2017-27264. Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Application for Exclusion of Children's Income

AGENCY:

Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden and it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before January 18, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

Submit written comments on the collection of information through www.Regulations.gov, or to Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attn: VA Desk Officer; 725 17th St. NW, Washington, DC 20503 or sent through electronic mail to [e-mail]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0510” in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cynthia Harvey-Pryor, Office of Quality, Privacy and Risk, Department of Veterans Affairs, 811 Vermont Avenue, Floor 5, Area 368, Washington, DC 20420, [phone] or email [e-mail]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0510” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: 38 U.S.C. 1521, 38 U.S.C 1541.

Title: Application for Exclusion of Children's Income (VA Form 21P-0571).

OMB Control Number: 2900-0510.

Type of Review: Reinstatement without change of a previously approved collection.

Abstract: A veteran's or surviving spouse's rate of Improved Pension is determined by family income. Normally, income of children who are members of the household is included in this determination. However, children's income may be excluded if it is unavailable or if consideration of that income would cause hardship.

38 U.S.C. 1521(h) and 1541(g) provide the authority for the exclusion of children's income based on unavailability or hardship. VA Form 21P-0571, Application for Exclusion of Children's Income, is being transferred from Compensation Service to Pension and Fiduciary Service, due to changes in business lines.

VA Form 21P-0571 is used for the sole purpose of collecting the information needed to determine whether children's income is available to the beneficiary, and if it would cause hardship to consider their income.

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 OMB control number. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published at 82 FR 40781 on October 10, 2017.

Affected Public: Individuals and households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 2,025 hours.

Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 45 minutes.

Frequency of Response: Once.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,700.

By direction of the Secretary:

Cynthia Harvey-Pryor,

Department Clearance Officer, Office of Quality, Privacy and Risk, Department of Veterans Affairs.