2019-10939. Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Verification of VA Benefits

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 June 24, 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. 2900-0406” 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. 2900-0406” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-21.

Title: Verification of VA Benefits, 26-8937.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0406.

Type of Review: Extension without change of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: VA Form 26-8937 is designed to assist lenders and VA in the completion of debt checks in a uniform manner. The form restricts information requested to only that needed for the debt check and also eliminates unlimited versions of lender-designed forms.

Lenders ensure the completion of the upper portion of VA Form 26-8937, including that the veteran's authorization for release of the information, and forward it to the appropriate VA Officer. VA personnel perform the debt check, complete the balance of the form, and return it to the lender, who considers any repayment terms in evaluating the veteran's creditworthiness. Following the closing of any loan, the lender submits the form with the loan report and related documents for past closing review. The form is reviewed by a loan examiner to ensure that debt check requirements have been observed in each case.

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 9214 Pages 9214-9215 (2 pages).

Affected Public: Individuals and households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 10,000 hours.

Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 5 minutes.

Frequency of Response: One time.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 120,000.

By direction of the Secretary.

Danny Green,

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