Representative Payee Program

SSA requires a representative payee to perform the following duties:

• Manage funds so the beneficiary has no unmet needs. This includes
  • housing and utilities;
  • food;
  • medical and dental expenses;
  • personal care items;
  • clothing; and
  • rehabilitation expenses (if they have a disability).
• Account for all funds received and spent;
• Conserve any unspent funds appropriately; and
• Comply with all accounting and reporting responsibilities
• The SSA requires representative payees to keep records and, when asked, report how funds are spent on behalf of a beneficiary.

A majority of the representative payee reviews will be directly assigned to DRSC by SSA. DRSC will also select other representative payees to review at its discretion.

DRSC will conduct onsite reviews and educational visits at the direction of the Social Security Administration. The review includes:

• an interview with the individual or organizational representative payee;
• a review of the representative payee’s financial records including bank records, receipts, and invoices.
• a home visit and interview for each beneficiary included in the review; and an interview with legal guardians and third parties, when applicable.

If DRSC has concerns that the representative payee is not fulfilling its duties, corrective action may be required. If corrective action is needed, either DRSC or the SSA will contact the representative payee to explain the findings and begin the corrective action. If the review finds no corrective action is needed, the representative payee will receive notice that the review is complete.