Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
Form SSA-10 Application for Social Security Benefits	Form	Modified	Available
Form SSA-10 Application for Widow’s or Widower’s Insurance Benefits	Form and Instruction	New	Available
Addendum - 0004.docx	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-06-25	Available
Supporting Statement - 0004.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2026-06-26	Available

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
8871	Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits - Paper Version	Form	Modified	Application for Social Security Benefits
8871	Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits - Paper Version	Other-Privacy Act Statement (revised)	Modified
44959	Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits - Modernized Claims System (MCS) -In-person Interview	Other-MCS Screens	Modified
280626	SSA-10 (MCS/Telephone Interview)	Other-MCS Screens	New
280625	SSA-10 (Upload Documents)	Form and Instruction	New	Application for Widow’s or Widower’s Insurance Benefits

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0960-0004	ICR Reference No: 202605-0960-005
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202503-0960-004
Agency/Subagency: SSA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 06/26/2026

table that charts list comparision

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	07/31/2026
Responses	567,964	572,656
Time Burden (Hours)	927,851	286,328
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: SSA needs information to make a formal determination for entitlement to widow’s or widower’s benefits. We use Form SSA-10-BK to determine whether an applicant meets the statutory and regulatory conditions for entitlement to widow’s or widower’s under the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program. SSA employees interview individuals applying for benefits either face to-face or via telephone and enter the information into the Modernized Claims System (MCS). When MCS is temporary unavailable, technicians use the paper form to record the information. The respondents are applicants for widow’s or widower’s benefits.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 42 USC 402 Name of Law: 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:
	91 FR 22569	04/27/2026
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 38748	06/26/2026
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 4

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits - Modernized Claims System (MCS) -In-person Interview
Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits - Paper Version	SSA-10	Application for Social Security Benefits
SSA-10 (MCS/Telephone Interview)
SSA-10 (Upload Documents)	SSA-10	Application for Widow’s or Widower’s Insurance Benefits

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ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list 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	567,964	572,656	0	0	-4,692	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	927,851	286,328	0	0	641,523	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 286,328 hours. However, we are currently reporting a burden of 283,983 hours. This change stems from a decrease in the number of responses from 572,656 to 567,964. Although the number of responses changed, SSA did not take any actions to cause this change. There is no change to the burden time per response. These figures represent current Management Information data. * Note: The total burden reflected in ROCIS is 1,023,853, while the burden cited in #12 of the Supporting Statement is 283,983. This discrepancy is because the ROCIS burden reflects the following components: field office waiting time + a rough estimate of a 30-minute, one-way, drive burden + learning costs. In contrast, the chart in #12 of the Supporting Statement reflects actual burden.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $12,289,959

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

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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: 06/26/2026

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