[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 29, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12350-12352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4780]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of 
information collection packages requiring 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. This notice 
includes revisions and extensions 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 ways to minimize burden 
on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. Mail, email, or fax your 
comments and recommendations on the information collection(s) to the 
OMB Desk Officer and SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the following 
addresses or fax numbers.

(OMB)

    Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA, Fax: 
202-395-6974, Email address: [email protected].

(SSA)

    Social Security Administration, DCRDP, Attn: Reports Clearance 
Officer, 107 Altmeyer Building, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 
21235, Fax: 410-965-6400, Email address: [email protected].

[[Page 12351]]

    SSA submitted the information collections below to OMB for 
clearance. Your comments regarding the information collections would be 
most useful if OMB and SSA receive them within 30 days from the date of 
this publication. To be sure we consider your comments, we must receive 
them no later than March 30, 2012. Individuals can obtain copies of the 
OMB clearance packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 
410-965-8783 or by writing to the above email address.
    1. Application for Mother's or Father's Insurance Benefits--20 CFR 
404.339-404.342, 20 CFR 404.601-404.603--0960-0003. Section 202(g) of 
the Social Security Act provides for the payment of monthly benefits to 
the widow or widower of an insured individual if the surviving spouse 
is caring for the deceased worker's child (who is entitled to Social 
Security benefits). SSA uses the information on Form SSA-5-F6 to 
determine an individual's eligibility for mother's or father's 
insurance benefits. The respondents are individuals caring for a child 
of the deceased worker who is applying for mother's or father's 
insurance benefits under the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability 
Insurance (OASDI) program.

    Note: This is a correction notice. SSA published the incorrect 
burden information for this collection at 76 FR 78068, on December 
15, 2011. We provide correct burden data here.

    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
              Collection instrument                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-5-F6 (paper)................................           1,611               1              15             403
MCS.............................................          26,045               1              15           6,511
MCS/Signature Proxy.............................          26,044               1              14           6,077
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................          53,700  ..............  ..............          12,991
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Letter to Employer Requesting Information About Wages Earned By 
Beneficiary--20 CFR 416.703, 404.801 & 404.820--0960-0034. SSA uses 
information from Form SSA-L725 to verify a beneficiary's wages when SSA 
has incomplete or questionable wage data. SSA uses the information to 
calculate the correct amount of benefits payable, and to maintain an 
accurate record of earnings for the beneficiary. Respondents are 
employers who provide information SSA needs to establish specific 
monthly earnings.

    Note:  This is a correction notice. SSA published this 
information collection as an extension on December 15, 2011 at 76 FR 
78068. Since we are revising the Privacy Act Statement, this is 
actually a revision of an OMB-approved information collection.

    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
            Collection instrument                Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-L725....................................         150,000                1               40          100,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Letter to Employer Requesting Wage Information--20 CFR 404.726--
0960-0138. SSA must establish and verify wage information for 
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) applicants and recipients when 
determining SSI eligibility and payment amounts. SSA uses Form SSA-
L4201 to collect this information. SSA uses the information to 
determine eligibility and proper payment amounts for SSI applicants and 
recipients. The respondents are employers of SSI applicants and 
recipients.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Average  burden  Estimated total
            Collection instrument                Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-L4201...................................         133,000                1               30           66,500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. Claimant's Recent Medical Treatment--20 CFR 404.1512 and 
416.912--0960-0292. When Disability Determinations Services deny a 
claim at the reconsideration level, the claimant has a right to request 
a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). For the hearing, 
SSA asks the claimant to complete and return the HA-4631 if the 
claimant's file does not reflect a current, complete medical history as 
the claimant proceeds through the appeals process. ALJs must obtain the 
information to update and complete the record and to verify the 
accuracy of the information. Through this process, ALJs can ascertain 
whether the claimant's situation has changed. The ALJs and hearing 
office staff use the response to make arrangements for consultative 
examination(s) and the attendance of an expert witness(es), if 
appropriate. During the hearing, the ALJ offers any completed 
questionnaires as exhibits and may use them to refresh the claimant's 
memory, and to shape their questions. The respondents are claimant's 
requesting hearings on entitlement to OASDI benefits or SSI payments.

    Note: This is a correction notice. SSA published this 
information collection as an extension on December 15, 2011, at 76 
FR 78076. Since we are revising the Privacy Act Statement, this is 
actually a revision of an OMB-approved information collection.


[[Page 12352]]


    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
            Collection instrument                Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HA-4631.....................................         200,000                1               10           33,333
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    5. You Can Make Your Payment by Credit Card--0960-0462. Using 
information from Form SSA-4588 and its electronic application, Form 
SSA-4589, SSA updates individuals' Social Security records to reflect 
payments made on their overpayments. In addition, SSA uses this 
information to process payments through the appropriate credit card 
company. SSA provides the SSA-4588 when we inform an individual that we 
detected an overpayment. Individuals may choose to make a one-time 
payment or recurring monthly payments by completing and submitting the 
SSA-4588.
    SSA uses the SSA-4589 electronic intranet application only when 
individuals choose to telephone the Program Service Centers to make a 
one-time payment in lieu of completing Form SSA-4588. An SSA debtor 
contact representative completes the SSA-4589 electronic intranet 
application. Respondents are OASDI beneficiaries and SSI recipients who 
have outstanding overpayments.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Estimated
                                                     Number of     Frequency  of  Average burden   total annual
              Collection instrument                 respondents      response      per  response      burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-4588........................................          13,200               1              10           2,200
Paper form......................................
SSA-4589........................................         171,320               1               5          14,277
Electronic intranet application.................
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         184,520  ..............  ..............          16,477
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    6. Request for Internet Services--Password Authentication--20 CFR 
401.45--0960-0632. SSA uses a password infrastructure and process to 
verify the identity of individuals who choose to use the Internet 
system to conduct personal business with SSA electronically. To obtain 
a password from SSA's Individual Password Services, we ask an 
individual for certain information prescribed by SSA. SSA uses the 
information to authenticate an individual prior to issuing a temporary 
password. Once SSA authenticates individuals, and those individuals 
create a permanent password, they may use SSA's password protected 
services, e.g., account status, change of address, direct deposit 
elections, or changes. The respondents are individuals electing to do 
personal business with SSA electronically.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
            Collection instrument                Number of       Frequency of    per  response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internet Requestors.........................       3,092,069                1               10          515,345
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: February 24, 2012.
Faye Lipsky,
Reports Clearance Officer, Office of Regulations and Reports Clearance, 
Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-4780 Filed 2-28-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P