The form SSA-1696 is the form that those of us who represent claimants before the agency must get our clients to sign so that the agency accepts that we have the right to represent them. It's a very basic form for us. Social Security has a new version of the form but there's some serious weirdness about accessing it. Try the link that Social Security has given. If you click on that link with your desktop you get the old version of the form (unless they've already corrected the problem). Click on that link with your cell phone and you get the new version of the form. Can anyone explain that to me? I'm sure that's not what Social Security intended.
I've used my cell phone to download a copy of the new form and I've uploaded it to a service so you can use this link to download the new form regardless of what computer you're using.
The new form asks for the attorney or representative's ID, which is different than our Social Security Number. I don't remember ever being supplied with this ID but others tell me that they do remember receiving it. In any case, it's not been something we've used. Apparently, the ID can be found by entering ERE, the online system we use to look at the files Social Security keeps on our clients, but this is confusing. We have one "User ID" we use to sign into ERE but as best I can tell that's not the one Social Security wants. There's a second ID that can be found beside the user's name AFTER entering ERE. At least that ID has the right number of places to fit on the new 1696.
If Social Security hasn't provided attorneys with a good link to the form or any explanation of how we're supposed to use it, I'm concerned they haven't provided their staff with any explanation either. I'm not going to start using this form until I have confidence that Social Security's staff knows what to do once they receive it.
15 comments:
Internally, I haven’t seen any new training on it yet.
Can anyone from SSA provide guidance on when this is to be used for new claims, will existing claims be permitted to continue with the prior version even if appeals take years, etc.??
Nothing has been mentioned to the FO, which should come as no surprise to anyone.
Thanks for providing it. I did notice that they took two single page forms, the 1696 and 1696 and made 4 page form. They've doubled the amount of paper used to accomplish the same thing. That's the government for you.
Yes, I agree. They took two pages - spaced it out in four pages - and made it more confusing. Anyone understand the duplicate Rep ID sections?
This new form says that SSA estimates that it should take 30 minutes to read, understand and complete. I suppose this means that we can include a 30 minute block of time at our normal hourly rate on fee petitions.
If you can't see the new form on your desktop, clear your cookies or use a different browser than you have used in the past.
I think the RepID is better than having to use the rep's SSN.
One challenge is for people who don't have RepIDs...for example if you're a SOAR provider and you didn't get ERE access because you only take cases at initial and recon, how will you get a RepID? You're still not going to want to put your SSN on the form.
When I signed up for my ERE access I was provided both a user ID and a REP ID different than the user ID. (both on the same piece of paper) While I have not used the new 1696, the Rep ID space on it, and the Rep ID I was provided with the ERE sign up have the same number of characters.
Looking at the form, I'm certain that the rep ID that it is asking for is the same one assigned to you back when you registered for direct payment. The reason for using this is that you (as legal rep) don't have to put your own social security number on anything that would end up in the claimant's folder (something that used to happen more frequently than it should have back when the SSA-1695 forms were faxed into folders without the representative SSN being blocked out like it was supposed to be).
They're going to confuse folks who need a rep payee with this language and the multiple sections. Sometimes "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" suffices.
Thanks....the pdf works like a charm!
The new version of the form is properly linked now on ssa.gov
https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-1696.pdf
https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-1696-sup1.pdf (claimant revocation)
https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-1696-sup2.pdf (rep withdrawal)
"I'm not going to start using this form until I have confidence that Social Security's staff knows what to do once they receive it."
seriously? we are going to do what we normally do.
Let's be honest, we rarely do what we usually do.
Wait, what?
I was able to access the form on their website. The RepID is what I got when I signed up for ERE access. I tried it on the top and it fits. It also added it in all the pages where it shows on the form. One time I'd forgotten it and I found the number I called to get it reset. If you need to reset it that number was 800-772-6270. It's been a while though. The form is longer, but I'd rather use this form instead of the 1695 with my SSN for everyone to see.
Oh joy. Cannot wait until that one firm that appoints 11 representatives on every claim has to fill out 11 of these and submit them all....and some poor CR has to link them all, but "accidentally" loses 10 of them.
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