[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 93 (Friday, May 15, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22986-22988]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-11404]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is forwarding 
two (2) Information Collection Requests (ICR) to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) to request extensions without change of currently approved 
collections of information. Our ICR describes the information we seek 
to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we 
impose appropriate paperwork burdens.
    The RRB invites comments on the proposed collections of information 
to determine (1) The practical utility of the collections; (2) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden of the collections; (3) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information that is the 
subject of collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of 
collections on respondents, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments to RRB or 
OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper 
consideration of your comments, it is best if RRB and OIRA receive them 
within 30 days of publication date

1. 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 depends 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 estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

                  Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Annual                    Burden
           Form No.(s)              responses   Time  (min)     (hrs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
AA-11a...........................          200           10           33
AA-21cert (with assistance)......        5,400           20        1,800

[[Page 22987]]

 
AA-21 manual (without assistance)          300           40          200
G-131............................          600            5           50
G-273a...........................        5,000           10          833
                                  --------------------------------------
    Total........................       11,500  ...........        2,916
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (74 FR 7274 & 7275 on February 13, 2009) required 
by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Application for Survivor Death Benefits.
    OMB Control Number: OMB 3220-0031.
    Form(s) submitted: AA-11a, AA-21cert, AA-21, G-131, G-273a.
    Expiration date of current OMB clearance: 5/31/2009.
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or households.
    Abstract: The collection obtains the information needed to pay 
death benefits and annuities due but unpaid at death under the Railroad 
Retirement Act. Benefits are paid to designated beneficiaries or to 
survivors in a priority designated by law.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to the forms in the 
collection.
    The total burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 11,500.
    Total annual responses: 11,500.
    Total annual reporting hours: 2,916.

2. Pension Plan Reports; OMB 3220-0089

    Under Section 2(b) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the 
Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) pays supplemental annuities to 
qualified RRB employee annuitants. A supplemental annuity, which is 
computed according to Section 3(e) of the RRA, can be paid at age 60 if 
the employee has at least 30 years of creditable railroad service or at 
age 65 if the employee has 25-29 years of railroad service. In addition 
to 25 years of service, a ``current connection'' with the railroad 
industry is required. Eligibility is further limited to employees who 
had at least one month of rail service before October 1981 and were 
awarded regular annuities after June 1966. Further, if an employee's 
65th birthday was prior to September 2, 1981, he or she must not have 
worked in rail service after certain closing dates (generally the last 
day of the month following the month in which age 65 is attained).
    Under Section 2(h)(2) of the RRA, the amount of the supplemental 
annuity is reduced if the employees receive monthly pension payments, 
or lump-sum pension payments, from their former railroad employer, 
which are based in whole or in part on contributions from that railroad 
employer. The employees' own contributions to their pension accounts do 
not cause a reduction. An employer private pension is described in 20 
CFR 216.40-216.42.
    The RRB requires the following information from railroad employers 
to calculate supplemental annuities: (a) The current status of railroad 
employer pension plans and whether such employer pension plans cause 
reductions to the RRB supplemental annuity; (b) the amount of the 
employer private pension being paid to the employee; (c) whether or not 
the employer made contributions to the pension; (d) whether or not the 
employee was cashed out before attaining retirement age under the 
employer pension plan or received the pension in a lump-sum payment in 
lieu of monthly pension payments; and (e) whether the employer pension 
plan continues when the employer status under the RRA changes. The 
requirement that railroad employers furnish pension information to the 
RRB is contained in 20 CFR 209.2.
    The RRB currently utilizes Form(s) G-88p (Employer's Supplemental 
Pension Report), G-88r (Request for Information About New or Revised 
Pension Plan), and G-88r.1 (Request for Additional Information about 
Employer Pension Plan in Case of Change of Employer Status or 
Termination of Pension Plan), to obtain the necessary information from 
railroad employers. Multiple responses may be received from a 
respondent employer. Completion is mandatory.
    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

                  Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Annual                    Burden
           Form No.(s)              responses   Time  (min)     (hrs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-88p............................          750            8          100
G-88r............................           10           10            2
G-88r.1..........................            5            7            1
                                  --------------------------------------
    Total........................          765  ...........          103
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 22988]]

    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (74 FR 10971 & 10972 on March 13, 2009) required 
by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Pension Plan Reports.
    OMB Control Number: OMB 3220-0089.
    Form(s) submitted: G-88p, G-88r and G88r.1.
    Expiration date of current OMB clearance: 5/31/2009.
    Type of request: Extension with change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Business or other for profit.
    Abstract: The Railroad Retirement Act provides for payment of a 
supplemental annuity to a qualified railroad retirement annuitant. The 
collection obtains information from the annuitant's employer to 
determine (a) the existence of a railroad employer pension plans and 
whether such plans, if they exist, require a reduction to supplemental 
annuities paid to the employer's former employees and (b) the amount of 
supplemental annuities due railroad employees.
    Changes Proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to the forms in the 
collection.
    The total burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 500.
    Total annual responses: 765.
    Total annual reporting hours: 103.
    Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the form and 
supporting documents can be obtained from Charles Mierzwa, the agency 
clearance officer at (312-751-3363) or [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 [email protected] and to the OMB 
Desk Officer for the RRB, at the Office of Management and Budget, Room 
10230, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503.

Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-11404 Filed 5-14-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P