[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 32 (Friday, February 15, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4597-4600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-02469]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No SSA-2019-0007]


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].

    Or you may submit your comments online through www.regulations.gov, 
referencing Docket ID Number [SSA-2019-0007].
    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 
April 16, 2019. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by writing to the above email address.
    1. Supplemental Statement Regarding Farming Activities of Person 
Living Outside the U.S.A.--0960-0103. When a beneficiary or claimant 
reports farm work from outside the United States, SSA documents this 
work on Form SSA-7163A-F4. Specifically, SSA uses the form to determine 
if we should apply foreign work deductions to the recipient's Title II 
benefits. We collect the information either annually or every other 
year, depending on the respondent's country of residence. Respondents 
are Social Security recipients engaged in farming activities outside 
the United States.
    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-7163A-F4....................................           1,000               1              60           1,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Information About Joint Checking/Savings Account--20 CFR 
416.1201 and 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 to be a resource for 
the SSI applicant and 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.

[[Page 4598]]



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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 Paper version..........................          50,000               1               7           5,833
Intranet version (SSI claims system)............         150,000               1               7          17,500
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         200,000  ..............  ..............          23,333
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Employer Verification of Earnings After Death--20 CFR 404.821 
and 404.822--0960-0472. When SSA records show a wage earner is 
deceased, and we receive wage reports from an employer for the wage 
earner for a year subsequent to the year of death, SSA mails the 
employer Form SSA-L4112 (Employer Verification of Earnings After 
Death). SSA uses the information Form SSA-L4112 provides to verify wage 
information previously received from the employer is correct for the 
employee and the year in question. The respondents are employers who 
report wages for employees who died.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-L4112.......................................          54,998               1              10           9,166
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. Certificate of Election for Reduced Widow(er)s and Surviving 
Divorced Spouse's Benefits--20 CFR 404.335--0960-0759. Section 202(q) 
of the Act provides SSA the authority to reduce benefits under certain 
conditions when elected by a Title II beneficiary. However, reduced 
benefits are not payable to an already entitled spouse (or divorced 
spouse) who:
     Is at least age 62 and under full retirement age in the 
month of the number holder's death; and
     Is receiving both reduced spouse's (or divorced spouse's) 
benefits and either retirement or disability benefits in the month 
before the month of the number holder's death.
    To elect reduced widow(er) benefits, a recipient completes Form 
SSA-4111. SSA uses the information collected to pay a qualified dually 
entitled widow(er) (or surviving divorced spouse) who elects to receive 
a reduced widow(er) benefit. The respondents are qualified dually 
entitled widow(er)s (or surviving divorced spouse) who elect to receive 
a reduced widow(er) benefit.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-4111........................................          30,000               1               2           1,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    II. SSA submitted the information collections below to OMB for 
clearance. Your comments regarding these 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 March 18, 2019. Individuals can obtain copies of the 
OMB clearance packages by writing to [email protected].
    1. Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits--20 CFR 
404.335-404.338, & 404.603--0960-0004. Section 2029(e) and 202(f) of 
the Act set forth the requirements for entitlement to widow(er)'s 
benefits, including the requirements to file an application. For SSA to 
make a formal determination for entitlement to widow(er)'s benefits, we 
use Form SSA-10-BK to determine whether an applicant meets the 
statutory and regulatory conditions for entitlement to widow(er)'s 
Title II benefits. SSA employees interview individuals applying for 
benefits either face-to-face or via telephone, and enter the 
information on the paper form or into the Modernized Claims System 
(MCS). The respondents are applicants for widow(er)'s benefits.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-10-BK MCS version...........................         518,784               1              14         121,050
SSA-10-BK Paper version.........................           2,255               1              15             564
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         521,039  ..............  ..............         121,614
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Notice Regarding Substitution of Party Upon Death of Claimant--
Reconsideration of Disability Cessation--20 CFR Sections 404.907-
404.921 and 416.1407-416.1421--0960-0351. When a claimant dies before 
we

[[Page 4599]]

make a determination on that person's request for reconsideration of a 
disability cessation, SSA seeks a qualified substitute party to pursue 
the appeal. If SSA locates a qualified substitute party, the agency 
uses Form SSA-770 to collect information about whether to pursue or 
withdraw the reconsideration request. We use this information as the 
basis for the decision to continue or discontinue with the appeals 
process. Respondents are substitute applicants who are pursuing a 
reconsideration request for a deceased claimant.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-770.........................................           1,200               1               5             100
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Appointment of Representative--20 CFR 404.1707, 404.1720, 
408.1101, 416.1507, and 416.1520--0960-0527. Individuals claiming 
rights or benefits under the Social Security Act (Act) must notify SSA 
in writing when they appoint an individual to represent them in dealing 
with SSA. In addition, SSA requires representatives to sign the notice 
of appointment, or submit the equivalent in writing, if the 
representative is not an attorney. Recipients use Form SSA-1696-U4 to 
appoint a representative to handle their claim before SSA, and their 
appointed representative uses the SSA-1696-U4 to indicate whether they 
will charge a fee, and to show their eligibility for direct fee 
payment. In addition, representatives also use the SSA-1696-U4 to 
inform SSA of their disbarment; suspension from a court or bar in which 
they previously admitted to practice; or their disqualification from 
participating in or appearing before a Federal program or agency. 
Finally, SSA requires non-attorney appointed representatives to sign 
the SSA-1696-U4, or an equivalent written statement. SSA uses the 
information on the SSA-1696-U4 to document the appointment of the 
representative. In addition, respondents use the SSA-1696-SUP2 to 
revoke their appointment of a representative, and representatives use 
the SSA-1696-SUP2 to withdraw their acceptance of the appointment. SSA 
uses this information to document the revocation and withdrawal of a 
representative. Respondents are applicants for, or recipients of, 
Social Security disability benefits (SSDI); SSI payments; or anyone 
pursuing a benefit or invoking a right under SSA programs, who are 
notifying SSA they have appointed a person to represent them in their 
dealings with SSA, and their non-attorney representatives who need to 
sign the form.
    Note: We inadvertently published incorrect burden data both in our 
publication on 7/10/18 at 83 FR 31987, and again on 10/3/18 at 83 FR 
49965. We are correcting for that oversight here.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1696-U4.....................................         800,000               1              12         160,000
SSA-1696-SUP1...................................          21,000               1               5           1,750
SSA-1696-SUP2...................................         233,000               1               5          19,417
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................       1,054,000  ..............  ..............         181,167
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. Centenarian and Medicare Non-Utilization Project Development 
Worksheets: Face-to-Face Interview and Telephone Interview--20 CFR 
416.204(b) and 422.135--0960-0780. SSA conducts interviews with 
centenary Title II beneficiaries and Title XVI recipients, and Medicare 
Non-Utilization Project (MNUP) beneficiaries age 90 and older to: (1) 
Assess if the beneficiaries are still living; (2) prevent fraud through 
identity misrepresentation; and (3) evaluate the well-being of the 
recipients to determine if they need a representative payee, or a 
change in representative payee. SSA field office personnel obtain the 
information through one-time, in-person interviews with the 
centenarians and MNUP beneficiaries. If the centenarians and MNUP 
beneficiaries have representatives or caregivers, SSA personnel invite 
them to the interviews. During these interviews, SSA employees make 
overall observations of the centenarians, MNUP beneficiaries, and their 
representative payees (if applicable). The interviewer uses the 
appropriate 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 interviews, may result in the 
suspension of the centenarians' or MNUP beneficiaries' payments. SSA 
conducts the interviews either over the telephone or through a face-to-
face discussion with the respondents. Respondents are Centenarian and 
MNUP beneficiaries; their representative payees; or their caregivers.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Centenarian Project--Title XVI Only *...........             194               1              15              49
MNUP--All Title II Responses....................           4,413               1              15           1,103
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 4600]]

 
    Totals......................................           4,607  ..............  ..............           1,152
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Some cases are Title II and Title XVI rollovers from prior Centenarian workloads.


    Dated: February 12, 2019.
Naomi Sipple,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019-02469 Filed 2-14-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4191-02-P