[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27264-27266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11070]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed 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 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].

    The information collections below are pending at SSA. SSA will 
submit them to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. To be 
sure we consider your comments, we must receive them no later than July 
9, 2012. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection instruments by 
calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-8783 or by writing 
to the above email address.
    1. Statement of Self-Employment Income--20 CFR 404.101, 404.110, 
404.1096(a)-(d)--0960-0046. To qualify for insured status and thus 
collect Social Security benefits, self-employed individuals must 
demonstrate they earned the minimum amount of self-employment income 
(SEI) in a current year. SSA uses Form SSA-766, Statement of Self-
Employment Income, to collect the information we need to determine if 
the individual will have at least the minimum amount of SEI needed for 
one or more quarters of coverage in the current year. Based on the 
information we obtain, we may credit additional quarters of coverage to 
give the individual insured status thus expediting benefit payments. 
Respondents are self-employed individuals who may be eligible for 
Social Security benefits.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                Average  burden     Estimated
            Collection instrument                Number of       Frequency of    per  response     total annual
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)     burden  (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-766.....................................           2,500                1                5              208
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    2. Certification by Religious Group--20 CFR 404.1075--0960-0093. 
SSA is responsible for determining whether religious groups meet the 
qualifications exempting certain members and sects from payment of 
Self-Employment Contribution Act taxes under the Internal Revenue Code, 
section 1402(g). SSA sends Form SSA-1458, Certification by Religious 
Group, to a group's authorized spokesperson to complete and verify 
organizational members meet or continue to meet the criteria for 
exemption. The respondents are spokespersons for religious groups or 
sects.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

[[Page 27265]]



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                                                                                Average  burden     Estimated
            Collection instrument                Number of       Frequency of    per  response     total annual
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)     burden  (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1458....................................             180                1               15               45
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    3. Claim for Amounts Due in the Case of a Deceased Beneficiary--20 
CFR 404.503(b)--0960-0101. SSA requests applicants complete Form SSA-
1724 when there is insufficient information in the file to identify the 
person(s) entitled to the underpayment, or the person's address. SSA 
collects the information when a surviving widow(er) is not already 
entitled to a monthly benefit on the same earnings record, or is not 
filing for a lump-sum death payment as a former spouse. SSA uses the 
information Form SSA-1724 provides to ensure proper payment of an 
underpayment due a deceased beneficiary. The respondents are applicants 
for underpayments owed to deceased beneficiaries.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                Average  burden  Estimated total
            Collection instrument                Number of      Frequency  of    per  response    annual  burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1724....................................         250,000                1               10           41,667
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    4. Certificate of Election for Reduced Spouse's Benefits--20 CFR 
404.421--0960-0398. Reduced benefits are not payable to an already 
entitled spouse, at least age 62 but under full retirement age, who no 
longer has a child in their care unless the spouse elects to receive 
reduced benefits. If spouses decide to elect reduced benefits, they 
must complete Form SSA-25. SSA uses the information to pay qualified 
spouses who elect to receive reduced benefits. Respondents are entitled 
spouses seeking reduced benefits.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                Average  burden     Estimated
            Collection instrument                Number of       Frequency of    per  response     total annual
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)     burden  (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-25......................................          30,000                1                2            1,000
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    5. Surveys in Accordance with E.O. 12862 for the Social Security 
Administration--0960-0526. Under the auspices of Executive Order 12862, 
Setting Customer Service Standards, SSA conducts multiple customer 
satisfaction surveys each year. These voluntary customer satisfaction 
assessments include paper, Internet, and telephone surveys; mailed 
questionnaires; and customer comment cards. The purpose of these 
questionnaires is to assess customer satisfaction with the timeliness, 
appropriateness, access, and overall quality of existing SSA services 
and proposed modifications or new versions of services. The respondents 
are recipients of SSA services (including most members of the public), 
professionals, and individuals who work on behalf of SSA beneficiaries.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Number of                                        Burden
                                                    respondents                      Range of       (burden for
                                                    (burden for    Frequency of      response     all activities
                                                  all activities     response          times        within that
                                                    within that                      (minutes)    year; reported
                                                       year)                                         in hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Year 1:
    (September 2012-August 2013)................       4,481,566               1            3-90         290,741
Year 2:
    (September 2013-August 2014)................       1,559,566               1            3-90         144,991
Year 3:
    (September 2014-September 2015).............       1,484,566               1            3-90         141,741
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
        Totals..................................       7,525,698  ..............  ..............         577,473
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    6. Request for Business Entity Taxpayer Information--0960-0731. Law 
firms or other business entities must complete Form SSA-1694, Request 
for Business Taxpayer Information, if they wish to serve as appointed 
representatives and receive direct payment of fees from SSA. SSA uses 
the information to issue a Form 1099-MISC. SSA also uses the 
information to allow business entities to designate individuals to 
serve as entity administrators authorized to perform certain 
administrative duties on their behalf, such as providing bank account 
information, maintaining entity information, and updating individual 
affiliations. Respondents are law firms

[[Page 27266]]

or other business entities which have partners or employees that are 
attorneys or other qualified individuals who represent claimants before 
SSA.
    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-1694....................................           2,000                1               10              334
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    Dated: May 3, 2012.
Naomi R. Sipple,
Reports Clearance Analyst, Office of Regulations and Reports Clearance, 
Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-11070 Filed 5-8-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P