[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 249 (Friday, December 28, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76591-76594]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31161]



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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 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 to 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 
Director, 107 Altmeyer Building, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 
21235, Fax: 410-966-2830, Email address: [email protected].
    I. 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 
February 26, 2013. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by writing to the above email address.
    1. Information About Joint Checking/Savings Accounts--20 CFR 
416.120, 416.1208--0960-0461. SSA considers a person's resources when 
evaluating eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). 
Generally, we consider funds in checking and savings accounts as 
resources owned by the individuals whose names appear on the account. 
However, individuals applying for SSI may rebut this assumption of 
ownership in a joint account by submitting certain evidence to 
establish the funds do not belong to them. SSA uses Form SSA-2574 to 
collect information from SSI applicants and recipients who object to 
the assumption that they own all or part of the funds in a joint 
checking or savings account bearing their names. SSA collects 
information about the account from both the SSI applicant or recipient 
and the other account holder(s). After receiving the completed form, 
SSA determines if we should consider the account as a resource for the 
SSI applicant or recipient. The respondents are applicants and 
recipients of SSI, and individuals who list themselves as joint owners 
of financial accounts with SSI applicants or recipients.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-2574........................................          50,000               1               7           5,833
Paper form......................................
Modernized SSI Claims System....................         150,000               1               7          17,500
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         200,000  ..............  ..............          23,333
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    2. Real Property Current Market Value Estimate--0960-0471. SSA 
considers an individual's resources when evaluating eligibility for 
SSI. The value of an individual's resources, including non-home real 
property, is one of the eligibility considerations for SSI. As part of 
initial applications and in post-entitlement situations, SSA uses Form 
SSA-L2794 to obtain current market value estimates of the claimant's 
real property from individuals knowledgeable about real estate values. 
We allow respondents to use readily available records to complete the 
form, or we can accept their best estimates. The respondents are small 
business operators in real estate, State and local government employees 
tasked with assessing real property values, and other individuals 
knowledgeable about local real estate values.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
           Modality of completion                Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-L2794...................................           5,438                1               20            1,813
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. SSI Monthly Wage Reporting (Telephone and Mobile)--20 CFR 
416.701-732--0960-0715. SSA requires SSI recipients to report changes 
which could affect their eligibility for, and the amount of, their SSI 
payments, such as changes in income, resources, and living 
arrangements. SSA's SSI Telephone Wage Reporting (SSITWR) and SSI 
Mobile Wage Reporting (SSIMWR) enable SSI recipients to meet these 
requirements through an automated mechanism to report their monthly 
wages by telephone and mobile application, instead of contacting their 
local field offices. The SSITWR allows callers to report their wages by 
speaking their responses through voice recognition technology, or by 
keying in responses using a telephone key pad. The SSIMWR allows 
recipients to report their wages through the mobile wage reporting 
application on their smartphone. SSITWR and SSIMWR systems collect the 
same information and send it to SSA over secure channels. To ensure the 
security of the information provided, SSITWR and SSIMWR ask respondents 
to provide information SSA can compare against our records for 
authentication purposes. Once the system authenticates the identity of 
the respondents, they can

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report their wage data. The respondents are SSI recipients, deemors, or 
their representative payees.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
     Modality of completion          Number of     Frequency of     (Number of     per response    total annual
                                    respondents      response       responses)       (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Training/Instruction*...........          85,000               1        (85,000)              35          49,583
SSITWR..........................          80,000              12       (960,000)               5          80,000
SSIMWR..........................           5,000              12        (60,000)               3           3,000
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................          85,000  ..............     (1,105,000)  ..............         132,583
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: The same 85,000 respondents are completing training and a modality of collection, therefore the actual
  total number of respondents is still 85,000.

    4. Centenarian Project Development Worksheets: Face-to-Face 
Interview and Telephone Interview--20 CFR 416.204(b) and 422.135--0960-
0780. SSA conducts interviews with title II beneficiaries and title XVI 
recipients age 100 and older to: (1) Assess if the beneficiaries are 
still living; (2) prevent fraud, through either identity 
misrepresentation or representative payee misuse of funds; and (3) 
evaluate the well-being of the beneficiaries. SSA field office 
personnel obtain the information through one-time interviews with the 
centenarians. If the centenarians have representatives or caregivers, 
SSA personnel invite them to the interviews. During the interview, SSA 
employees make overall observations of the centenarian and their 
representative payee (if applicable). The interviewer uses the 
appropriate Centenarian Development Worksheet as a guide for the 
interview, in addition to documenting findings during the interview. 
Non-completion of the Worksheets, or refusal of the interview, does not 
result in the suspension of the centenarian's payments. SSA conducts 
each interview either over the telephone or through a face-to-face 
discussion with the centenarian. This is a national project for our 
title II beneficiaries and title XVI recipients. Respondents are SSI 
recipients or Social Security beneficiaries 100 years old or older, 
their representative payees, or their caregivers.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
           Modality of completion                Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Centenarian Worksheets: Face-to-Face                  22,000                1               15            5,500
 Interview; Telephone Interview.............
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    II. 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 30 days from the date of this 
publication. To be sure we consider your comments, we must receive them 
no later than January 28, 2013. Individuals can obtain copies of the 
OMB clearance packages by writing to [email protected].
    1. Farm Self-Employment Questionnaire--20 CFR 404.1082(c) & 
404.1095--0960-0061. SSA requires the existence of a trade or business 
before determining if an individual or partnership may have net 
earnings from self-employment. When a claimant indicates self-
employment as a farmer, SSA obtains the information we need to 
determine the existence of an agricultural trade or business and 
subsequent covered earnings for Social Security entitlement purposes 
using Form SSA-7165, Farm Self-Employment Questionnaire. As part of the 
application process, we conduct a personal interview, either face-to-
face or via telephone, and document the interview using Form SSA-7165. 
The respondents are applicants for Social Security benefits, whose 
entitlement depends on workers having covered earnings from self-
employment as farmers.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
           Modality of completion                Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-7156....................................          47,500                1               10            7,917
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Response to Notice of Revised Determination--20 CFR 
404.913-.914, 404.992(b), 416.1413-.1414 and 416.1492(d)-0960-0347. 
When SSA determines (1) claimants for initial disability benefits do 
not actually have a disability or (2) current disability recipients' 
records show their disability ceased, SSA must notify the disability 
claimants or recipients of this decision. In response to this notice, 
the affected claimants and disability recipients have the following 
recourse: (1) They may request a disability hearing to contest SSA's 
decision and (2) they may submit additional information or evidence for 
SSA to consider. Disability claimants, recipients, and their 
representatives use

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Form SSA-765 to accomplish these two actions. The respondents are 
disability claimants, current disability recipients, or their 
representatives.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
            Modality of completion                Number of      Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                 respondents       response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-765......................................           1,925                1              30              963
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    3. Representative Payment Policies and Administrative Procedures 
for Imposing Penalties for False or Misleading Statements or 
Withholding of Information--0960-0740. This information collection 
comprises several regulation sections that provide additional 
safeguards for Social Security beneficiaries whose representative 
payees receive their payments. SSA requires representative payees to 
notify us of any event or change in circumstances that would affect 
receipt of benefits or performance of payee duties. SSA uses the 
information to determine continued eligibility for benefits, the amount 
of benefits due, and if the payee is suitable to continue serving as 
payee. The respondents are representative payees who receive and use 
benefits on behalf of Social Security beneficiaries.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

 
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                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
               Regulation section                    Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
404.2035(d)--Paper/Mail.........................          27,500               1               5           2,292
404.2035(d)--Office interview/Intranet..........         522,500               1               5          43,542
404.2035(f)--Paper/Mail.........................             275               1               5              23
404.2035(f)--Office interview/Intranet..........           5,225               1               5             435
416.635(d)--Paper/Mail..........................          15,000               1               5           1,250
416.635(d)--Office interview/Intranet...........         285,000               1               5          23,750
416.635(f)--Paper/Mail..........................             150               1               5              13
416.635(f)-Office interview/Intranet............           2,850               1               5             238
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         858,500  ..............  ..............          71,543
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. Request for Reinstatement (Title II)--20 CFR 404.1592b--
404.1592f-0960-0742. SSA allows certain previously entitled disability 
beneficiaries to request expedited reinstatement (EXR) of benefits 
under title II of the Social Security Act (Act) when their medical 
condition no longer permits them to perform substantial gainful 
activity. SSA uses Form SSA-371 to obtain (1) a signed statement from 
individuals requesting an EXR of their title II disability benefits, 
and (2) proof the requestors meet the EXR requirements. SSA maintains 
the form in the disability folder of the applicant to demonstrate the 
requestors' awareness of the EXR requirements, and their choice to 
request EXR. Respondents are applicants for EXR of title II disability 
benefits.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

 
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                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
           Modality of completion                Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-371.....................................          10,000                1                2              333
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    5. Request for Reinstatement (Title XVI)--20 CFR 416.999-416.999d-
0960-0744. SSA allows certain previously entitled disability recipients 
to request EXR of benefits under title XVI of the Act when their 
medical condition no longer permits them to perform substantial gainful 
activity. SSA uses Form SSA-372 to (1) inform previously entitled 
recipients of the EXR requirements of SSI payments under title XVI of 
the Act, and (2) document their requests for EXR. We require this 
application for reinstatement of benefits for respondents to obtain SSI 
disability payments for EXR. When an SSA claims representative learns 
of individuals whose medical conditions no longer permit them to 
perform substantial gainful activity as defined in the Act, the claims 
representative gives or mails the form to the previously entitled 
individuals if they request EXR over the phone. SSA employees collect 
this information whenever an individual files for EXR benefits. The 
respondents are applicants for EXR of SSI disability payments.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB approved information 
collection.

[[Page 76594]]



 
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                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
           Modality of completion                Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-372.....................................           2,000                1                2               67
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    6. Protecting the Public and Our Personnel To Ensure Operational 
Effectiveness (RIN 0960-AH35), Regulation 3729I--20 CFR 422.905, 
422.906-0960-0796.

Background

    When members of the public demonstrate disruptive, violent, or 
threatening actions or behavior toward SSA employees, the agency takes 
measures to ensure the safety of everyone involved, including banning 
such individuals from appearing in person at any of our field offices. 
In lieu of in-person office visits, the agency provides services to 
banned individuals through alternate methods, including our 800 number, 
online applications, mail services, or, in limited circumstances, face-
to-face services by appointment with additional security present.
    On September 2, 2011, the agency published regulations and 
notifications processes for the ban decision at 76 FR 54700. We are 
currently requesting full approval for the public reporting burdens 
from the interim final rules. We previously obtained emergency OMB 
approval for these burdens.

Information Collection Description

    The interim final ban decision rules contain two public reporting 
burdens:
     20 CFR 422.905--after SSA issues a ban decision against an 
individual, the individual has 60 days to appeal the determination. 
Individuals must submit a written appeal stating why they believe SSA 
should rescind the ban and allow them to conduct business with us on a 
face-to-face basis in one of our offices. There is no printed form for 
this request; banned individuals create their own written statement of 
appeal, and submit it to a sole decision-maker in the regional office 
of the region where the ban originated. The individuals may also 
provide additional documentation to support their appeal.
     20 CFR 422.906--three years after the original ban 
decision, banned individuals may re-submit a written appeal of the 
determination. The same criteria apply as for the original appeal: (1) 
It must be in writing; (2) it must go to a sole decision-maker in the 
regional office of the region where the ban originated for review; and 
(3) it may accompany supporting documentation.
    Respondents for this collection are individuals appealing their 
banning from SSA field offices.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

 
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                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
               Regulation section                    Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 CFR 422.905..................................              75               1              15              19
20 CFR 422.906..................................              75               1              20              25
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................             150  ..............  ..............              44
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    Dated: December 21, 2012.
Paul Kryglik,
Director Office of Regulations & Report, Clearance Social Security 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-31161 Filed 12-27-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P