Fun and games with U.S. Social Security

[nkped 1,208]

My monthly Social Security payment for February didn’t post to my U.S. bank account on 3 February. That was a Friday so I figured that if there had been any delay in processing, it would not post until the following Monday. It wasn’t there on Monday and by 8 February, I was pretty sure it wasn’t going to be there so I sent an email to the Social Security office at the U.S. Embassy in Manila.

 

I didn’t get a response or any kind of acknowledgment so on 15 February, I called the Manila office. To my pleasant surprise, I got an answer within a few seconds. The call was answered by a lady who I am reasonably certain did not grow up in rural Nebraska. She asked for my social security number and quite quickly told me my payments had been suspended because I had not returned an annual survey. I had never received an annual survey, although Social Security has my current address and I have received other mail from them. But it was better than being told the payment had been deposited to my account in Lagos. Anyway, it’s never wise to aggravate the people who you are asking to give you money. She then asked for my email address and said she would send me a form which I needed to complete and which I could return by email. I sent the completed form on 16 February and, this time, got an automatic acknowledgment of the email.

 

I had not received anything further and was wondering if I would need to follow up. Before drafting another email, I checked my bank account and, lo and behold, the payment had posted yesterday, 23 February.

 

Not happy about an annual survey which I never received. On the other hand, I was quite impressed with the service provided by the Manila office.

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

Besides an annual heartbeat letter telling you your benefits may be discontinued unless you respond, they also send a tax statement. These are the two items I receive through the mail from the SSA.

[nkped 1,208]

I got the tax statement.

[js007 795]

I've never gotten a survey letter, only the yearly tax form. I'm in the states, though, and have only been collecting social security for the past three years.

[laffnliv 78]

Have been receiving SS for 21 years. Have never been asked to complete a survey.

 

Maybe it's my baby blue eyes.....?

 

Little Roy

[MM 6,562]

I've never gotten a survey letter, only the yearly tax form. I'm in the states, though, and have only been collecting social security for the past three years.

My guess is that because the OP was using the Manila office, they're checking if he's still alive.

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

The letter only goes to recipients living abroad.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

I've never gotten a survey letter, only the yearly tax form. I'm in the states, though, and have only been collecting social security for the past three years.

 

I have not either and I have been on Social Security for just over two years. I do get my tax statement each year.

 

I agree with MM. It seems to be a matter of proving you are still alive and thus still eligible for benefits. It makes sense for them to do this.

 

Say you have a joint account and die. Your partner or heirs do not inform the SSA of your demise and the checks keep coming. This could go on for years.

 

But, say you reply to the letter, how does the SSA know it is you that replied?

Edited February 24, 2017 by midlifecrisis

[js007 795]

 

I have not either and I have been on Social Security for just over two years. I do get my tax statement each year.

 

I agree with MM. It seems to be a matter of proving you are still alive and thus still eligible for benefits. It makes sense for them to do this.

 

Say you have a joint account and die. Your partner or heirs do not inform the SSA of your demise and the checks keep coming. This could go on for years.

 

But, say you reply to the letter, how does the SSA know it is you that replied?

 

I think funeral directors in the US are required to report deaths to the SSA. Perhaps also any doctor who signs a death certificate? So usually, SSA is informed. Maybe they have more trouble when people die overseas.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

 

I think funeral directors in the US are required to report deaths to the SSA. Perhaps also any doctor who signs a death certificate? So usually, SSA is informed. Maybe they have more trouble when people die overseas.

That's my thought too. As was mentioned by Rhino Tusk, this seems to be aimed at those living overseas.

 

Good info on the US policy/

 

When my folks died, I notified everyone concerned. My dad being retired military and retired civil service, there were many issues to be addressed. That was in 1985 so I am sure much has changed with newer technology, etc.

[short 215]

I attended a retirement seminar given by a former SSA employee. She said that if you do not reply to mail they send you, they automatically assume you are dead and stop payments immediately.

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

 

 

Not happy about an annual survey which I never received. On the other hand, I was quite impressed with the service provided by the Manila office.

 

 

 

Same thing happened with me. I believe U.S. citizens who were approved for benefits through the Manila office while living abroad are required to confirm their current address yearly. It could be a relatively new requirement, like within the past three or four years. I used to handle all the SS stuff for my mom and she never had to fill in such a form, but she lived in the U.S. and passed away in 2006.

 

I did have to submit such a form in 2014 and every year since, but I was approved for benefits through the Manila office in 2013. I never got the form sent in 2014 and my benefits were stopped as a result, but then re-started just as you describe.

 

Evil

Edited February 25, 2017 by Evil Penevil

[JONPAT 222]

Besides an annual heartbeat letter telling you your benefits may be discontinued unless you respond, they also send a tax statement. These are the two items I receive through the mail from the SSA.

receive in Thailand ?

[JONPAT 222]

 

I have not either and I have been on Social Security for just over two years. I do get my tax statement each year.

 

I agree with MM. It seems to be a matter of proving you are still alive and thus still eligible for benefits. It makes sense for them to do this.

 

Say you have a joint account and die. Your partner or heirs do not inform the SSA of your demise and the checks keep coming. This could go on for years.

 

But, say you reply to the letter, how does the SSA know it is you that replied?

They check for the correct fingerprints? They do DNA test on the siliva you use to ceal the envelope? They have you use the mail so that it becomes a postal crime.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

They check for the correct fingerprints? They do DNA test on the siliva you use to ceal the envelope? They have you use the mail so that it becomes a postal crime.

 

How do they have my DNA?

 

I do not recall being fingerprinted in any way by them. The DMV (state) I believe has a thumb print and the army has my fingerprints on file.

 

Falsifying the SSA forms is perjury so, if I were a perjurer and a thief of government funds, I doubt i would worry much about mail fraud.

[js007 795]

 

How do they have my DNA?

 

I do not recall being fingerprinted in any way by them. The DMV (state) I believe has a thumb print and the army has my fingerprints on file.

 

Falsifying the SSA forms is perjury so, if I were a perjurer and a thief of government funds, I doubt i would worry much about mail fraud.

 

They don't have your DNA. He was just kidding. Anyway, despite all the safeguards, they sometimes make payments for years after someone dies. Just recently I read a news story about some family that just buried grandma in the back yard when she died and kept spending the money that came in every month. That went on for a long time.

Edited March 1, 2017 by js007

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

 

They don't have your DNA. He was just kidding. Anyway, despite all the safeguards, they sometimes make payments for years after someone dies. Just recently I read a news story about some family just buried grandma in the back yard when she died and kept spending the money that came in every month. That went on for a long time.

 

And hopefully they were prosecuted, convicted and required to pay restitution.

 

I have zero sympathy for people like that.

[js007 795]

 

And hopefully they were prosecuted, convicted and required to pay restitution.

 

I have zero sympathy for people like that.

 

Sure, they usually prosecute people like that, but the chances of the SSA recovering the money are probably about zero.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

 

Sure, they usually prosecute people like that, but the chances of the SSA recovering the money are probably about zero.

 

Agreed but often when people are released from prison, their wages get garnished and someday when they are eligible for SSI, they may get a fraction of what they are entitled to.

 

Or

 

They go to court and get a sympathetic judge to stop the government from treating them so unfairly.

[nkped 1,208]

 

Agreed but often when people are released from prison, their wages get garnished and someday when they are eligible for SSI, they may get a fraction of what they are entitled to.

 

Or

 

They go to court and get a sympathetic judge to stop the government from treating them so unfairly.

Possible, but the restitution would be part of the original criminal sentence in U.S. District Court. It would have to be the sentencing judge modifying the sentence.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

Possible, but the restitution would be part of the original criminal sentence in U.S. District Court. It would have to be the sentencing judge modifying the sentence.

 

They should move to the ninth district!

[js007 795]

Even if the garnish a person's wages, they can only take so much. And for a person with a low paying job, that might not be much at all.

 

In case anyone is interested, from 15 USC 1673

 

prev | next

(a) Maximum allowable garnishment

 

Except as provided in subsection ( and in section 1675 of this title, the maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings of an individual for any workweek which is subjected to garnishment may not exceed

(1) 25 per centum of his disposable earnings for that week, or

(2) the amount by which his disposable earnings for that week exceed thirty times the Federal minimum hourly wage prescribed by section 206(a)(1) of title 29 in effect at the time the earnings are payable,

whichever is less. In the case of earnings for any pay period other than a week, the Secretary of Labor shall by regulation prescribe a multiple of the Federal minimum hourly wage equivalent in effect to that set forth in paragraph (2).

( Exceptions

(1) The restrictions of subsection (a) do not apply in the case of

(A) any order for the support of any person issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or in accordance with an administrative procedure, which is established by State law, which affords substantial due process, and which is subject to judicial review.

( any order of any court of the United States having jurisdiction over cases under chapter 13 of title 11.

© any debt due for any State or Federal tax.

(2) The maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings of an individual for any workweek which is subject to garnishment to enforce any order for the support of any person shall not exceed

(A) where such individual is supporting his spouse or dependent child (other than a spouse or child with respect to whose support such order is used), 50 per centum of such individuals disposable earnings for that week; and

( where such individual is not supporting such a spouse or dependent child described in clause (A), 60 per centum of such individuals disposable earnings for that week;

except that, with respect to the disposable earnings of any individual for any workweek, the 50 per centum specified in clause (A) shall be deemed to be 55 per centum and the 60 per centum specified in clause ( shall be deemed to be 65 per centum, if and to the extent that such earnings are subject to garnishment to enforce a support order with respect to a period which is prior to the twelve-week period which ends with the beginning of such workweek.

© Execution or enforcement of garnishment order or process prohibited

No court of the United States or any State, and no State (or officer or agency thereof), may make, execute, or enforce any order or process in violation of this section.

(Pub. L. 90321, title III, § 303, May 29, 1968, 82 Stat. 163; Pub. L. 9530, title V, § 501(e)(1)(3), May 23, 1977, 91 Stat. 161, 162; Pub. L. 95598, title III, § 312(a), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2676.)

Edited March 2, 2017 by js007

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

BTW, I received this year's 'heartbeat' letter today. Supposedly, if they don't hear from you they will send a second letter in 90 days before cutting you off.

[too_mutt 10]

 

My monthly Social Security payment for February didnt post to my U.S. bank account on 3 February. That was a Friday so I figured that if there had been any delay in processing, it would not post until the following Monday. It wasnt there on Monday and by 8 February, I was pretty sure it wasnt going to be there so I sent an email to the Social Security office at the U.S. Embassy in Manila.

 

I didnt get a response or any kind of acknowledgment so on 15 February, I called the Manila office. To my pleasant surprise, I got an answer within a few seconds. The call was answered by a lady who I am reasonably certain did not grow up in rural Nebraska. She asked for my social security number and quite quickly told me my payments had been suspended because I had not returned an annual survey. I had never received an annual survey, although Social Security has my current address and I have received other mail from them. But it was better than being told the payment had been deposited to my account in Lagos. Anyway, its never wise to aggravate the people who you are asking to give you money. She then asked for my email address and said she would send me a form which I needed to complete and which I could return by email. I sent the completed form on 16 February and, this time, got an automatic acknowledgment of the email.

 

I had not received anything further and was wondering if I would need to follow up. Before drafting another email, I checked my bank account and, lo and behold, the payment had posted yesterday, 23 February.

 

Not happy about an annual survey which I never received. On the other hand, I was quite impressed with the service provided by the Manila office.

 

Curious how you were able to get the email address for the US embassy employee.

[nkped 1,208]

Curious how you were able to get the email address for the US embassy employee.

Google is your friend. The link in my OP is to a page on the embassy's public web site and that has the Social Security office email address and not the address for an individual employee.