[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 162 (Thursday, August 20, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51536-51540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18306]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No SSA-2020-0043]


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-2020-0043].
    I. The information collection below is pending at SSA. SSA will 
submit it 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 
October 19, 2020. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instrument by writing to the above email address.
    Statement Regarding Contributions--20 CFR 404.360--404.366 and 
404.736--0960-0020. SSA uses Form SSA-783 to collect information 
regarding a child's current sources of support when determining the 
child's entitlement to Social Security benefits. We request this 
information from adults acting on behalf of the child claimants who can 
provide SSA with any sources of support or substantial contributions 
for the child. These adults inform the claims representative as part of 
the initial benefits process. If the individual capable of providing 
the information does not accompany the child claimant, we mail the SSA-
783 to the individual for completion, or if the person has access to a 
computer, we will refer them to SSA's website. The respondents are 
individuals providing information about a child's sources of support.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                              Average
                                                                          Average burden     Estimated      theoretical    Average wait    Total annual
         Modality of completion              Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual     hourly cost    time in field    opportunity
                                            respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount          office      cost (dollars)
                                                                                                            (dollars) *    (minutes) **         ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-783.................................           2,352               1              15             588        * $25.72           ** 24     *** $39,326
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on the average hourly wage for all occupations in May 2019 as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2020 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    II. SSA submitted the information collection below to OMB for 
clearance. Your comments regarding this 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 September 21, 2020. Individuals can obtain copies of the 
OMB clearance package by writing to [email protected].
    1. Marriage Certification--20 CFR 404.725--0960-0009. Sections 
202(b) and 202(c) of the Social Security Act (Act) stipulate that every 
spouse of an individual entitled to Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability 
Insurance (OASDI) benefits is entitled to a spouse benefit if the wife 
or husband, in addition to meeting the entitlement requirements, meets 
the relationship criteria in Section 216(h)(1)(A) and (B) of the Act. 
SSA uses Form SSA-3 to determine if a spouse claimant has the necessary 
relationship to the Social Security number holder (i.e., the worker) to 
qualify for the worker's OASDI benefits. The respondents are applicants 
for spouse's OASDI benefits.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

[[Page 51537]]



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                                                                                                              Average
                                                                          Average burden     Estimated      theoretical    Average wait    Total annual
         Modality of completion              Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual     hourly cost    time in field    opportunity
                                            respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount          office      cost (dollars)
                                                                                                            (dollars) *    (minutes) **         ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-3...................................          62,342               1               5           5,195        * $25.72           ** 24    *** $774,995
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average U.S. citizen's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2020 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    2. Farm Arrangement Questionnaire--20 CFR 404.1082(c)--0960-0064. 
When self-employed workers submit earnings data to SSA, they cannot 
count rental income from a farm unless they demonstrate ``material 
participation'' in the farm's operation. A material participation 
arrangement means the farm owners must perform a combination of 
physical duties, management decisions, and capital investment in the 
farm they are renting out. SSA uses Form SSA-7157, the Farm Arrangement 
Questionnaire, to document material participation. The respondents are 
workers who are renting farmland to others, are involved in the 
operation of the farm, and want to claim countable income from work 
they perform relating to the farm.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                              Average
                                                                          Average burden     Estimated      theoretical    Average wait    Total annual
         Modality of completion              Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual     hourly cost    time in field    opportunity
                                            respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount          office      cost (dollars)
                                                                                                            (dollars) *    (minutes) **         ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-7157................................             662               1              30             331         *$25.25            **24      ***$15,049
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* We based this figure on average Farmer's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes451011.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2020 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    3. 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 worked meet 
the eligibility requirements for student benefits. The data we collect 
allows SSA to determine student entitlement, and assess whether to 
terminate benefits. SSA uses the SSA-1372-BK for domestic student 
claimants and the SSA-1372-BK-FC for student claimants living and 
attending school outside the United States. 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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                                                                                                              Average
                                                                          Average burden     Estimated      theoretical    Average wait    Total annual
         Modality of completion              Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual     hourly cost    time in field    opportunity
                                            respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount          office      cost (dollars)
                                                                                                            (dollars) *    (minutes) **         ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1372-BK:
    SSA-1372-BK (students)..............         233,179               1               8          31,091          *$7.86            **24     ***$317,750
    SSA-1372-BK State/Local/Tribal               209,861               1               3          10,493         * 47.54               0     *** 498,837
     Government (school officals).......
    SSA-1372-BK (representative payees).          23,318               1               3           1,166           25.72               0      *** 29,990
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Totals..........................         466,358  ..............  ..............          42,750  ..............  ..............     *** 846,577
SSA-1372-BK-FC:
    SSA-1372-BK-FC (students)...........             746               1               8              99          * 7.86           ** 24         *** 743
    SSA-1372-BK-FC State/Local/Tribal                671               1               3              37         * 47.54               0       *** 1,759
     Government (school officals).......

[[Page 51538]]

 
    SSA-1372-BK-FC (representative                    75               1               3               4           25.72               0         *** 103
     payees)............................
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Totals..........................           1,492  ..............  ..............             136  ..............  ..............       *** 2,605
Grand Total:
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Grand Total.................         467,850  ..............  ..............          42,886  ..............  ..............     *** 849,182
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* We based these figures on average DI hourly wages for single students based on SSA's current FY 2020 data (https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2020Fact%20Sheet.pdf); on the average School Worker's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm), and on average U.S. citizen's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes231011.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2020 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    4. Claimant's Work Background--20 CFR 404.1512(a); 404.1520(a)(4); 
404.1565(b); 416.912(a); 416.920(a)(4); 416.965(b)--0960-0300. Sections 
205(a) and 1631(e) of the Act provide the Commissioner of Social 
Security with the authority to establish procedures for determining if 
a claimant is entitled to disability benefits. The administrative law 
judge (ALJ) may ask individuals to provide background information on 
Form HA-4633 about work they performed in the past 15 years. When a 
claimant requests a hearing before an ALJ to establish an entitlement 
to disability benefits, the ALJ may request that the claimant provide a 
work history to assist the ALJ in fully inquiring into issues related 
to the disability. The ALJ uses the information collected from the 
claimants on Form HA-4633 to: (1) Identify the claimant's relevant work 
history; (2) decide if SSA requires expert vocational testimony and, if 
so, have a vocational expert available to testify during the hearing; 
and (3) provide a reference for the ALJ to discuss the claimant's work 
history. The ALJ makes the completed Form HA-4633 part of the 
documentary evidence of record. The respondents are claimants for 
disability benefits under Title II or Title XVI who requested a hearing 
before an ALJ after SSA denied their application for disability 
payments.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                              Average
                                                                          Average burden     Estimated      theoretical    Average wait    Total annual
         Modality of completion              Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual     hourly cost    time in field    opportunity
                                            respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount          office      cost (dollars)
                                                                                                            (dollars) *    (minutes) **         ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HA-4633--PDF/paper version..............          53,200               1              15          13,300        * $10.73           ** 24    *** $371,043
Electronic Records Express Submissions..         136,800               1              15          34,200         * 25.72               0     *** 879,624
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................         190,000  ..............  ..............          47,500  ..............  ..............   *** 1,250,667
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* We based these figures on average DI hourly wages based on SSA's current FY 2020 SSI data (https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2020Fact%20Sheet.pdf), and
  on average U.S. citizen's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2020 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    5. Social Security Administration Eligible Non-Attorney 
Representative--20 CFR 404.1717, 404.1745-404.1799, 416.1517, and 
416.1545-416.1599--0960-0699. Section 3 of the Social Security 
Disability Applicants Access to Professional Representation Act (PRA) 
of 2010, Public Law 111-142, permanently extends the direct payment 
provision of Section 303 of the Social Security Protection Act (SSPA) 
of 2004, Public Law 108-203. The PRA permits SSA to extend direct 
payment of approved fees from claimants' past-due benefits to certain 
non-attorney representatives. Prior to the enactment of the SSPA and 
PRA, only attorneys could receive direct payment of SSA-approved fees. 
Under the PRA, non-attorneys must meet certain prerequisites to be 
eligible for direct payment of fees. These prerequisites include: (1) A 
bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education, 
or four years of relevant professional experience and a high school 
diploma or General Education Development certificate; (2) passing a 
written examination administered by SSA testing the knowledge of 
relevant provisions of the Act under Titles II and XVI; (3) securing 
and maintaining continuous professional liability insurance, or 
equivalent, to protect claimants from malpractice; (4) passing a 
criminal background check; (5)

[[Page 51539]]

demonstrating ongoing completion of continuing education courses. The 
PRA requires SSA to collect the information needed to determine if 
applicants have satisfied these prerequisites. SSA uses the information 
we collect on Form SSA-1691 to determine whether an applicant has 
fulfilled the statutory prerequisites and regulatory requirements as 
listed above. To verify this information, we also request the five 
required items listed above from each new applicant, and we request 
items #3 and #5 from all non-attorney representatives (new and 
existing) on a yearly basis. Every year, SSA evaluates the 
applications, conducts verification investigations, and issues 
recommendations regarding applicants' eligibility to sit for the 
examination and eligibility to receive direct payment. The respondents 
are non-attorneys who want to receive direct payment of their fees for 
representational services before SSA.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                              Average
                                                                          Average burden     Estimated      theoretical    Average wait    Total annual
         Modality of completion              Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual     hourly cost    time in field    opportunity
                                            respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount          office      cost (dollars)
                                                                                                            (dollars) *    (minutes) **         ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Respondents--Paper Application                   468               1              45             351        * $26.45           ** 24     *** $14,230
 (complete and submit)--404.1717(b)&(c);
 416.1517(b)&(c)........................
New Respondents Examination--                        460               1             120             920         * 26.45           ** 24      *** 29,201
 404.1717(a)(5); 416.1517(a)(5).........
New Respondents--Submission of proof of              458               1              10              76         * 26.45           ** 24       *** 6,851
 Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent
 Qualifications--404.1717(a)(3);
 416.1517(a)(3).........................
New and Existing Respondents--CE                   1,374               1              20             458         * 26.45           ** 24      *** 26,662
 Submission via email/mail/or FAX of
 training courses taken as prescribed by
 SSA--404.1717(a)(7); 416.1517(a)(7)....
New and Existing Respondents--Proof of             1,099               1              10             183         * 26.45           ** 24      *** 45,547
 Continuous Professional or Business
 Liability Insurance Coverage (Scan and
 Email)--404.1717(a)(6); 416.1517(a)(6).
New and Existing Respondents--Proof of               275               1              15              69         * 26.45           ** 24       *** 4,735
 Continuous Professional or Business
 Liability Insurance Coverage (Copy and
 Mail)--404.1717(a)(6); 416.1517(a)(6)..
New and Existing Respondents--Written                 45               1              45              34         * 26.45           ** 24       *** 1,375
 Protests--404.1717(d); 416.1517(d).....
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................           4,179  ..............  ..............           2,091  ..............  ..............     *** 128,511
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* We based this figures on average Paralegal's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2020 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.



[[Page 51540]]

    Dated: August 17, 2020.
Naomi Sipple,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-18306 Filed 8-19-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P