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 and an extension 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: 202-395-6974, Email address: OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov.

(SSA)

Social Security Administration, OLCA, Attn: Reports Clearance Director, 3100 West High Rise, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235, Fax: 410-966-2830, Email address: OR.Reports.Clearance@ssa.gov,

Or you may submit your comments online through www.regulations.gov , referencing Docket ID Number [SSA-2015-0072].

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 February 1, 2016. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection instruments by writing to the above email address.

1. Employer Verification of Records for Children Under Age Seven—20 CFR 404.801-404.803, 404.821-404.822—0960-0505. SSA discovered as many as 70 percent of the wage reports we receive for children under age seven are actually the earnings of someone other than the child. To ensure we credit the correct person with the reported earnings, SSA verifies wage reports for children under age seven with the children's employers before posting to the earnings record. SSA uses Form SSA-L3231-C1, Request for Employer Information, for this purpose. The respondents are employers who report earnings for children under age seven.

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

2. Wage Reports and Pension Information—20 CFR 422.122(b)—0960-0547. Pension plan administrators annually file plan information with the Internal Revenue Service, which then forwards the information to SSA. SSA maintains and organizes this information by plan number; plan participant's name; and Social Security number. Section 1131(a) of the Social Security Act entitles pension plan participants to request this information from SSA. The Wage Reports and Pension Information regulation, 20 CFR 422.122(b) of the Code of Federal Regulations, stipulates that before SSA disseminates this information, the requestor must first submit a written request with identifying information to SSA. The respondents are requestors of pension plan information.

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

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 January 4, 2016. Individuals can obtain copies of the OMB clearance package by writing to OR.Reports.Clearance@ssa.gov.

Pre-1957 Military Service Federal Benefit Questionnaire—20 CFR 404.1301-404.1371—0960-0120. SSA may grant gratuitous military wage credits for active military or naval service (under certain conditions) during the period September 16, 1940 through December 31, 1956, if no other Federal agency (other than the Veterans Administration) credited the service for benefit eligibility or computation purposes. We use Form SSA-2512 to collect specific information about other Federal, military, or civilian benefits the wage earner may receive when the applicant indicates both pre-1957 military service and the receipt of a Federal benefit. SSA uses the data in the claims adjudication process to grant gratuitous military wage credits when applicable, and to solicit sufficient information to determine eligibility. Respondents are applicants for Social Security benefits on a record where the wage earner claims pre-1957 military service.

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