Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed 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 and one new collection.

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 ( printed page 48471) 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

(SSA) Social Security Administration, OLCA, Attn: Reports Clearance Director, Mail Stop 3253 Altmeyer, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235, Fax: 833-410-1631, Email address: OR.Reports.Clearance@ssa.gov

Or you may submit your comments online through https://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAmain by clicking on Currently under Review—Open for Public Comments and choosing to click on one of SSA's published items. Please reference Docket ID Number [SSA-2026-0727] in your submitted response.

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 September 29, 2026. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection instruments by writing to the above email address.

1. Application for Parent's Insurance Benefits—20 CFR 404.370, 404.371, 404.373, 404.374 & 404.601-404.603—0960-0012. Section 202(h) of the Social Security Act (Act) establishes the conditions of eligibility a claimant must meet to receive monthly benefits as a parent of a deceased worker who was contributing at least one-half of the parent's support at the time of the worker's death or when the worker became disabled. SSA uses information from Form SSA-7-F6, Application for Parent's Insurance Benefits, to determine if the claimant meets the eligibility criteria. The respondents are applicants filing for Parent's Insurance Benefits.

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

2. Employment Relationship Questionnaire—20 CFR 404.1007—0960-0040. When SSA needs to confirm a worker's employment status to ensure the accuracy of a worker's earning records, the agency uses Form SSA-7160, Employment Relationship Questionnaire, to determine the existence of an employer-employee relationship. We use the information this form collects to determine whether a beneficiary is self-employed, or if the beneficiary is an employee. The respondents are individuals seeking to establish their status as employees, as well as households, businesses, and state or local governments seeking to establish their status as alleged employers.

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

3. Farm Self-Employment Questionnaire—20 CFR 404.1082(c) & 404.1095—0960-0061. SSA collects the information on Form SSA-7156 on a voluntary and as-needed basis to determine the existence of an agriculture trade or business which may affect the insured status or monthly benefit of a retirement applicant. When an applicant indicates self-employment as a farmer, SSA uses the SSA-7165 to determine the existence of an agricultural trade or business, and to calculate subsequent covered earnings for Social Security entitlement purposes the applicant is claiming. As part of the application process, we conduct a personal interview, either face-to-face or via telephone, and document the interview using Form SSA-7165. Alternately, applicants have the option of using our Upload Documents portal (OMB No. 0960-0830), which allows them to complete and submit the form online in lieu of an interview. The respondents are applicants for Social Security benefits whose entitlement and amount of benefits depend on establishing whether the worker received covered earnings from self-employment as a farmer, and if so how much they earned. ( printed page 48472)

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

4. Certification by Religious Group—20 CFR 404.1075—0960-0093. Under the Internal Revenue Code, Section 1402(g), certain self-employed religious group members may receive a waiver of all Social Security benefits and payments and thus will be exempt from paying Social Security taxes, if SSA determines they qualify for the waiver. A religious group's authorized spokesperson completes and submits to SSA Form SSA-1458, Certification by Religious Group, so SSA can verify if religious organizational members meet or continue to meet the criteria for exemption. The respondents are spokespersons for religious groups or sects seeking a waiver for Social Security payments and benefits under IRS Code Section 1402(g).

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

5. Notice Regarding Substitution of Party Upon Death of Claimant Reconsideration of Disability Cessation—20 CFR 404.907-404.921 and 416.1407-416.1421—0960-0351. When a claimant dies before we make a determination on that person's request for reconsideration of a disability cessation, SSA seeks a qualified substitute party who may choose to pursue the appeal. If SSA locates a qualified substitute party, the agency uses Form SSA-770-U4 to collect information about whether to pursue or withdraw the reconsideration request. We use this information as the basis for the decision to continue or discontinue with the appeals process. Respondents are individuals with a relationship to the deceased or the deceased's estate who may be made a substitute party and proceed with or withdraw the reconsideration request.

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

6. Missing and Discrepant Wage Reports Letters, Questionnaires, and Online Reconciliation Application—20 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. Employers are required to report the same figures to SSA and the IRS. However, each year some of the employer wage reports SSA receives are different than the amounts the same employers report to the IRS. SSA uses Forms SSA-L93-SM, SSA-L94-SM, SSA-95-SM, and SSA-97-SM to work with employers to resolve the discrepancy and, ultimately, to ensure employees receive full credit for their wages. This information collection tool also includes the online IRS/SSA Reconciliation portal, which is a streamlined version of the SSA-95-SM and the SSA-97-SM. The IRS/SSA Reconciliation portal will guide employers to the appropriate solutions ( printed page 48473) and will link the users to on-line tools to correct issues. The respondents are employers who reported different wage amounts to SSA than they reported to the IRS.

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

7. Request for Social Security Earning Information—20 CFR 404.100 and 404.810—0960-0525. The Act permits wage earners, or their authorized representatives, to request Social Security earnings information from SSA using Form SSA-7050-F4. SSA uses the information the respondent provides on Form SSA-7050-F4 to verify the wage earner has: (1) Earnings; (2) the right to access the correct Social Security Record; and (3) the right to request the earnings statement. If we verify all three items, SSA produces an Itemized Statement of Earnings (Form SSA-1826), which includes the names and addresses of employers, or a Certified Yearly Totals of Earnings, and sends it to the requestor (if we cannot verify the items, we inform the respondent we cannot provide them with the requested Statement of Earnings due to this mismatch). The agency charges respondents for sending them an Itemized Statement of Earnings, or for a Certified Yearly Totals of Earnings. Respondents are wage earners and their authorized representatives who are requesting Itemized Statement of Earnings records or Certified Yearly Totals of Earnings.

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

8. Function Report Adult-Third Party—20 CFR 404.1512 & 416.912—0960-0635. Individuals applying for or receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) must provide SSA with medical evidence and other proof SSA requires to prove their disability. SSA, and Disability Determination Services (DDS) on our behalf, collect information from third parties who know the adult applying for SSDI or SSI and who can provide information about how the adult's purported disability affects the adult's ability to function. The respondents are third parties familiar with the functional limitations (or lack thereof) of claimants for or recipients of SSI and SSDI benefits.

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

9. Function Report—Adult 20 CFR 404.1512 and 416.912—0960-0681. SSA requires individuals applying for or receiving SSDI or SSI benefits to provide us with medical evidence and other information we may need to prove their disability. SSA staff, and on SSA's behalf, State Disability Determination Services' employees, use Form SSA-3373, an in-person interview, or a telephone interview to collect information directly from an adult SSI ( printed page 48474) or SSDI claimant or recipient about how their purported disability affects their activities, capabilities, and general ability to function. We use this information to help determine eligibility, or continued eligibility, for SSI and SSDI claims. The respondents are adult Title II and Title XVI claimants, or current recipients undergoing redeterminations of benefits.

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

10. Electronic Records Express (ERE) and Electronic Records Appointed Representative Services (ERE-ARS)—20 CFR 404.1512 and 416.912—0960-0753. Electronic Records Express (ERE) is a web-based SSA system that allows medical providers, educational providers, and other third parties, such as teachers and school administrators, to electronically submit disability claimant evidence to SSA after the system users completing the required registration process. SSA and State agency employees use ERE to request and receive medical and educational records needed to determine eligibility for disability benefits. When the available evidence provided to us is insufficient, SSA also uses ERE to order and receive consultative examination reports. This information collection tool also includes ERE Appointed Representative Services (ERE-ARS), which allows appointed representatives to securely access online copies of documents and digital audio hearing recordings contained in their clients' disability claim files. Through ERE-ARS, appointed representatives can obtain the same information that SSA provides to disability claimants. To ensure only authorized people access ERE or ERE-ARS, SSA requires third parties to complete a unique registration process if they wish to use this system. The respondents are medical providers who evaluate or treat disability claimants or recipients, other third parties with connections to disability applicants or recipients ( e.g., Teachers and school administrators for child disability applicants), and appointed representative who voluntarily choose to use ERE or ERE-ARS.

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

11. Management of Authorization for Government Users, Institutions, and Customers (MAGIC)—20 CFR 401.45, 20 CFR 402—0960-NEW.

Introduction

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is creating a new public credentialing and authorization process, hereafter called Management of Authorization for Government Users, Institutions, and Customers (MAGIC), that provides secure access to SSA's electronic services for the Business Services Online (BSO) and Government Services Online (GSO) users.

Background

Currently SSA Integrated Registration Services (IRES), OMB No. 0960-0626, provides authentication and authorization services to support business and government services through our BSO and GSO websites. Built in the late 1990s and early 2000s, IRES does not meet current federal authentication and digital identity requirements. Because of that, we decommissioned IRES registration as of July 2025, to ensure new users are not using the system.

Our new application, MAGIC, will replace IRES as the new registration and authorization process for Business Services Online (BSO) and Government Services Online (GSO). The new process will allow individuals within business and government entities to fully manage access for their users.

Management of Authorization for Government Users, Institutions, and Customers (MAGIC)

MAGIC is a self-service authorization framework. Each entity will designate a Responsible Entity Officer (REO) who is authorized to execute agreements on behalf of the entity that are legally binding and enforceable. The REO should have authority to access any information available to the entity through any Social Security service; authorize the disclosure of that information when appropriate; and delegate other individuals to have access to it.

Each designated REO will create a MAGIC account and self-attest, acknowledging responsibility for all business conducted in MAGIC, BSO, ( printed page 48475) and GSO on behalf of their organization. As a convenience, our framework includes additional administrative roles that the REO can delegate, authorizing another individual to manage the organization's MAGIC account. The REO and additional administrative roles have a higher level of safeguarding and security. The REO and/or additional administrative roles will delegate service roles authorizing other users to conduct specific BSO/GSO business during a specified timeframe on the organization's behalf, which includes third-party organizations. Both the REO and Administrator can revoke service roles as well. Every user ( i.e., REO, Administrator, or Service User) will use their own credential to access MAGIC and BSO/GSO.

Currently, we accept credentials from Login.gov or ID.me through our eAccess platform (OMB No. 0960-0789). MAGIC will then allow businesses to specify who is appropriate to act on the business' behalf. MAGIC will offer the following options for the REO:

• Includes a single credential through one of SSAs CSPs to any customer who wants to do business online with the agency and meets the eligibility criteria (approved under OMB Control No. OMB #0960-0789);
• Allows users to give authorization to the appropriate employees to conduct business with us;
• Offers access to some of our services online while providing us an acceptable level of confidence in the identity of the person requesting access to these services;
• Uses a risk-based approach to balance security, ease of use, compliance, cost, and feasibility consideration; and
• Provides a user-friendly means for the public to conduct extended business with us online instead of visiting local servicing offices or requesting information over the phone.

In addition, MAGIC will offer organizational REOs the option of technician assistance for unlocking and blocking user accounts within their organization, or for terminating the REO account. In this way, MAGIC will give more flexibility to organizations and businesses who do business with SSA through the BSO and GSO portals. MAGIC will offer organizations accessibility to SSA's online services, ensuring our online services are both secure and user-friendly which both an agency priority and is vital to good public service.

Respondents are individuals registering and authorizing users for access to BSO and GSO.

Type of Request: Request for a new information collection.