A representative payee can be a person or an entity appointed by the Social Security Administration — usually a relative or close friend of the beneficiary. However, the Social Security Administration ...

In July 2025, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on a Wisconsin woman whose family feared her representative payee might have misused her funds. Representative payees are responsible for aiding ...

When a Social Security beneficiary is unable to manage their own account, they can have a representative payee step in to manage the account for them. This typically happens when the beneficiary is a ...

As if life were not complicated enough, if you are caring for an elderly parent who is no longer able to handle his finances or you are handling Social Security payments for your minor child, you may ...

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide expert advice on some of the most pressing challenges facing the nation and world. Our ...

Will Kenton is an expert on the economy and investing laws and regulations. He previously held senior editorial roles at Investopedia and Kapitall Wire and holds a MA in Economics from The New School ...