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<REGINFO_RIN_DATA xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" RUN_DATE="2026-04-28-04:00" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/xml/REGINFO_XML_Ver10262011.xsd">
    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>0960-AF78</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>200904</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>0960</CODE>
            <NAME>Social Security Administration</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>SSA</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>Stepchild Entitlement and Termination Requirements (934F)</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[We will amend our regulations to incorporate the changes to the entitlement and termination requirements for stepchild's benefits introduced by the Contract with America Advancement Act of 1996. The statutory changes allow a stepchild to be considered dependent upon an insured stepparent for purposes of entitlement to benefits as a stepchild, only if he or she is receiving at least one-half support from the insured stepparent. The changes also require benefit termination when the stepchild's natural parent and the insured stepparent divorce. We will extend the termination requirement to include: (1) a divorce that ends the marriage between a stepchild's adoptive parent and the insured stepparent; and (2) a prospective annulment that ends the marriage between a stepchild's natural or adoptive parent and the stepparent. We also will include in the regulations our longstanding policy that a stepchild's benefits are terminated when the marriage between the stepchild's parent and the stepparent is annulled from the beginning (ab initio). These rules will reflect enacted legislation and provide accurate and complete guidelines for determining entitlement to benefits.]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Substantive, Nonsignificant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>Previously Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Final Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>No</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.352</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.363</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 402</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 403(a) to 403(b)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 405(a)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 416</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 423</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 425</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 428(a) to 428(e)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 902(a)(5)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST/>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>No</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>08/12/2003</TTBL_DATE>
                <FR_CITATION>68 FR 47877</FR_CITATION>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM Comment Period End</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>10/14/2003</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Final Action</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>12/00/2009</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>No</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>No</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>None</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <ENERGY_AFFECTED>No</ENERGY_AFFECTED>
        <PUBLIC_COMMENT_URL>www.regulations.gov</PUBLIC_COMMENT_URL>
        <PRINT_PAPER>No</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>No</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Peter</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>White</LAST_NAME>
                <TITLE>Social Insurance Specialist</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>0960</CODE>
                    <NAME>Social Security Administration</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>SSA</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>410 594-2041</PHONE>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Office of Income Security Programs, 6401 Security Boulevard,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Baltimore</CITY>
                    <STATE>MD</STATE>
                    <ZIP>21235-6401</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Suzanne</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>DiMarino</LAST_NAME>
                <TITLE>Social Insurance Specialist, Regulations Writer</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>0960</CODE>
                    <NAME>Social Security Administration</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>SSA</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>410 965-7102</PHONE>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Office of Regulations, 6401 Security Boulevard,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Baltimore</CITY>
                    <STATE>MD</STATE>
                    <ZIP>21225-6401</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
