Generally, you can draft a power of attorney under your state's laws to appoint a third party, or agent, to handle your financial tasks. However, the Social Security Administration typically does not permit parties to cash Social Security checks with POAs. The Social Security Administration has its own process for appointing another person to cash and manage your benefits checks.
Representative Payees
The Social Security Administration appoints a representative payee to cash and manage another party's checks. A representative payee applicant must fill out forms and be personally interviewed at a SSA office. He must also provide acceptable reasons why the beneficiary needs help handling his benefit payments. For example, the beneficiary is elderly and physically cannot travel to the bank.
Read More: How to Become a Representative Payee
Duties of Representative Payees
A representative payee must always act in the best interests of the Social Security beneficiary. For example, Social Security Income payments may not be squandered or spent by or for anyone other than the beneficiary. Representative payees must provide yearly reports to the Social Security Administration disclosing how the SSI checks have been spent.
References
Writer Bio
Maggie Lourdes is a full-time attorney in southeast Michigan. She teaches law at Cleary University in Ann Arbor and online for National University in San Diego. Her writing has been featured in "Realtor Magazine," the N.Y. State Bar's "Health Law Journal," "Oakland County Legal News," "Michigan Probate & Estate Planning Journal," "Eye Spy Magazine" and "Surplus Today" magazine.