[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 3 (Friday, January 5, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-22591]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2006-0111]


Rate for Assessment on Direct Payment Fees to Representatives in 
2007

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice

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SUMMARY: SSA is announcing that the assessment percentage rate under 
sections 206(d) and 1631(d)(2)(C) of the Social Security Act (the Act), 
42 U.S.C. 406 (d), and 1383(d)(2)(C) is 6.3 percent for 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gwen Jones Kelley, Acting Associate 
General Counsel for Program Law, Office of the General Counsel, SSA. 
Phone: (410) 965-0495, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 406 of Public Law No. 106-170, the 
Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, established 
an assessment for the services required to determine and certify 
payments to attorneys from the benefits due claimants under Title II of 
the Act. This provision is codified in section 206 of the Act (42 
U.S.C. 406). That legislation set the assessment for the calendar year 
2000 at 6.3 percent of the amount that would be required to be 
certified for direct payment to the attorney under section 206(a)(4) or 
206(b)(1) before the application of the assessment. For subsequent 
years, the legislation requires the Commissioner of Social Security to 
determine the percentage rate necessary to achieve full recovery of the 
costs of determining and certifying fees to attorneys, but not in 
excess of 6.3 percent. Beginning in 2005, sections 302 and 303 of 
Public Law 108-203, the Social Security Protection Act of 2004 (SSPA), 
extended the direct payment of fees to attorneys in cases under Title 
XVI of the Act and to eligible non-attorney representatives in cases 
under Title II and/or Title XVI of the Act. Fees directly paid under 
these provisions are subject to the same assessment. In addition, 
sections 301 and 302 of the SSPA imposed a dollar cap on the amount of 
the assessment so that the assessment may not exceed the lesser of that 
dollar cap or the amount determined using the assessment percentage 
rate.
    The Commissioner of Social Security has determined, based on the 
best available data, that the current rate of 6.3 percent will continue 
for 2007. We will continue to review our costs on a yearly basis.

    Dated: December 28, 2006.
Dale W. Sopper,
Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, and Management.
[FR Doc. E6-22591 Filed 1-4-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P