My two girls started receiving a small benefit each month under my claim because of my disability. I opened accts. for their individual benefit checks 5 months after their benefits started. I did not deposit their checks until we needed them and of course have all the receipts, bills ect. to show where the money has been used. My question is, when I applied the local office told me that it was not neccessary to have seperate acct. for each but to just make sure the money is used exclusively for their needs, which they have been, but My oldest just turned 18 & will only get benefits for a few more months & then it stops & I received a letter with a reveiw worksheet stating I , as their alternate payee needed to open an acct & keep their money from intermingling with my own. I did deposit a few checks into my acct. but the money was used immediantly for their needs & I have documentation, receipts ect. Also, before I got the letter/review worksheet we'd deposited her back benefits & 3 benefit checks into her bank acct. (her back pay came late because they had to make sure I was not receiving SSI, which I'm not) but the letter also states that I am to return whatever extra monies I have for her. I'm so confused about this! I was up all night stressing because I'd not prevented 'intermingling' of their benefits even though I used it specifically for them. The local office lady I spoke to @ SSA told me I just had to use it for them & that I didn't have to have a special acct. for each child but the letter says differently. Does that mean her back benefits have to be returned? We got them at the end of Dec.2009 but I did not deposit it yet as my daughter was going through some serious medical stuff & she had planned to use them for college fees, some school things, pay off part of her car & graduation fees ect. I am going to call SSA & go in person to speak with someone but wondered if anyone could help me with this?
Thanks guys!