2018-23957. Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-2736

Extension:

Form N-4

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) is soliciting comments on the collection of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget for extension and approval.

The collection of information is entitled: “Form N-4 (17 CFR 239.17b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and (17 CFR 274.11c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, registration statement of separate accounts organized as unit investment trust.” Form N-4 is the form used by insurance company separate accounts organized as unit investment trusts that offer variable annuity contracts to register as investment companies under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.) and/or to register their securities under the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.). Section 5 of the Securities Act (15 U.S.C. 77e) requires the filing of a registration statement prior to the offer of securities to the public and that the registration statement be effective before any securities are sold, and Section 8 of the Investment Company Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-8) provides for the registration of investment companies. Pursuant to Form N-4, separate accounts organized as unit investment trusts that offer variable annuity contracts provide investors with a prospectus and a statement of additional information covering essential information about a separate account. Section 5(b) of the Securities Act requires that investors be provided with a prospectus containing the information required in a registration statement prior to or at the time of sale or delivery of securities.

The purpose of Form N-4 is to meet the filing and disclosure requirements of the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act and to enable filers to provide investors with information necessary to evaluate an investment in a security. The information required to be filed with the Commission permits verification of compliance with securities law requirements and assures the public availability and dissemination of the information.

The estimated annual number of filings on Form N-4 is 35 initial registration statements and 1,326 post-effective amendments. The estimated average number of portfolios per filing is one, both for initial registration statements and post-effective amendments on Form N-4. Accordingly, the estimated number of portfolios referenced in initial Form N-4 filings annually is 35 and the estimated number of portfolios referenced in post-effective amendment filings on Form N-4 annually is 1,326. The estimate of the annual hour burden for Form N-4 is approximately 278.5 hours per initial registration statement and 197.25 hours per post-effective amendment, for a total of 271,301 hours ((35 initial registration statements × 278.5 hours) + (1,326 post-effective amendments × 197.25 hours)).

The current estimated annual cost burden for preparing an initial Form N-4 filing is $24,858 per portfolio and the current estimated annual cost burden for preparing a post-effective amendment filing on Form N-4 is $23,561 per portfolio. The Commission estimates that, on an annual basis, 35 portfolios will be referenced in initial Form N-4 filings and 1,326 portfolios will be referenced in post-effective amendment filings on Form N-4. Thus, the estimated total annual cost burden allocated to Form N 4 would be $32,111,916 ((35 × $24,858) + (1,326 × $23,561)).

Providing the information required by Form N-4 is mandatory. Responses will not be kept confidential. Estimates of average burden hours are made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act, and are not derived from a comprehensive or even a representative survey or study of the costs of Commission rules and forms. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number.

Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will 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 collected; and (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. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted in writing within 60 days of this publication.

Please direct your written comments to Charles Riddle, Acting Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O Candace Kenner, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549; or send an email to: [e-mail].

Dated: October 29, 2018.

Eduardo A. Aleman,

Assistant Secretary.