Supporting Statement - 0013 (Final)

Supporting Statement for Form SSA-8

Application For Lump-Sum Death Payment

20 CFR 404.390-404.392

OMB No. 0960-0013

A. Justification

1. Introduction/Authoring Laws and Regulations

Title II of the Social Security Act (Act) provides for payment of a lump-sum death payment (not to exceed $255) upon the death of an insured individual. Section 202(i) of the Act explains the conditions of eligibility for this payment, including the filing of an application. Regulations at 20 CFR 404.390-404.392 of the Code of Federal Regulations set the procedures and policies for implementing Section 202(i) of the Act. 20 CFR 404.392 requires individual applicants to file an application to collect the information needed to determine eligibility for the payment.

2. Description of Collection

Upon death of an insured individual, applicants can apply for payment of a lump‑sum death payment (LSDP). Applicants can find directions to apply for LSDP, as well as the information they will need to provide to SSA on SSA’s website. In addition, field office staff can assist individuals who wish to apply for LSDP. SSA uses Form SSA-8 to collect information we need to authorize payment of the LSDP to a widow, widower, or children of the deceased, as defined in Section 202(i) of the Act. Respondents complete the application for this one-time payment through use of the paper form, or personal interview with an SSA employee either via telephone, or in a field office. For all personal interviews (either telephone or in-person), we collect the information via our electronic Modernized Claim System (MCS) screens. When a respondent completes the paper Form SSA-8, they mail it back to SSA. Respondents are applicants for the LSDP.

2. Use of Information Technology to Collect the Information

SSA created and uses the Modernized Claims System (MCS) screens to document information we obtain from individuals during an interview (telephone or in person). MCS is an internal electronic forms system available to SSA Claims Specialists that allows technicians to collect the data to process applications. We estimate claims specialists take approximately 99% of the applications via interview. In addition, the SSA-8 is available as a fillable PDF version on our website. This collection does not currently have a fully public-facing Internet version, as we prioritized other information collections for full electronic conversions.  Given that IT Mod programming is an ongoing, dynamic project, we cannot provide specific timelines for when we will be able to make any particular ICR available via Internet web-based application.  We will ultimately convert most existing ICRs to full electronic versions depending on how they fall within our overall IT Mod schema, but this may be unconnected to the PRA approval lifecycle. 

In the interim, we evaluated this collection for conversion to a submittable PDF.  Given the high volume of conversions we are coordinating and the more urgent nature of some of the other conversions, we ultimately decided not to prioritize this ICR for conversion to fully submittable PDF at this time.  When we are able to schedule this form for conversion to a submittable PDF, we will submit a Change Request to OMB to request prior approval.

2. Why We Cannot Use Duplicate Information

The nature of the information we collect and the manner in which we collect it precludes duplication. SSA does not use another collection instrument to obtain similar data.

5. Minimizing Burden on Small Respondents

This collection does not affect small businesses or other small entities.

6. Consequence of Not Collecting Information or Collecting it Less Frequently

If we did not use Form SSA-8, we would have no way to determine eligibility for LSDP, and would be unable to authorize payments to the widow, widower, or children of the deceased beneficiary. Because we collect the information on an as needed basis, we cannot collect it less frequently. There are no technical or legal obstacles to burden reduction.

7. Special Circumstances

There are no special circumstances that would cause SSA to conduct this information collection in a manner inconsistent with 5 CFR 1320.5.

8. Solicitation of Public Comment and Other Consultations with the Public

The 60-day advance Federal Register Notice published on June 30, 2022, at 87 FR 39153, and we received no public comments. The 30-day FRN published on September 20, 2022 at 87 FR 57551. If we receive any comments in response to this Notice, we will forward them to OMB.

8. Payment or Gifts to Respondents

SSA does not provide payments or gifts to the respondents.

8. Assurances of Confidentiality

SSA protects and holds confidential the information it collects in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 1306, 20 CFR 401 and 402, 5 U.S.C. 552 (Freedom of Information Act), 5 U.S.C. 552a (Privacy Act of 1974), and OMB Circular No. A-130.

8. Justification for Sensitive Questions

The information collection does not contain any questions of a sensitive nature.

8. Estimates of Public Reporting Burden

Please see the burden chart below:

Modality of Completion	Number of Respondents	Frequency of Response	Average Burden per Response (minutes)	Estimated Total Annual Burden (hours)	Average Theoretical Hourly Cost Amount (dollars)*	Average Wait Time in Field Office or for Teleservice Centers (minutes) **	Total Annual Opportunity Cost (dollars)***
SSA-8 (MCS Version)	733,254	1	9	109,988	$28.01*	21**	$10,269,222***
SSA-8 (Paper Version)	5,747	1	10	958	$28.01*		$26,834***
Totals	739,001			110,946			$10,296,056***

* We based this figure on the average U.S. worker’s hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm).

** We based this figure by averaging the average FY 2022 wait times for field offices and teleservice centers, based on SSA’s current management information data.

*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather, these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to respondents to complete the application.

In addition, OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is requiring SSA to use a rough estimate of a 30-minute, one-way, drive time in our calculations of the time burden for this collection. OIRA based their estimation on a spatial analysis of SSA’s current field office locations and the location of the average population centers based on census tract information, which likely represents a 13.97 mile driving distance for one-way travel. We depict this on the chart below:

Total Number of Respondents Who Visit a Field Office	Frequency of Response	Average One-Way Travel Time to a Field Office (minutes)	Estimated Total Travel Time to a Field Office (hours)	Total Annual Opportunity Cost for Travel Time (dollars)****
733,254	1	30	366,627	$10,269,222****

**** We based this dollar amount on the Average Theoretical Hourly Cost Amount in dollars shown on the burden chart above.

Per OIRA, we include this travel time burden estimate under the 5 CFR 1320.8(a)(4), which requires us to provide “time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons [for]…transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the information,” as well as 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3)(iii) which requires us to estimate “the average burden collection…to the extent practicable.” SSA notes that we do not obtain or maintain any data on travel times to a field office, nor do we have any data which shows that the average respondent drives to a field office, rather than using any other mode of transport. SSA also acknowledges that respondents’ mode of travel and, therefore, travel times vary widely dependent on region, mode of travel, and actual proximity to a field office.

NOTE: We included the total opportunity cost estimate from this chart in our calculations when showing the total time and opportunity cost estimates in the paragraph below.

We base our burden estimates on current management information data, which includes data from actual interviews, as well as from years of conducting this information collection.  Per our management information data, we believe that 9 and 10 minutes accurately shows the average burden per response for reading the instructions, gathering the facts, and answering the questions.  Based on our current management information data, the current burden information we provided is accurate.  The total burden for this collection instrument is 110,946 burden hours (reflecting SSA management information data), which results in an associated theoretical (not actual) opportunity cost financial burden of $20,565,278.  SSA does not charge respondents to complete our applications.

13. Annual Cost to the Respondents (Other)

This collection does not impose a known cost burden on the respondents.

13. Annual Cost To Federal Government

The annual cost to the Federal Government is approximately $3,303,420. This estimate accounts for costs from the following areas:

Description of Cost Factor	Methodology for Estimating Cost	Cost in Dollars*
Designing and Printing the Form	Design Cost + Printing Cost	$0*
Distributing, Shipping, and Material Costs for the Form	Distribution + Shipping + Material Cost	$0*
SSA Employee (e.g., field office, 800 number, DDS staff) Information Collection and Processing Time	GS-9 employee x # of responses x processing time	$3,300,000
Full-Time Equivalent Costs	Out of pocket costs + Other expenses for providing this service	$0*
Systems Development, Updating, and Maintenance	GS-9 employee x man hours for development, updating, maintenance	$3,420
Quantifiable IT Costs	Any additional IT costs	$0*
Total		$3,303,420

* We have inserted a $0 amount for cost factors that do not apply to this collection.

SSA is unable to break down the costs to the Federal government further than we already have.  It is difficult for us to break down the cost for processing a single form, as field office staff often help respondents fill out several forms at once, and the time it takes to do so can vary greatly per respondent.  As well, because so many employees have a hand in each aspect of our forms, we use an estimated average hourly wage, based on the wage of our average field office employee (GS-9) for these calculations.  However, we have calculated these costs as accurately as possible based on the information we collect for creating, updating, and maintaining these information collections.

15. Program Changes or Adjustments to the Information Collection Request

When we last cleared this IC in 2019, the burden was 99,407 hours. However, we are currently reporting a burden of 110,946 hours. This change stems from an increase in the number of responses from 662,107 to 739,001. There is no change to the burden time per response. Although the number of respondents changed, SSA did not take any actions to cause this change. These figures represent current Management Information data.

Note: The total burden reflected in ROCIS is 734,212, while the burden cited in #12 of the Supporting Statement is 110,946. This discrepancy is because the ROCIS burden reflects the following components: field office and teleservice center waiting time + a rough estimate of a 30-minute, one-way, drive burden. In contrast, the chart in #12 of the Supporting Statement reflects actual burden.

16. Plans for Publication Information Collection Results

SSA will not publish the results of the information collection.

17. Displaying the OMB Approval Expiration Date

OMB granted SSA an exemption from the requirement to print the OMB expiration date on its program forms. SSA produces millions of public-use forms with life cycles exceeding those of an OMB approval. Since SSA does not periodically revise and reprint its public-use forms, (e.g., on an annual basis), OMB granted this exemption so SSA would not have to destroy stocks of otherwise usable forms with expired OMB approval dates, avoiding Government waste .

18. Exceptions to Certification Statement

SSA is not requesting an exception to the certification requirements at 5 CFR 1320.9 and related provisions at 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

SSA does not use statistical methods for this information collection.