[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 44850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-17981]


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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 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) (45 U.S.C. 
231e), lump-sum death benefits are payable to surviving widow(er)s, 
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 deceased employee was 
``insured'' under the RRA at the time of death. If the deceased 
employee was not 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 requirements 
for applying for benefits are prescribed in 20 CFR 217, 219, and 234.
    The collection obtains the information required by the RRB to 
determine entitlement to and amount of the survivor death benefits 
applied for. To collect the information, the RRB uses Forms AA-21, 
Application for Lump-Sum Death Payment and Annuities Unpaid at Death; 
AA-21cert, Application Summary and Certification; 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. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is 
required to obtain benefits.
    The RRB proposes no changes to Forms AA-21, AA-21cert and G-131.
    The RRB proposes the following changes to Form G-273a:
     In field 3, changed 3rd sentence and added 4th sentence to 
``If paid by prearrangement, please show the name of the person who 
made the prearrangement and any beneficiary, not the insurance company 
or financial institution making the final payment. If there was a pre-
need agreement, please attach a copy of the contract.''
     In the Paperwork Reduction Act and Privacy Act Notices 
section, propose minor change to address.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
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                        Form No.                          Annual responses    Time (minutes)     Burden (hours)
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AA-21cert with assistance..............................              3,500                 20              1,167
AA-21 without assistance...............................                200                 40                133
G-131..................................................                 20                  5                  2
G-273a.................................................              2,000                 10                333
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    Total..............................................              5,720  .................              1,635
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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 or comments regarding the information 
collection should be addressed to Brian Foster, Railroad Retirement 
Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275 or emailed 
to [email protected]. Written comments should be received within 60 
days of this notice.

Brian Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2025-17981 Filed 9-16-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P