Social Security Administration 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the Department of Defense (DOD), Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC).

We are finalizing our proposed rule to expand the definition of a public assistance (PA) household for purposes of our programs, particularly the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, to include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as an additional means-tested public income-maintenance (PIM) program. We are also revising the definition of a PA household from a household in which every member receives some kind of PIM payment to a household that has both an SSI applicant or recipient, and at least one other household member who receives one or more of the listed PIM payments (the any other definition). If determined to be living in a PA household, inside in-kind support and maintenance (ISM) would no longer need to be developed. The final rule will decrease the number of SSI applicants and recipients charged with ISM from others within their household. In addition, we expect this rule to decrease the amount of income we would deem to SSI applicants and recipients because we will no longer deem as income from ineligible spouses and parents who live in the same household: the value of the SNAP benefits that they receive; any income that was counted or excluded in figuring the amount of that payment; or any income that was used to determine the amount of SNAP benefits to someone else. These policy changes reduce administrative burden for low-income households and SSA.

We are finalizing our proposed regulation to apply nationwide the In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) rental subsidy exception that has until now been available only for SSI applicants and recipients residing in seven States. This final rule provides that a "business arrangement" exists, such that the SSI applicant or recipient is not considered to be receiving ISM in the form of room or rent, when the amount of monthly required rent for the property equals or exceeds the presumed maximum value (PMV).

We are updating our Supplemental Security Income (SSI) regulations to remove food from the calculations of In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM). We are also adding conforming language to our definition of income. These changes simplify our rules by making them less cumbersome to administer and easier for the public to understand and follow, and they improve the equitable treatment of food assistance within the SSI program. This final rule also includes other minor revisions to our regulations related to income, including clarifying our longstanding position that income may be received ``constructively.''

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, we are issuing public notice of our intent to modify our existing systems of records listed below under the System Name and Number section. This notice publishes details of the modified systems as set forth below under the caption, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Section 824 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (BBA) authorizes the Commissioner of Social Security to enter into information exchanges with payroll data providers to obtain wage and employment information. We use wage and employment information to administer the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) disability and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act (Act). We are proposing these rules pursuant to section 824 of the BBA, which requires us to prescribe, by regulation, procedures for implementing the access to and use of the information held by payroll data providers. We expect these proposed rules will support proper use of information exchanges with payroll data providers that will help us administer our programs more efficiently and prevent improper payments under titles II and XVI of the Act, which can otherwise occur when we do not receive timely and accurate wage and employment information.

In accordance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010, we are publishing this notice to advise the public of the availability of the FY 2021 Service Contract inventory.

The Social Security Administration is giving notice of its updated maximum civil monetary penalties. These amounts are effective from January 15, 2024 through January 14, 2025. These figures represent an annual adjustment for inflation. The updated figures and notification are required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, we are issuing public notice of our intent to modify our existing systems of records listed below under the System Name and Number section. This notice publishes details of the modified systems as set forth below under the caption, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.