2015-15081. Agency Information Collection Activities: 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].

Or you may submit your comments online through www.regulations.gov,, referencing Docket ID Number [SSA-2015-0029].

SSA submitted the information collections below to OMB for clearance. Your comments regarding the information collections 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 July 20, 2015. Individuals can obtain copies of the OMB clearance packages by writing to [e-mail].

1. Statement of Care and Responsibility for Beneficiary—20 CFR 404.2020, 404.2025, 408.620, 408.625, 416.620, 416.625—0960-0109. SSA uses the information from Form SSA-788 to verify payee applicants' statements of concern and to identify other potential payees. SSA is concerned with selecting the most qualified representative payee who will use Social Security benefits in the beneficiary's best interest. SSA considers factors such as the payee applicant's capacity to perform payee duties; awareness of the beneficiary's situation and needs; demonstration of past and current concern for the beneficiary's well-being; etc. If the payee applicant does not have custody of the beneficiary, SSA will obtain information from the custodian for evaluation against information provided by the applicant. Respondents are individuals who have custody of the beneficiary in cases where someone else filed to be the beneficiary's representative payee.

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

Modality of completion	Number of respondents	Frequency of response	Average burden per response (minutes)	Estimated total annual burden (hours)
SSA-788	130,000	1	10	21,667

2. Representative Payee Report-Special Veterans Benefits—20 CFR 408.665—0960-0621. Title VIII of the Social Security Act allows for payment of monthly Social Security benefits to qualified World War II veterans residing outside the United States. An SSA-appointed representative payee may receive and manage the monthly payment for the beneficiary's use and benefit. SSA uses the information on Form SSA-2001-F6 to determine whether the representative payee used the certified payments properly, and continues to demonstrate strong concern for the beneficiary's best interests. Representative payees who receive SVB on behalf of beneficiaries residing outside the United States must complete the SSA-2001-F6 annually. We also require these representative payees to complete the form any time we have reason to believe they could be misusing the benefit payments. The respondents are individuals or organizations serving as representative payees who receive SVB on behalf of beneficiaries living outside the United States.

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

Modality of completion	Number of respondents	Frequency of response	Average burden per response (minutes)	Estimated total annual burden (hours)
SSA-2001-F6	50	1	10	8

3. Social Security Number Verification Services—20 CFR 401.45—0960-0660. Internal Revenue Service regulations require employers to provide wage and tax data to SSA using Form W-2 or its electronic equivalent. As part of this process, the employer must furnish the employee's name and Social Security number (SSN). In addition, the employee's name and SSN must match SSA's records for SSA to post earnings to the employee's earnings record, which SSA maintains. SSA offers the Social Security Number Verification Service (SSNVS), which allows employers to verify the reported names and SSNs of their employees match those in SSA's records. SSNVS is a cost-free method for employers to verify employee information either through the Internet or via telephone. The respondents are employers who need to verify SSN data using SSA's records.

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

Modality of completion	Number of respondents	Frequency of response	(Number of responses)	Average burden per response (minutes)	Estimated total annual burden (hours)
SSNVS Internet	44,975	60	(2,698,500)	5	224,875
SSNVS Telephone	1,750	2	(3,500)	10	583
Totals	46,725		(2,702,000)		225,458

Dated: June 16, 2015.

Faye I. Lipsky,

Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.