2013-28094. 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: [phone], Email address: [e-mail].

(SSA), Social Security Administration, OLCA, Attn: Reports Clearance Director, 3100 West High Rise, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235, Fax: [phone], Email address: [e-mail].

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 January 24, 2014. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection instruments by writing to the above email address.

Missing and Discrepant Wage Reports Letter and Questionnaire—26 CFR 31.6051-2—0960-0432. Each year employers report the wage amounts they paid their employees to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for tax purposes, and separately to SSA for retirement and disability coverage purposes. The same figures should be reported to SSA and the IRS. However, each year some employer wage reports SSA receives are less than the wage amounts employers report to the IRS. SSA uses Forms SSA-L93-SM, SSA-L94-SM, SSA-95-SM, and SSA-97-SM to resolve this discrepancy and ensure employees receive full credit for their wages. Respondents are employers who reported lower wage amounts to SSA than they reported to the IRS.

Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information collection.

Modality of collection	Number of respondents	Frequency of response	Average burden per response (minutes)	Estimated total annual burden (hours)
SSA-95-SM and SSA-97-SM (and accompanying cover letters SSA-L93-SM, L94-SM)	360,000	1	30	180,000

II. SSA submitted the information collection below to OMB for clearance. Your comments regarding the 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 December 26, 2013. Individuals can obtain copies of the OMB clearance packages by writing to [e-mail].

Appointment of Representative—20 CFR 404.1707, 404.1720, 404.1725, 410.684 and 416.1507—0960-0527. Persons claiming rights or benefits under the Social Security Act must notify SSA in writing when they appoint an individual to represent them in dealing with SSA. SSA collects the information on Form SSA-1696-U4 to verify the appointment of such representatives. The SSA-1696-U4 allows SSA to inform representatives of items that affect the recipient's claim, and allows claimants to give permission to their appointed representatives to designate a person to receive their claims files. Respondents are applicants for or recipients of Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income payments who are notifying SSA they have appointed a person to represent them in their dealings with SSA.

Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information collection.

Modality of collection	Number of respondents	Frequency of response	Average burden per response (minutes)	Estimated total annual burden (hours)
SSA-1696-U4	800,000	1	10	133,333

Dated: November 19, 2013.

Faye Lipsky,

Reports Clearance Director, Social Security Administration.