(a) Penalty for failure to report. If an individual (or the person receiving benefits on his behalf) fails to comply with the reporting obligations of § 404.450 within the time specified in § 404.450 and it is found that good cause for such failure does not exist (see § 404.454), a penalty deduction is made from the individual's benefits in addition to the deduction described in § 404.417 (relating to noncovered remunerative activity outside the United States) or § 404.421 (relating to failure to have care of a child).
(b) Determining amount of penalty deduction. The amount of the penalty deduction for failure to report noncovered remunerative activity outside the United States or not having care of a child within the prescribed time is determined as follows:
(1) First failure to make timely report. The penalty deduction for the first failure to make a timely report is an amount equal to the individual's benefit or benefits for the first month for which the deduction event was not reported timely.
(2) Second failure to make timely report. The penalty deduction for the second failure to make a timely report is an amount equal to twice the amount of the individual's benefit or benefits for the first month for which the deduction event in the second failure period was not reported timely.
(3) Subsequent failures to make 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 first month for which the deduction event in the third failure period was not reported timely.
(c) Determining whether a failure to file a timely report is first, second, third, or subsequent failure -
(1) Failure period. A failure period runs from the date of one delinquent report (but initially starting with the date of entitlement to monthly benefits) to the date of the next succeeding delinquent report, excluding the date of the earlier report and including the date of the later report. The failure period includes each month for which succeeding delinquent report, excluding a report becomes overdue during a failure period, but it does not include any month for which a report is not yet overdue on the ending date of such period. If good cause (see § 404.454) is found for the entire period, the period is not regarded as a failure period.
(2) First failure. When no penalty deduction under paragraph (b) of this section has previously been imposed against the beneficiary for failure to report noncovered remunerative activity outside the United States or for failure to report not having care of a child, the earliest month in the first failure period for which a report is delinquent and for which good cause (see § 404.454) for failure to make the required report is not found is considered to be the first failure.
(3) Second failure. After one penalty deduction under paragraph (b) of this section has been imposed against the beneficiary, the first month for which a report is delinquent in the second failure period is considered to be the second failure.
(4) Third and subsequent failures. After a second penalty deduction under paragraph (b) of this section has been imposed against the beneficiary, the first month for which a report is delinquent in the third failure period is considered to be the third failure. Subsequent failures will be determined in the same manner.
M became entitled in January 1966 to mother's benefits; these benefits are not payable for any month in which the mother does not have a child in her care. M accepted benefits for each month from January 1966 through June 1967. In July 1967 she reported that she had not had a child in her care in January 1967. As she was not eligible for a benefit for any month in which she did not have a child in her care, M's July 1967 benefit was withheld to recover the overpayment she had received for January 1967, and the next payment she received was for August 1967. No penalty was imposed for her failure to make a timely report of the deduction event that occurred in January 1967 because it was determined that good cause existed.
In March 1968 M reported that she had not had a child in her care in September or October 1967; however, she had accepted benefit payments for each month from August 1967 through February 1968. Her benefits for March and April 1968 were withheld to recover the overpayment for September and October 1967. Also, it was determined that good cause was not present for M's failure to make a timely report of the deduction event that had occurred in September 1967. A penalty equal to her benefit for September 1967 was deducted from M's May 1968 payment since this was her first failure to report not having a child in her care. Payments to her then were continued.
On November 4, 1968, it was learned that M had not had a child in her care in November 1967 or in June, July, or August 1968 although she had accepted benefits for June through October 1968. Consequently, M's benefits for November 1968 through February 1969 were withheld to recover the 4 months' overpayment she received for months in which she did not have a child in her care. In addition, it was determined that good cause was not present for M's failure to report the deduction events, and a penalty was imposed equal to twice the amount of M's benefit for the month of June 1968. This was M's second failure to report not having a child in her care. No further penalty applied for November 1967 because that month was included in M's first-failure period.
(5) Penalty deductions imposed under § 404.453 not considered. A failure to make a timely report of earnings as required by § 404.452 for which a penalty deduction is imposed under § 404.453 is not counted as a failure to report in determining the first or subsequent failure to report noncovered remunerative activity outside the United States or not having care of a child.
(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 make a timely report of noncovered remunerative activity outside the United States or for failure to report not having care of a child may not exceed the number of months in that failure period for which the individual received and accepted a benefit and for which a deduction is imposed by reason of his noncovered remunerative activity outside the United States or failure to have care of a child. (See § 404.458 for other limitations on the amount of the penalty deduction.)
[38 FR 3596, Feb. 8, 1973, as amended at 38 FR 9430, Apr. 16, 1973]