TN 49 (08-08)

Field Office (FO) Procedure

If the claimant dies after the file is sent to DDS, use the following procedure:

• Follow the procedures in Sending Initial Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB), Freeze Claims to the Disability Determination Services (DDS) - DI 11010.255, if no disability determination is necessary.

• If the Field Office (FO) does not request the return of the DIB folder because a disability determination is necessary, forward the survivor claim to the Processing Center (PC) after adjudication. Manually clear the DIB segment and complete the screens on the Survivor's claims.

• Adjudicate the Survivor's claim while the DIB claim is pending at DDS, since Modernized Claims System (MCS) segmentation exists.

• Process the Survivor's claims through Earnings Computation (EC).

• Once the survivor's segments have cleared, re-enter the DIB segment and obtain an Earnings Record (E/R) through EC or the Informational Certified Earnings Records System (ICERS).

• Adjudicate the DIB claim when it is returned from the DDS with an A-101 (manual award) or by MADCAP Direct Data Entry (MACADE) input SSA-3428 (Determination of Disallowance). If a Survivor’s claim is involved, determine if DIB Exclusion computation results in a higher death PIA, using ICRS or ICF.