96-70881. Proposed Collection; Comment Request

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 234 (Wednesday, December 4, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64401-64402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-70881]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for 
public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data 
collections.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information 
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; 
(b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection 
of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize 
the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Title and purpose of information collection: Nonresident 
Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0145. Under Public Law 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 1, Tier 2, vested dual benefit, or 
supplemental annuity payments are subject to tax withholding, and 
whether the same or different rates are applied to each payment, depend 
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.
    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. Completion is voluntary. One response is 
requested of each respondent.
    The RRB proposes a minor editorial change to Form RRB-1001 to 
incorporate language required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 
The completion time for Form RRB-1001 is

[[Page 64402]]

estimated at 5 minutes at the time of an initial filing and 3 minutes 
when completed as part of the tax exemption renewal process.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: To request more information or to 
obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, and/
or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at (312) 
751-3363. Comments regarding the information collection should be 
addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 N. Rush 
Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092. Written comments should be 
received within 60 days of this notice.
Chuck Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-70881 Filed 12-3-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-M