[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 137 (Monday, July 21, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34327-34333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-13607]
[[Page 34327]]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
[Docket No: SSA-2025-0123]
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.
(SSA) Social Security Administration, OLCA, Attn: Reports Clearance
Director, Mail Stop 3253 Altmeyer, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD
21235, Fax: 833-410-1631, Email address: [email protected].
Or you may submit your comments online through https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAmain by clicking on Currently under
Review--Open for Public Comments and choosing to click on one of SSA's
published items. Please reference Docket ID Number [SSA-2025-0123] in
your submitted response.
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
September 19, 2025. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection
instrument by writing to the above email address.
1. Continuing Disability Review Report--20 CFR 404.1589 & 416.989--
0960-0072. Sections 221(i), 1614(a)(3)(H)(ii)(I) and 1633(c)(1) of the
Social Security Act (Act) require SSA to periodically review the cases
of individuals who receive benefits under Title II or Title XVI based
on disability to determine if their disability continues. SSA considers
adults eligible for disability payments if they continue to be unable
to do substantial gainful activity because of their impairments, and we
consider Title XVI children eligible for disability payment if they
have marked and severe functional limitations because of their
impairments. To assess claimants' ongoing disability payment
eligibility, SSA uses the information gathered through the Continuing
Disability Review Report to complete a mandatory review for the
continue disability review (CDR).
SSA also uses the Continuing Disability Review Report to obtain
information on sources of medical treatment; participation in
vocational rehabilitation programs (if any); attempts to work (if any);
and recipients' assessments when they believe their conditions
improved. Title II or Title XVI disability recipients can complete the
Continuing Disability Review Report using one of three modalities: (1)
a paper application or fillable PDF (using Form SSA-454-BK); (2) a
field office interview, during which SSA employees enter claimant's
data directly into the Electronic Disability Collection System (EDCS);
or (3) using an online system (i454), which is a web-based modality
that provides recipients a fully electronic platform for submitting
information to increase accessibility and enhance automation. When SSA
initiates a medical CDR, we send a mailed notice to the individual with
a disability informing that individual that SSA requires a CDR. The
mailed notice provides instructions to the recipient on how to assist
the agency with initiating the CDR and gives the individual the option
to complete a paper SSA-454 or an i454 for adult only disabled
individuals. When an individual requires a CDR, a claims specialist
(CS) mails the paper Form SSA-454-BK, and the respondent completes the
form, and sends or brings it back to SSA; or the CS interviews the
respondent and enters the information into the appropriate EDCS
screens; or adult disabled individuals submit the information
electronically using the i454 internet application. Regardless of the
modality the respondent uses to complete the information (paper, EDCS,
or internet versions), SSA electronically stores the information
provided in EDCS. The respondents complete the SSA-454-BK by themselves
with self-help information available, or a representative may complete
the paper form or electronic application on their behalf. The
respondents are Title II or Title XVI disability recipients or their
representatives.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average wait
Average time in field
Number of Frequency of Average burden Estimated theoretical office and Total annual
Modality of completion respondents response per response total annual hourly cost teleservice opportunity cost
(minutes) burden (hours) amount centers (dollars) ****
(dollars) ** (minutes) ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-454-BK (paper version).......... 249,194 1 * 600 2,491,940 ** $13.30 *** 23 **** $34,413,271
Electronic Disability Collect System 267,975 1 * 600 2,679,750 ** 13.30 *** 180 **** 46,332,878
(EDCS).............................
i454 (Internet)..................... 45,763 1 * 600 457,630 ** 13.30 .............. **** 6,086,479
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals.......................... 562,932 .............. .............. 5,629,320 .............. .............. **** 86,832,628
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The estimated time of 600 minutes to complete Form SSA-454-BK is an average for the respondents, who are Title II or Title XVI disability recipients
or their representatives. Some of these respondents may take longer to complete the forms and submit the information, while others will complete the
forms faster, which is why we use average time estimates to calculate time burdens for these information collections. These estimates were originally
developed, and are still based on, our current management information data.
** We based this figure on the average DI payments based on SSA's current FY 2025 data (https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2024FactSheet.pdf).
*** We based this figure on the average FY 2025 wait times for field offices (23 minutes) and for teleservice centers (180 minutes), based on SSA's
current management information data. This figure reflects the data posted on our public facing website (800 number performance [verbar] SSA) on the
date we drafted this notice. As the figures fluctuate daily, the wait times may be different on the publication date of this notice.
**** 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. 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 Social Security
[[Page 34328]]
number (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 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 gave 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.
SSA added a strong audit component to ensure the integrity of the
CBSV process. At the discretion of the agency, we require audits
(called ``compliance reviews'') with the requesting party paying all
audit costs. 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.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Time Burden:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
Average burden Estimated theoretical Total annual
Requirement Number of Frequency of Number of per response total annual hourly cost opportunity
respondents response responses (minutes) burden (hours) amount cost (dollars)
(dollars) * **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Participating Companies
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registration process for new *** 8 1 8 120 16 * $45.04 *** $721
participating companies................
Creation of file with SSN holder 52 **** 251 13,052 60 13,052 * 45.04 ** 587,862
identification data; maintaining
required documentation/forms...........
Using the system to upload request file, 52 251 13,052 5 1,088 * 45.04 ** 49,004
check status, and download results file
Storing Consent Forms................... 52 251 13,052 60 13,052 * 45.04 ** 587,862
Activities related to compliance review. 52 251 13,052 60 13,052 * 45.04 ** 587,862
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals.............................. 216 .............. 52,213 .............. 52,224 .............. ** 1,813,311
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Participating Companies Who Opt for External Testing Environment (ETE)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ETE Registration Process (includes 19 1 19 180 57 * $45.04 ** $2,567
reviewing and completing ETE User
Agreement).............................
Web Service Transactions................ 19 50 950 1 16 * 45.04 ** 721
Reporting Issues Encountered on Web 19 50 950 1 16 * 45.04 ** 721
service testing (e.g., reports on
application's reliability).............
Reporting changes in users' status 19 1 19 60 19 * 45.04 ** 856
(e.g., termination or changes in users'
employment status; changes in duties of
authorized users)......................
Cancellation of Agreement............... 19 1 19 30 10 * 45.04 ** 450
Dispute Resolution...................... 19 1 19 120 38 * 45.04 ** 1,711
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals.............................. 114 .............. 3,004 .............. 156 .............. 7,026
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
People Whose SSNs SSA Will Verify
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading and signing authorization for 597,295 1 597,295 3 29,865 * $13.30 ** $397,205
SSA to release SSN verification (Form
SSA-89)................................
Responding to CPA re-contact............ 3,074 1 3,074 5 256 * 45.04 ** 11,530
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals.............................. 600,369 .............. 600,369 .............. 30,121 .............. ** 408,735
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on the average DI payments based on SSA's current FY 2025 data (https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2024FactSheet.pdf), and on the
average Business and Financial operations occupations hourly salaries, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (Occupational Employment and
Wage Statistics).
** 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.
*** One-time registration process approximately 10 new participating companies per year.
*** Please note there are 251 Federal business days per year on which a requesting party could submit a file.
There is one CPA respondent conducting compliance reviews and preparing written reports of findings. The average burden per the 52 responses is 3,120
minutes for a total burden of 6,400 hours annually.
[[Page 34329]]
3. Statement for Determining Continuing Entitlement for Special
Veterans Benefits (SVB)--0960-0782. Title VIII of the Act provides for
the payment of Special Veterans benefits (SVB) to certain World War II
veterans who reside outside of the United States. SSA regularly reviews
individuals' claims for SVB to determine their continued eligibility
and correct payment amounts. SSA requires individuals living outside
the United States receiving SVB to report any changes to SSA that may
affect their benefits. These include changes such as:
(1) a change in mailing address or residence; (2) an increase or
decrease in a pension, annuity, or other recurring benefit; (3) a
return or visit to the United States for a calendar month or longer; or
(4) an inability to manage benefits. SSA uses Form SSA-2010-F6, to
collect this information. All beneficiaries have face-to-face
interviews with the Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) every year who assist
them in completing this form. Respondents are SVB beneficiaries living
outside the United States.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
Average burden Estimated total theoretical Average wait Total annual
Modality of completion Number of Frequency of per response annual burden hourly cost for teleservice opportunity
respondents response (minutes) (hours) amount centers cost (dollars)
(dollars) ** (minutes) *** ****
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-2010......................... 30 1 20 10 $32.66 * 180 ** $3,266 ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average U.S. worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (Occupational Employment and Wage
Statistics).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2025 wait times for telephone centers (180 minutes), based on SSA's current management information data. This
figure reflects the data posted on our public facing website (800 number performance [verbar] SSA) on the date we drafted this notice. As the figures
fluctuate daily, the wait times may be different on the publication date of this notice.
*** 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. Fee Agreement for Representation before the Social Security
Administration--0960-0810. The Act requires individuals who represent a
claimant before the agency and want to receive a fee for their services
to obtain SSA's authorization of the fee. One way to obtain the
authorization is to submit the fee agreement to the agency either in
writing or through using Form SSA-1693, Fee Agreement for
Representation before the Social Security Administration. Since
representatives currently use fee agreements which vary in length,
content, and complexity, submission of a free-form fee agreement may
cause delays in SSA's review time. SSA encourages respondents to use
Form SSA-1693 to submit the information either using the paper form or
the electronically submittable e1693 through SSA's website. SSA uses
the information from the SSA-1693 to review the request and authorize
any fee to representatives who seek to charge and collect a fee from a
claimant. The respondents are the representatives who help claimants
through the application process, and the claimants who they represent.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
Average burden Estimated theoretical Total annual
Modality of completion Number of Frequency of per response total annual hourly cost opportunity cost
respondents response (minutes) burden (hours) amount (dollars) **
(dollars) *
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Form SSA-1693........................................ 4,225 1 12 845 * $60.26 ** $50,920
e1693................................................ 1,745 1 13 378 * 60.26 ** 22,778
Written Agreements on Representative's Stationary.... 1,575,773 1 20 525,257 * 60.26 ** 31,651,987
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals........................................... 1,581,743 .............. .............. 526,480 .............. ** 31,725,685
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on the averaged total of the average Lawyer's Legal Services wages, and the average U.S. worker's hourly wages (Occupational
Employment and Wage Statistics) as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics 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. mySocial Security--Security Authentication PIN--20 CFR 401.45--
0960-0846. To mitigate fraud concerns, in April 2025, SSA increased the
level of identity proofing needed for respondents to make payment
method changes during phone interactions for direct deposit changes.
While necessary to protect the public and the integrity of SSA's
programs, this limits the accessibility of the phone as a service
channel for direct deposit changes as they require identity proofing.
To bridge this gap, SSA published a New Emergency Request FRN on April
18, 2025, at 90 FR 16583, then, upon OMB's approval of the Emergency
Clearance, implemented a hybrid identity proofing process called the my
Social Security--Security Authentication PIN (SAP) that provides
identity-proofing parity with our online modality, as well as in-person
verification for the direct deposit request. Utilizing the SAP process
provides the necessary identity verification to allow direct deposit
revisions via phone or in person, while ensuring fraud protection
through verification of the identity of the individual prior to
accessing or revising their account.
OMB granted a six-month Emergency approval for the my Social
Security--Security Authentication PIN (SAP) collection. We are
publishing this 60-day comment period Notice to initiate the full
information collection request renewal for the SAP process. We received
public comments on the Emergency FRN which we will address within the
documentation for the full renewal.
Background
Our prior telephone process for direct deposit required respondents
to use knowledge-based questions to verify
[[Page 34330]]
their identity matching SSA's records. Depending upon the situation,
the requested information or action, and the judgement of potential
misrepresentation of the caller, the SSA technician asked additional
approved questions to verify the customer's identity. While this
process was sufficient fraud protection and authentication under
current NIST specifications for access to non-sensitive information, it
still poses a fraud risk for respondents who wish to complete tasks for
which our automated telephone system, or internet platforms normally
request higher levels of identity proofing and authentication.
Knowledge-based methods are susceptible to compromise by fraudulent
actors who have become increasingly capable of obtaining the answers to
knowledge-based questions. Direct deposit changes provide an
opportunity for attackers to convert beneficiary payments to their own
use. Consequently, we consider the establishment of or revisions to
direct deposit account information to be a higher risk task meriting a
heightened identity assurance standard. To ensure that higher level of
identity verification, we instituted the SAP process.
Description of the Security Authentication PIN (SAP) Process
SSA implemented the hybrid SAP process to digitally verify the
identity of a telephone or in person customer when requesting changes
to their account or record for direct deposit. This supports the
agency's changes to its identity proofing policy for direct deposit
enrollments, updates or cancellations. It allows for higher
authentication over the phone, and for in-person requests, where
respondents could provide acceptable forms of identification (e.g.,
State ID/driver's license, U.S. Passport, etc.), the SAP allows for an
alternate method for respondents who may not have the requisite
documentation with them.
Whether over the phone or in person, when a respondent requests
changes to their direct deposit the automated telephone system or field
office intake technician moves the respondent to a dedicated queue for
direct deposit changes which allows for a shorter wait time (either on
the phone or in person). Then an SSA technician asks if the respondent
has a my Social Security account. If they do, the technician asks the
respondent to log into the account through a dedicated link
(www.ssa.gov/pin), or sends the link to the respondent via email or
text message so that the respondent may authenticate using their online
account and generate an eight-digit SAP. The SAP is valid for three
hours and generates immediately when the respondent selects ``Generate
PIN'' from the link the technician provided. There is no limit to the
number of SAPs a customer can generate during a single transaction.
To ease the burden on customers, SSA created the user-friendly
vanity URL (a custom, short-cut URL) that navigates respondents
directly to the SAP generation page, allowing them to quickly and
easily generate the SAP after accessing their account. This feature
reduces the burden on the respondent to navigate within their online
account, authenticate, and generate the SAP.
The process works as follows:
For respondents who contact SSA by telephone for direct deposit:
The SSA technician will first requires the respondent to
provide his or her Social Security Number (SSN).
The technician will then ask if the respondent has a my
Social Security account.
[cir] If the answer is Yes:
[ssquf] The technician asks the respondent to login to the account
using the vanity URL (www.ssa.gov/pin) or provides the URL through a
text or email message.
[ssquf] The link prompts the respondent to sign into the account
using multifactor authentication, then directs them to the page to
generate the SAP.
[ssquf] The respondent uses the link to generate the SAP by
selecting ``Generate PIN.'' The SAP is valid for three hours.
[ssquf] The technician asks the respondent to verbally recount the
SAP.
[ssquf] The technician enters the SAP into the system to verify the
respondent's identity.
If the SAP matches in the system, the technician continues
with the call and helps with direct deposit requests.
If the SAP does not match in the system, the technician
asks the respondent to generate a new SAP and proceeds again through
the above steps.
[cir] If the answer is No:
[ssquf] The technician instructs the respondent to create a my
Social Security account using Login.gov or ID.me (OMB Control No. 0960-
0789), and requests that the respondent call back once they create the
account.
[ssquf] Note: If the respondent does not want to create a my Social
Security account, the technician directs the respondent to visit a
local field office and present identification documents in person.
For Respondents who visit SSA in person to request direct deposit
changes but do not have an identity document:
The SSA technician will first requires the respondent to
provide his or her Social Security Number (SSN).
After the respondent provides the SSN, the technician
requests acceptable forms of identification (e.g., State ID/driver's
license, U.S. Passport, etc.).
If the respondent does not have an acceptable form of
identification, the technician asks if the respondent has a my Social
Security account.
[cir] If the answer is Yes:
[ssquf] The technician asks the respondent to log into their
account using the vanity URL (www.ssa.gov/pin) or provides the URL
through a text or email message.
[ssquf] The technician waits for the respondent to log into their
account and may assist if the respondent needs help.
[ssquf] The respondent generates the SAP using the ``Generate PIN''
button and shares the SAP with the technician.
[ssquf] The technician enters the SAP into the system to verify the
respondent's identity.
If the SAP matches, the technician continues with the
direct deposit changes.
If the SAP does not match, the technician asks the
respondent to generate a new SAP and proceeds again through the steps
above.
[cir] If the answer is No:
[ssquf] The technician instructs the respondent to create a my
Social Security account using Login.gov or ID.me. If the respondent
needs help creating the account, the technician assists with creation.
[ssquf] Note: if the respondent does not wish to create an account,
the technician directs the respondent to find acceptable identification
documents and return to the field office to present them in person.
Information the Security Authentication PIN Tool Will Collect
While the public-facing SAP tool itself does not collect any
information, the process of creating or logging into a my Social
Security account requires the respondent to submit several pieces of
identifying information (such as an email address, a password,
selecting a multi-factor authentication method, and completing identity
proofing, which entails uploading an ID and taking a selfie) to both
sign up or login using ID.me or Login.gov. We obtained OMB approval for
this process under OMB No. 0960-0789. However, as the transmittal of
the vanity URL, generation of the SAP, and the requirement to share the
SAP with the technician impose an additional time burden on the public,
we are accounting for that time burden here.
For Respondents who cite a dire need situation to conduct business
over the phone (who are unable to generate the SAP or visit a field
office):
[[Page 34331]]
SSA understands that there are some dire need situations which
require the respondents to use the phone for direct deposit changes
when they are unable to visit a field office, use SSA's online service,
or use SAP process for direct deposit changes. These dire need
situations include respondents who: are restricted from visiting a
field office; are homebound or institutionalized; or have another
extreme hardship such as an inability to travel or use our online
services. For these respondents, we offer an exception process, which
allows the respondents to submit the request for the exception through
a personal interview with a technician using Form SSA-553, Special
Determination. The technician initiates the exception process during
the interview for the SAP process if the respondent is unable to
complete the process or visit a field office due to severe
restrictions. In those cases, the SSA technician, or SSA management,
completes the fillable PDF version of the SSA-553 during the personal
interview. The technician then submits the completed SSA-533 to SSA
management who reviews the request and decides whether the grant the
exception based on the information provided. If management grants the
exception, the respondent uses knowledge-based authentication over the
phone prior to completing their direct deposit changes. Since this
process is less effective in mitigating fraud, SSA limits the use of
this request to dire need situations. SSA technicians determine dire
need on a case-by-case basis.
The respondents are individuals who wish to do business with SSA
over the telephone or in person for the purposes of direct deposit
enrollments, updates or cancellations.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
combined wait
time for
Average teleservice
Average burden Estimated theoretical center or Total annual
Modality of completion Number of Frequency of per response total annual hourly cost field office opportunity cost
respondents response (minutes) burden (hours) amount in the (dollars) ***
(dollars) * dedicated
direct deposit
queue
(minutes) **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Respondents requesting phone-based 598,443 1 \+\ 8 79,792 * $32.66 6 *** $4,560,512
assistance direct deposit changes
using the SAP Process...............
Respondents requesting direct deposit 36,096 1 4 2,406 * 32.66 6 *** 196,483
changes who failed SAP over the
phone...............................
Respondents requesting direct deposit \++\ 608 1 \+\ 10 101 * 32.66 23 *** 10,908
in a field office who need identity
proofing via SAP....................
Respondents who decline to use SAP 1,729,045 1 8 230,539 * 32.66 23 *** 29,176,484
and visit a field office for in-
person identity proofing to make the
direct deposit change...............
Respondents requesting an exception 23,244 1 5 1,937 * 32.66 15 *** 253,050
for dire need situations using the
SSA-553.............................
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals........................... 2,387,436 .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. *** 34,197,437
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\+\ Note: this figure does not include the knowledge-based questions; however, we will use this figure in place of the knowledge-based question figure
currently listed under OMB No. 0960-0789 for telephone respondents.
\++\ We note that some of these respondents may already have my Social Security accounts. For the purposes of this Emergency Clearance, we will assume
they need to create an account which is why they needed to go into the field office, and we account for burden to create an account under OMB No. 0960-
0789.
* We based this figure on the average U.S. worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (Occupational Employment and Wage
Statistics).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2025 wait times for the teleservice centers and field offices dedicated direct deposit queue, as well as the
combined wait time for the dedicated queue, 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 online tool; rather,
these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the tool. There is no actual charge to respondents
to complete the online tool.
II. SSA submitted the information collections 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 August 20, 2025. Individuals can obtain copies of this
OMB clearance package by writing to the [email protected].
1. Consent for Release of Information and Consent for Disclosure of
Records Protected Under the Privacy Act (Privacy and Disclosure of
Official Records and Information and Availability of Information and
Records to the Public)--20 CFR 401.40(b)&(c), 401.45, 401.55(b),
401.65(a), 401.100; 20 CFR 401.130; and 20 CFR 402--0960-0566. Within
the Privacy and Disclosure of Official Records and Information
regulations, SSA has established methods through which the public can
provide consent for release of records under the Privacy Act of 1974.
The public can also request records accessible through the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA).
We collect the necessary information for these requests through
written correspondence, including the Form SSA-3288; other writings,
including non-SSA forms often used by large employers, that incorporate
SSA's consent requirements; or the Form SSA-3288-OP1 via a webform
application linked on SSA's Privacy Program website. The Form SSA-3288-
OP1 allows an individual to consent to and authorize SSA to disclose
specific types of records that an individual can alternatively request
through other writings and written correspondence; however, an
individual can consent to and authorize SSA to disclose a broader range
of types of records when using other writings and written
correspondence (other than Form SSA-3288-OP1).
Consent for Release of Records:
SSA obtains the required consent(s) (with certain exceptions
specified by law) from anyone requesting information in SSA systems of
records about another individual. We will not
[[Page 34332]]
release information requested about an individual until we obtain the
required consent from that individual. Under the Privacy Act of 1974 (5
U.S.C. 552a(b)), individuals may give SSA written consent to disclose
their personal information to a third party of their choosing. In
addition, individuals may have multiple needs for the disclosure of
their personal information, such as for qualification for a mortgage or
preemployment screenings.
a. Form SSA-3288 (Consent for Release of Information): Form SSA-328
is SSA's preferred paper form for requests for disclosure of
information based on the consent of the subject of record. Respondents
can download the SSA-3288 from www.ssa.gov/forms, obtain a copy at a
local SSA field office, or request SSA mail a copy to them directly.
Use of this form ensures compliance with SSA consent regulations at 20
CFR 401.100. SSA also collects consent on other writings, including
non-SSA forms often used by large employers, that incorporate SSA's
consent requirements.
b. Form SSA-3288-OP1 (Consent for Disclosure of Records Protected
Under the Privacy Act): Form SSA-3288-OP1 complies with the CASES Act,
OMB M-21-04, and SSA consent regulations at 20 CFR 401.100. The CASES
Act directed OMB to develop templates for, among other things,
electronic consents for SSA to disclose records protected by the
Privacy Act of 1974 to third parties. OMB implemented that statutory
directive in M-21-04. SSA developed the SSA-3288-OP1 pursuant to the
CASES Act and M-21-04. The public can access the webform application
that populates Form SSA-3288-OP1 online by selecting the ``Submit an
Electronic Consent to Disclose Records'' link found at www.ssa.gov/privacy. The public can also find the ``Submit an Electronic Consent to
Disclose Records'' page with the link to the SSA-3288-OP1 by typing in
relevant search terms at www.ssa.gov.
The respondents are individuals consenting to, authorizing, and
requesting SSA disclosure of their records protected by the Privacy Act
of 1974 to third parties.
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 cost
respondents response (minutes) burden (hours) amount office (dollars) ***
(dollars) * (minutes) **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a. Amendment of Records.............. 100 1 10 17 * $32.66 ** 23 *** $1,796
b. Consent for Release of Information 440,374 1 5 36,698 * $32.66 ** 23 *** 6,711,891
(SSA[dash]3288) \+\.................
c. Consent for Release of Records 1,152 1 10 192 * 32.66 .............. *** 6,271
(Electronic SSA-3288-OP1) \+\.......
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Totals........................... 441,626 .............. .............. 36,907 .............. .............. *** 6,719,958
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\+\ The number of respondents for this modality is based on SSA's analytics data for the number of SSA-3288 and SSA-3288-OP1 forms submitted to SSA in
fiscal year (FY) 2024.
* We based this figure on average U.S. worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (Occupational Employment and Wage
Statistics).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2025 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. Enterprise Scheduling System (ESS) and National Appointment and
Scheduling Calendar (NASC)--0960-0828. The Enterprise Scheduling System
(ESS) allows for both customer self-scheduling and technician-assisted
scheduling through an electronic scheduling tool, while the National
Appointment and Scheduling Calendar (NASC) allows for technician-
assisted scheduling through the ESS platform for initial claims
appointment requests. The first ESS release specifically allowed self-
scheduling for enumeration services. However, we are now extending its
current functionality, enabling customers and technicians to: (1)
schedule, reschedule, or cancel enumeration appointments for new or
replacement Social Security cards; and (2) complete Post-Entitlement
(PE) actions, such as changing a Representative Payee, processing non-
receipt of payment, updating an SSI record, or submitting evidence. In
addition, ESS will allow technicians the ability to schedule,
reschedule or cancel PE appointments on behalf of customers. Finally,
NASC will allow technicians to schedule, reschedule or cancel initial
claims appointments for customers. We expect to continue to expand our
scheduling capabilities moving forward and will eventually use NASC to
incorporate all scheduling systems.
Customers use ESS and NASC to schedule an appointment to obtain a
new SSN or a replacement Social Security card, for assistance with a PE
action, or to schedule a technician-assisted initial claims
appointment. ESS and NASC offer customers the following services:
Appointment scheduling
Electronic communication
Workload evaluation/planning/management
Research
Regulatory Mandated/Compliance
General purpose statistics.
ESS facilitates both customer self-scheduling and technician
scheduling, along with NASC which facilitates technician scheduling,
allowing SSA to collect essential information from customers, including
their name, Social Security number, zip code, telephone number, and
email address. Additionally, customers have the option to consent to
electronic messaging or to opt out, as well as specify their preferred
method of communication (email or text), language preference, preferred
service office, and appointment day and time preferences. SSA uses this
information to schedule in-office, phone, or video appointments for
processing enumeration, PE actions, or initial claim appointments.
Customers scheduling their PE or initial claim appointments through a
technician have the option to create a one-time passcode, enabling them
to securely update their appointment online. The technician documents
this one-time passcode along with the customer's other appointment
preferences.
Customers begin the process by accessing SSA.gov and engaging an
online questionnaire to determine the nature of their business. If
applications are available for customers to self-serve, the system
routes them to those applications to complete their business. If not,
customers are given the option to self-schedule an appointment through
ESS. If the customer moves forward, the system directs them to create a
[[Page 34333]]
credential using Login.gov or ID.me. Once they complete credentialing,
customers access ESS to complete required screens and fields to select
a date and time for an appointment with an SSA field office (FO) to
provide the proofs necessary to obtain a replacement or original SSN
card or complete a PE action. Upon completing the required screens and
fields, the system presents customers with a screen to review and
submit all of the data they input regarding the requested appointment.
If the customer enters everything accurately, the system allows the
customer to confirm their information and schedules their appointment.
If customers encounter issues with ESS, or they need to request an
appointment type which requires technician assistance (e.g.,
scheduling, rescheduling, or cancelling PE or initial claims
appointments), they may contact SSA by phone to have an FO or Telephone
Service Center (TSC) technician schedule their appointment. Technicians
follow existing processes and policies to identify the caller as a
legitimate customer, and converse with the customer to determine the
nature of their business and if they require an appointment. If the
technician determines the customer needs an appointment, the technician
accesses ESS and completes the required screens and fields for the
enumeration or PE appointment, or NASC for an initial claim
appointment. Once the technician completes the ESS or NASC screens, the
technician can review all of the information the customer provided with
the customer. If the customer indicates it is correct the technician
submits and schedules the appointment.
We conduct this information collection each time a customer
accesses the online tool or contacts SSA by phone to schedule an
appointment. The respondents are individuals looking to schedule their
SSA visit, either through self-scheduling or technician assisted
modalities, using ESS and NASC.
This is a Correction Notice: SSA needed to update the burden
information for this collection from the information we published at 90
FR 21817, on 5/21/25, which, inadvertently, did not include the burden
for the initial claims scheduling. We are correcting the burden
information here.
Type of Request: Request for a revision of an OMB-approved
information collection.
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Average Average wait
Average burden Estimated theoretical time for Total annual
Modality of completion Number of Frequency of per response total annual hourly cost teleservice opportunity cost
respondents response (minutes) burden (hours) amount centers (dollars) ***
(dollars) * (minutes) **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESS--Internet........................ 3,000,000 1 5 250,000 * $22.98 .............. *** $5,745,000
ESS--Technician (PE Appointments).... 150,000 1 3 7,500 * 22.98 ** 102 *** 6,032,250
NASC--Technician (Initial Claims 7,270,161 1 10 1,211,694 * 22.98 ** 102 *** 311,860,845
Appointments).......................
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Totals........................... 3,150,000 .............. .............. 1,469,194 .............. .............. *** 323,638,095
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* We based this figure by averaging both the average DI payments based on SSA's current FY 2025 data (https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2024FactSheet.pdf), and the average U.S. worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (Occupational Employment and Wage
Statistics).
** We based this figure by averaging the average FY 2025 wait times for field offices (23 minutes) and teleservice centers (180 minutes), based on SSA's
current management information data. This figure reflects the data posted on our public facing website (800 number performance [verbar] SSA) on the
date we drafted this notice. As the figures fluctuate daily, the wait times may be different on the publication date of this notice.
*** 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.
Dated: July 17, 2025.
Mark Steffensen,
General Counsel, Deputy Commissioner for Law and Policy, Social
Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2025-13607 Filed 7-18-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P