POMS Reference

GN 02402: Direct Deposit - Title II and Title XVI

TN 64 (08-15)

This section describes how to code bank data for international direct deposit (IDD) of Title II benefits to a financial institution (FI) in Sint Maarten. The Social Security Administration (SSA) stores IDD bank data on the MBR in the same fields used for United States (U.S.) direct deposit. Special coding identifies the data as Sint Maarten direct deposit and allows us to route benefit payments through the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (FRBKC) and the processor bank in Sint Maarten to the beneficiary's local FI.

NOTE: U.S. domestic (i.e., non-border) field offices (FOs) should not attempt to process an IDD request for this country. U.S. domestic FOs must forward all appropriate information to the Office of Earnings and International Operations, Division of International Operations (OEIO, DIO) for processing. For more information on forwarding IDD information, see GN 02402.205C, GN 01010.255, and GN 01702.310C.

A. How we receive IDD bank data

We receive requests to input bank data by mail, phone, or fax in the following formats:

  • a blank check;

  • an SSA-1199-OP 18 (International Direct Deposit Signup Form for Sint Maarten) (For the link to the form see GN 02402.329G in this section); or

  • any document that contains the required banking information.

NOTE: If upon receipt of the information, there are any discrepancies, follow instructions in GN 00203.020 and GN 02402.025.

B. Multi-country contract

The processing FI for Sint Maarten has a prefix of 70 at the beginning of the Routing Transit Number (RTN).

C. Overview of IDD for Sint Maarten

The beneficiary must provide complete information to DIO or the Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) for input. DIO will fax incomplete forms to the FBU that serves Sint Maarten. The FBU contacts the beneficiary or FI for additional information.

D. Description of Sint Maarten Bank Data

The data for coding IDD for Sint Maarten comes from banks determined by the FRBKC. The bank data for Sint Maarten consists of up to 21 characters. However, the bank data reflected on the MBR will reflect up to 27 characters including the country code of N for Sint Maarten.

E. Policy for coding Sint Maarten bank data

The FRBKC relies on SSA to provide the complete bank data to ensure correct posting of payments to a customer’s account. If the information is incomplete, the FRBKC rejects the payment and returns the funds to SSA. When establishing or changing IDD bank data for Sint Maarten, you can use an SSA system (i.e. Modernized Claims System (MCS), Manual Adjustment Credit and Award Data Entry (MACADE), etc.). However, you must go to ITS.gov to enter the full bank information including the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication- Business Identifier Code (SWIFT-BIC), the beneficiary’s name, beneficiary’s address, the bank code, and branch code. If the complete bank account information is not in ITS.gov when the payment processes, the payment rejects and returns to SSA. When using ITS.gov, bank data posts to the MBR within four business days.

The SWIFT code consists of 11 alphanumeric characters:

  • First four characters - bank code (only letters);

  • Next two characters - ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code (only letters);

  • Next two characters - location code (letters and digits) (passive participant have "1" in the second character); and

  • Last three characters - branch code, optional ('XXX' for primary office) (letters and digits).

1. Initial award processing

Secure the beneficiary’s name, address, full SWIFT-BIC code, bank code, and branch code at the time of filing. If you are working on an initial award, you must update ITS.gov using the bank account information prior to processing the award to ensure that the beneficiary receives his or her payment. If the complete bank account information is not in ITS.gov when the payment processes, the payment rejects and returns to SSA.

NOTE: If there is dire need or hardship involved, advise the beneficiary of the option of initiating payment via a paper check. Inform the beneficiary that the bank may charge for cashing the check. If the beneficiary chooses the option of paper check, the FBU documents and processes the initial claim.

2. Adding or updating bank data using SSA systems

You must update ITS.gov on the same day if you use an SSA system to add or update bank data on the MBR (i.e., Post Entitlement Online System (POS), MACADE, etc.). Enter all POS direct deposit changes according to normal procedures. When coding IDD bank data in an SSA system for Sint Maarten within four business days of the current operational month (COM) cutoff date, use the procedure outlined in the following chart:

STEP

ACTION

1

Are you coding an initial claim?

  • If yes, go to step 3.

  • If no, go to step 2.

2

Is the beneficiary's address on the MBR in a foreign country (PCOC = 8)?

  • If no, STOP.

    REASON: The MBR does not accept the IDD information unless the address is in a foreign country.

  • If yes, go to step 3.

3

Is the beneficiary's account an ANG account in Sint Maarten?

  • If no, STOP

    REASON: Beneficiaries in Sint Martin can only receive IDD payments in ANG accounts.

  • If yes go, go to step 4

4

To derive the 9-digit RTN for Sint Maarten, code as follows:

  • Code the prefix of 70, (the multi-country prefix SSA and FRBKC designated to use for IDD to Sint Maarten).

  • Code a filler zeros, “0”

  • Code the 3-digit bank code

  • Code the first 2 digits of the 5-digit branch code

  • Code the one-digit check code (obtain through Title II Interactive Comps)

NOTE: The final digit is the U.S. check digit code and is subject to change. Obtain check digit code through the Title II Interactive Comps from the Main Menus 07/Sub Menu 16.

5

Code the Type of Account as an “S” for savings or a “C” for checking. If no indicated account type, use a “C” for checking account.

6

Code the Depositor Account Number (DAN) for Sint Maarten, code as follows:

  • Start with an alpha country code of “N” designated for Sint Maarten

  • Code the last 3 digits of the branch code

  • Code the 13 digit Customer Account Number

7

You must enter the beneficiary’s name, address, full SWIFT-BIC code, bank code, and branch code into to ITS.gov on the same business day.

If you do not have access to ITS.gov, ask a co-worker who has access to enter the required information into ITS.gov. FRBKC will need all of this information in order to process the IDD payment. When this information is not available, FRBKC will reject the payment and return it to SSA.

F. Example- coding

The customer provides us with a signup form for Sint Maarten containing the following information:

Bank Code: 876

Branch Code: 54321

Account Number: 1234567891034

1. Derive the RTN:

To derive the RTN, code as follows:

  • Code the prefix of 70;

  • Code the filler “0”;

  • Code the 3-digit bank code “876”;

  • Code the first 2-digits of the branch code “54”;

  • Code the one-digit check code (i.e.9) (obtained from the Title II interactive Comps from the Main Menus 07/Sub Menu 16); and

  • Code the type of account as a “C” for Checking or an “S” for Savings. If no account type indicated, use a “C” for Checking.

2. Derive the DAN:

To derive the DAN, code as follows:

  • Start with an alpha country code of “N” designated for;

  • Code the last 3 digits of the branch code “321”;

  • Code the 13 digits of the Account Number “1234567891034”.

The technician obtains the following:

RTN: 700876549

Checking

DAN: N3211234567891034

The coding in an SSA System reflects:

DIRECT DEPOSIT ROUTING TRANSIT NUMBER: 700876549

ACCOUNT TYPE (C/S): C

DEPOSITOR ACCOUNT NUMBER: N3211234567891034

CANCEL DIRECT DEPOSIT (Y):

DIRECT EXPRESS (Y):

The MBR reflects the following information:

RTN- 700876549 DAN- CN3211234567891034

G. Exhibit of IDD Enrollment Form for Sint Maarten

International Direct Deposit Signup Form for Sint Maarten

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