[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 187 (Friday, September 26, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55696-55698]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24307]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and 
Comment Request

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of 
information collection packages that will require clearance by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Public Law 
104-13, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995. 
The information collection packages that may be included in this notice 
are for new information collections, approval of existing information 
collections, revisions to OMB-approved information collections, and 
extensions (no change) of OMB-approved information collections.
    SSA is soliciting comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden 
estimate; the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to 
enhance its quality, utility, and clarity; and on ways to minimize 
burden on respondents, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology. Written comments 
and recommendations regarding the information collection(s) should be 
submitted to the OMB Desk Officer and the SSA Reports Clearance 
Officer. The information can be mailed and/or faxed to the individuals 
at the addresses and fax numbers listed below: OMB, Office of 
Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA, New Executive 
Building, Room 10235, 725 17th St., NW., Washington, DC 20503, Fax: 
202-395-6974.
    SSA, Social Security Administration, DCFAM, Attn: Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1338 Annex Building, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235, 
Fax: 410-965-6400.
    I. The information collections listed below are pending at SSA and 
will be submitted to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. 
Therefore, your comments should be submitted to SSA within 60 days from 
the date of this publication. You can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-
0454 or by writing to the address listed above.
    1. Petition to Obtain Approval Of A Fee For Representing A Claimant 
Before The Social Security Administration--20 CFR Subpart R, 404.1720, 
404.1725, Subpart F, 410.686b, Subpart O, 416.1520 and 416.1525--0960-
0040. A representative of a claimant for Social Security benefits must 
file either a fee petition or a fee agreement with SSA in order to 
charge a fee for representing a claimant in proceedings before SSA. The 
representative uses Form SSA-1560 to petition SSA for authorization to 
charge and collect a fee. A claimant may also use the form to agree or 
disagree with the requested fee amount or other information the 
representative provides on the form. SSA uses the information to 
determine a reasonable fee that a representative may charge and collect 
for his or her services. The respondents are claimants, their 
attorneys, and other persons representing them.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-Approved Information 
Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 34,624.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Average Burden: 17,312 hours.
    2. Child Relationship Statement--0960-0116. SSA uses the 
information collected on Form SSA-2519 to help determine the 
entitlement of children to Social Security benefits under section 
216(h)(3) of the Social Security Act (Deemed Child Provision). The 
respondents are persons providing information about the relationship 
between the worker and his/her alleged biological child, in connection 
with the child's application for benefits.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved collection.
    Number of Respondents: 50,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 12,500 hours.
    3. Request for Replacement Social Security Benefits Statement--20 
CFR 401.45--0960-0583. The information requested by the Social Security 
Administration (SSA) via the Internet

[[Page 55697]]

will be used to verify, identify, and to provide replacement copies of 
Form SSA-1099/SSA-1042, which are needed to prepare Federal tax 
returns. This Internet option to request a replacement SSA-1099/SSA-
1042 will eliminate the need for a phone call to a teleservice center 
or a visit to a field office. The respondents are beneficiaries who 
request a replacement SSA-1099/1042 via the Internet.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 7,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Average Burden: 583 hours.
    II. The information collection listed below has been submitted to 
OMB for clearance. Your comments on the information collections would 
be most useful if received by OMB and SSA within 30 days from the date 
of this publication. You can obtain a copy of the OMB clearance package 
by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-0454, or by 
writing to the addresses listed above.
    1. Statement of Self-Employment Income--20 CFR Subpart B, 404.101, 
Subpart K, 404.1096--0960-0046. The information collected on Form SSA-
766 is used to determine if the individual will have at least the 
minimum amount of self-employment income needed for one or more 
quarters of coverage in the current year. Additional quarters of 
coverage may be credited on the basis of the information obtained, and 
benefits payments may be expedited where there are sufficient quarters 
of coverage to give the individual insured status. The respondents are 
self-employed persons applying for Social Security benefits.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 5,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 417 hours.
    2. Application FforFor Special Age 72-or-Over Monthly Payments--20 
CFR, Subpart D, 404.380-384--0960-0096. Form SSA-19-F6 is needed to 
determine if an individual is entitled to Special Age 72 payments. 
Eligibility requirements will be evaluated based on the data collected 
in this form. The respondents are individuals who attained age 72 
before 1972.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved collection.
    Number of Respondents: 10.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 20 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 3 hours.
    3. Subpart T-State Supplementation Provisions--2020 CFR 416.2095-
2099--0960-0240. Section 1618 of the Social Security Act contains pass-
along provisions of the Social Security Amendments. These provisions 
require States that supplement the Federal SSI benefits to pass along 
Federal cost-of-living increases to the individuals who are eligible 
for State Supplementary benefit payments. If the State fails to keep 
payments at the required level, it becomes ineligible for Medicaid 
reimbursement under Title XIX of the Social Security Act. Regulations 
at 20 CFR 416.2099 require the States to report mandatory minimum and 
optional supplementary payment data to SSA. The information is used to 
determine compliance with the law and regulations. The respondents are 
States that supplement Federal SSI payments.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 26.
    Frequency of Response: 15 states report quarterly, 11 states report 
annually.
    Average Burden Per Response: 1 hour.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 71 hours.
    4. You Can Make Your Payment by Credit Card--0960-0462. SSA will 
use the information on Forms SSA-4588 and SSA-4589 to update the 
individual's Social Security record to reflect that a payment has been 
made on their overpayment and to effectuate payment through the 
appropriate credit card company. The respondents are Title II (Old-Age, 
Survivors, and Disability Insurance) and Title XVI (Supplemental 
Security Income) debtors; and citizens requesting material through SSA.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of respondents: 19,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 1,583 hours.
    5. State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Claim (SSA-199-U2) and 
Subpart V--Payments for Vocational Rehabilitation Services--20 CFR 
Sections 404.2104, 404.2108, 404.2113, 404.2117, 404.2121, 416.2204, 
416.2208, 416.2213, 416.2217-0960-0310. The information collected on 
Form SSA-199-U2 and through these current rules is used by SSA to 
determine if State vocational rehabilitation agencies are providing 
appropriate services, including referrals when necessary, and whether 
those claims for services should be paid. The respondents are the 80-
100 State vocational rehabilitation agencies and alternate participants 
who offer vocational and employment services for SSA beneficiaries.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per       Estimated
                  CFR sections                      respondents      response        response      annual burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
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404.2108 & 416.2208 SSA-199.....................              90          \2\145              23           5,003
404.2117 & 416.2217.............................              80               1             160              80
404.2121 & 416.2221.............................           \1\90               1             100            833
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\1\500 total responses for all participants.
\2\On Average.

    Total Burden Hours For this Request: 5,916 hours
    6. Childhood Disability Evaluation Form--20 CFR 416.924--0960-0568. 
SSA and State Disability Determination Services use the information 
collected on the Form SSA-538 to record medical and functional findings 
regarding the severity of impairments of the children who claim 
Supplemental Security Income benefits based on disability. The form is 
used for initial determinations of eligibility, in appeals and in 
initial continuing disability reviews.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 750,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 25 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 312,500 hours.


[[Page 55698]]


    Dated: September 23, 2003.
Elizabeth A. Davidson,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-24307 Filed 9-25-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P