Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Information Collection Tools

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 Form 1099-PATR, Taxable Distributions Received From Cooperatives; Conduit Arrangements Regulations (TD 8611); Form 8903, Domestic Production Activities Deduction; and the rules under the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008: Technical amendment to external review for Multi-State Plan Program (TD 9640).

DATES:

Written comments should be received on or before January 26, 2016 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Christie Preston, Internal Revenue Service, room 6129, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20224. Please send separate comments for each specific information collection listed below. You must reference the information collection's title, form number, reporting or record-keeping requirement number, and OMB number (if any) in your comment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the collection tools should be directed to R. Joseph Durbala, Internal Revenue Service, Room 6129, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20224, or at (202) 317-5746, or through the internet at RJoseph.Durbala@irs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Currently, the IRS is seeking comments concerning the following information collection tools, reporting, and record-keeping requirements:

(1) Title: Taxable Distributions Received From Cooperatives.

OMB Number: 1545-0118.

Form Number: 1099-PART.

Abstract: Form 1099-PATR is used to report patronage dividends paid by cooperatives in accordance with Internal Revenue Code section 6044. The information is used by IRS to verify reporting compliance on the part of the recipient.

Current Actions: There is no change in the paperwork burden previously approved by OMB.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,961,131.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 15 min.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 509,895.

(2) Title: Conduit Arrangements Regulations.

OMB Number: 1545-1440.

Form Number: TD 8611 (INTL-64-93).

Abstract: This regulation provides rules that permit the district director to recharacterize a financing arrangement as a conduit arrangement. The recharacterization will affect the amount of U.S. withholding tax due on financing transactions that are part of the financing arrangement. This regulation affects withholding agents and foreign investors who engage in multi-party financing arrangements.

Current Actions: There is no change in the paperwork burden previously approved by OMB.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,000.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 10 min.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 10,000.

(3) Title: Domestic Production Activities Deduction.

OMB Number: 1545-1984.

Form Number: 8903.

Abstract: Taxpayers will use Form 8903 and related instructions to calculate the domestic production activities deduction.

Current Actions: There is no change in the paperwork burden previously approved by OMB.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 300,000.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 24 hours 40 min.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,398,000.

(4) Title: Rules under the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008: Technical amendment to external review for Multi-State Plan Program.

OMB Number: 1545-2165.

Form Number: TD 9640.

Abstract: This document contains final rules implementing the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, which requires parity between mental health or substance use disorder benefits and medical/surgical benefits with respect to financial requirements and treatment limitations under group health plans and group and individual health insurance coverage.

Current Actions: There is no change in the paperwork burden previously approved by OMB.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profits, Not-for-profit institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 424,000.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 1 min.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,900.

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.