SSA - POMS: SI 02305.101 - Developing Liquid Resources

A. Introduction

This section provides procedures for developing recipient responses to resource(s) questions during the RZ interview.

NOTE: Effective 11/18/2006 permission to contact financial institutions must be requested at all redeterminations (RZs) initiated by field offices (FOs).

Open a RZ with recaps in MSSICS and use the appropriate screens (including the AFIP screen) to complete the RZ.

B. Description of RZs completed on MSSICS screens

Opening a “REDETERMINATION with or without RECAPs” event creates a Modernized Supplemental Security Income Claims System (MSSICS) “path” which guides the interviewer to the appropriate screens to document allegations and evidence relating to liquid resources, as necessary.

C. Description of Form SSA-8202-BK - Questions 8 And 9

1. Question 8 on the SSA-8202-BK is a two part question

Question 8 Do you (or your spouse living with you) have any checking or savings accounts or any other funds in the bank? Include any accounts where you have direct deposit of any money.

Does your name (or the name of your spouse living with you) appear on any other account that you do not consider your own? Include any accounts where you have direct deposit of any money.

2. Question 9 on the SSA-8202-BK

Do you (or your spouse living with you) have any cash at home, stocks, bonds, notes, or certificates of deposit?

D. Description of Form SSA-8203-BK - Question 16

Question 16 on the SSA-8203-BK — Do you (or your spouse living with you) own any of the following items (answer “YES” if your name appears alone (or with any other person) as the owner or part owner of any of these items):

E. Procedure - general

1. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) alerts

Develop a controlled IRS alert per SI 02310.046B. See SI 02310.047 for exceptions. Use an informational IRS alert as a lead in detecting liquid resources at the RZ interview per SI 02310.046.

2. Direct deposit

A direct deposit indicator on the Supplemental Security Record or Master Beneficiary Record indicates a need to develop for financial account(s). Record the financial account used for direct deposit (including Direct Express or similar accounts) as a resource on the Financial Accounts screen in Consolidated Claims Experience.

3. First of the month rule

Examine all account activity to determine the account balance as of the first of the month (FOM), if bank account development is necessary (e.g., the recipient alleges more than $400 in countable liquid resources).

Evidence of account balances include, but is not limited to:

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Bank statements and passbooks; and
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Withdrawal information in check registers and/or deposit slips.

NOTE: Be alert for advance dated payment months for both direct deposit and payment-by-check situations. Any payment made early because the payday falls on a holiday or weekend day is treated as income for the month of normal receipt. See SI 01140.200C.3. Also, if the individual alleges uncashed checks written prior to the FOM, they may be considered an encumbrance and reduce the equity value of the checking account by the encumbered amount See SI 01140.200C.4.

4. Example - determining account balances when early paydays occur

You initiated a redetermination for Hai Lin on 11/10/2002. Hai alleges having the following resources:

Balance	Account Type
$ 450 $1150 $ 1000	in checking in savings face value of a life insurance policy
$ 1600	in countable liquid resources

Hai is able to provide all bank statements for the review period with the exception of 11/01/2002. The latest available statements closed on 10/15/2002. When you tell Hai about the need to see the next monthly statement that includes11/01/2002, Hai calls the bank's telephone banking automated customer service and requests the account history for you to listen to. You make note of the deposits and withdrawals from 10/15 through10/31. The November Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment was deposited on 10/31. Following is the method for determining the total countable resources as of the first of the month:

a. Account balances for 10/15/2002

Savings: $1050

Checking: $ 480

b. Account activity from 10/15/2002 through 11/01/2002

Savings: 10302002 transfer from checking $100

Checking:

Date	Activity	Amount
10/16	withdrawal	$ 50.00
10/23	check cleared	$ 90.00
10/23	withdrawal	$ 50.00
10/26	check cleared	$ 65.50
10/30	withdrawal	$ 50.00
10/30	check cleared	$ 72.00
10/30	transferred to savings	$100.00
10/31	deposit SSI payment	$490.00

c. Account balances for 11/01/2002

Account Type	Balance
Savings:	$1,150.00
Checking:	$ 492.50
	$1,642.50

d. Total verified countable liquid resources $1,152.00 ($1,642.50-$490.00 SSI)

Since this is an early SSI payment delivery month, do not count the SSI payment amount toward the resource balance on 11/01/2002. Had countable resources exceeded the resource limit, the individual may allege and provide evidence of checks written in October that were still outstanding as of 11/11/01. (See SI 01140.200C.4.)

F. Procedure - financial accounts not on paper forms

Although they are not listed on the paper forms, determine whether the recipient has any of the following types of accounts when conducting an RZ on a SSA-8202-BK or SSA-8203-BK. Individual Retirement Account (IRAs) and Keogh accounts (except when owned by an ineligible spouse or parent) per SI 01330.120 and SI 01330.220, respectively. Financial accounts listed on paper forms are:

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Vacation or holiday/Christmas clubs;
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Government securities (including Treasury bills, government bonds, and Treasury Notes);
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Mutual funds;
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Dedicated accounts; and
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Other types of accounts, as described in SI 01140.990.

Do not document negative responses to this expanded list.

G. Procedure - developing allegations of liquid resources

This section provides procedures for developing recipient responses to resource(s) questions during the RZ interview.

NOTE: Effective November 18, 2006 permission to contact financial institutions must be requested at all RZs initiated by FOs.

Open a RZ with recaps in MSSICS and use the appropriate screens (including the AFIP screen) to complete the RZ.

Documentation instructions for MSSICS and non-MSSICS cases are in SM 01501.250B.

Develop allegations about liquid resources, as follows:

1. If recipients allege no resources and other information in SSA records agrees.

If recipients allege no resources and other information in SSA records agrees, do not develop that item any further.

2. If recipients allege no resources and other information in SSA records conflicts

If recipients allege no resources and other information in SSA records conflicts, determine whether they disposed of the resource that we have on record.

If so, develop per SI 01150.110.

If not, develop per SI 02305.101.

3. If recipients allege resources

If recipients allege resources, develop, as necessary, per SI 02305.101H considering the liquid resource verification tolerance (SI 01140.010B.2.).

H. References

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SI 01140.200 Checking and Savings Accounts
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SI 01140.205 Joint Checking and Savings Accounts
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SI 01140.300 Promissory Notes and Property Agreements
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SI 01120.220 Cash Loans
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SI 01140.206 Instructions for Electronic Financial Institution Verification in California, New Jersey and New York
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SI 01140.220 Stocks
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SI 01140.230 Mutual Fund Shares
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SI 01140.250 Municipal, Corporate, and Government Bonds
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SI 01140.240 U.S. Savings Bonds
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SI 01130.601 Dedicated Accounts for Past-Due Benefits Due to Individuals Under 18 Who Have a Representative Payee
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SI 00810.030 When Income Is Counted

Social Security

Program Operations Manual System (POMS)

SI 02305.101 Developing Liquid Resources – RZs