evidence of returns.

4. d. 

   Ask the PC to look for evidence that the money came from the FI through the Department of the Treasury (DT) but it rejected or edited and was not entered on the system.

5. e. 

   Compare the amount due survivors with the amount paid, to determine whether money was repaid to SSA by being subtracted from the amount due the survivors.

6. f. 

   Check the record for anyone who alleges SSA recovered the funds from his/her ongoing benefits.

When dual recovery has occurred, look at the evidence to determine which party suffered the loss. Consider that the money should come from the beneficiary’s account when it is available in the account. If the FI returned the money from the account, the FI is not the party you should repay. Consider that, when the money was reclaimed from the FI’s reserve account at the Federal Reserve Bank (FRB), the FI suffered a loss. The following lists some examples of situations you may encounter:

1. a. 

   When the same party returned the money twice, this is the correct party to repay.

2. b. 

   When the FI took the funds from the beneficiary’s account and the joint account holder also repaid SSA, the joint account holder is the one SSA must repay. (The FI has not suffered any loss.)

3. c. 

   When the FI returned the funds from the beneficiary’s account and a family member or the estate executor also repaid SSA, the family member or estate executor is the one SSA must repay. (The FI has not suffered any loss.)

4. d. 

   When the money was reclaimed from the FI when the money was not in the beneficiary’s account, and the estate or a family member also repaid the funds, SSA should repay the FI. (The FI has suffered a loss.)

5. e. 

   When the FI returned the funds from the beneficiary’s account and the money was also reclaimed from the FI’s account at Federal Reserve Bank, repay the FI. (The FI has suffered a loss.)

6. f. 

   When the FI returned the funds from the beneficiary’s account and the money was also reclaimed from the beneficiary’s account, repay the joint account holder, if any (or the beneficiary’s estate, if there is no joint account holder). (The joint account holder or the estate has suffered a loss. The FI has not suffered a loss.)

Once you have determined the correct party to repay, obtain the full address. When the FI is the party that has suffered a loss, ask for the exact address of the person at the FI who should receive the payment. For payments returned to the FI, include the reclamation ticket number found in the Treasury Check Information System (TCIS) on the Claims Detail tab under Reclamation No. The reclamation ticket number may also be found on the FS-133 under Ticket. Without the reclamation ticket number, the FI may need to recontact SSA when they receive the Treasury check, as they may not know where to apply the funds on their own records. Explain the format of the address, so the FI can decide how best to structure it to include the name of the correct bank official and any codes the FI may need for crediting the payment.

The address can have up to 6 lines of up to 22 characters each, including spaces. In addition to alpha and numeric characters, only a space or dash may be used on the check. As with any Treasury check, all letters are in capitals.