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Rep Payee

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Ptrcmcc6

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? NJ I just received a letter from Social Security telling me that I have been chosen to be my son's Representative Payee. It came with a booklet explaining all my responsibilities as the Rep Payee. My question is, in the booklet, they keep referring to responsiblities of a person who is collecting SSI. My son is collecting SSDI from monies his father was approved for after working a good majority of his life. He is not collecting SSI. Do the same rules apply? For instance, it states that as a payee, I cannot have more that $2,000.00 in savings. I don't make a great amount of money where I work but.....I do work. Does this mean I am not allowed to have more than $2,000.00 in a savings account for myself. I could understand if he was collecting SSI, as that is government monies, but he is collecting from his father's disability. Are my responsibilities different from those that are collecting SSI or are they the same?

Any help is appreciated.

Ptrcmcc6
 


BL

Senior Member
In this case SSI would not apply , you are correct .

This income is to help support the minor child .

I suggest to open up a Direct deposit free account in your name FOR ( minor child's name ) .

I'm not really sure if they would want the expenditures in a log or not for the child , like they may for SSI , but to be on the safe side keep a log of what it's spent on and how much .

Like :

Allowance , misc. , Etc.

Don't keep more than that limit in the account , and not to worry , OR you can call the toll free SSA # , or case worker , IF one at SSA , to explain .

Just my opinion , as a rep. payee of an SSI recipient .
 

acmb05

Senior Member
As a payee

You personally can have over the limit in your account. However if you are depositing the check into that acount it goes towards her limit.

As Blonde Lebinese said the best thing is to have a seperate account for the child.

Also you will recieve a statement once a year wanting you to detail where and how you spent the money on the person receiving it.
 

Ptrcmcc6

Junior Member
How technical do they expect you to be? Do I have to save receipts and write down everytime I purchase something for him? Do they expect me to use some of the monies to pay for rent, food, and such? Also, do I have to account for the retroactive check? I did set up an account for him. It is in my name FOR him. I'm wondering if I can get in trouble for this? I've been driving my vehicle with no insurance for the past few months because we simply could not afford it living on my income alone. I overextended my welcome mat from my Mom when it came to borrowing money so I couldn't ask her to help me out again. Needless to say, my insurance was canceled back in November for non-payment of premium. When I received his retro check, I immediately purchased insurance for my vehicle. Can I get in trouble for using that money? Technically, I wouldn't have had to use that money had he and his father been getting a check back in November. In other words, can I use that retro check to catch up on bills for the past 2 years that I wouldn't be behind in had his father been approved immediately?

Thanx,

Ptrcmcc6
 

BL

Senior Member
The child lives with you I presume ..:)

No you don't have to get technical.

Allowance , Misc, etc You answer the questionnaires as best of your ability . Unless SSA see something out of the ordinary , they will not take any more action .

Before I became a Rep. , an agency for the recipient was Payee .

They use to write down $$$s for misc., $$$s for allowance = each week , $$$S shopping , Etc . Nothing technical ..
 

Ptrcmcc6

Junior Member
Thanx for the quick reply. Yes the child lives with me along with his brother and the father for which he is receiving benefits from. Although the brother has the same biological father, he does not collect anything because his (the fathers) name is not on his (sons) birth certificate. I am in the process of fixing that. My other question is.....lol.....should we get an amended birth certificate for the older son, will the $523.00 my younger son is receiving be divided between the two?......or....will they both receive $523.00? I tend to think it would be divided as I cannot foresee SSDI handing out that much money. Also, would I have to send back the retro check in order for them to divide it equally between my 2 sons should the birth certificate be amended?

Thanx again.

Ptrcmcc6
 

BL

Senior Member
Ptrcmcc6 said:
Thanx for the quick reply. Yes the child lives with me along with his brother and the father for which he is receiving benefits from. Although the brother has the same biological father, he does not collect anything because his (the fathers) name is not on his (sons) birth certificate. I am in the process of fixing that. My other question is.....lol.....should we get an amended birth certificate for the older son, will the $523.00 my younger son is receiving be divided between the two?......or....will they both receive $523.00? I tend to think it would be divided as I cannot foresee SSDI handing out that much money. Also, would I have to send back the retro check in order for them to divide it equally between my 2 sons should the birth certificate be amended?

Thanx again.

Ptrcmcc6
If the disability is going to last until or over age 18 for the boys , I wouldn't even bother making paperwork more complicated .

The benefit would be divided , yes, however , as I said why bother ?

You might delay receiving the benefits ...
 

High&Low

Member
I agree with Blonde, but let me just add that it's alot easier to do the annual return to account for the money you spent on your kids if the amounts are smaller. Meaning - it's alot easier to account for how you spent $250 per child every month, than $500 month for one child, especially if you are struggling financially.

I thought I read that there are some things you can't use the money on..like rent, etc. Check the other posts - it's been talked about before here.
 

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