[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 18, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64923-64924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27369]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2018-0067]


Rate for Assessment on Direct Payment of Fees to Representatives 
in 2019

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are announcing that the assessment percentage rate under 
the Social Security Act (Act) is 6.3 percent for 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey C. Blair, Associate General 
Counsel for Program Law, Office of the General Counsel, Social Security 
Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401. 
Phone: (410) 965-3157, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#aae0cfcccc84e8c6cbc3d8ead9d9cb84cdc5dc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="09436c6f6f274b6568607b497a7a68276e667f">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A claimant may appoint a qualified 
individual as a representative to act on his or her behalf in matters 
before the

[[Page 64924]]

Social Security Administration (SSA). If the claimant is entitled to 
past-due benefits and was represented either by an attorney or by a 
non-attorney representative who has met certain prerequisites, the Act 
provides that we may withhold up to 25 percent of the past-due benefits 
and use that money to pay the representative's approved fee directly to 
the representative.
    When we pay the representative's fee directly to the 
representative, we must collect from that fee payment an assessment to 
recover the costs we incur in determining and paying representatives' 
fees. The Act provides that the assessment we collect will be the 
lesser of two amounts: A specified dollar limit; or the amount 
determined by multiplying the fee we are paying by the assessment 
percentage rate.\1\
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    \1\ 42 U.S.C. 406(d), 406(e), and 1383(d)(2).
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    The Act initially set the dollar limit at $75 in 2004 and provides 
that the limit will be adjusted annually based on changes in the cost-
of-living.\2\ The maximum dollar limit for the assessment currently is 
$95, as we announced in the Federal Register on October 24, 2018 (83 FR 
53702).
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    \2\ 42 U.S.C. 406(d)(2)(A) and 1383(d)(2)(C)(ii)(I).
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    The Act requires us each year to set the assessment percentage rate 
at the lesser of 6.3 percent or the percentage rate necessary to 
achieve full recovery of the costs we incur to determine and pay 
representatives' fees.\3\
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    \3\ 42 U.S.C. 406(d)(2)(B)(ii) and 1383(d)(2)(C)(ii)(II).
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    Based on the best available data, we have determined that the 
current rate of 6.3 percent will continue for 2019. We will continue to 
review our costs for these services on a yearly basis.

    Dated: December 11, 2018.
Michelle King,
Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, and Management.
[FR Doc. 2018-27369 Filed 12-17-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P


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