Incorporation by Reference of Oral Findings of Fact and Rationale in Wholly Favorable Written Decisions

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status

No forms / supporting documents in this ICR. Check IC Document Collections.

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
9748	Notice of Bench Decision - HA-82 Other-Notice	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0960-0694	ICR Reference No: 202601-0960-003
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202211-0960-001
Agency/Subagency: SSA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Incorporation by Reference of Oral Findings of Fact and Rationale in Wholly Favorable Written Decisions
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 03/23/2026

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	03/31/2026
Responses	622	2,500
Time Burden (Hours)	207	833
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: If an administrative law judge (ALJ) makes a wholly favorable oral decision, including all the findings and rationale for the decision for a claimant of Title II or Title XVI payments, at an administrative appeals hearing, the ALJ sends a Notice of Decision (Form HA-82), as the records from the oral hearing preclude the need for a written decision. We call this the incorporation-by-reference process. In addition, the regulations for this process state that if the involved parties want a record of the oral decision, they may submit a written request for these records. SSA collects identifying information under the aegis of Sections 20 CFR 404.953 and 416.1453 of the Code of Federal Regulations to determine how to send interested individuals written records of a favorable incorporation-by-reference oral decision made at an administrative review hearing. Since there is no prescribed form to request a written record of the decision, the involved parties send SSA their contact information and reference the hearing for which they would like a record. The respondents are applicants for Disability Insurance Benefits and SSI payments, or their representatives, to whom SSA gave a wholly favorable oral decision under the regulations cited above.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 42 USC 1383 Name of Law: The Social Security Act
   US Code: 42 USC 405 Name of Law: The Social Security Act
   US Code: 42 USC 902 Name of Law: The Social Security Act
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	90 FR 42294	08/29/2025
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 13915	03/23/2026
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Notice of Bench Decision - HA-82

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	622	2,500	0	0	-1,878	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	207	833	0	0	-626	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	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: When we last cleared this IC in 2023, the burden was 208 hours. However, we are currently reporting a burden of 52 hours. This change stems from a decrease in the number of responses from 2,500 to 622. In addition this decrease stems from a reduction of bench decisions issued to respondents. There is no change to the burden time per response. Although the number of responses changed, SSA did not take any actions to cause this change. These figures represent current Management Information data. * Note: The total burden reflected in ROCIS is 207, while the burden cited in #12 of the Supporting Statement is 52. This discrepancy is because the ROCIS burden reflects the learning costs. In contrast, the chart in #12 of the Supporting Statement reflects actual burden.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $6,135

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.     No

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.     No

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

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 03/23/2026

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