The majority of Social Security disability beneficiaries can manage their own benefits, but sometimes a person who has been found disabled suffers from mental health or cognitive impairments that prevent them from managing their own benefits. In these cases Social Security sends the payments to a representative payee who is in charge of managing the benefits on behalf of the disabled individual. The representative payee is usually a trusted family member and the decision for a representative payee is decided once the person is found disabled, but what happens if a person already receiving benefits becomes unable to manage their own payments?
In 2018 Congress approved Advance Designation as part of the Strengthening Protection for Social Security Beneficiaries Act of 2018. Advance Designation allows current beneficiaries, who are currently managing their own benefits to designate a representative payee to manage their benefits in the future should they become unable to manage their own benefits. Below is Social Security’s description of the program.
Advance Designation is part of the Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries Act of 2018, which was signed into law on April 13, 2018.
Advance Designation allows capable adult and emancipated minor applicants and beneficiaries of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Special Veterans Benefits to choose one or more individuals to serve as their representative payee in the future, if the need arises.
To help protect what’s important to you, we now offer the option to choose a representative payee in advance. In the event that you can no longer make your own decisions, you and your family will have peace of mind knowing you already chose someone you trust to manage your benefits.
You can submit an Advance Designation request online through our website, by mail, telephone, or in person.
