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0960-0004 202202-0960-007
Historical Active 201810-0960-018
SSA
Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits
Revision of a currently approved collection   No
Regular
Approved without change 06/23/2023
06/01/2022
Prior to tri-annual renewal of this information collection request, the agency will substantially expand the description and justification for this information collection in the Supporting Statement A. Consistent with M-22-10, this expanded discussion (in Question Prompt #2) should address the following aspects of the collection: (1) Provide a discussion about the common pathways a widow or widower would learn about how to apply for benefits (e.g. being informed by the funeral home, being informed through direct outreach from SSA, such as a notice, or independently researching the matter); (2) Explain the common circumstances in which the agency requires documentation from the respondent (or whether it is source from other entities) regarding proof of death, proof of marriage, proof of income of the deceased or respondent, and any other common documentation requirements; (3) Explain if there are any circumstances in which the agency proactively contacts a known spouse or survivor after receiving indication from the funeral home or state vital services that the number holder had deceased; (4) Explain in additional detail whether or not, during an interview application, the agency is able to use information already on file about the deceased to support or facilitate the respondent’s answers to questions 7 and 8 (regarding the deceased’s income); question 10 (regarding the deceased’s former marriages); and questions 21 and 22 (regarding the surviving spouse’s recent income); (5) Provide any relevant management information that can demonstrate the amount of SSA-10s that are successfully filed and adjudicated in a single touchpoint (i.e. the phone call in which the application interview is conducted) vs. SSA-10s that require multiple touchpoints, such as through the need to provision additional evidence or because the respondent lacks sufficient information during the initial interview with SSA; (6) Provide management information on the number of SSA-10s that are denied each year. No later than 18 months after approval of this information collection, the agency will update the “Surviving Spouse” page of SSA’s website to: (1) For each “subsection,” make more prominent the specific methods for “taking action” (e.g. filing a claim) through ensuring better placement at the top of the section and improved visual presentation of phone numbers or the use of buttons to link prospective respondents to the necessary modality for completing the information collection. (2) To update the language of “For example, if the person died in July, you must return the benefits paid in August” to more clearly explain that benefits paid in August would be from the payment owed the number holder for July (e.g. by adding a parenthetical to the end of the sentence with verbiage like “(because the benefit they receive in August is for the month of July)”. (3) Make any necessary changes to improve greater consistency between the use of “Surviving spouse” vs. “Widow/Widower” among the form and any information materials, if appropriate.
  Inventory as of this Action Requested Previously Approved
06/30/2026 36 Months From Approved 06/30/2023
572,656 0 521,039
286,328 0 121,614
0 0 0