[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 17, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76378-76382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29907]


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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 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, OLCA,
Attn: Reports Clearance Director,
3100 West High Rise,
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 18, 2014. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by writing to the above email address.
    1. Advanced Notice of Termination of Child's Benefits & Student's 
Statement Regarding School Attendance--20 CFR 404.350-404.352, 404.367-
404.368--0960-0105. SSA collects information on Forms SSA-1372-BK and 
SSA-1372-BK-FC to determine whether children of an insured worker meet 
the eligibility requirements for student benefits. The data we collect 
allows SSA to entitlement to initial and continuning student benefits. 
The respondents are student claimants for Social Security benefits, 
their respective schools, and, in some cases, their representative 
payees.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                     Estimated
                                                     Number of     Frequency of   Average burden   total  annual
               Type of respondent                   respondents      response      per response       burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
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                                                   SSA-1372-BK
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Individuals/Households..........................          99,850               1               8          13,313
State/Local/Tribal Government...................          99,850               1               3           4,993
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         199,700  ..............  ..............          18,306
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                                                 SSA-1372-BK-FC
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Individuals/Households..........................             150               1               8              20
State/Local/TribalGovernment....................             150               1               3               8
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 76379]]

 
    Totals......................................             300  ..............  ..............              28
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
        Grand Total.............................         200,000  ..............  ..............          18,334
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    2. State Mental Institution Policy Review Booklet--20 CFR 404.2035, 
404.2065, 416.635, & 416.665--0960-0110. SSA uses Form SSA-9584-BK: (1) 
To determine if the policies and practices of State mental institutions 
acting as representative payees for SSA beneficiaries conform to SSA's 
regulations in the use of benefits; (2) to confirm that institutions 
are performing other duties and responsibilities required of a 
representative payees; and (3) as the basis for conducting onsite 
reviews of the institutions and preparing subsequent reports of 
findings. The respondents are State mental institutions serving as 
representative payees for Social Security beneficiaries and 
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients.
    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)
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SSA-9584-BK.................................              78                1               60               78
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    3. Modified Benefit Formula Questionnaire--0960-0395. SSA collects 
information on Form SSA-150 to determine which formula to use in 
computing the Social Security benefit for someone who receives a 
pension from employment not covered by Social Security. The Windfall 
Elimination Provision (WEP) requires use of a benefit formula replacing 
a smaller percentage of a worker's pre-retirement earnings. However, 
the resulting amount cannot show a difference in the benefit computed 
using the modified and regular formulas greater than one-half the 
amount of the pension received in the first month an individual is 
entitled to both the pension and the Social Security benefit. The SSA-
150 collects the information needed to make all the necessary benefit 
computations. SSA requires the respondents to furnish the information 
on Form SSA-150 so we can calculate their benefits using the data they 
supply. SSA calculates the benefits of applicants who do not respond to 
this questionnaire using the full WEP reduction. SSA employees collect 
this information once from the applicant at the time they file their 
claim. The respondents are applicants for old age and disability 
benefits.
    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)
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SSA-150.....................................          90,000                1                8           12,000
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    4. Employee Identification Statement--20 CFR 404.702--0960-0473. 
When two or more individuals report earnings under the same Social 
Security number (SSN), SSA collects information on Form SSA-4156 to 
credit the earnings to the correct individual and SSN. We send the SSA-
4156 to the employer to: (1) identify the employees involved; (2) 
resolve the discrepancy, and (3) credit the earnings to the correct 
SSN. The respondents are employers involved in erroneous wage reporting 
for an employee.
    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)
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SSA-4156....................................           4,750                1               10              792
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    5. Modified Benefit Formula Questionnaire--Employer--20 CFR 401 & 
402--0960-0477. Sections 215(a)(7) and 215(d)(3) of the Social Security 
Act requires SSA to use WEP, a modified benefit formula, to compute 
Social Security retirement or disability benefits for persons first 
eligible (after 1985) for both a Social Security benefit and a pension 
or annuity, based on employment not covered by Social Security. SSA 
determines if the WEP is applicable and when to apply it to a person's 
benefit. SSA uses Form SSA-58 to verify the claimant's allegations on

[[Page 76380]]

Form SSA-150 (OMB No. 0960-0395, Modified Benefits Formula 
Questionnaire). SSA sends the SSA-58 to an employer for pension-related 
information, if the claimant is unable to provide it. The respondents 
are employers of people who were eligible after 1985 for both Social 
Security benefits and a pension based on work not covered by SSA.
    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)
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SSA-58......................................          30,000                1               20           10,000
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    6. Employee Work Activity Questionnaire--20 CFR 404.1574, 
404.1592--0960-0483. Social Security disability beneficiaries and SSI 
recipients qualify for payments when a verified physical or mental 
impairment prevents them from working. If disability claimants attempt 
to return to work after receiving payments,but are unable to continue 
working, they submit the SSA-3033, Employee Work Activity 
Questionnaire, so SSA can evaluate their work attempt. SSA also uses 
this form to evaluate unsuccessful subsidy work and determine 
applicants' continuing eligibility for disability payments. The 
respondents are employers of Social Security disability beneficiaries 
and SSI recipients who unsuccessfully attempted to return to work.
    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)
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SSA-9584-BK.................................              78                1               60               78
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    7. Work History Report--20 CFR 404.1515, 404.1560, 404.1565, 
416.960, and 416.3965--0960-0578. Under certain circumstances, SSA asks 
individuals apply for disability about work they have performed in the 
past. Applicants use Form SSA-3369, Work History Report, to provide 
detailed information about jobs held prior to becoming unable to work. 
State Disability Determination Services evaluate the information, 
together with medical evidence, to determine eligibility for disability 
payments. Respondents are disability applicants and third parties 
assisting those applicants.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                      Average        Estimated
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden  per    total  annual
             Modality of completion                 respondents      response        response         burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
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SSA-3369 (Paper form)...........................       1,553,900               1              60       1,553,900
Electronic Disability Collect System--3369......          38,049               1              60          38,049
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................       1,591,949  ..............  ..............       1,591,949
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    II. SSA submitted the information collection below to OMB for 
clearance. Your comments regarding the information collection 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 16, 2014. Individuals can obtain copies of the 
OMB clearance package by writing to [email protected].
    Consent Based Social Security Number Verification Process--20 CFR 
400.100--0960-0760. The Consent Based Social Security Number 
Verification (CBSV) process is a fee-based automated SSN verification 
service available to private businesses and other requesting parties. 
To use the system, private businesses and requesting parties must 
register with SSA and obtain valid consent from SSN number holders 
prior to verification. We collect the information to verify if the 
submitted name and SSN match the information in SSA records. After 
completing a registration process and paying the fee, the requesting 
party can use the CBSV process to submit a file containing the names of 
number holders who have given valid consent, along with each number 
holder's accompanying SSN and date of birth (if available) to obtain 
real-time results using a web service application or SSA's Business 
Services Online (BSO) application. SSA matches the information against 
the SSA master file of SSNs, using SSN, name, date of birth, and gender 
code (if available). The requesting party retrieves the results file 
from SSA, which indicates only a match or no match for each SSN 
submitted.
    Under the CBSV process, the requesting party does not submit the 
consent forms of the number holders to SSA. SSA requires each 
requesting party to retain a valid consent form for each SSN 
verification request. The requesting party retains the consent forms in 
either electronic or paper format.
    To ensure the integrity of the CBSV process, SSA has added a strong 
audit component that requires audits (called ``compliance reviews'') at 
the discretion of the agency with all audit costs paid

[[Page 76381]]

by the requesting party. Independent certified public accounts (CPAs) 
conduct these reviews to ensure compliance with all the terms and 
conditions of the party's agreement with SSA, including a review of the 
consent forms. CPAs conduct the reviews at the requesting party's place 
of business to ensure the integrity of the process. In addition, SSA 
reserves the right to perform unannounced onsite inspections of the 
entire process, including review of the technical systems that maintain 
the data and transaction records. The respondents to the CBSV 
collection are the participating companies, members of the public who 
consent to the SSN verification, and CPAs who provide compliance review 
services.

    Note:  This is a correction notice: SSA published the incorrect 
burden information for this collection at 78 FR 59411, on 9/26/13. 
We are correcting this error here.

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

                                      Time Burden--Participating Companies
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                                                                                      Average          Total
                                     Number of     Frequency of      Number of      burden per       estimated
           Requirement              respondents      response        responses       response      annual burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
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Registration process for new                * 14               1              14             120              28
 participating companies........
Creation of file with SSN holder              90          ** 251          22,590              60          22,590
 identification data;
 maintaining required
 documentation/forms............
Using the system to upload                    90             251          22,590               5           1,883
 request file, check status, and
 download results file..........
Storing Consent Forms...........              90             251          22,590              60          22,590
Activities related to compliance              90             251          22,590              60          22,590
 review.........................
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    Total.......................  ..............  ..............          90,374  ..............          69,681
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* One-time registration process/approximately 14 new participating companies per year.
** Please note there are 251 Federal business days per year on which a requesting party could submit a file.


                     Participating Companies Who Opt for External Testing Environment (ETE)
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                                                                                      Average          Total
                                     Number of     Frequency of      Number of      burden per       estimated
           Requirement              respondents      response        responses       response      annual burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ETE Registration Process                      20               1               1             180              60
 (includes reviewing and
 completing ETE User Agreement).
Web Service Transactions........              20               1              50               1              17
Reporting Issues Encountered on               20               1              50               1              17
 Web service testing (e.g.,
 reports on application's
 reliability)...................
Reporting changes in users'                   20               1               1              60              20
 status (e.g., termination or
 changes in users' employment
 status; changes in duties of
 authorized users)..............
Cancellation of Agreement.......              20               1               1              30              10
Dispute Resolution..............              20               1               1             120              40
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    Total.......................              20  ..............  ..............  ..............             144
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                                        People Whose SSNs SSA Will Verify
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                                                                                      Average          Total
                                     Number of     Frequency of      Number of      burden per       estimated
           Requirement              respondents      response        responses       response      annual burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading and signing                    2,500,000               1       2,500,000               3         125,000
 authorization for SSA to
 release SSN verification.......
Responding to CPA re-contact....           5,750               1           5,750               5             479
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    Total.......................       2,505,750  ..............       2,165,872  ..............         125,479
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    There is one CPA respondent conducting compliance reviews and 
preparing written reports of findings. The average burden per response 
is 4,800 minutes for a total burden of 7,200 hours annually.

Cost Burden

    The public burden cost is dependent upon the number of companies 
and transactions. SSA based the cost estimates below upon 90 
participating companies submitting a total 2.5 million transactions per 
year.
    One-Time per Company Registration Fee--$5,000.
    Estimated per SSN Transaction Fee--$1.10.\i\
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    \i\ The annual costs associated with the transaction to each 
company are dependent upon the number of SSN transactions submitted 
to SSA by the company on a yearly basis. For example, if a company 
anticipates submitting 1 million requests to SSA for the year, its 
total transaction cost for the year would be $1.10 x 1,000,000, or 
$1,100,000. Periodically, SSA will calculate our costs to provide 
CBSV services and adjust the fee charged as needed. SSA notifies 
companies in writing and via Federal Register Notice of any changes 
and companies have the opportunity to cancel the agreement or 
continue service using the new transaction fee.

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    Estimated per Company Cost to Store Consent Forms--$300.

    Dated: December 12, 2013.
Faye Lipsky,
Reports Clearance Director, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013-29907 Filed 12-16-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P