Should I apply as Representative Payee for my disabled brother now or wait until my elderly mother passes?

do it NOW!! i waited too long with my aunt who was payee for my cousin and it was a NIGHTMARE after she died. SSA froze his benefits for almost 2 months while they sorted everything out and he almost got evicted

You should definitely apply now rather than waiting. The transition is much smoother when the current payee is still alive. You'll need to visit a local SSA office with your brother (if possible), complete Form SSA-11, and bring identification documents for both of you. Your mother can provide a signed statement supporting the change, which helps streamline the process. The SSA usually requires face-to-face interviews for new representative payees, but they sometimes make exceptions for family members who live far away - you'll need to contact your local office to discuss options. They may allow you to complete the process at an office near you. If you wait until after your mother passes, there will be additional verification steps and potential benefit interruptions while SSA processes the change.

I just went thru this exact situation w/ my dad (92) and sister last year!!! The SSA made it WAY harder than it needed to be. Took almost 4 MONTHS to get everything switched over to me. Dad kept forgetting appointments and losing paperwork which made everything worse. Definitely start now while your mom is still able to help with some of the process. They'll want statements from doctors about why she can't continue as payee.

My mom was my brother's payee for 20 years. When she passed suddenly, his benefits were suspended for nearly 6 weeks while I applied to become his new payee. It created a huge financial hardship for him. Start the process now, trust me.

As a former SSA employee, I strongly recommend initiating the Representative Payee change while your mother is still able to participate in the process. The transition is significantly easier when the current payee voluntarily transfers responsibility. Here's why: 1. When your mother passes, your brother's benefits will be suspended until a new payee is appointed 2. The post-death process requires additional verification and documentation 3. The SSA has to establish from scratch that you're suitable as a payee if there's no endorsement from the previous payee To apply, complete Form SSA-11 and schedule an appointment at your local office. Explain your cross-country situation when scheduling - they may be able to accommodate with a video interview or by allowing you to visit an office near you. Bring identification, your brother's Social Security card, financial records showing how you've been managing his funds, and a statement from your mother supporting the change. A doctor's statement regarding your mother's diminishing capacity will also help the process.

I went through a similar situation and tried calling the Social Security office for WEEKS with no luck - always disconnected or on hold forever. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person at SSA in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU It was super helpful for discussing my complicated payee situation and getting actual answers instead of generic website info. Since you're trying to handle this from across the country, being able to talk to someone directly might save you a lot of hassle.

my cousin was rep payee for his mom and when he applied they wanted like 500 pieces of ID and proof he lived with her and stuff. but he was already handling all her money for years before that. whole system is dumb tbh

Something nobody mentioned - when you become payee they'll ask about your brother's BACK payments and if your mom saved any of his benefits! Make sure all that is documented!!! My sister had $7000 in saved benefits in a separate account our dad managed, and SSA wanted proof of EVERY PENNY during the payee change. Your mom needs to have statements ready showing any saved money from his benefits.

just wondering have u talked to ur mom about this yet?? my grandma got SUPER upset when we suggested someone else handle my uncle's benefits. she took it as us saying she was incompetent even tho she totally was making mistakes