[Federal Register: March 23, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 56)]
[Notices]
[Page 13851-13854]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23mr07-138]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and
Comment Request
The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of
information collection packages that will require 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.
The information collection packages that may be included in this notice
are for new information collections, approval of existing information
collections, revisions to OMB-approved information collections, and
extensions (no change) 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 on ways to minimize
burden on respondents, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology. Written comments
and recommendations regarding the information collection(s) should be
submitted to the OMB Desk Officer and the SSA Reports Clearance
Officer. The information can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to the
individuals at the addresses and fax numbers listed below:
(OMB) Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA, Fax:
202-395-6974, E-mail address: OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov.
(SSA) Social Security Administration, DCFAM, Attn: Reports Clearance
Officer, 1333 Annex Building, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235,
Fax: 410-965-6400, E-mail address: OPLM.RCO@ssa.gov.
I. The information collections listed below are pending at SSA and
will be submitted to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice.
Therefore, your comments should be submitted to SSA
[[Page 13852]]
within 60 days from the date of this publication. You can obtain copies
of the collection instruments by calling the SSA Reports Clearance
Officer at 410-965-0454 or by writing to the address listed above.
1. State Agency Report of Obligations for SSA Disability Programs
(SSA-4513); Time Report of Personnel Services for Disability
Determination Services (SSA-4514); State Agency Schedule of Equipment
Purchased for SSA Disability Programs (SSA-871)--20 CFR 404.1626-0960-
0421. Forms SSA-4513, SSA-4514 and SSA-871 are used to collect data
necessary for detailed analysis and evaluation of costs incurred by
State Disability Determination Services in making determinations of
disability for SSA. The data are also utilized in determining funding
levels for each DDS. Respondents are State DDSs.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 54.
Estimated Annual Burden: 756 hours.
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Average burden Estimated
Respondents Frequency of Total annual per response annual burden
response responses (minutes) (hours)
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SSA-4513........................ 54 4 216 90 324
SSA-4514........................ 54 4 216 90 324
SSA-871......................... 54 4 216 30 108
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Totals...................... 54 .............. .............. .............. 756
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2. Subpoena-Disability Hearing--20 CFR 404.916(b)(1) &
416.1416(b)(1)--0960-0428. Form SSA-1272-U4 is completed by State and
Federal disability hearing officers (DHOs) to subpoena evidence or
testimony in connections with hearings required by the Social Security
Act. Actual issuance of the subpoena will be done by that appropriate
delegated SSA official. Respondents are DHOs.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 36.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 30 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 18 hours.
3. Summary of Evidence--20 CFR 404.913(b), 404.914(a), 416.1707,
416.1313(b), 416.1414(a)--0960-0430. Form SSA-887 is completed by a DHO
from the claimant's State Disability Determination Service (DDS). The
DHO summarizes all medical and vocational reports that were used to
make the no-disability determination. This form, which is used to
prepare for and conduct the disability hearing, is also made available
to claimants so that they are aware of the basis for the no-disability
decision and they can prepare for the reconsideration accordingly.
Respondents are DHOs.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 49,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 12,250 hours.
4. Information About Joint Checking/Savings Accounts--20 CFR
416.1201(b), 416.1208--0960-0461. The SSA-2574 is used to collect
information when a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) applicant/
recipient objects to the assumption that he/she owns all or part of the
funds in a joint checking or savings account which bears his or her
name. Information about the account is collected from both the SSI
applicant/recipient and other accountholder(s). These statements
regarding ownership are required to determine whether the account is a
resource of the SSI claimant. The amount of resources a person owns is
one of the factors considered in determining eligibility for SSI.
Respondents are applicants and recipients of SSI and individuals who
are joint owners of financial accounts with SSI applicants/recipients.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 200,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 7 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 23,333 hours.
5. Beneficiary Recontact Form--20 CFR 404.703, 404.705--0960-0502.
SSA must ensure that eligibility for benefits continues after
entitlement. Studies show that mothers/fathers who marry fail to report
the marriage and/or the fact that they no longer have a child entitled
in their care. SSA uses the SSA-1588-OCR-SM to ask mothers/fathers
about their marital status and children in care to detect overpayments
and avoid continuing payment to those no longer entitled. Respondents
are recipients of survivor mother/father Social Security benefits.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 133,400.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 11,117 hours.
6. Wage Reports and Pension Information--20 CFR 422.122(b)--0960-
0547. The information collected through 20 CFR 422.122(b) is used by
SSA to identify the requestor of pension plan information and to
confirm the individual is entitled to the data SSA provides.
Respondents are requestors of pension plan information.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 600.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 30 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 300 hours.
7. SSI Monthly Wage Reporting System-- 20 CFR 416.701-732--0960-
0715.
Collection Background
SSI recipients are required to report changes in their income,
resources and living arrangements that may affect eligibility or
payment amount. Currently, SSI recipients report changes on Form SSA-
8150, Reporting Events--SSI, or to an SSA teleservice representative
through SSA's toll-free telephone number, or they visit their local
Social Security office.
Wages have, historically, been the source of SSI's highest error
rate largely due to non-reporting by beneficiaries, deemors, and
representative payees. Failure to report changes in wages timely
accounts for approximately $400 million in overpayments each year.
Consequently, SSA is evaluating methods for increasing reporting. SSA
has tested and determined that given an easily accessible automated
format, individuals will increase compliance with reporting
responsibilities. Increased timely reporting has resulted in a decrease
in improper payments. One of the methods tested, described
[[Page 13853]]
below, is the SSI Wage Reporting System.
Collection Description
Participants who need to report a change in monthly wages (Comment:
There are other forms of earned income that the phone line does not
support) will call SSA's toll-free telephone number to report the
change. The participants will access SSA's system using knowledge-based
authentication (providing name, SSN and date of birth). Participants
will speak their report (voice recognition technology) and/or key in
the information using the telephone key pad. This automated system will
then directly update our records and issue receipts in compliance with
Section 202 of the Social Security Protection Act of 2004.
We are requesting permanent authorization of the existing wage
reporting system to continue providing an alternative, and more
efficient, means by which beneficiaries, their representative payees,
and deemors can report wages via a toll-free telephone number. We
believe this permanent authorization is necessary to effectively
implement national usage of the system and substantially increase the
number of reports received via this collection method. Without
permanent authorization, we are concerned that an interruption in
reporting would prove detrimental to our earlier efforts to recruit and
train reporters, would damage the current regularity of reporting, and
would considerably mitigate SSA's potential to reduce improper payments
resulting from erroneous, or deficient, wage reports. Respondents to
this collection are SSI recipients, deemors and representative payees
of recipients who agree to participate in the program.
Type of Request: Revision of OMB approval.
Number of Respondents: 50,000.
Frequency of Response: 12.
Average Burden Per Response: 4 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 40,000 hours.
II. The information collections listed below have been submitted to
OMB for clearance. Your comments on the information collections would
be most useful if received by OMB and SSA within 30 days from the date
of this publication. You can obtain a copy of the OMB clearance
packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-0454,
or by writing to the address listed above.
1. Complaint Form for Allegations of Discrimination in Programs or
Activities Conducted by the Social Security Administration--0960-0585.
The information collected on form SSA-437 is used by SSA to investigate
and formally resolve complaints of discrimination based on race, color,
sex, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, status as a parent,
retaliation, and national origin, including limited or no ability with
English in any program or activity conducted by SSA. A person who
believes that he or she has been discriminated against on any of the
above basis may file a written complaint of discrimination. The
information will be used to identify the complainant; identify the
alleged discriminatory act; ascertain the date of such alleged act;
obtain the identity of any individual(s) with information about the
alleged discrimination; and ascertain other relevant information that
would assist in the investigation and resolution of the complaint. The
respondents are individuals who believe they have been discriminated
against by SSA or by SSA's employees, contractors or agents in programs
or activities conducted by SSA.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 140.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 60 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 140 hours.
2. Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program (formerly the
BPAO Program)--0960-0629. Like the Benefits Planning Assistance
Outreach (BPAO) program which it replaces, the Work Incentives Planning
and Assistance (WIPA) program collects identifying information from the
project sites and the community work incentives coordinators. In
addition, data are collected from the beneficiaries on background
employment, training, benefits and work incentives. SSA is interested
in identifying beneficiary outcomes under the WIPA program to determine
the extent to which beneficiaries with disabilities achieve their
employment, financial and health care goals. The data will also be
valuable to SSA in its analysis and future planning for Social Security
Disability Insurance and SSI programs.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Estimated Annual Burden: 5,019 hours.
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Average
Number of Frequency of burden per Estimated
Respondent annual response response annual burden
responses (minutes) (hours)
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Site............................................ 147 1 2 5
CWIC............................................ 422 1 2 14
Beneficiary..................................... 60,000 1 5 5,000
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Totals...................................... 60,569 .............. .............. 5,019
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3. Expanded Monitoring Site Review Questionnaire for Volume and Fee
for Service Payees (SSA-637); Expanded Monitoring Site Review
Beneficiary Interview Form (SSA-639)--20 CFR 404.2035, 404.2065,
416.665, 416.701, 416.708--0960-0633. In situations where a Social
Security beneficiary or SSI recipient is incompetent or physically
unable to take care of his or her own affairs, SSA may pay Social
Security benefits and/or SSI payments to a relative, another person, or
an organization when the best interest of the beneficiary will be
served. In certain situations SSA conducts site reviews in order to
ensure that payees are carrying out their responsibilities in
accordance with representative payment policies and procedures. SSA is
also able to identify poor payee performance, uncover misuse and
initiate corrective action. Triennial site reviews are conducted for
fee-for-service payees and all volume payees (i.e., organizations
serving 100 or more beneficiaries and individuals serving 20 or more
beneficiaries). The reviews include a face-to-face meeting with the
payee (and appropriate staff), examination/verification of a sample of
beneficiary records and supporting documentation, and usually include
beneficiary (if competent adult) or custodian (if different from payee)
interviews. Forms SSA-637 and SSA-639 are used to
[[Page 13854]]
record the information collected during these interviews. The
respondents are certain representative payees and also competent Social
Security beneficiaries.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Estimated Annual Burden: 3,538 hours.
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Time per
Form No. Number of Reports response Total hours
respondents annually (minutes)
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SSA-637......................................... 1,763 1 75 2,204
SSA-639......................................... 8,001 1 10 1,334
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Totals...................................... 9,764 .............. .............. 3,538
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4. Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form (Country)--31 CFR 210--0960-0686.
The SSA-1199 form captures the direct deposit information for an
account at a foreign financial institution. Our International Direct
Deposit program allows beneficiaries living abroad to have their
benefits deposited to an account at a financial institution outside the
U.S. Routing account number information varies slightly for each
country, so we use a variation of the SF-1199 A (the government
standard Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form) for each country. The respondents
are Social Security beneficiaries residing abroad.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 5,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 417 hours.
5. Certification of Prisoner Identity Information--20 CFR 422.107--
0960-0688. When a valid agreement is in place, prison officials verify
the identity of certain incarcerated U.S. citizens who need replacement
Social Security cards. Information the prison officials provide will be
taken from the official prison files and will be transcribed on their
letterhead. This information will be used to establish the applicant's
identity in the Social Security card process. The respondents are
prison officials that certify identity of prisoners applying for
replacement Social Security cards.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 1,000.
Frequency of Response: 200.
Average Burden Per Response: 3 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 10,000 hours.
6. Claimant Statement about Loan of Food or Shelter; Statement
about Food or Shelter Provided to Another--20 CFR 416.1130-416.1148--
0960-0529. Forms SSA-5062 and SSA-L5063 are used to obtain statements
about food and/or shelter provided to an SSI claimant or recipient. SSA
uses this information to determine whether food and/or shelter are bona
fide loans or should be counted as income for SSI purposes. This
determination can affect eligibility for SSI and the amount of SSI
benefits payable. The respondents are claimants/recipients for SSI
benefits and individuals that provide loans of food and/or shelter to
SSI claimants/recipients.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Estimated Annual Burden: 21,846 hours.
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Average burden Estimated
Collections Number of Frequency of per response annual burden
respondents response (minutes) (hours)
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SSA-5062........................................ 65,540 1 10 10,923
SSA-L5063....................................... 65,540 1 10 10,923
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Totals...................................... 131,080 .............. .............. 21,846
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7. Internet Direct Deposit Application--31 CFR 210--0960-0634. SSA
uses Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer (DD/EFT) enrollment
information received from beneficiaries to facilitate DD/EFT of their
Social Security benefits with a financial institution. Respondents are
Social Security beneficiaries who use the Internet to enroll in DD/EFT.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 80,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 13,333 hours.
8. Farm Self-Employment Questionnaire--20 CFR 404.1095--0960-0061.
Section 211(a) of the Social Security Act requires the existence of a
trade or business as a prerequisite for determining whether an
individual or partnership may have ``net earnings from self-
employment.'' Form SSA-7156 elicits the information necessary to
determine the existence of an agricultural trade or business and
subsequent covered earnings for Social Security entitlement purposes.
The respondents are applicants for Social Security benefits, whose
entitlement depends on whether the worker has covered earnings from
self-employment as a farmer.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 47,500.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 7,917 hours.
Dated: March 19, 2007.
Elizabeth A. Davidson,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. E7-5281 Filed 3-22-07; 8:45 am]
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