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OMB Control No: 0960-0160	ICR Reference No: 202503-0960-006
Status: Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 202405-0960-003
Agency/Subagency: SSA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Government Pension Questionnaire
Type of Information Collection: No material or nonsubstantive change to a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 03/17/2025
	Date Received in OIRA: 03/14/2025
Terms of Clearance: Approved as a non-substantive change consistent with required changes under the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 and the burden-reducing nature of these changes.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	05/31/2027	05/31/2027	05/31/2027
Responses	32,478	0	32,478
Time Burden (Hours)	36,267	0	36,267
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Abstract: The basic Social Security benefits application (OMB No. 0960-0618) contains a lead question asking if the applicants are qualified (or will qualify) to receive a government pension. If the respondent is qualified, or will qualify, to receive a government pension, the applicant completes Form SSA 3885 either on paper or through a personal interview with an SSA claims representative (CR). If the applicants are not entitled to receive a government pension at the time they apply for Social Security benefits, SSA requires them to provide the government pension information as beneficiaries when they become eligible to receive their pensions. Regardless of the timing, at some point the applicants or beneficiaries must complete and sign Form SSA-3885 to report information about their government pensions before the pensions begin. SSA uses the information to: (1) determine whether the Government Pension Offset provision applies; (2) identify exceptions as stated in 20 CFR 404.408a; and (3) determine the benefit reduction amount and effective date. If the applicants and beneficiaries do not respond using this questionnaire, SSA offsets their entire benefit amount. The respondents are applicants or recipients of spousal benefits who are eligible for or already receiving a Government pension. We are submitting this Change Request to revise the instruction due to the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 (SSFA), which repealed the WEP and Government Pension Offset (GPO) provisions for benefits payable for months after December 2023.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 42 USC 402 Name of Law: Social Security Act

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	85 FR 45723	07/29/2020
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	85 FR 60509	09/25/2020
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Government Pension Questionnaire	SSA-3885

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved
Annual Number of Responses	32,478	32,478
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	36,267	36,267
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement:

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $49,317

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Faye Lipsky 410 965-8783 faye.lipsky@ssa.gov

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