Effective Dates: 10/12/2023 - Present Previous | Next

TN 103 (10-23)

GN 02602.306 Processing Completed Form SSA-1588-SM (Beneficiary Recontact Reports) and Handling Inquiries

We mail Form SSA-1588-SM (Beneficiary Recontact Report), directly to beneficiaries (young surviving spouses) on a regular basis. We enclose a return envelope addressed to the Wilkes-Barre Data Operating Center (WBDOC) with the form and notice. WBDOC scans and processes the completed forms. However, there are times when they have to contact the Program Service Center (PSC) for subsequent processing. In addition, young surviving spouses may return the completed form to the field office (FO) or contact the FO or the National 800 Number Network (N8NN) with inquiries.

NOTE: Effective September 2012, SSA mails only the SSA-1588-SM to young surviving spouses (BIC E or E with any subscript). We eliminated the recontact to beneficiaries (young children) approaching age 17. You may receive inquiries regarding forms SSA-1588-SM and SSA-1587-SM (obsolete since 10/2013) mailed to children who were age 17 prior to September 2012.

Use the instructions below to process Form SSA-1588-SM:

A. WBDOC processing

WBDOC does the following:

  • •

    scans and processes the completed forms;

  • •

    makes direct contact (DIRCON) to obtain missing information; and

  • •

    requests PSC assistance when direct contact is unsuccessful or for undeliverable mail.

For all of WBDOC’s processing instructions for the Beneficiary Recontact Program, see WB 01001.000.

B. PSC processing

1. Completed forms

When you receive a completed form SSA-1588-SM from the young surviving spouse in Paperless, follow the instructions below:

If

then

The young surviving spouse still has a dependent child-in-care and did not marry or has married an entitled Social Security beneficiary,

  1. 1. 

    Input a “5 – Misc Susp/Term/Reinst” selection on the POS Selection List (PESL) screen in the Postentitlement Online System (POS). For information on the PESL screen, see MSOM T2PE 002.003.

  2. 2. 

    Input a “Y” on the line corresponding to the “Recontact – Suspension/Reinstatement (LAF-S9)” selection on the POS Suspensions/Terminations and Reinstatements (PEST) screen. For information on the PEST screen, see MSOM T2PE 003.013.

  3. 3. 

    Input a date in Response Received Date field on the Recontact (RQUD) screen and a “1 – Response Received” in the Select Action field.

  4. 4. 

    Complete the POS Address/Direct Deposit/Phone (PEAD) screen if the form also indicates a change of address. For information on the PEAD screen, see MSOM T2PE 003.002.

The young surviving spouse married an individual not entitled to Social Security benefits,
  1. 1. 

    Input a “4 – Marriage/Divorce” selection on the PESL screen in POS.

  2. 2. 

    Complete the Beneficiary Marriage (BMAR) screen with the surviving spouse’s current marriage information. For information on the BMAR screen, see MSOM COMMON 005.007.

  3. 3. 

    Complete the POS Address/Direct Deposit/Phone (PEAD) screen if the form also indicates a change of address. For information on the PEAD screen, see MSOM T2PE 003.002.

NOTE: Marriage to an individual not entitled to Social Security benefits will terminate the young surviving spouse’s entitlement. For more information, see RS 00208.035.

The young surviving spouse does not have a child-in-care,
  1. 1. 

    Input a “10 – Child In Care Issues” selection on the PESL screen in POS.

  2. 2. 

    Input a “Y – Dependent Child Left Care – Suspension/Reinstatement (LAF-S4)” on the next screen, POS Child In Care Issues (PECI). For information on the PECI screen, see MSOM T2PE 002.008.

  3. 3. 

    Complete the Dependent Child Left Care (DCLC) screen using the information the beneficiary provided. For information on the DCLC screen, see MSOM COMMON 005.016.

  4. 4. 

    Complete the POS Address/Direct Deposit/Phone (PEAD) screen if the form also indicates a change of address. For information on the PEAD screen, see MSOM T2PE 003.002.

NOTE: POS will automatically adjust the benefit rates to the other auxiliaries receiving benefits on the record.

2. Incomplete forms

When you receive an incomplete form in Paperless directly from the young surviving spouse, make two attempts to contact the beneficiary using direct contact (DIRCON) instructions in GN 01070.305.

If you are able to collect the missing information during DIRCON, based on the response, follow the instructions outlined in GN 02602.306B.1 in this section.

If you are unable to collect the missing information during DIRCON, update the RQUD screen by inputting a “3 – S9 Suspension” in the Select Action field.

3. PSC exceptions

When you receive a PSC exception from the WBDOC, take the necessary action that pertains to the exception reason (e.g., there is a correction to the pre-printed data or there are attachments or additional information for review and action).

C. FO processing

Generally, a young surviving spouse will contact the local FO because we stopped their benefits when we did not receive a response to the mailing. When this happens, take the following actions:

  1. 1. 

    Review the RECNTACT data line on the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) to determine why we stopped benefits. For more information on the RECNTACT data line, see SM 00510.260.

  2. 2. 

    Explain to the young surviving spouse that we stopped their benefits because they did not return the initial or follow-up form.

    CAUTION: If the young surviving spouse is also the child’s representative payee, who still has a child-in-care, and failed to cooperate in responding to the attempts made to obtain the necessary information, a change in the representative payee may be appropriate.

  3. 3. 

    Verify the young surviving spouse’s address. If incorrect, input the correct address via POS.

  4. 4. 

    Ask the young surviving spouse if they are married, the date of the marriage (if applicable), and whether they still have a child in their care.

  5. 5. 

    Make the necessary inputs to POS, following the chart listed in GN 02602.306B.1 in this section, based on the young surviving spouse’s responses regarding any reported change in the suspension date from that on the MBR.

  6. 6. 

    Request the PSC to reinstate benefits via Modernized Development Worksheet (MDW) request when the young surviving spouse states that they are not married.

Note: If the young surviving spouse contacts the FO because the SSA-1588 was not received or misplaced, do not issue a new form. Follow GN 02602.306C.3 through GN 02602.306C.5.

D. National 800 Number Network (N8NN) processing

For instructions on how to process a young surviving spouse’s inquiry regarding Beneficiary Recontact Reports when they contact the N8NN, see TC 36001.030.

E. Requesting a copy of the scanned form from WBDOC

The WBDOC scans the completed form SSA-1588-SM into its system and destroys it after 90 days. If for some reason you need a copy of the completed form, contact the Beneficiary Recontact Analyst via email. You can find the specific analyst via WBDOC’s directory.

Provide the following information in your request:

  • •

    Beneficiary’s name,

  • •

    Beneficiary’s SSN and BIC,

  • •

    Year the form was completed, and

  • •

    Your name and office code.

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0202602306
GN 02602.306 - Processing Completed Form SSA-1588-SM (Beneficiary Recontact Reports) and Handling Inquiries - 10/12/2023
Batch run: 10/12/2023
Rev:10/12/2023