They include spouses, adult children and other relatives and friends. If you are involved in the care of older persons, you should be familiar with Social Security and how it works to provide service to older Americans. The representative payee is responsible for assuring that the benefits are spent for the person's basic needs and to account for the funds periodically. While most representative payees are relatives, payees may also be a friend, neighbor, church or other concerned organization. Another service that may be helpful to the person in your care is direct deposit of benefits to the bank.
Direct deposit saves time and reduces the risk of check loss and theft.
The money is there whether at home or vacationing away from home. More than half of current beneficiaries already use direct deposit. To start direct deposit, all you have to do is call us. To talk to a representative, you need to call from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. The telephone may be busy around the first of the month and early during the week, so if your business is not urgent, it's best to call at other times.