[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53730-53732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21075]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Multiple Internal Revenue Service Information 
Collection Requests

AGENCY: Departmental Offices, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury will submit the following 
information collection requests to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of publication of this 
notice. The public is invited to submit comments on these requests.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 28, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Copies of the submissions may be 
obtained from Molly Stasko by emailing [email protected], calling (202) 
622-8922, or viewing the entire information collection request at 
www.reginfo.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

    1. Title: Reduction of Tax Attributes Due to Discharge of 
Indebtedness.
    OMB Control Number: 1545-0046.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Description: Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 108 allows 
taxpayers to exclude from gross income amounts attributable to 
discharge of indebtedness in title 11 cases, insolvency, or a qualified 
farm indebtedness. Section 1081(b) allows corporations to exclude from 
gross income amounts attributable to certain transfers of property. The 
data is used to verify adjustments to basis of property and reduction 
of tax attributes.
    Form Number: IRS Form 982.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Businesses or other 
for-profits.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 667.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 667.
    Estimated Time per Respondent: 11 hours 23 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,491 hours.
    2. Title: Declaration and Signature for Electronic and Magnetic 
Media Filing.
    OMB Control Number: 1545-0967.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Description: The IRS is actively engaged in encouraging e-filing 
and electronic documentation. These forms are used to secure taxpayer 
signatures and declarations in conjunction with electronic or magnetic 
media filing of income tax returns. Form 8453-FE is used to 
authenticate the electronic Form 1041, U.S. Income Tax Return for 
Estates and Trusts. Form 8453-EMP is used to authenticate an electronic 
employment tax form, authorize the electronic return originator (ERO). 
Form 8879-EMP is used to authenticate an electronic employment tax 
return or request for refund, authorize an ERO or ISP to transmit via a 
third-party, and authorize an electronic funds withdrawal for payment 
of employment taxes owe. Form 8879-F is used by an electronic return 
originator when the fiduciary wants to use a personal identification 
number to electronically sign an estate's or trust's electronic income 
tax return, and if applicable consent to electronic funds withdrawal.
    Form Number: IRS Forms 8879-F, 8453-FE, 8453-EMP, and 8879-EMP.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Businesses and other 
for-profit organizations; and Not-for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 21,000,881.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 21,000,881.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours 34 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 53,783,747 hours.
    3. Title: Procedural Rules for Excise Taxes Currently Reportable on 
Form 720.
    OMB Control Number: 1545-1296.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Description: Treasury Decision (T.D.) 8685 contains the regulations 
addressing persons required to make deposits of excise taxes. Internal 
Revenue Code (IRC) Section 4251 imposes a tax on amounts paid for 
certain communications services. IRC Section 4261 imposes various taxes 
on amounts paid for the transportation of persons by air. IRC Section 
4271 imposes a tax on amounts paid for the air transportation of 
property. T.D. 8442 provides guidance for reporting excise taxes on 
Form 720. Section 6302(c) authorizes the Secretary to prescribe the 
time, manner, and conditions under which taxes imposed under internal 
revenue laws may be received at government depositories.
    Regulation Project Number: T.D. 8685 and T.D. 8442.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Businesses and other 
for-

[[Page 53731]]

profit organizations; and Not-for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 10,500.
    Frequency of Response: On Occasion.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 10,500.
    Estimated Time per Response: 23 hours 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 242,350 hours.
    4. Title: Application Procedures for Qualified Intermediary Status 
Under Section 1441; Final Qualified Intermediary Withholding Agreement.
    OMB Control Number: 1545-1597.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Description: Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 1441 (Withholding 
of tax on nonresident aliens), states any nonresident alien individual 
or of any foreign partnership shall deduct and withhold from such items 
a tax equal to 30 percent or 14 percent depending on circumstances. 
Revenue Procedure 2017-15 sets forth the final qualified intermediary 
(QI) withholding agreement (QI agreement) entered under Treasury 
Regulation 1.1441-1(e)(5). The QI agreement allows foreign persons to 
enter into an agreement with the IRS to simplify their obligations as 
withholding agents and as payors for amounts paid to their account 
holders.
    The reporting requirements are set out in Section 5.01 of this 
Revenue Procedure. A prospective QI must submit an application (Form 
14345) to become a QI. A prospective QI must submit the information 
specified in Form 14345 through the QI/WP/WT Application and Accounts 
Management System. An application must also include any additional 
information and documentation requested by the IRS.
    Form 14345 is an application form for foreign financial 
institutions requesting Qualified Intermediary Agreement with the IRS.
    Regulation Project Number: Revenue Procedure 2017-15.
    Form Number: IRS Form 14345.
    Affected Public: Businesses and other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 88,504.
    Frequency of Response: On Occasion.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 1,097,991.
    Estimated Time per Response: 16 minutes--12 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 301,018 hours.
    5. Title: Employee Retention Credit for Employers Affected by 
Qualified Disasters.
    OMB Control Number: 1545-1978.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Description: Form 5884-A is used to figure certain credits for 
disaster area employers. These credits typically include employee 
retention credits for eligible employers who conducted an active trade 
or business in certain disaster areas. The credit is equal to 40 
percent of qualified wages for each eligible employee (up to a maximum 
of $6,000 in qualified wages per employee).
    Form Number: IRS Forms 5884-A.
    Affected Public: Businesses and other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 250,000.
    Frequency of Response: On Occasion.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 250,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2.55 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 637,500 hours.
    6. Title: Employer's Annual Employment Tax Return.
    OMB Control Number: 1545-2007.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Description: Form 944 is used by employers with an estimated annual 
employment tax liability of $1,000 or less for the entire calendar 
year. Form 944(SP) is the Spanish version of the Form 944. Form 944-X 
and Form 944-X(SP) are used to correct errors made on Form 944.
    Form Number: IRS Forms 944, 944(SP), 944-X, and 944-X(SP).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Businesses and other 
for-profit organizations; Not-for-profit institutions; and State, Local 
and Tribal governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 135,884.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 135,884.
    Estimated Time per Response: 23 hours 31 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,196,031 hours.
    7. Title: Voluntary Disclosure Program (VDP) and Streamlined Filing 
Compliance Procedures.
    OMB Control Number: 1545-2241.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Description: The IRS has two different compliance paths for two 
different populations of taxpayers. First, the Voluntary Disclosure 
Practice is a longstanding practice of IRS Criminal Investigation (CI). 
CI takes timely, accurate, and complete voluntary disclosures under 
consideration when determining whether to recommend criminal 
prosecution. A voluntary disclosure will not automatically guarantee 
immunity from prosecution; however, a voluntary disclosure may result 
in prosecution not being recommended. Form 14457 is used for all 
voluntary disclosures. This redesigned form is to be used by taxpayers 
to apply for the IRS-CI Voluntary Disclosure Practice (VDP). The form 
is submitted by the taxpayer in two parts. Part I is a preclearance 
request. Once a taxpayer receives preclearance from IRS-CI, they will 
submit Part II, the voluntary disclosure application. Versions prior to 
March 2019 were used by taxpayers to apply for the IRS Offshore 
Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP) that closed on September 28, 2018.
    Second, the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures are available 
to eligible taxpayers who can truthfully certify that their failure to 
report foreign financial assets and pay all tax due in respect of those 
assets resulted from non-willful conduct. Forms 14653, 15023, and 14654 
relate to the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures.
    The IRS uses the data on Form 14457 in administering Criminal 
Investigation's Voluntary Disclosure Practice.
    Form Number: IRS Forms 14457, 14653, 14654, and 15023.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Businesses or other 
for-profit institutions; Not-for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 16,569.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 16,569.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours up to 80 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 411,138 hours.
    8. Title: IRS Customer Satisfaction Surveys.
    OMB Control Number: 1545-2250.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Description: Surveys conducted under this clearance are used by the 
Internal Revenue Service to determine levels of customer satisfaction 
as well as determining issues that contribute to customer burden. This 
information will be used to make quality improvements to products and 
services. Collecting, analyzing, and using customer opinion data is a 
vital component of IRS's Balanced Measures Approach, as mandated by 
Internal Revenue Service Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 and 
Executive Order 12862.
    Form Number: Not applicable.

[[Page 53732]]

    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Businesses and other 
for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 135,000.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 135,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: Varies, up to 9 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 20,000 hours.
    9. Title: Credit for Oil and Gas Production From Marginal Wells.
    OMB Control Number: 1545-2278.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Description: Public Law 108-357, Title III, Subtitle C, section 
341(a) instructs the IRS to develop a credit for oil and gas production 
from marginal wells, which is reflected on Form 8904 and its 
instructions. Tax year 2017 will be the first year Form 8904 and its 
instructions will be released. The credit for natural gas production 
will be available for taxable years beginning in calendar year 2020; a 
new notice published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin on June 7, 2021. 
The credit for oil production remains unavailable.
    Form Number: IRS Forms 8904.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Businesses and other 
for-profit organizations; Not-for-profit institutions; and State, Local 
and Tribal governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 20,000.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 20,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours 58 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 59,200 hours.
    10. Title: Employee Retention Credit for Certain Tax-Exempt 
Organizations Affected by Qualified Disasters.
    OMB Control Number: 1545-2298.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Description: Under section 303(d) of the Taxpayer Certainty and 
Disaster Tax Relief Act 2020, a qualified Tax-Exempt Organization 
(including certain governmental entities) that continued to pay or 
incur wages after activities of the organization (treated as an active 
trade or business for this purpose) became inoperable because of damage 
from a qualified disaster may be able to use Form 5884-D to claim the 
2020 qualified disaster employee retention credit against certain 
payroll taxes. The credit is equal to 40 percent of qualified wages for 
each eligible employee (up to a maximum of $6,000 in qualified wages 
per employee).
    Form Number: IRS Form 5884-D.
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local and 
Tribal governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 26,300.
    Frequency of Response: Once.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 26,300.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2.23 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 58,649 hours.
    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

    Dated: September 23, 2021.
Molly Stasko,
Treasury PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-21075 Filed 9-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830-01-P