[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 251 (Tuesday, December 31, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79723-79726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-31293]


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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 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, 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 
March 3, 2014. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by writing to the above email address.
    1. Application for Survivors Benefits--20 CFR 404.611(a) and (c)--
0960-0062. Surviving family members of armed services personnel can 
file for Social Security and veterans' benefits with SSA or at the 
Veterans Administration (VA). If applicants file for Title II survivor 
benefits at the VA, they complete Form SSA-24, which is then forwarded 
to SSA for processing. SSA uses the information to determine 
eligibility for benefits. The respondents are survivors of deceased 
armed services personnel who are applying for benefits at the VA.
    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-24......................................           3,200                1               15              800
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Student Reporting Form--20 CFR 404.352(b)(2); 404.367; 404.368; 
404.415; 404.434; 422.135--0960-0088. To qualify for Social Security 
Title II student benefits, student beneficiaries must be in full-time 
attendance status at an educational institution. In addition, SSA 
requires these beneficiaries to report events that may cause a 
reduction, termination, or suspension of their benefits. SSA collects 
such information on Forms SSA-1383 and

[[Page 79724]]

SSA-1383-FC to determine if the changes or events the student 
beneficiaries report will affect their continuing entitlement to SSA 
benefits. SSA also uses the SSA-1383 and SSA-1383-FC to calculate the 
correct benefit amounts for student beneficiaries. The respondents are 
Social Security Title II student beneficiaries.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average        Estimated
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per     total annual
             Modality of completion                 respondents      response        response         burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1383........................................          74,887               1               6           7,489
SSA-1383-FC.....................................             113               1               6              11
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................          75,000  ..............  ..............           7,500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Reporting Events--SSI-20 CFR 416.701-416.732--0960--0128. SSA 
mails the SSA-8150 to SSI recipients when they allege payment or 
eligibility-changing events. Either the SSI recipient fills out the 
paper version of the form, or they complete the form through an in-
person or telephone interview with an SSA employee who records the 
information using the Modernized SSI Claims System. In addition to the 
SSA-8150, recipients may need to submit supplementary documentation 
showing the payment or eligibility-changing events (e.g., payment 
stubs, or rental agreements). SSA uses Form SSA-8150 and the 
supplementary documentation to determine changes in Supplemental 
Security Income (SSI) eligibility and amounts. The respondents are 
current SSI recipients, or their representatives, who experience a 
payment or eligibility-changing event.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Average  burden  Estimated total
           Modality of completion                Number of       Frequency of    per  response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-8150....................................          36,767                1                5            3,064
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 30, 2014. Individuals can obtain copies of the 
OMB clearance packages by writing to [email protected].
    1. Requests for Self-Employment Information, Employee Information, 
Employer Information--20 CFR 422.120-0960-0508. When SSA cannot 
identify Form W-2 wage data for an individual, we place the data in an 
earnings suspense file and contact the individual (and in certain 
instances the employer) to obtain the correct information. If the 
respondent furnishes the name and Social Security number (SSN) 
information that agrees with SSA's records, or provides information 
that resolves the discrepancy, SSA adds the reported earnings to the 
respondent's Social Security record. We use Forms SSA-L2765, SSA-L3365, 
and SSA-L4002 for this purpose. The respondents are self-employed 
individuals and employees whose name and SSN information do not agree 
with their employer's and SSA's records.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average        Estimated
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per     total annual
             Modality of completion                 respondents      response        response         burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-L2765.......................................          12,321               1              10           2,054
SSA-L3365.......................................         179,749               1              10          29,958
SSA-L4002.......................................         121,679               1              10          20,280
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         313,749  ..............  ..............          52,292
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Employer Reports of Special Wage Payments--20 CFR 404.428-
404.429-0960-0565. SSA collects information on the SSA-131 to prevent 
earnings-related overpayments and to avoid erroneous withholding of 
benefits. SSA field offices and program service centers also use Form 
SSA-131 for awards and post-entitlement events requiring special wage 
payment verification from employers. While we need this information to 
ensure the correct payment of benefits, we do not require employers to 
respond. The respondents are large and small businesses that make 
special wage payments to retirees.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average        Estimated
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per     total annual
             Modality of completion                 respondents      response        response         burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paper Version: SSA-131 (without 6).....         105,000               1              20          35,000

[[Page 79725]]

 
Paper Version SSA-131 (6 only).........           1,050               1               2              35
Electronic Version: Business Services Online                  26               1               5               2
 Special Wage Payments..........................
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         106,076  ..............  ..............          35,037
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Work Activity Report (Self-Employment)--20 CFR 404.1520(b), 20 
CFR 404.1571--404.1576, 20 CFR 404.1584--404.1593, and 20 CFR 416.971--
416.976--0960-0598. SSA uses Form SSA-820-U4 to determine initial or 
continuing eligibility for (1) Title II Social Security disability 
benefits or (2) Title XVI SSI payments. Under Titles II and XVI of the 
Social Security Act, recipients receive disability benefits and SSI 
payments based on their inability to engage in substantial gainful 
activity (SGA) due to a physical or mental condition. Therefore, when 
the recipients resume work, they must report their work so SSA can 
evaluate and determine by law whether they continue to meet the 
disability requirements. SSA uses Form SSA-820-U4 to obtain information 
on self-employment activities of Social Security disability applicants 
and recipients. We use the data we obtain to evaluate disability 
claims, and to help us determine if the claimant meets current 
disability provisions under Titles II and XVI. Since applicants for 
disability benefits must prove an inability to perform any kind of SGA 
generally available in the national economy for which we expect them to 
qualify based on age, education, and work experience, any work an 
applicant performed until, or subsequent to, the date the disability 
allegedly began, affects our disability determination. The respondents 
are applicants and claimants for SSI or Social Security disability 
benefits.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Average  burden  Estimated total
           Modality of completion                Number of       Frequency of    per  response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-820-BK..................................         100,000                1               30           50,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. Private Printing and Modification of Prescribed Application and 
Other Forms--20 CFR 422.527--0960-0663. 20 CFR 422.527 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations requires a person, institution, or organization 
(third-party entities) to obtain approval from SSA prior to 
reproducing, duplicating, or privately printing any application or 
other form the agency owns. To obtain SSA's approval, entities must 
make their requests in writing using their company letterhead, 
providing the required information set forth in the regulation. SSA 
uses the information to (1) ensure requests comply with the law and 
regulations, and (2) process requests from third-party entities who 
want to reproduce, duplicate, or privately print any SSA application or 
other SSA form. SSA employees review the requests and provide approval 
via email or mail to the third-party entities. The respondents are 
third-party entities who submit a request to SSA to reproduce, 
duplicate, or privately print an SSA-owned form.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Average  burden  Estimated total
           Modality of completion                Number of       Frequency of    per  response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 CFR 422.527..............................              15               15                8               30
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    5. Epidemiological Research Report--20 CFR 401.165--0960-0701. 
Section 311 of the Social Security Independence and Program 
Improvements Act of 1994 directs SSA to support health researchers 
involved in epidemiological research. Specifically, when we determine a 
study contributes to a national health interest, SSA furnishes 
information to determine if a study subject appears in SSA 
administrative records as alive or deceased (vital status). SSA charges 
a small fee per request for providing this information. Web posted 
questions solicit the information SSA needs to provide the data and to 
collect the fees. The respondents are qualified health and scientific 
researchers who apply to receive vital status information about 
individuals from Social Security administrative data records.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average        Estimated
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per     total annual
               Type of respondent                   respondents      response        response         burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State & Local Government........................              15               1             120              30
Private Entities................................              10               1             120              20
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................              25  ..............  ..............              50
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 79726]]

Cost Burden

    Average annual cost per respondent (based on SSA data): $3,500.
    Total estimated annual cost burden: $87,500.

    Dated: Decdember 26, 2013.
Faye Lipsky,
Reports Clearance Director, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013-31293 Filed 12-30-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P