Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Forms 941, 941-PR, 941-SS, Schedule B (Form 941), and Schedule B (Form 941-PR)

AGENCY:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Forms 941 (Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return), 941-PR (Planilla Para La Declaracion Trimestral Del Patrono-La Contribucion Federal Al Seguro Social Y Al Seguro Medicare), 941-SS (Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return—American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Schedule B (Form 941) (Employer's Record of Federal Tax Liability), and Schedule B (Form 941-PR) (Registro Suplementario De La Obligacion Contributiva Federal Del Patrono).

DATES:

Written comments should be received on or before November 21, 2000 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Garrick R. Shear, Internal Revenue Service, room 5244, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20224.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of these forms and instructions should be directed to Carol Savage, (202) 622-3945, Internal Revenue Service, room 5242, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20224.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return.

OMB Number: 1545-0029.

Forms Number: 941, 941-PR, 941-SS, Schedule B (Form 941), and Schedule B (Form 941-PR).

Abstract: Form 941 is used by employers to report payments made to employees subject to income and Social Security/Medicare taxes and the amounts of these taxes. Form 941-PR is used by employers in Puerto Rico to report Social Security and Medicare taxes only. Form 941-SS is used by employers in the U.S. possessions to report Social Security and Medicare taxes only. Schedule B is used by employers to record their employment tax liability.

Current Actions: There are no changes being made to these forms at this time.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations, individuals or households, not-for-profit institutions, Federal government, and state, local or tribal governments.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 5,798,054.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 54 hours, 29 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 315,935,261.

The following paragraph applies to all of the collections of information covered by this notice:

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a valid OMB control number. Books or records relating to a collection of information must be retained as long as their contents may become material in the administration of any internal revenue law. Generally, tax returns and tax return information are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.

Request for Comments

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.