Representative payee pros and cons, anyone have experience with this?

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Representative payee pros and cons, anyone have experience with this?

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My loved one's dementia is progressing and looking ahead I may need to take this step in order to communicate with Social Security on her behalf. Is this easy, or will it add to my bookkeeping tasks? Thank you.

Alzheimer's & Dementia Government Benefits Representative Payee

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I just read your profile. It sounds like you have your hands full.

There are plenty of people who post on this site that have relatives in memory care. They will be able to help you.

Wishing you peace during this difficult time.

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Thank you for your reply. I haven't posted here for a long while and see I need to update my profile.
I've read through the posts on the Representative Payee topic. Everyone here has gained so much knowledge along with their caregiving experience, and am grateful for this site.

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i did this for a relative. Seems like i had to get a signed form from her doctor verifying she had dementia. The SS office will get all if YOUR information too. You have to set up a new account as payee.
You have to keep detailed records of how the money is spent.

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Thank you XenaJada. I see now there is a topic specifically for the Rep Payee, and will post there too.
I started looking into this because I found my POA and Trustee position for my sister wasn't enough for me to request a change of mailing address with the Social Security. There's more I need to learn about this.

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OK I couldn't figure out how to post my question in the Representative Payee topic in the pull-down menu.

My sister has been living in a memory care facility for several years due to a stroke; I've been her POA and Trustee. I receive all her mail but I recently moved, and have not been able to update Social Security. (I don't live near her.) I did't receive her 1099 and have not received her EOB's etc from her medicare either. That prompted me to call Social Security, I learned as others here have too, they don't accept POAs or Trust docs. They mentioned some options: having her set up an account, or making a 3-way phone call, or becoming her Rep Payee.
At present, the third option would be easiest for me. There is a local SSA office where I live , I would bring my docs, and pass a background check. I know nothing about this.
1)What extra work would this add?
2)Also, the rent at her facility is a lot more than her SS benefit, so I draw from her other assets also to pay her bills. It all goes through her Trust account. Does the SSA reach into everything, or are they limited to the Social Security benefit?
I will appreciate any comments suggestions info, your experiences. Thank you.

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I think that if I had not had the informed support of an Elder Law/Social Security attorney specialist, I would have really been in trouble trying to figure things out. Besides her SSDI benefit, my sister (age 56) has a Special Needs Trust account from which Soc. Sec. allows "some expenses" to be paid, such as phone. However, I must be careful that the bank account into which her Soc.Sec disability monthly pension is paid: is the one that pays for her monthly utilities, food, etc. Keep a separate account for these. If money is paid from other sources to augment housing, food, utilities, etc.: Her Disability status could become compromised. I am her Rep Payee and it is a "once per year" report where you certify that the money paid her has been used for only food, clothing, plus all monies related to living expenses. I think all this is so exacting that one needs a good Elder Law attorney to set things up. And yes, SSA can reach into any and everything if one is qualifying for Medicaid, not just the SocSec.Benefit. However the annual Rep. Payee report is ONLY about the Soc.Sec. Pension and how it is used.

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You can call Social Security with your loved one sitting next to you to arrange for you to be able to speak and act on their behalf. They would have to agree verbally as Social Security asks some questions. Have information handy such as SS #, date of birth, etc. You may have to be the primary person answering the quesitons. I think that social security will pass that information to Medicare, but you can check while you are on the phone call. You should also set this up with your bank, credit card company, etc. They also have their own forms, and it's more difficult trying to do it with a POA.

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I found it very easy. One form once a year.

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I am unclear as to why it is needed. Isn’t having access to her accounts enough? If her SS is direct deposited into her account that you are paying bills out of then why do you need to be representative payee? You just use the SS funds like you would any deposit into her account and use it for her care. This is what I do for my father. He get’s SS and income from rental properties and a business. I pay his bills from his account. I have never felt/had the need to reach out to SS for anything. When he passes I will inform SS and they will stop making the payments.

Please correct me if I’m missing something.

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Only advantage I can see is that you can change the banks into which the fund goes, but becoming Rep payee isn't easy and will add slightly to your tasks,(though your bookkeeping is to be meticulous and accurate in ANY case. If you are POA you are a legal fiduciary liable under the law to the courts for every single penny in and every single penny out of your elder's accounts.)

You almost never need to be made Rep PayeePOA. And if you DO later it is simple to go to the Social Security office and get the details of application. Or get them online (alone with a description of duties) If you already have letters from the MD that your elder is no longer competent to manage finances, and that you are the current POA, this will expedite making you payee.

If you already manage accounts into which the elder's SS checks go, as long as you continue to pay expenses out of this account as the POA you don't need to do a thing. The problem would come when you wanted to change or move the account somewhere else.

I managed my brother's finances for several years as Trustee of Trust and POA. His SS check went into his Trust Account. As I had been made Trustee I paid his bills out of that account. I never moved the account. There were never problems with SS.

Do know, however, if you need to deal with SS they do not accept any POA you have.

Again, you can decide any time to become Rep Payee. Not like POA which must be done by a competent senior.

Wishing you the best. Some lucky seniors have registered for online accounts with SS already. If that is the case, their POA, having passwords can manage these accounts pretty easily.

Good luck.

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CaringForTwo: Prayers for your sister, who you are providing care for, and you.

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I never became my mothers payee. Her money went into her bank account, I was on that bank acct and wrote the checks. I was also her POA and signed them that way. I didn't change her address until her house sold. I lived around a big block so no problem picking up her mail. I think u can do change of address on-line. And yes, POAs are not recognized by SS.

I see no need to be her Payee if you have access to her money.

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There was a similar question recently. I never became representative payee for my father (I didn't even know about it at the time), but I was on his bank account that the check was sent to so I could manage his bills for him. It just seems like too much to go through and unneccessary. agree with Joann

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Representative payee pros and cons, anyone have experience with this?

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