A representative payee is a third party Social Security pays your disability benefits to on your behalf. The representative payee is responsible for ensuring your bills for food, clothing, and shelter are paid on a monthly basis. Here is what you need to know about representative payees for Social Security.

A representative payee is intended to help individuals who are unable to manage their finances due to a disability. Social Security benefits are paid directly to this third party on behalf of the disabled individual. A representative payee can be almost anyone you choose: a spouse, family member, friend, or non-profit organization can all handle your Social Security benefits on your behalf. Your local Social Security office can appoint a representative payee for you if they feel you are unable to manage your finances for yourself. This causes problems for some disabled individuals that do not want a third party managing their money.

If you have a representative payee and want to become your own payee, there is only one way to do this. You must have a doctor that is familiar with your situation fax a letter to your local Social Security office stating that you are capable of managing the Social Security check for yourself and do not require a representative payee. Once the local Social Security office has this documentation from a doctor or psychologist, it takes about thirty days for the local office to process the payee change for you.

If you would simply like someone else to be your payee, that person needs to visit the local Social Security office with their identification and fill out the application to become your representative payee. To learn more about Social Security benefits visit the website Social Security Laid Bare using the links below.