2015-22588. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request

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)).

DATES:

Written comments should be received on or before November 9, 2015 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Christie A. 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:

To obtain additional information, or copies of the information collection and instructions, or copies of any comments received, contact Elaine Christophe, at Internal Revenue Service, Room 6129, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20224, or through the internet, at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service, as part of their continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the proposed or continuing information collections listed below in this notice, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Request for Comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in our request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the relevant information collection. All comments will become a matter of public record. Please do not include any confidential or inappropriate material in your comments.

We invite comments on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the agency's functions, including whether the information has 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 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 the requested information. Currently, the IRS is seeking comments concerning the following forms, and reporting and record-keeping requirements:

Title: Permitted Elimination of Preretirement Optional Forms of Benefit.

OMB Number: 1545-1545.

Regulation Project Number: REG-107644-97.

Abstract: This regulation permits an amendment of a qualified plan or other employee pension benefit plan that eliminates plan provisions for benefit distributions before retirement age but after age 701/2. The regulation affects employers that maintain qualified plans and other employee pension benefit plans, plan administrators of these plans and participants in these plans.

Current Actions: There is no change to this existing regulation.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations and not-for-profit institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 135,000.

Estimated Average Time per Respondent: 22 min.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 48,800.

Title: Travel Expenses of State Legislators.

OMB Number: 1545-2115.

Form Number: T.D. 9481

Abstract: This document contains final regulations relating to travel expenses of state legislators while away from home. The regulations affect eligible state legislators who make the election under section 162(h) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code). The regulations clarify the amount of travel expenses that a state legislator may deduct under section 162(h).

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: Individuals and Households.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 7400.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: .50 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3700.

Title: EE-63-88 (Final and temporary regulations) Taxation of Fringe Benefits and Exclusions From Gross Income for Certain Fringe Benefits; IA-140-86 (Temporary) Fringe Benefits; Listed Property; and REG-209785-95 (Final) Substantiation of Business Expenses.

OMB Number: 1545-0771.

Regulation Project Number: EE-63-88; IA-140-86; and REG-209785-95.

Abstract: EE-63-88—This regulation provides guidance on the tax treatment of taxable and nontaxable fringe benefits and general and specific rules for the valuation of taxable fringe benefits in accordance with Code sections 61 and 132. The regulation also provides guidance on exclusions from gross income for certain fringe benefits. IA-140-86—This regulation provides guidance relating to the requirement that any deduction or credit with respect to business travel, entertainment, and gift expenses be substantiated with adequate records in accordance with Code section 274(d). The regulation also provides guidance on the taxation of fringe benefits and clarifies the types of records that are generally necessary to substantiate any deduction or credit for listed property. REG-209785-95—This regulation provides that taxpayers who deduct, or reimburse employees for, business expenses for travel, entertainment, gifts, or listed property are required to maintain certain records, including receipts, for expenses of $75 or more.

Current Actions: There are no changes to these existing regulations.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Individuals or households, business or other for-profit organizations, not-for profits institutions, farms and Federal, state, local or tribal governments.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 28,582,150.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 1 hr., 20 min.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 37,922,688.

Title: Qualifying Advanced Coal Project Program.

OMB Number: 1545-2003.

Form Number: Notice 2006-24.

Abstract: This notice establishes the qualifying advanced coal project program under § 48A of the Internal Revenue Code. The notice provides the time and manner for a taxpayer to apply for an allocation of qualifying advanced coal project credits and, once the taxpayer has received this allocation, the time and manner for the taxpayer to file for a certification of its qualifying advanced coal project.

Current Actions: There are no changes to the total burden being made at this point in time.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Businesses and other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 45.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 110 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,950.

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.

Approved: September 1, 2015.

Elaine Christophe,

IRS Reports Clearance Officer.