2019-11351. Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Request for a Certificate of Eligibility for VA Home Loan Benefit

AGENCY:

Loan Guaranty Service, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, this notice announces that the Loan Guaranty Service, 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 July 1, 2019.

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. 2900-0086” in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Danny S. Green, Enterprise Records Service (005R1B), Department of Veterans Affairs, 811 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420, [phone] or email [e-mail]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0086” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: Public Law 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521.

Title: Request for a Certificate of Eligibility for VA Home Loan Benefit, VA Form 26-1880.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0086.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: VA Form 26-1880 is used by VA to determine an applicant's eligibility for Loan Guaranty benefits, and the amount of entitlement available. Each completed form is normally accompanied by proof of military service and is submitted by the applicant to the appropriate VA office. If eligible, VA will issue the applicant a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to be used in applying for Loan Guaranty benefits.

This form is also used in restoration of entitlement cases. Generally, if an applicant has used all or part of his or her entitlement, it may be restored if (1) the property has been sold and the loan has been paid in full or (2) a qualified veteran-transferee agrees to assume the balance on the loan and agrees to substitute his or her entitlement for the same amount of entitlement originally used by the applicant to get the loan. The buyer must also meet the occupancy and income and credit requirements of the law. Restoration is not automatic; an applicant must apply for it by completing VA Form 26-1880.

The Secretary is required by 38 U.S.C. 3702(a), (b), and (c) to determine the applicant's eligibility for Loan Guaranty benefits, compute the amount of entitlement, and document the certificate with the amount and type of guaranty used and the amount, if any, remaining.

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 84 FR 57 on March 25, 2019, pages 11167 and 11168.

Affected Public: Individuals and households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 80,250 hours.

Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 15 minutes.

Frequency of Response: One-time.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 321,000.

By direction of the Secretary.

Danny Green,

Interim VA Clearance Officer, Office of Quality, Performance and Risk (OQPR), Department of Veterans Affairs.