[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 17, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2601-2602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-385]


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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

[[Page 2602]]

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: Application for 
Survivor Death Benefits: OMB 3220-0031.
    Under Section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), lump-sum 
death benefits are payable to surviving widow and widowers, children 
and certain other dependents. Lump-sum death benefits are payable after 
the death of a railroad employee only if there are no qualified 
survivors of the employee immediately eligible for annuities. With the 
exception of the residual death benefit, eligibility for survivor 
benefits depend on whether the employee was ``insured'' under the RRA 
at the time of death. If a deceased employee was not so insured, 
jurisdiction of any survivor benefits payable is transferred to the 
Social Security Administration and survivor benefits are paid by that 
agency instead of the RRB. The collection obtains the information 
required by the RRB to determine entitlement to and amount of the 
survivor death benefits applied for.
    The RRB currently utilizes Form(s) AA-11a (Designation for Change 
of Beneficiary for Residual Lump-Sum), AA-21cert, (Application Summary 
and Certification), AA-21 (Application for Lump-Sum Death Payment and 
Annuities Unpaid at Death), G-131 (Authorization of Payment and Release 
of All Claims to a Death Benefit or Accrued Annuity Payment), and G-
273a (Funeral Director's Statement of Burial Charges), to obtain the 
necessary information. One response is requested of each respondent. 
Completion is required to obtain benefits.
    The RRB proposes non-burden impacting, editorial and formatting 
changes to Form G-273a and Form G-131. No other changes are proposed.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
                             [The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:]
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                                                                 Annual
                         Form Nos.                              responses       Time  (min.)     Burden  (hrs.)
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AA-11a....................................................               400                10                67
AA-21cert (with assistance)...............................             9,700                20             3,233
AA-21 manual (without assistance).........................               300                40               200
G-131.....................................................               600                 5                50
G-273a....................................................             9,600                10             1,600
                                                           -------------------
    Total.................................................            20,600  ................             5,150
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    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 or send an e-mail request to [email protected]. 
Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to 
Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, 
Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 or send an e-mail to 
[email protected]. Written comments should be received within 60 
days of this notice.

Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E6-385 Filed 1-13-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P