<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6002.18332" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV>I never said the Rep Payee had to be a relative. The Rep Payee also doesn't have to be the custodial guardian--although they often are. I am saying that in all probability the marriage record would have been part of the original file because it would establish beyond doubt who the legal father is.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Joan</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 1/9/2011 9:25:08 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, wilssearch@gmail.com writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Joan, if the father's name is on the children's birth certificates, no further proof would be required, married or not to the mother.  When there are minor children with no parent, a representative payee is appointed to receive benefits until they are 18.  I can't remember the year the law changed, but at one time children could receive benefits up to the age of 22 if in full time attendance in college.  The law was later changed to graduation from high school - age 19 at the latest. <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>As to who is appointed as rep payee as we called it - it depends on with whom the children are living.  If with a relative, that person would probably be the payee.  And yes they have to account to SSA as to how they spent the money.  If the children, for some reason, were in an institution, then the institution could receive the benefits.  </DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>All Sheri was saying is that the rep payee need not be a relative.<BR></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>