SSI redetermination phone review for my brother - what questions will Social Security ask me as his payee?

I've been through several redetermination interviews as my son's representative payee. They'll mainly ask about your brother's living situation, income, resources, and how his SSI funds are being used. Have ready: - Bank statements for his accounts - Rent receipts if he contributes to household expenses - Documentation of any other income he receives - Medical expense receipts if significant - Information about any assets he owns (car, property, etc.) Since he lives with you, they'll ask about household expenses and how they're shared. They'll verify his living arrangement hasn't changed and confirm he still needs a representative payee. They might also ask about any work activity, even volunteer work.

they dont ask much just basic stuff. i had one last yr for my daughter. make sure u know how much rent utilities food costs are. they want to know how the money is spent. its no big deal really

Get your documents organized NOW - don't wait! I help manage my niece's SSI and they went through everything with a fine-tooth comb during our redetermination. Have ALL bank statements (12 months is safe), receipts for major purchases, and a clear breakdown of how you allocate his SSI funds for food, shelter, personal items, etc. They specifically asked us about: - Every deposit in her account (even small birthday gifts!) - Any resources/assets over $2,000 - Whether she receives food or shelter from anyone else - How we document his expenses (they love seeing a simple spreadsheet) - Any changes in living arrangement Be ready to explain EXACTLY how you split household expenses. They may ask very detailed questions about this since he lives with you.

Been a rep payee for my brother for 9 years. These redeterminations are STRESSFUL the first time but honestly get easier. One thing nobody mentioned - if your brother has had ANY medical procedures or hospitalizations since becoming eligible, have those dates handy. They sometimes ask about medical status even though that's technically for continuing disability reviews, not redeterminations. Also, they'll definitely ask if he has resources over $2,000. This includes checking/savings, cash on hand, vehicles, life insurance with cash value, etc. If he ever gets close to that limit, they'll want to know how you manage it. Don't stress too much though - as long as you're using his benefits appropriately and can explain how, it's usually pretty straightforward.

My husband just did our son's redetermination last month. They called exactly on time and it took about 25 minutes. They just confirmed his address hadn't changed and asked the same questions that were on the original application basically. Oh and they put us on hold like 4 times lol. So don't worry if that happens.

To answer your question about the account going over $2,000 briefly - YES, that could potentially be a problem. Even if it's only for a day or two before bills are paid, if they check his resources on that specific day and see over $2,000, it can trigger an overpayment issue. Many representative payees set up two accounts - one where the SSI is deposited and immediately transferred to a spending account, keeping the main account under $2,000 at all times. Or consider paying some bills right before the deposit hits.

I've been trying to reach SSA about my own redetermination for WEEKS and keep getting disconnected or waiting on hold forever!! Super frustrating trying to get anyone on the phone these days. Good luck with your interview, hopefully they actually call when they say they will!

mine took like 45 min with my daughter. they just wanted to no where she lived and if she got any other money and stuff. they might ask about his disability too but don't worry to much

Regarding your question about bank statements - yes, you should request the missing statements right away. Generally, they only need to see your brother's accounts, not yours, UNLESS you have a joint account. If you have a joint account where his SSI goes, they'll want to see that statement but won't be concerned with your personal separate accounts. As for explaining why he doesn't work - they may ask about this, but it's perfectly acceptable to explain his limitations. Just be honest about his condition. They're mainly checking that his situation hasn't changed significantly from when he was approved for benefits.

I had a TERRIBLE experience with my last redetermination! The SSA worker was rude and kept implying I was misusing my daughter's funds because I couldn't find a receipt from 8 months ago for a medical expense. They threatened to report me for misuse of funds over a $43 doctor's office copay! RIDICULOUS! Make sure you document EVERYTHING and keep EVERY receipt because they treat us like criminals! The whole system is designed to catch disabled people in gotcha moments so they can cut benefits. Sorry, but I'm still angry about how we were treated.

hey my sons redetermination was last week! they asked bout his bank account, if he got food stamps, if he had a job, and bout his medications. super easy took like 20min

I've been a representative payee for my disabled son for 5 years and have been through several redeterminations. Here's what helped me prepare: Create a simple one-page summary showing: - Monthly SSI amount received - How it's allocated (rent, food, personal care, medical, etc.) - His living situation and any changes - List of his accounts and current balances They typically ask about work activity, other income sources, living arrangements, and resource limits. Since your brother has intellectual disabilities, they'll likely ask if his condition has changed and confirm he still needs a payee. The key is being organized and honest. They're not trying to trick you - they just need to verify eligibility continues. Most interviews are straightforward if you can show the funds are being used appropriately for his needs. Don't let the horror stories scare you too much. While it's good to be prepared, most redeterminations go smoothly when you have your documentation ready.

I went through my first redetermination as a rep payee for my sister last year and was terrified beforehand! But it really wasn't as scary as I expected. The SSA worker was professional and just went through their checklist methodically. A few tips that helped me: - Have a calculator handy - they might ask you to add up monthly expenses on the spot - Know his exact monthly benefit amount - If he gets any other benefits (like SNAP/food stamps), have those details ready - They asked me specifically about any money he keeps as "spending money" vs. what goes to necessities The call lasted about 35 minutes for us. They did ask why my sister doesn't work, but I just explained her limitations and they moved on quickly. Since your brother has intellectual disabilities and you're his legal guardian, they'll likely just want to confirm his situation is stable. You've got this! The fact that you're asking these questions shows you're a responsible payee.

I just went through this exact situation with my mom's redetermination 3 months ago! As someone new to being a rep payee, I was absolutely panicking beforehand but it turned out fine. The biggest thing that helped was organizing everything into folders beforehand: - Bank statements (I had 6 months worth) - A simple monthly budget breakdown showing rent, groceries, utilities, medical expenses - List of any assets/resources - Documentation of his disability status They asked standard questions about living arrangements, other income, work activity, and how the SSI funds are used. Since your brother lives with you, be ready to explain how you split household costs fairly. They might ask specifics like "How much does he contribute to rent?" or "What's his share of the grocery bill?" The interviewer was actually quite understanding when I explained my mom's cognitive limitations. They just want to verify he still qualifies and that funds are being used appropriately for his care and needs. One thing I wish I'd known - have pen and paper ready because they might give you reference numbers or ask you to write down follow-up requirements during the call.

I've been a representative payee for my aunt for about 3 years and just had our second redetermination last month. Here's what I learned that might help you: They'll definitely ask about the $2,000 resource limit - not just bank accounts, but also any cash he keeps at home, prepaid cards, or savings bonds. I keep a simple spreadsheet tracking his account balance daily to make sure we never hit that limit. For the household expense question, they wanted more detail than I expected. I had to break down things like: his portion of rent ($X), groceries ($X), utilities ($X), etc. They asked how I determined what was "fair" - I explained I calculated it based on the number of people in the household and his ability to pay. One thing that caught me off guard - they asked if he ever lends money to anyone or if anyone owes him money. Apparently even small loans to family members can count as resources. The whole call took about 40 minutes, but the agent was patient when I needed to look things up. Don't worry too much - sounds like you're already being a responsible payee by asking these questions ahead of time!

As someone who's been through multiple redeterminations as a rep payee, I wanted to add that they'll likely ask about your brother's daily routine and level of independence. Since he has intellectual disabilities, be prepared to explain what tasks he can/cannot do independently and how that affects his need for a representative payee. They may also ask about any services he receives - like day programs, vocational rehabilitation, or case management services. Having contact info for his caseworkers or service providers handy can be helpful if they want to verify anything. One more thing - if your brother receives any in-kind support (like free meals at a community center or transportation assistance), they might ask about that too since it can affect his SSI calculation. But don't stress too much about minor things - they're mainly looking for significant changes in his situation. The interview really is more routine than scary once you get through your first one. Good luck!

I'm a newer rep payee and just wanted to say how helpful this thread has been! I'm scheduled for my first redetermination next month for my adult son and was feeling really overwhelmed. Reading everyone's experiences has given me a much clearer picture of what to expect. One question I haven't seen addressed - do they ever ask to speak directly to the beneficiary during the call? My son has autism and limited verbal communication, so I'm wondering if I should prepare him for the possibility of them asking him questions directly, or if they typically just work with the rep payee throughout the entire interview. Also, for those who mentioned keeping spreadsheets and detailed records - do you think it's worth creating a simple "cheat sheet" with key numbers and dates that I can reference quickly during the call? I tend to get flustered on important phone calls and don't want to stumble over basic information about his benefits or living situation. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences - you've made this so much less intimidating!

I just wanted to thank everyone who contributed to this thread! As someone who's been putting off learning about what to expect during redeterminations, this has been incredibly educational. The level of detail you all provided - from organizing documents in folders to tracking the $2,000 limit with spreadsheets to preparing cheat sheets - shows how much you all care about doing right by your family members. It's really reassuring to see such a supportive community here. I'm not scheduled for a redetermination yet, but I'm definitely going to start implementing some of these organizational strategies now rather than scrambling later. The tip about keeping daily balance tracking to avoid the $2,000 resource limit seems especially important - I had no idea temporary overages could be problematic. For anyone else reading this thread who might be anxious about their first redetermination, it sounds like being prepared and honest are the keys to success. You've all made what seemed like a scary bureaucratic process feel much more manageable.

I'm also a newer rep payee (about 8 months for my adult daughter with cerebral palsy) and haven't had my first redetermination yet, but this thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add that might help others - I started using a simple notebook to track all of her expenses by category each month. Nothing fancy, just columns for rent, groceries, medical, personal care, etc. It's made it so much easier to see patterns in spending and I think it'll be really helpful when they ask about how her SSI is being used. Also, reading about the $2,000 resource limit being so strictly enforced has been eye-opening. I had been letting her account build up a bit as a "safety net" but now I realize that could actually cause problems. I'm going to start moving excess funds to a special needs trust that her lawyer set up. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - you've probably saved me from making some costly mistakes! It's so reassuring to know there are other families going through the same challenges.

I've been a representative payee for my nephew for about 18 months now and had my first redetermination interview about 6 months ago. Reading through all these responses brings back memories of how nervous I was beforehand! A few additional tips that helped me during the actual call: - They asked for his Social Security number right at the beginning to verify his identity, so have that handy - When they asked about household expenses, I found it helpful to think in terms of "his fair share" rather than exact dollar amounts - like "he pays about 1/3 of the rent since there are 3 adults in the household" - They did ask if he had any burial funds or life insurance policies, which I hadn't thought to prepare for - Keep a glass of water nearby - I got really dry mouth from nerves and talking for 30+ minutes straight! The agent was actually quite patient when I needed to look up information or do quick calculations. They seem to understand that we're not professional accountants, just family members trying to do right by our loved ones. One thing that really put me at ease was realizing that they're not trying to "catch" you doing something wrong - they just need to verify that the benefits are still appropriate and being used correctly. As long as you're honest and can show the money is going toward his legitimate needs, you'll be fine. You're already ahead of the game by asking these questions and preparing in advance. The interview will go much smoother than you expect!

I'm scheduled for my first redetermination call as a rep payee for my mom next week, and this entire thread has been absolutely invaluable! Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - I went from panicking about the unknown to feeling actually prepared. I've created my cheat sheet with all the key numbers, organized bank statements into folders, and even started that daily balance tracking spreadsheet to avoid the $2,000 issue going forward. The tip about having water nearby and expecting to be put on hold multiple times is exactly the kind of practical advice I needed. One quick question - for those who mentioned they ask about burial funds, does this include small amounts set aside informally for final expenses, or are they only asking about formal burial insurance policies? My mom has about $800 in a separate savings account that we've been slowly building for eventual funeral costs, and I want to make sure I report this correctly if they ask. Again, thank you all for turning what felt like an intimidating bureaucratic process into something manageable. This community is amazing!

As someone who's been through this process as a rep payee for my disabled brother, I can definitely understand your anxiety! The key things they'll focus on are pretty straightforward: his living situation, how the SSI funds are being used, any changes in his condition or circumstances, and verifying he still needs a representative payee. Since he lives with you, be ready to explain how household expenses are shared - they'll want to understand his contribution to rent, utilities, groceries, etc. It doesn't need to be perfectly calculated to the penny, but having a general breakdown helps (like "he covers about 1/3 of household costs" or whatever is fair based on your situation). Have his bank statements ready (at least 3-6 months), know his current account balance, and be able to explain any larger purchases or deposits. The $2,000 resource limit is strictly enforced, so if he ever gets close to that amount, make sure you can explain how you manage it. They'll also ask about any work activity (even volunteer work), other income sources, medical appointments, and whether his disability status has changed. Since he has intellectual disabilities, they'll likely just confirm he still requires assistance managing his benefits. The whole call usually takes 20-45 minutes. Most agents are professional and understand they're working with families doing their best. Just be honest and organized - you've clearly got his best interests at heart!