The Social Security Administration (SSA) appoints a representative payee to manage a beneficiary’s SSA or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments if they need help handling their funds. Payees must use the funds that they oversee for the care and maintenance of the beneficiaries they serve.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) appoints a representative payee to manage a beneficiary’s SSA or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments if they need help handling their funds. Payees must use the funds that they oversee for the care and maintenance of the beneficiaries they serve.
The Representative Payee Review Program
Representative payees undergo periodic reviews to ensure that they are carrying out their duties properly and are acting in the best interest of the beneficiaries they serve. In 2018, Congress passed H.R. 4547, The Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries Act, which authorized state Protection and Advocacy Systems (P&As) to conduct representative payee reviews on behalf of the Social Security Administration and funded the Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries with a Representative Payee (PABRP) grant.
As the State of Arizona’s P&A System, Disability Rights Arizona (DRAZ) conducts reviews of payees under H.R. 4547 in accordance with the guidelines established by the SSA. Learn more about Representative payees and H.R. 4547.
Resources on the Representative Payee Program
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Frequently Asked Questions for Payees
View answers to common questions for representative payees regarding DRAZ and the Representative Payee Review Program.
I have been contacted by DRAZ to schedule a review, what happens now?
If you received a letter from DRAZ stating that we are trying to get in touch with you to schedule a review, please call (602) 819-4406 or (602) 274-6287 to speak with DRAZ’s Representative Payee Review Coordinator. During the scheduling call, the Coordinator will provide you with the names of the beneficiaries included in the review, a list of documents needed, and confirm a date to meet with you.
Someone from DRAZ called me to schedule a review, but I have doubts about the legitimacy of this process. What do I do?
If you need corroboration of DRAZ’s authority to conduct representative payee reviews, please contact the SSA using the information provided on the SSA’s webpage or at 410-965-9222. If you expressed concerns about DRAZ’s legitimacy during our initial scheduling call, DRAZ will ask your SSA Field Office to contact you directly as well. Once your legitimacy concerns are resolved, we will move forward with the review process. If you suspect that someone is pretending to be associated with DRAZ or the SSA in order to obtain private information, or any form of Social Security fraud, please visit the Office of the Inspector General’s Fraud Report website or call the Inspector General’s Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271 (TTY 1-866-501-2101).
I am an organizational payee, what will happen on the date of my review?
Please refer to your confirmation letter for specific instructions about what your review will include. Generally, DRAZ reviewers will meet with you at your office, interview you about your management of beneficiaries’ funds and your other payee duties, review all financial records of the beneficiaries included in our sample, provide training as needed, and interview any adult beneficiaries (if they are able to communicate) and tour their living spaces.
I am an individual payee, what will happen on the date of my review?
Please refer to your confirmation letter for specific instructions about what your review will include. Generally, DRAZ reviewers will meet with you at the home of the beneficiary, review any bank statements, receipts, and ledgers you maintain related to the beneficiary’s funds, provide you with training on how to keep financial records if you do not already do so, and interview any adult beneficiaries (if they are able to communicate) and tour their living spaces.
After DRAZ completes the review of my payee services, will I get a list of findings?
If DRAZ finds issues with your performance as a payee, we or the SSA will notify you of the concerns in writing and work with you to make the necessary corrections to your practices. Once the corrections are made, or if no issues were found during your review, DRAZ and/or the SSA will send you a letter stating that your review is complete. You will not receive a detailed report of our findings.
What resources are available for payees to learn more about their responsibilities?
The SSA offers many online resources for payees, including a FAQ page and training material. DRAZ may be able to provide outreach material and/or trainings to payees, depending on our resources, availability, and the type of training needed. Please direct requests for training to center@azdisabilitylaw.org or (800) 927-2260 (Toll Free).
Frequently Asked Questions for Beneficiaries
View answers to common questions for beneficiaries regarding DRAZ and the Representative Payee Review Program.
I was contacted by DRAZ to set up an interview, why?
DRAZ is contracted with the SSA to conduct reviews of representative payees around Arizona. If we ask to meet with you as part of a review, it is to ask you questions about how your payee is serving you. That is, we want to know whether your payee is using your benefits appropriately and taking care of you. This interview does not affect your disability benefits eligibility. As part of our meeting, we will ask to tour your living space to ensure that your payee is providing you with clean and safe housing.
How do I confirm that you are associated with the SSA before I meet with you or let you tour my living space?
If you have concerns about the legitimacy of DRAZ’s review process, please contact the SSA using the information provided on their Representative Payee webpage or at 410-965-9222. DRAZ can also ask the SSA to contact you directly to confirm our identity. Lastly, our review staff will present you with a DRAZ business card and their SSA-issued picture identification card on the day of your interview.
I am unhappy with my payee. For example, they do not return my phone calls, pay my bills late, withhold money from me, charge excessive fees, or do not tell me how much money I have. What can I do?
If you are experiencing these types of issues with your payee, please contact DRAZ at center@azdisabilitylaw.org or (800) 927-2260 (Toll Free). We may be able to conduct a review of your payee, conduct an investigation, or provide you with advocacy services. You may also contact the SSA at (800) 772-1213 if you are unable to resolve your concerns independently.
I suspect my payee is stealing money from me or misusing my benefits, what steps do I take?
Payees may only use benefit payments for the care of the beneficiary they serve. This includes paying for housing, utilities, food, clothing, medical care, education, and personal expenses. Payees may NOT use a beneficiary’s funds for their own expenses, business debt, or for any other purpose not authorized by the SSA. If you believe your payee is committing fraud or mishandling your benefits, please file a complaint with the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The OIG may also be reached by mail, phone, or fax through the information provided on their “Other Ways to Report” webpage. You may also contact DRAZ for assistance at center@azdisabilitylaw.org or (800) 927-2260 (Toll Free), although our office does not perform the same investigatory functions or have the same resources as the OIG.
What resources are available to teach me about my rights when I have a payee?
The SSA has a website dedicated to frequently asked questions by beneficiaries and a guide for beneficiaries with payees. Topics include a summary of payee responsibilities, who can be your payee, and how to appeal the SSA’s decision to appoint a payee to you.
How can I become my own payee?
If you believe that you are capable of managing your own benefits and no longer need a payee, you may contact your local SSA Field Office for assistance. The SSA will ask for proof that you can handle your own money without assistance from a payee. This can include a doctor’s note, court order, or other evidence that demonstrates your ability to control your own finances.
This web page is funded through a Social Security grant agreement. Although Social Security reviewed this document for accuracy, it does not constitute an official Social Security communication.
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