TN 260 (10-24)

SI 00830.712 Treatment of Inherited Payments to Victims of Nazi Persecution

CITATIONS:

Public Law (P.L. 103-286), The Victims of Nazi Persecution Act of 1994, 20 CFR 416.1121(g), Types of Unearned Income

A. Introduction

The Victims of Nazi Persecution Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-286) provides that any payments made to individuals because of their status as victims of Nazi persecution must be disregarded in determining eligibility for and the amount of benefits provided under any needs-based federal program. Thus, these payments are excluded from both income and resources for purposes of Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The statute does not specifically address the treatment of reparation payments inherited upon the death of the victim of persecution.

B. Policy for income and exclusions for inherited reparation payments

1. Inherited reparation payments exclusion

Exclude inherited payments from income if the funds:

  • were inherited from or can be traced back to an individual who received the inherited funds as payments because of their status as a victim of Nazi persecution;

  • were or would have been excludable under the Victims of Nazi Persecution Act for the original recipient; and

  • are identifiable as reparation payments.

For the definition of inheritance, see SI 00830.550, Inheritances. For Payments to Victims for Nazi Persecution, see SI 00830.710.

2. To whom the exclusion of inherited payments may apply

The income exclusion applies to reparation payments inherited by any individual. The individual inheriting the funds does not have to be related to the original recipient, nor do they have to inherit the funds directly from the original recipient. The exclusion applies to the funds as long as the SSI claimant provides evidence establishing that the criteria in SI 00830.712B.1, in this section are met.

C. Examples

1. Intestate succession

An individual who received reparation payments died without a will. Their parents and spouse predeceased them, and they had no children. Under state laws of intestate succession, the individual's sibling inherits the estate that includes $5,000 in identifiable reparation payments. Upon submission of appropriate evidence, the funds inherited by the sibling are excluded from income for SSI purposes.

2. Series of inheritances by will

The original recipient of reparation payments from the German government died and left $10,000 of their conserved reparation payments to their spouse in the will. When the spouse died, the spouse left the remaining $6,000 of conserved reparation payments to their daughter, who is an SSI recipient. Upon submission of appropriate evidence, the income exclusion can apply to the funds inherited by the daughter.

3. Inherited funds are not identifiable

An individual alleges that they received an inheritance from their parent that included $8,000 of Nazi reparation payments paid to their grandparent and inherited by their parent. The individual establishes that their grandparent received payment because of the grandparent's status as a victim of Nazi persecution. However, the individual's parent had commingled the payments with regular funds in the parent's savings account, of which other money had passed in and out for 20 years. The individual is unable to establish that the funds are identifiable as reparation payments. The $8,000 is income to the individual in the month of receipt, and any unspent funds count as a resource the following month.

D. Procedure for developing the exclusion of inherited funds

1. Development for exclusion of inherited reparation payments

Follow these steps if an individual alleges they inherited funds that include reparation payments originally made to a victim of Nazi persecution:

a. Evidence of inheritance

  • Ask the individual to provide evidence of the inheritance, e.g. a copy of the will or other notice showing the source of the funds.

  • If there is no available evidence, obtain statements from individuals who have knowledge of the payments.

b. Development of payment

Determine the type of inherited reparation payment following SI 00830.710.

Develop the amount and excludability of the payments for the original recipient following the instructions under the appropriate Program Operations Manual System (POMS) section pertaining to the type of reparation payment. For instructions on the different payment programs, see SI 00830.710C.

If the payments would have been excludable as payments to a victim of Nazi persecution, go to SI 00830.712D.2, in this section. If not, count the inherited funds as income in the month of receipt, and count any unspent funds as a resource the following month.

2. Documenting the exclusion of inherited funds

Obtain the claimant's statement either signed or recorded on a Report of Contact page as to the date(s) and amount(s) of any inherited funds corresponding to the payments originally made to the victim of Nazi persecution. Exclude the identifiable payments from countable income.

3. Example

An SSI recipient inherited a bank account containing $30,000 from their parent, whom the individual alleges was a victim of Nazi persecution. The individual provides a copy of their parent's will which states that the bank account contains the parent's pension payments from the German government. The individual also provides a copy of a letter from the German government indicating the monthly payment amount and that the payments include pension credits received for the period their parent was subjected to persecution. Exclude the inherited funds from the SSI recipient's income.

E. Reopening prior determinations

Reopen and revise prior determinations affected by these instructions, subject to the rules of administrative finality. For instructions on administrative finality, see SI 04070.000.

F. References

SI 00810.030 When Income is Counted

SI 00830.005 General Rules for Developing Unearned Income

SI 00830.105 Payments in Foreign Currency

SI 00830.550 Inheritances

SI 00830.710 Payment to Victims of Nazi Persecution

SI 00830.711 German Social Insurance Payments Under ZRBG ("Ghetto Pension" Law) for SSI Income

SI 00830.715 Austrian Social Insurance Payments

SI 00830.725 Netherlands WUV Payments to Victims of Persecution

SI 01130.610 Payments to Victims of Nazi Persecution

SI 01130.612 Treatment of Inherited Payments from Victims of Nazi Persecution

SI 01130.700 Identifying Excluded Funds That Have Been Commingled With Nonexcluded Funds

SM 01305.200 Unearned Income and Exclusion (UM)

SI 04070.010 Title XVI Administrative Finality - Reopening Policies


To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0500830712
SI 00830.712 - Treatment of Inherited Payments to Victims of Nazi Persecution - 10/17/2024
Batch run: 10/21/2024
Rev:10/17/2024