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4. Promptly remove the person from the TANF budget when he is approved for the SSI payment. 5. Remember that an individual retains his SSI status even though his SSI check is being held for repayment purposes. SSA/SSI VERIFICATIONS The Social Security Administration furnishes the Agency with information regarding benefits. This is done with the understanding that it will be used to determine eligibility and will not be disclosed to any other organization or person. MAVERICS processes for requesting and receiving this information include the Wire Third Party Query Process or WTPQ, the on-line SSI inquiry and the IEVS match worker alerts. See the Income Eligibility and Verification System procedure later in this chapter. Wire Third Party Query The Wire Third Party Query Process (WTPQ) is a MAVERICS on-line procedure to verify Social Security and SSI information on applicants and recipients. The response provides current benefits, state buy-in status and payment history. The query process is required for all individuals at application, recertification, when a new person (other than newborns) is added to the assistance unit or when there is a question about SSA/SSI benefits. The WTPQ process will provide a message when the SSN is in error or when no benefits are paid. The query can be sent as soon as the SSN is known for the household member during the application process, even prior to the person being added to a specific MAVERICS case.

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Although a worker alert will not appear when the WTPQ response is received, the response will identify the case in which the individual resides if the individual is known to MAVERICS. In some cases, this number could be different from the current application, such as the person has previously participated in a closed case or is currently in an active case. Any discrepancies must be resolved before any person can be added to the application and the case worked. The worker must access the Wire Third Party Query (WTPQ) screen (Function 10 on INME) and enter the SSN and/or Social Security claim number if other than client's own SSN. If client is receiving benefits on a claim number other than his own SSN, the second SSN associated with benefits will display in the lower right corner of the screen on page 3 of the WTPQ Response screen. In some cases, a second WTPQ request may be needed to verify both benefits. When appointment notices are sent via the Recertification/Redetermination Appointment Notice (RERA) screen, the query process is automatically generated for all current household members. Should new members be added to the household at redetermination, the query process for each new member must be initiated through INME. Refer to MAVERICS procedures for the Wire Third Party Query Process to send and receive requests. If the individual is not known to MAVERICS when the SSN is entered on the WTPQ screen, the worker must also enter the person's name and date of birth to send the query. SSI Inquiry