APG-L Archives
Archiver > APG > 2003-11 > 1067720100
From:
Subject: Re: [APG] Social Security questions - case files; SS-5s without SSN
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2003 15:55:00 EST
I requested a case file in June 2003 for a person who died in Feb. 2002 and
was told the file had been already "been destroyed in accordance with the
Agency claim file retention schedule." But I was sent a copy of the person's
SS-5 (which I had already received at the higher price) plus a copy of the
person's Form 0AAN-7003 "Employee's Request for Change in Records" which was filed
2 years after the SS-5 and gave a corrected birthdate. The second copy of
the SS-5 I received was stamped R.R. B. (Railroad Retirement Board) which did
not appear on the original SS-5 copy that I received through my original
request for the SS-5. So there was still a benefit to requesting the case file,
even though the file itself was no longer available.
I am wondering if a copy of the SS-5 is always sent as part the case file
request. Fourteen dollars is a much better price than $27.
Rebecca Christensen
In a message dated 11/1/03 1:59:53 PM Central Standard Time,
writes:
<< It is possible to request a copy of a deceased person's Social Security
case file, which can contain far more information than the SS-5. Several
years ago, a Social Security Administration representative told me that
SSA policy is to keep the file for five years after any beneficiary
(e.g. widow[er], minor child) might be eligible to file a claim, but
often files survive much longer. The good news: According to the SSA
"Guide to FOIA Requests" at www.ssa.gov/foia/foia_guide.htm , the fee to
search for a case file remains at $14 -- the same as it was when the
SS-5 fee, now $27-$29, was $7. The bad news: The fee applies whether or
not a file is found. If a file is found, the SSA may black out the names
of living beneficiaries, such as the recipient of the death benefit. >>
This thread: