Sometimes, people have one or more disabilities that keep them from handling their own money properly.  A representative payee helps a person who is receiving Social Security Disability handle their finances.  According to the Social Security website:

A representative payee is an individual or organization appointed by SSA to receive Social Security and/or SSI benefits for someone who cannot manage or direct someone else to manage his or her money. The main responsibilities of a payee are to use the benefits to pay for the current and foreseeable needs of the beneficiary and properly save any benefits not needed to meet current needs.  A payee must also keep records of expenses.  When SSA requests a report, a payee must provide an accounting to SSA of how benefits were used or saved.

It is important to understand that just having a power of attorney is not the same thing as being a representative payee.  To be a rep payee, a person has to actually apply and be approved by Social Security.  The form to use to apply to be a Representative Payee for someone is SSA Form 11 – Request to be Selected as a Payee.

If you or someone you know in the Tampa Bay area needs a Social Security Disability Attorney, call John Tucker at (727) 572-5000 or (813) 594-5000 for a free consultation.