[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 236 (Thursday, December 11, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57516-57517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22534]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2025-0618]


Rate for Assessment on Direct Payment of Fees to Representatives 
in 2026

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are announcing the assessment percentage rate under the 
Social Security Act (Act) is 6.3 percent for 2026.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mona B. Ahmed, Head of Program, 
Fiscal, & Disclosure Law, Law and Policy, Social Security 
Administration, 1961 Stout Street 4th Floor, Suite 4169, Denver, CO 
80294. Phone: (303) 844-7108, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A claimant may appoint a qualified 
individual as a representative to act on their behalf in matters before 
the Social Security Administration (SSA). If the claimant is entitled 
to past-due benefits and was represented either by an attorney or by a 
non-attorney representative who has met certain prerequisites, the Act 
provides that we shall withhold up to 25 percent of the past-due 
benefits and use that money to pay the representative's approved fee 
directly to the representative.
    When we pay the representative's authorized fee directly to the 
representative, we must collect from that fee payment an assessment to 
recover the costs we incur in determining and paying representatives' 
fees. The Act provides that the assessment we collect will be the 
lesser of two amounts: a specified dollar limit; or the amount 
determined by multiplying the fee we are paying by the assessment 
percentage rate. (Sections 206(d), 206(e), and 1631(d)(2) of the Act, 
42 U.S.C. 406(d), 406(e), and 1383(d)(2).)
    The Act initially set the dollar limit at $75 in 2004 and provides 
that the limit will be adjusted annually based on changes in the cost-
of-living. (Sections

[[Page 57517]]

206(d)(2)(A) and 1631(d)(2)(C)(ii)(I) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 
406(d)(2)(A) and 1383(d)(2)(C)(ii)(I).) The maximum dollar limit for 
the assessment currently is $123, as we announced in the Federal 
Register on November 3, 2025 (90 FR 49047).
    The Act requires us each year to set the assessment percentage rate 
at the lesser of 6.3 percent or the percentage rate necessary to 
achieve full recovery of the costs we incur to determine and pay 
representatives' fees. (Sections 206(d)(2)(B)(ii) and 
1631(d)(2)(C)(ii)(II) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 406(d)(2)(B)(ii) and 
1383(d)(2)(C)(ii)(II).)
    Based on the best available data, we have determined that the 
current rate of 6.3 percent will continue for 2026. We will continue to 
review our costs for these services on a yearly basis.

Thomas J. Holland,
Chief Financial Officer for Finance, and Management, Social Security 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2025-22534 Filed 12-10-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P