Representative Payee
A representative payee is someone who is appointed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to manage Social Security or SSI benefits for a person who cannot manage their money on their own.
The role of the Financial Manager + fiduciary (legal caretaker of the funds) for the beneficiary:
- To receive benefit payments on behalf of the person
- To see the money for the person’s needs, especially basics like housing and utilities of food and clothing or medical care and personal expenses. Add unique list items while keeping a consistent phrasing style and similar line lengths
- To save any leftover money for future needs
- To keep records of how the money is spent or saved
- To report to Social Security when asked (accounting of funds)
- To communicate with DHHS for benefits
- To act on the behalf of consumer to Social Security • Help to maintain current Medicaid/Medicare benefits
- To serve as a monthly bank account manager with documentation reconciliation at the end of the month
- To speak on your financial behalf, The Beneficiary also does a monthly check-in on consumers to make sure all their needs are being met. This also means that the Rep talks to the facility that the consumer may live in to see what needs the consumer might have