Social Security Administration Updates - 2005
IM-05-11
INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
IM-05-11
DATE: November 18, 2005
TO: STATE AND TRIBAL AGENCIES ADMINISTERING CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT PLANS UNDER TITLE IV-D OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND OTHER INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS
SUBJECT: Social Security Administration (SSA)-Updates
BACKGROUND:
As many of you are aware, in December 2004 the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) entered into an arrangement with SSA to conduct a one-time match between obligors on the OCSE Debtor file and the SSA Title II beneficiaries on the SSA State Verification and Exchange System (SVES).The match identified 75,000 child support obligors for potential income withholding.OCSE created and sent a SVES Match Report file to each state so that this potential source of child support could be assessed.As of October 21, 2005, SSA had received and processed 33,244 income-withholding orders (IWOs) as a result of this one-time match.Based on the information provided to OCSE by nine participating states, it is estimated that these IWOs could yield overall collections exceeding $5.5 million per month.
The IWOs for this one-time project were sent to a centralized PO Box. This is a reminder that the designated PO Box for this project has been closed. All mail received at the PO Box will be returned to sender. States should follow normal withholding submission procedures, and SSA will continue to process the actions with the normal priority attention.
Children Entitled to SSA Benefits
The match with SVES may identify children eligible for Social Security Dependents' Benefits.When a noncustodial parent (NCP) qualifies for Social Security retirement or disability benefits under Title II, the NCP’s children may also qualify to receive benefits.An eligible child can be a biological child, adopted child or stepchild.These benefits are payable to those meeting the eligibility guidelines.
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Unmarried children under age 18 (age 19 if they're still in high school)
and -
Children age 18 or over who were severely disabled before age 22 and who continue to be disabled into adulthood
Where possible, the child support enforcement agency should provide information to the custodial party (CP) so the CP can apply for benefits at a local SSA office, based on the child or children’s eligibility.The CP should contact the SSA office and provide the NCP’s Name, SSN, DOB and any other available information to apply for benefits for his/her child(ren).
Income-Withholding Orders for Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas
Child support enforcement agencies in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas may forward income-withholding orders to one centralized unit in Albuquerque, NM, if the obligor lives in one of these states.The address is:
Social Security Administration
Attention: Garnishment Unit
P.O. Box 4426
Albuquerque, NM87196-4426
If an order is for an NCP who lives in a state other than the five listed above, then the order should be forwarded to the servicing field office in the state where the NCP lives based on the ZIP code.The SSA field office can be located using the ZIP code through this web site: https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps6z/FOLO/fo001.jsp
National Medical Support Notices (NMSN)
The Social Security Administration is responsible for providing benefits based on two major programs, Title II, Social Security Retirement and Disability and Title XVI, Supplemental Security Income (SSI).These programs do not provide medical insurance coverage to a dependent of a beneficiary. Therefore, an NMSN should not be sent to SSA.
INQUIRIES: Please direct inquiries to Pat Driggers (410) 966-5181 or pdriggers@acf.hhs.gov / Pat.Driggers@ssa.gov
Margot Bean
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement