FAQs for Payee Accounting

About the Online Form
About Registration
Organizations Filing Online
General Questions

About the Online Form

What are the benefits to completing the form online?
  • You get an immediate confirmation message when we receive it from you.

  • You do not need to fill out a paper form.

  • We offer online features to help you complete your report.

  • You can keep your user ID and password to report online in future years.

  • You can print and store a copy for your records.
How do I complete the representative payee forms online?

First, get a User ID and password by registering via Business Services Online.

Second, use the paper form to get four identifying items to access the online form.

Third, complete the online form, using the online edits as needed.

Finally, submit the completed form.

Who may complete the form online?

Any representative payee or employee representing an organization serving as a representative payee for a beneficiary. If you received a form SSA-623, SSA-6230, or SSA-6234, you may complete the form online.

How much time do I have to complete the online accounting report?

If you leave the webpage inactive for more than 25 minutes, we will give you a time-limit warning. If you take no action after 5 minutes of receiving the warning, we will end your session.

Do I need to complete the online form in one sitting?

Yes. The online form asks the same questions on the paper form. Answering the questions in one sitting ensures you can submit the form to us in time.

Will I get a receipt or a confirmation after completing the form?

Yes. After you submit the form, you will receive immediate confirmation we received your report. You will also receive a confirmation number. You should record this confirmation number and keep it in a safe place. Our employees cannot access your confirmation number, but we can check to verify we received updated information.

How long can I store a completed form?

You can access the completed form for up to 30 days after you submit the form to us. You can also print and save a copy in PDF for your records.

When may I access the payee form online?

You may access the payee form online after you receive the paper form in the mail. Because you need to enter information from the paper form online, you cannot access the online form until you receive the form in the mail.

Can I print a report to review before I submit it?

No, you can only print a report after you submit it to us. However, before you submit the form, we give you the opportunity to edit the form on the report summary page.

About Registration

What information do I need to register for a User ID and password?

We will ask you information that identifies you and your contact information. We will also ask you five questions to verify your identity if you forget your password.

What are the four items needed from the paper form?

SSN - Social Security Number, the number holder's Social Security number on whose account benefits are payable

TAA - Total Accountable Amount, the amount of money you received for the beneficiary plus any sads reported on the last accounting report

ID – Individual Recipient Identification Code, this code identifies SSI eligibility and recipient type

BIC - Beneficiary Identification Code, this code identifies the Social Security benefits payable

How long does it take to get a user ID?

We will display a screen showing your User ID within seconds after you successfully register.

Do individual payees need to register for a user ID?

Yes. Our Business Services Online requires all users of its applications to register for a User ID and password. We house the online accounting report under business services online. The registration process identifies you as an individual.

Organizations Filing Online

I am an employee of an organizational payee. Why must I enter my own Social Security number to get a User ID?

You must register using your own Social Security number for us to verify that you are an employee of the organizational payee. We need to verify this information to make sure we receive the report from the representative payee. We do not allow organizations to register for a User ID.

Can an organizational payee have multiple employees register for access to these forms?

Yes. Organizational payees may register multiple employees. If the employee has worked for the organization for at least the last two years, the employee may receive the User ID online. If the employee is new, you may need to call us to register.

If you have questions about registration and represent an organizational payee, please call us at 800-772-6270 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (EST) on business days.

Can employees of organizational payees access the forms of completed by the other employees of the organizational payee?

No. Employees may only access forms they completed on behalf of the organizational payee. The completed forms are only available online for 30 days.

Should different employees for organizational payees register for his/her own User ID to complete the online accounting reports?

Yes. Each employee of an organization must have his or her own User ID. Since the User IDs require personal information and your own personalized password, you must not share them with anyone else. DO NOT USE THE SAME USER ID FOR MULTIPLE EMPLOYEES.

Does an organizational payee need to have more than one employee registered?

No. Each organizational payee may decide how many employees may register for access. For example, if an organization Is split into seven networks, it may have seven separate employees or assign one or two employees to oversee all payee forms online.

If I already signed up for a Business Services Online User ID to verify Social Security numbers or complete annual wage reports, do I need to sign up again to access the payee forms?

No. If you already have a User ID, you do not need to get a separate User ID. You may log in and select Request New Services from the left menu. On the resulting page, select access to "Internet Representative Payee Suite."

General Questions

Can I still complete the form online if I lost or misplaced the paper form I received in the mail?

You may still be able to use the online form. Contact your local Social Security office or our National 800# (800-772-1213) and after we identify you, ask us to provide you with the TAA, ID, and BIC.

If I complete the form online, will I still receive the paper form in the mail next year?

Yes. We will continue to mail the paper forms to you each year. This is how you will know when you need to complete the payee report. You also need the paper form to access the online form. However, once you complete your online report, you may discard the paper form. We will send you a new payee form, with different information to access the online report the following year.

Once I complete the form online, will Social Security always require me to complete the forms online?

No. We will continue to mail you the paper forms. You may choose to complete the form by mail or on the Internet.

I entered remarks in the “General Remarks” section and they did not print out on my copy. Did Social Security receive my remarks?

Yes. The online report prints a summary of all the information you provide us, except for remarks you list in the “General Remarks” section. However, we do receive your remarks. In the future, we may update the printed summary to include “General Remarks.”

May I send in the paper form if I do not access the Internet or decide not to use the online accounting report?

Yes. You must send in a completed paper form if you decide not to complete the online form.

Can I apply to become a representative payee online?

No, you may not apply to become a representative payee online. We conduct these interviews in-person and we will help you complete form SSA-11 to serve as a representative payee. We conduct these interviews in person to help us evaluate your ability to oversee benefits in the best interest of the beneficiaries.

What if I have other questions about the online accounting report?

The online accounting report contains “help” sections and edits to help you complete the form and will likely answer most of your questions.

If you have questions about registration and represent an organizational payee, please call SSA at 800-772-6270 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (EST) on business days. If you are an individual payee, please call us at 800-775-7802 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. If you are hearing impaired you may call our toll-free "TTY" number, 1-800-325-0778 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (EST) on business days.

If I am the representative payee for multiple people, can I complete all of the representative payee accounting reports online?

Yes. When you log in to your personal my Social Security account, you will see a list of the beneficiaries that you serve. You do not need a separate log in for each beneficiary, and you should not create a my Social Security account for each beneficiary. Your responsibility as a payee is connected to your personal my Social Security account.

If I made a mistake on a representative payee accounting report that I already submitted, how can I correct it?

Social Security will review each report that is submitted. We will contact you if we have questions or concerns about the information on the report. If you believe that you made a mistake and need to change the information you reported, please contact us.

woman on telephone asking questions