![](media/image1.png){width="0.6222222222222222in"
height="0.6277777777777778in"} U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development

Public and Indian Housing

**\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

# Special Attention of: Notice PIH 2004-18 (HA)

Public Housing Agency Directors; Section 8

and Public Housing Administrators; Public Issued: September 17, 2004

Housing Hub Office Directors; Public Housing

Field Office Directors**;** Program Center Expires: September 30, 2005

Coordinators; Section 8 Financial Management
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Center; Resident Management Corporations; Cross References:

Resident Councils

**Subject: Verification of Social Security (SS) and Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) Benefits**

**Purpose:** The purpose of this Notice is to inform Public Housing
Agencies (PHAs) of the *required* procedures for verifying social
security benefits of applicants, participants and household members
during mandatory examination of household income.

**Applicability[:]{.underline}** This notice applies to HUD-PIH rental
assistance programs, including: Public Housing, Section 8 Moderate
Rehabilitation, Housing Choice Voucher and Section 8 Project-Based
Certificate Programs.

**Overview:** It has been the standard practice of PHAs to verify social
security benefits of applicants, participants and household members by
either contacting the local office of the Social Security Administration
(SSA) by phone or in writing, reviewing an original social security
benefit check, or accepting tenant-provided benefit letters.

In an ongoing effort to eliminate time consuming manual requests for
benefit verification from PHAs, SSA provides HUD with benefit
information on all current participants and household members who have
disclosed a valid social security number. HUD makes this information
available to administrators of Public Housing and Section 8 programs
through HUD's Tenant Assessment Subsystem (TASS) and Upfront Income
Verification (UIV) system. All PHAs are required to use TASS or UIV to
verify SS/SSI benefits of current participants and household members.

Despite this convenient data exchange between SSA and HUD, SSA continues
to receive a large volume of requests for income verification from PHAs.
The SSA has taken the position that local SSA offices will no longer
furnish verification of social security benefits via phone, mail, or
fax. This Notice describes the *required* procedures for verifying
Social Security (SS) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits of
applicants, participants, and household members of HUD-assisted rental
units.

**Effective Date:** This notice is effective immediately.

# Third Party Verification Requirement

PHAs are required to comply with 24 CFR §960.259(c)(1) and
§982.516(a)(2), which requires PHAs to obtain and document in the family
file third party verification of the following factors, or document in
the file why third party verification was not available: (1) reported
family annul income; (2) the value of assets; (3) expenses related to
deductions from annual income; and (4) other factors that affect the
determination of adjusted income or income-based rent.

# Third Party Verification of SS/SSI Benefits of Applicants and Household Members

Third party verification of SS/SSI benefits of applicants and household
members is not available. PHAs should request a current (dated within
the last 60 days) SSA benefit verification letter for each household
member that receives social security benefits. If the applicant and/or
household member are unable to provide the requested document, ask the
applicant/household member to call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to request a
benefit verification letter. The request for a benefit verification
letter can also be made at the SSA Internet Website at
[www.ssa.gov](http://www.ssa.gov/). From the front page of the website
(Social Security Online), click on *[Already receiving]{.underline}*
benefits, which is located in the center column of the page. From the
right side of the page under *Things You Can*

*Do Online*, click on *[Get a "Proof of Income Letter]{.underline}*."
Follow the instructions on the page to complete the request for a
benefit verification letter. The applicant/household member should
provide the POA with the original benefit verification letter. The POA
should make a photocopy of the original benefit verification letter,
return the original benefit verification letter to the
applicant/household member, and maintain the photocopy of the benefit
verification letter in the tenant file.

# Third Party Verification of SS/SSI Benefits of Participants and Household Members

Third party verification of SS/SSI benefits of participants and
household members is available through HUD's Tenant Assessment Subsystem
(TASS) or Upfront Income Verification (UIV) System. ***All PHAs are
required to use TASS or UIV to verify SS/SSI benefits of current
participants and household members. PHAs who do not*** currently have
access to TASS may contact HUD's Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) on
1-888-245-4860 or by logging on the REAC web page:
<http://www.hud.gov/reac>. On the REAC web page, on the left side, click
on *Online Systems.* From the right side of the web page, click on
*Online Registration* to request access to TASS. HUD will announce the
availability of HUD's UIV system at a later date. However, PHAs within
the following States should contact their local HUD field office to
register as soon as possible for access to the UIV system: Florida,
Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico,
New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South
Dakota, Texas, and Vermont.

If benefit information is not available in HUD Systems, the POA should
request a current SSA benefit verification letter from each household
member that receives social security benefits. If the participant and/or
household members are unable to provide the requested document, ask the
participant/household member to call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to request a
benefit verification letter. The request for a benefit verification
letter can also be made at the SSA Internet Website at
[www.ssa.gov](http://www.ssa.gov/). From the front page of the website
(Social Security Online), click on *[Already receiving]{.underline}*
benefits, which is located in the center column of the page. From the
right side of the page under *Things You Can Do Online*, click on *[Get
a "Proof of Income Letter]{.underline}*." Follow the instructions on the
page to complete the request for a benefit verification letter. The
participant/household member should provide the POA with the original
benefit verification letter. The POA should make a photocopy of the
original benefit verification letter, return the original benefit
verification letter to the participant/household member, and maintain
the photocopy of the benefit letter in the tenant file.

# Documentation of Unavailability of Third Party Verification of SS/SSI Benefits

In the event that third party verification is not available, the PHA
must document the tenant file as to why third party verification was not
available. Below are some examples of acceptable file documentation:

-   New admission, information not available in TASS

-   New tenant, information not available in TASS

-   Current tenant, information not available in TASS due to change in
    re-examination date

-   Current tenant, information not available in TASS due to discrepancy
    with name, date of birth, or social security number in SSA file

-   Current tenant, information not available in TASS, reason unknown

**How to Ensure Availability of Social Security Benefit Information in
HUD Systems**

The availability of social security benefit information in HUD systems
is dependent upon data quality and timely submission of HUD Form 50058
to the Public and Indian Housing Information Center (PIC). PHAs must
ensure that data entered on HUD Form 50058 is accurate and complete. If
a family's HUD Form 50058 is not successfully submitted to PIC, social
security benefit information will not be available in HUD income
verification systems. Below is a summary of error descriptions,
explanations, and corrective actions to take in order to reduce the
number of unavailable Social Security Benefit reports.

+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| ### Error Description | **Explanation**       | ### Corrective Action |
+=======================+=======================+=======================+
| Member SSN not sent   | HUD did not submit    | Enter a valid SSN on  |
| to SSA -- invalid SSN | the SSN to SSA based  | HUD Form 50058, or    |
|                       | on the invalid        | request original      |
|                       | characteristics of    | social security card  |
|                       | the SSN. For example, | from tenant. Confirm  |
|                       | 999-99-9999,          | SSN displayed on the  |
|                       | 111-11-1111, etc.     | social security card  |
|                       |                       | matches the SSN       |
|                       |                       | reported on the HUD   |
|                       |                       | Form 50058. If the    |
|                       |                       | numbers do not match, |
|                       |                       | make the necessary    |
|                       |                       | correction to the HUD |
|                       |                       | Form 50058.           |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| No benefits reported  | The tenant's identity | None                  |
| by SSA                | was verified by SSA   |                       |
|                       | based on the SSN/Last | **                    |
|                       | Name/Date of Birth    | [Note:]{.underline}** |
|                       | combination. However, | In some cases a       |
|                       | the tenant does not   | tenant may            |
|                       | and has never         | **actually** receive  |
|                       | received SS/SSI       | benefits but the      |
|                       | benefits.             | local SSA field       |
|                       |                       | office has not        |
|                       |                       | updated SSA's master  |
|                       |                       | file with the benefit |
|                       |                       | information. Thus the |
|                       |                       | current benefit       |
|                       |                       | information is not    |
|                       |                       | displayed.            |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| SSN not found in SSA  | The tenant's SSN is   | Request original      |
| records               | not a valid number    | social security card  |
|                       | issued by SSA.        | from tenant. Confirm  |
|                       |                       | SSN displayed on the  |
|                       |                       | card matches the SSN  |
|                       |                       | reported on the HUD   |
|                       |                       | Form 50058. If the    |
|                       |                       | numbers do not match, |
|                       |                       | make the necessary    |
|                       |                       | correction to the HUD |
|                       |                       | Form 50058.           |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| SSN was not verified  | The tenant's SSN is   | Request original      |
| by SSA                | not a valid number    | social security card  |
|                       | issued by SSA.        | from tenant. Confirm  |
|                       |                       | SSN displayed on the  |
|                       |                       | social security card  |
|                       |                       | matches the SSN       |
|                       |                       | reported on the HUD   |
|                       |                       | Form 50058. If the    |
|                       |                       | numbers do not match, |
|                       |                       | make the necessary    |
|                       |                       | correction to the HUD |
|                       |                       | Form 50058.           |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| Surname matched, but  | The tenant's identity | Request original      |
| date of birth did not | was not verified      | birth certificate     |
| match with SSA        | because while the     | from tenant. Confirm  |
| records               | Surname matched with  | Date of Birth         |
|                       | SSA records, the Date | displayed on the      |
|                       | of Birth did not      | birth certificate     |
|                       | match. However, based | matches the Date of   |
|                       | on the SSN/Last Name  | Birth reported on the |
|                       | combination, SSA has  | HUD Form 50058. If    |
|                       | indicated that the    | the Date of Birth     |
|                       | tenant does **not**   | does not match, make  |
|                       | receive SS/SSI        | the necessary         |
|                       | benefits.             | correction to the HUD |
|                       |                       | Form 50058.           |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| Date of birth         | The tenant's identity | Request birth         |
| matched, but surname  | was not verified      | certificate and       |
| did not match with    | because while the     | social security card  |
| SSA records           | Date of Birth matched | of tenant/household   |
|                       | with SSA records, the | member. Confirm       |
|                       | Surname did not       | Surname on all        |
|                       | match. However, based | documents matches the |
|                       | on the SSN/Date of    | Surname reported on   |
|                       | Birth combination,    | the HUD Form 50058.   |
|                       | SSA has indicated     | If the Surname does   |
|                       | that the tenant does  | not match, verify the |
|                       | **not** receive       | change in Surname     |
|                       | SS/SSI benefits.      | (court order,         |
|                       |                       | marriage license,     |
|                       |                       | etc.) and make the    |
|                       |                       | necessary correction  |
|                       |                       | to the HUD Form       |
|                       |                       | 50058.                |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| SS benefits cannot be | The tenant's identity | Request original      |
| disclosed due to      | was verified by SSA   | birth certificate     |
| discrepancy in date   | based on the SSN/Last | from tenant. Confirm  |
| of birth              | Name combination and  | Date of Birth         |
|                       | the [tenant is        | displayed on the      |
|                       | receiving SS          | birth certificate     |
|                       | b                     | matches the Date of   |
|                       | enefits]{.underline}. | Birth reported on the |
|                       | However, due to the   | HUD Form 50058. If    |
|                       | discrepancy in the    | the Date of Birth     |
|                       | Date of Birth, the    | does not match, make  |
|                       | benefit information   | the necessary         |
|                       | cannot be disclosed.  | correction to the HUD |
|                       |                       | Form 50058.           |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| SS benefits cannot be | The tenant's identity | Request birth         |
| disclosed due to      | was verified by SSA   | certificate and       |
| discrepancy in name   | based on the SSN/Date | social security card  |
|                       | of Birth combination  | of tenant/household   |
|                       | and the [tenant is    | member. Confirm       |
|                       | receiving SS          | Surname on all        |
|                       | b                     | documents match. If   |
|                       | enefits]{.underline}. | the Surnames do not   |
|                       | However, due to the   | match, verify the     |
|                       | discrepancy in the    | change in Surname     |
|                       | Last Name, the        | (court order,         |
|                       | benefit information   | marriage license,     |
|                       | cannot be disclosed.  | etc.) and make the    |
|                       |                       | necessary correction  |
|                       |                       | to the HUD Form       |
|                       |                       | 50058.                |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| SSI benefits cannot   | The tenant's identity | Request original      |
| be disclosed due to   | was verified by SSA   | birth certificate     |
| discrepancy in date   | based on the SSN/Last | from tenant. Confirm  |
| of birth              | Name combination and  | Date of Birth         |
|                       | the [tenant is        | displayed on the      |
|                       | receiving SSI         | birth certificate     |
|                       | b                     | matches the Date of   |
|                       | enefits]{.underline}. | Birth reported on the |
|                       | However, due to the   | HUD Form 50058. If    |
|                       | discrepancy in the    | the Date of Birth     |
|                       | Date of Birth, the    | does not match, make  |
|                       | benefit information   | the necessary         |
|                       | cannot be disclosed.  | correction to the HUD |
|                       |                       | Form 50058.           |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| SSI benefits cannot   | The tenant's identity | Request birth         |
| be disclosed due to   | was verified by SSA   | certificate and       |
| discrepancy in name   | based on the SSN/Date | social security card  |
|                       | of Birth combination  | of tenant/household   |
|                       | and the tenant [is    | member. Confirm       |
|                       | receiving SSI         | Surname on all        |
|                       | b                     | documents match. If   |
|                       | enefits]{.underline}. | the Surname does not  |
|                       | However, due to the   | match, verify the     |
|                       | discrepancy in the    | change in Surname     |
|                       | Last Name, the        | (court order,         |
|                       | benefit information   | marriage license,     |
|                       | cannot be disclosed.  | etc.) and make the    |
|                       |                       | necessary correction  |
|                       |                       | to the HUD Form       |
|                       |                       | 50058.                |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| SS and SSI benefits   | The tenant's identity | Request original      |
| cannot be disclosed   | was verified by SSA   | birth certificate     |
| due to discrepancy in | based on the SSN/Last | from tenant. Confirm  |
| date of birth         | Name combination and  | Date of Birth         |
|                       | the tenant [is        | displayed on the      |
|                       | receiving both SS and | birth certificate     |
|                       | SSI                   | matches the Date of   |
|                       | b                     | Birth reported on the |
|                       | enefits]{.underline}. | HUD Form 50058. If    |
|                       | However, due to the   | the Date of Birth     |
|                       | discrepancy in the    | does not match, make  |
|                       | Date of Birth, the    | the necessary         |
|                       | benefit information   | correction to the HUD |
|                       | cannot be disclosed.  | Form 50058.           |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| SS and SSI benefits   | The tenant's identity | Request birth         |
| cannot be disclosed   | was verified by SSA   | certificate and       |
| due to discrepancy in | based on the SSN/Date | social security card  |
| name                  | of Birth combination  | of tenant/household   |
|                       | and the tenant [is    | member. Confirm       |
|                       | receiving both SS and | Surname on all        |
|                       | SSI                   | documents match. If   |
|                       | b                     | the Surname does not  |
|                       | enefits]{.underline}. | match, verify the     |
|                       | However, due to the   | change in Surname     |
|                       | discrepancy in the    | (court order,         |
|                       | Last Name, the        | marriage license,     |
|                       | benefit information   | etc.) and make the    |
|                       | cannot be disclosed,  | necessary correction  |
|                       |                       | to the HUD Form       |
|                       |                       | 50058.                |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+

**For inquiries about this Notice contact:** your local HUD Field
Office.

**Paperwork Reduction.** The information collection requirements
contained in this notice have been approved by the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
3520) and assigned OMB control number(s) 2577-0220.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless the collection displays a currently valid OMB control
number.

[/s/]{.underline}

Michael Liu, Assistant Secretary

> for Public and Indian Housing