Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments

Summary: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens.

The RRB invites comments on the proposed collections of information to determine (1) the practical utility of the collections; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collections; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information that is the subject of collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of collections on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments to the RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if the RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of the publication date.

1. Title and purpose of information collection: Employer's Quarterly Report of Contributions under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act; OMB 3220-0012.

Under Section 8 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), as amended by the Railroad Unemployment Improvement Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-647), the RRB determines the amount of an employer's contribution, primarily on the basis of the RUIA benefits paid, both unemployment and sickness, to the employees of the railroad employer. These experienced-based contributions take into account the frequency, volume, and duration of the employees' unemployment and sickness benefits. Each employer's contribution rate includes a component for administrative expenses as well as a component to cover costs shared by all employers. The regulations prescribing the manner and conditions for remitting the contributions and for adjusting overpayments or underpayments of contributions are contained in 20 CFR 345.

RRB Form DC-1, Employer's Quarterly Report of Contributions under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, is used by railroad employers to report and remit their quarterly contributions to the RRB. Employers can use either the manual version of the form or its internet equivalent. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is mandatory.

Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (83 FR 55580 on November 6, 2018) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

Title: Employer's Quarterly Report of Contributions under the RUIA.

OMB Control Number: 3220-0012.

Form(s) submitted: DC-1.

Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Affected public: Private Sector: Businesses or other for-profits.

Abstract: Railroad employers are required to make contributions to the Railroad Unemployment Insurance fund quarterly or annually equal to a percentage of the creditable compensation paid to each employee. The information furnished on the report accompanying the remittance is used to determine correctness of the amount paid.

Changes proposed: The RRB proposes minor non-burdening changes to the manual and electronic versions of the forms in the collection and combined Paperwork Reduction Act link and form instructions link in the Pay.gov form version and renamed the link to read “Click for Instructions and Paperwork Reduction Act Notice.”

The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

2. Title and Purpose of information collection: Nonresident Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0145.

Under Public Laws 98-21 and 98-76, benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act payable to annuitants living outside the United States may be subject to taxation under United States income tax laws. Whether the social security equivalent and non-social security equivalent portions of Tier I, Tier II, vested dual benefit, or supplemental annuity payments are subject to tax withholding, and whether the same or different rates are applied to each payment, depends on a beneficiary's citizenship and legal residence status, and whether exemption under a tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the beneficiary is a legal resident has been claimed. To effect the required tax withholding, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) needs to know a nonresident's citizenship and legal residence status.

To secure the required information, the RRB utilizes Form RRB-1001, Nonresident Questionnaire, as a supplement to an application as part of the initial application process, and as an independent vehicle for obtaining the needed information when an annuitant's residence or tax treaty status changes. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is voluntary.

Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (83 FR 55580 on November 6, 2018) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

Title: Nonresident Questionnaire.

OMB Control Number: 3220-0145.

Forms submitted: RRB-1001.

Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection of information.

Affected public: Individuals or Households.

Abstract: Under the Railroad Retirement Act, the benefits payable to an annuitant living outside the United States may be subject to withholding under Public Laws 98-21 and 98-76. The form obtains the information needed to determine the amount to be withheld.

Changes proposed: The RRB proposes to make the following non-burden changes to Form RRB-1001: Renumbered Items A through C and G to Items 1 through 4; renumbered Items 1 through 5 to Items 5 through 9; removed Item D (CNTRY CODE), removed Item E (CITZ CODE), and removed Item F (NRA TAX CODE) as the information collected by them is no longer needed; and removed the General Instructions and the Paperwork Reduction Act and Privacy Act Notices from the back of the form as they are included in the Form TB-26 instructions, which is an enclosure.

The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

3. Title and Purpose of information collection: Statement of Claimant or Other Person; OMB 3220-0183.

To support an application for an annuity under Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) or for unemployment benefits under Section 2 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), pertinent information and proofs must be furnished for the RRB to determine benefit entitlement. Circumstances may require an applicant or other person(s) having knowledge of facts relevant to the applicant's eligibility for an annuity or benefits to provide written statements supplementing or changing statements previously provided by the applicant. Under the railroad retirement program these statements may relate to a change in an annuity beginning date(s), date of marriage(s), birth(s), prior railroad or non-railroad employment, an applicant's request for reconsideration of an unfavorable RRB eligibility determination for an annuity or various other matters. The statements may also be used by the RRB to secure a variety of information needed to determine eligibility to unemployment and sickness benefits. Procedures related to providing information needed for RRA annuity or RUIA benefit eligibility determinations are prescribed in 20 CFR 217 and 320 respectively.

The RRB utilizes Form G-93, Statement of Claimant or Other Person, to obtain from applicants or other persons, the supplemental or corrective information needed to determine applicant eligibility for an RRA annuity or RUIA benefits. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is voluntary.

Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (83 FR 55580 on November 6, 2018) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

Title: Statement of Claimant or Other Person.

OMB Control Number: 3220-0183.

Form(s) submitted: G-93.

Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved collection.

Affected public: Individuals or Households.

Abstract: Under Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, pertinent information and proofs must be submitted by an applicant so that the Railroad Retirement Board can determine his or her entitlement to benefits. The collection obtains information supplementing or changing information previously provided by an applicant.

Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-93.

The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and supporting documents can be obtained from Brian Foster at (312) 751-4826 or Brian.Foster@rrb.gov.

Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to Brian Foster, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275 or Brian.Foster@rrb.gov and to the OMB Desk Officer for the RRB, Fax: 202-395-6974, Email address: OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov.