20 CFR § 404.453 - Penalty deductions for failure to report earnings timely.

(a) Penalty for failure to report earnings; general. Penalty deductions are imposed against an individual's benefits, in addition to the deductions required because of his excess earnings (see § 404.415), if:

(1) He fails to make a timely report of his earnings as specified in § 404.452 for a taxable year beginning after 1954;

(2) It is found that good cause for failure to report earnings timely (see § 404.454) does not exist;

(3) A deduction is imposed because of his earnings (see § 404.415) for that year; and

(4) He received and accepted any payment of benefits for that year.

(b) Determining amount of penalty deduction. The amount of the penalty deduction for failure to report earnings for a taxable year within the prescribed time is determined as follows:

(1) First failure to file timely report. The penalty deduction for the first failure to file a timely report is an amount equal to the individual's benefit or benefits for the last month for which he was entitled to such benefit or benefits during the taxable year, except that with respect to any deductions imposed on or after January 2, 1968, if the amount of the deduction imposed for the taxable year is less than the benefit or benefits for the last month of the taxable year for which he was entitled to a benefit under section 202 of the Act, the penalty deduction is an amount equal to the amount of the deduction imposed but not less than $10.

(2) Second failure to file timely report. The penalty deduction for the second failure to file a timely report is an amount equal to twice the amount of the individual's benefit or benefits for the last month for which he was entitled to such benefit or benefits during such taxable year.

(3) Subsequent failures to file timely reports. The penalty deduction for the third or subsequent failure to file a timely report is an amount equal to three times the amount of the individual's benefit or benefits for the last month for which he was entitled to such benefit or benefits during such taxable year.

(c) Determining whether a failure to file a timely report is first, second, or subsequent failure—(1) No prior failure. Where no penalty deduction under this section has previously been imposed against the beneficiary for failure to make a timely report of his earnings, all taxable years (and this may include 2 or more years) for which a report of earnings is overdue as of the date the first delinquent report is made are included in the first failure. The latest of such years for which good cause for failure to make the required report (see § 404.454) is not found is considered the first failure to file a timely report.

Example:

X became entitled to benefits in 1964 and had reportable earnings for 1964, 1965, and 1966. He did not make his annual reports for those years until July 1967. At that time it was found that 1966 was the only year for which he has good cause for not making a timely report of his earnings. Since all taxable years for which a report is overdue as of the date of the first delinquent report are included in the first failure period, it was found that his first failure to make a timely report was for 1965. The penalty is equal to his December 1965 benefit rate. If good cause had also been found for both 1965 and 1964, then X would have no prior failure within the meaning of this subsection.

(2) Second and subsequent failures. After one penalty deduction under paragraph (b) of this section has been imposed against an individual, each taxable year for which a timely report of earnings is not made (and the count commences with reports of earnings which become delinquent after the date the first delinquent report described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section was made), and for which good cause for failure to make the required report is not found, is considered separately in determining whether the failure is the second or subsequent failure to report timely.

Example:

Y incurred a penalty deduction for not making his 1963 annual report until July 1964. In August 1966 it was found that he had not made a timely report of either his 1964 or 1965 earnings, and good cause was not present with respect to either year. The penalty for 1964 is equal to twice his benefit rate for December 1964. The penalty for 1965 is equal to three times his benefit rate for December 1965.

(3) Penalty deduction imposed under § 404.451 not considered. A failure to make a report as required by § 404.450, for which a penalty deduction is imposed under § 404.451, is not counted as a failure to report in determining, under this section, whether a failure to report earnings or wages is the first or subsequent failure to report.

(d) Limitation on amount of penalty deduction. Notwithstanding the provisions described in paragraph (b) of this section, the amount of the penalty deduction imposed for failure to file a timely report of earnings for a taxable year may not exceed the number of months in that year for which the individual received and accepted a benefit and for which deductions are imposed by reason of his earnings for such year. (See § 404.458 for other limitations on the amount of the penalty deduction.)

[32 FR 19159, Dec. 20, 1967, as amended at 38 FR 3597, Feb. 8, 1973; 38 FR 9431, Apr. 16, 1973]