If I am the representative payee for someone who receives Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), what changes must I report to Social Security?

If you are the representative payee for someone, you must report to us any changes that may affect the person's benefit payments. If you fail to report any changes to us timely (within 10 days after the end of the month in which the change occurred) we may pay the beneficiary too much money and you may have to return the money the beneficiary was not due.

If you knowingly make a false or misleading statement or knowingly fail to report important changes, we may impose a sanction against your current or future SSI and/or Social Security benefits. The first sanction period is a withholding of payments for 6 months. The second sanction period is a withholding of payments for 12 months. Subsequent sanction periods are for 24 months. If you intentionally withhold information to continue to receive payments, you may face criminal prosecution. Criminal penalties can include fines and imprisonment.

For more information about what you must report, go to our Representative Payee Program page or read our A Guide for Representative Payees publication.