Privacy Act of 1974; Re-Established Matching Program

DATES:

Please submit comments on or before September 18, 2026. The matching program will begin on October 20, 2026, unless comments have been received from interested members of the public that require modification and republication of the notice. The matching program will continue for 18 months from the beginning date and may be extended for an additional 12 months if the respective agency Data Integrity Boards determine that the conditions specified in 5 U.S.C. 552a(o)(D) have been met.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-503) amended the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) by establishing procedural safeguards governing agencies' use of computerized matching programs. Section 7201 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 further amended the Privacy Act by strengthening protections for individuals whose records are used in matching programs.

Notice is given of a re-established matching program between OPM and SSA. This matching program, Computer Matching Agreement (CMA) No. 1045, is being re-established to enable SSA to disclose wage and self-employment income information to OPM. OPM will compare SSA wage and self-employment income information with its retirement records for disability retirees under age 60, disabled adult-child survivors, certain retirees receiving a supplemental benefit under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), and certain annuitants receiving a discontinued service retirement benefit under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). Federal law limits the amount these retirees, survivors, and annuitants may earn while continuing to receive these benefits, and discontinued service retirement benefits cease upon reemployment in Federal service. OPM will use the wage and self-employment income information provided by SSA to determine individuals' continued eligibility for retirement benefits administered by OPM.

Participating Agencies:

OPM and SSA.

Authority for Conducting the Matching Program:

Legal authorities for the disclosures under this agreement are 5 U.S.C. 8337(d), 8341(a)(4)(B), 8344(a)(4)(B), and 8468, which establish earnings limitations for certain CSRS and FERS annuitants. The authority to terminate benefits is found at 5 U.S.C. 8341(e)(3)(B) and 8443(b)(3)(B). The Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 6103(l)(11), requires SSA to disclose tax return information to OPM upon request for purposes of administering chapters 83 and 84 of title 5, United States Code. SSA is authorized to verify the Social Security numbers submitted by OPM under the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1306), SSA's privacy regulations (20 CFR part 401), and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3)). Section 7213 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 also authorizes SSA to include a death indicator in verification routines it determines to be appropriate.

Purpose(s):

The purpose of the matching program is to enable SSA to disclose wage and self-employment income information to OPM for comparison with OPM retirement records to determine the continued eligibility of disability retirees under age 60, disabled adult-child survivors, certain Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuity supplement recipients, and certain Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) discontinued service annuitants whose benefits are subject to statutory earnings limitations.

Categories of Individuals:

The individuals whose information is involved in this matching program are disability retirees under age 60, disabled adult-child survivors, certain retirees receiving a supplemental benefit under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), and certain annuitants receiving a discontinued service retirement benefit under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) who receive retirement or survivor benefits administered by OPM. OPM will submit identifying information for these individuals to SSA for comparison against SSA's Enumeration System and Earnings Recording and Self-Employment Income System for purposes of determining continued eligibility for benefits.

Categories of Records:

OPM will provide SSA with the full name, Social Security number, date of birth, and tax year(s) for the earnings information being requested. In response to a "match," SSA will disclose wage and self-employment income information, including employer identification numbers (EINs), employer address(es), wage amount(s) reported on Form W-2, self-employment earnings amount(s), annual wage totals, and earnings report type. SSA will also disclose a death indicator if the individual is listed as deceased in SSA records. In response to a "no-match," SSA will disclose the reason for the no-match, which may include that the Social Security number is not on file or the name does not match.

System(s) of Records:

OPM's system of records involved in this matching program is OPM/Central-1, Civil Service Retirement and Insurance Records, published at 73 FR 15013 (March 20, 2008) and amended at 87 FR 5874 (February 2, 2022). SSA's systems of records involved in this matching program are the Master Files of Social Security Number Holders and SSN Applications (Enumeration System), System of Records No. 60-0058, last published at 90 FR 10025 (February 20, 2025), and the Earnings Recording and Self-Employment Income System (Master Earnings File (MEF)), System of Records No. 60-0059, last fully published at 71 FR 1819 (January 11, 2006), as updated at 78 FR 40542 (July 5, 2013), 83 FR 54969 (November 1, 2018), 89 FR 825 (January 5, 2024), and 90 FR 53413 (November 25, 2025).

Signing Statement:

The Director of OPM, Scott Kupor, reviewed and approved this document and has authorized the undersigned to electronically sign and submit this document to the Office of the Federal Register for publication.