Mariposa, I am confused why SS doesn't recognize your POA (are you referring to Durable Financial Power of Attorney)....have you provided them with two recent letters from medical doctors stating that he is not capable of making financial decisions based on his disease? Perhaps you need to talk with the supervisor to get exactly what documents you need to provide them so that you can comply with their rules.
Social Security doesn't recognize Power of Attorneys. You need to go down to a Social Security office to become the rep payee for them to speak to you. When my husband was approved for Social Security Disability, they required a rep payee so I haven't had any problems. It is a pain.
I did not bother with it until I tried to do an address change online. Wouldn't let me. Then I tried by phone. Because he could not answer all the questions (duh) I had to go in and be his representative payee. As long as you don't need to answer for him any questions, put in changes like address, and the checks are deposited into his account, there is no need right now to do it. It is a pain to fill out the simple form yearly saying how the funds were spent but simple if you keep records since there are only three categories: housing, savings (which I never have any) and everything else.
leveledbylewybody, you definitely want representative payee. He doesn't have to be declared incompetent, the SSA simply considers him to not be competent to handle their income. I suspect with certain diagnoses, such as TBI, LBD or FTD requiring a representative payee is automatic. If there is a spouse they almost always make the spouse the representative payee. You don't have to worry about him spending away the money at some later point. You role as representative payee is very simple.
1) You set up a new bank account in his name but you are the custodian. This way he cannot touch the money in this account. You are not to commingle any other money in this account. Being a representative payee does not affect any other assets or income.
2) You will have to report in a year how you spend (or saved) the money. Very simple. How much was spend on room & board (e.g. mortgage), and medicine. How much was not spent (if any).
I've been representative payee for my wife since she started getting SSD in 2009. In the dementia world you are often trying to stay ahead of the next stage and catastrophe. Preventing your husband from taking all of his SSD income and gambling it away, giving it away or putting it into shaky investments is important. It might not be an issue now but will be in the future. Better for you to take control of all finances ASAP (as opposed to allowing him access to money). Financial losses by people with dementia (any type) are very common.
I never had to visit the SSA office for anything dealing with my wife. Everything has been done over the Internet, the mail and the phone.
You mention you have DPOA. DPOA take affect only after he is declared incompetent (rules vary by state). Until then you use a regular POA. A Medical POA is separate.
I'm late in getting into this conversation but I'm just going to add one thing:
Regarding taking over the finances; be sure you do all of these changes without letting him know. My DH would only be aware of something if it came in the mail. If he didn't see it, he didn't question. If he does question, come up with a fiblet that will help you pull this off.