83 FR 3781 - Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 18 (January 26, 2018)

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 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 collection of information to determine (1) the practical utility of the collection; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (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 the RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if the RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of the publication date. Title and purpose of information collection: Student Beneficiary Monitoring; OMB 3220-0123. Under provisions of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), there are two types of benefit payments that are based on the status of a child being in full-time elementary or secondary school attendance at age 18-19: (1) A survivor child's annuity benefit under Section 2(d)(1)(iii) and (2) an increase in the employee retirement annuity under the Special Guaranty computation as prescribed in section 3(f)(2) and 20 CFR 229. The survivor student annuity is usually paid by direct deposit to a financial institution either into the student's checking or savings account or into a joint bank account with a parent. The requirements for eligibility as a student are prescribed in 20 CFR 216.74, and include students in independent study and home schooling. To help determine if a child is entitled to student benefits, the RRB requires evidence of full-time school attendance. This evidence is acquired through the RRB's student monitoring program, which utilizes the following forms. Form G-315, Student Questionnaire, obtains certification of a student's full-time school attendance as well as information on the student's marital status, social security benefits, and employment, which are needed to determine entitlement or continued entitlement to benefits under the RRA. Form G-315A, Statement of School Official, is used to obtain, from a school, verification of a student's full-time attendance when the student fails to return a monitoring Form G-315. Form G-315A.1, School Official's Notice of Cessation of Full- Time School Attendance, is used by a school to notify the RRB that a student has ceased full-time school attendance. Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (82 FR 55426 on November 21, 2017) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 18 (Friday, January 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3781-3782]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-01383]


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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 
an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 
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 collection of information 
to determine (1) the practical utility of the collection; (2) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (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 the 
RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper 
consideration of your comments, it is best if the RRB and OIRA receive 
them within 30 days of the publication date.
    Title and purpose of information collection: Student Beneficiary 
Monitoring; OMB 3220-0123. Under provisions of the Railroad Retirement 
Act (RRA), there are two types of benefit payments that are based on 
the status of a child being in full-time elementary or secondary school 
attendance at age 18-19: (1) A survivor child's annuity benefit under 
Section 2(d)(1)(iii) and (2) an increase in the employee retirement 
annuity under the Special Guaranty computation as prescribed in section 
3(f)(2) and 20 CFR 229.
    The survivor student annuity is usually paid by direct deposit to a 
financial institution either into the student's checking or savings 
account or into a joint bank account with a parent. The requirements 
for eligibility as a student are prescribed in 20 CFR 216.74, and 
include students in independent study and home schooling.
    To help determine if a child is entitled to student benefits, the 
RRB requires evidence of full-time school attendance. This evidence is 
acquired through the RRB's student monitoring program, which utilizes 
the following forms. Form G-315, Student Questionnaire, obtains 
certification of a student's full-time school attendance as well as 
information on the student's marital status, social security benefits, 
and employment, which are needed to determine entitlement or continued 
entitlement to benefits under the RRA. Form G-315A, Statement of School 
Official, is used to obtain, from a school, verification of a student's 
full-time attendance when the student fails to return a monitoring Form 
G-315. Form G-315A.1, School Official's Notice of Cessation of Full-
Time School Attendance, is used by a school to notify the RRB that a 
student has ceased full-time school attendance.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (82 FR 55426 on November 21, 2017) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Student Beneficiary Monitoring.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0123.
    Form(s) submitted: G-315, G-315a, G-315a.1.
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or Households.
    Abstract: Under the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), a student 
benefit is not payable if the student ceases full-time school 
attendance, marries, works in the railroad industry, has excessive 
earnings or attains the upper age limit under the RRA. The report 
obtains information to be used to determine if benefits should cease or 
be reduced.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to the forms in this 
collection.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual           Time           Burden
                            Form No.                                 responses       (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-315...........................................................             860              15             215
G-315a..........................................................              20               3               1
G-315a.1........................................................              20               2               1
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             900  ..............             217
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and 
supporting documents can be obtained from Dana Hickman at (312) 751-
4981 or [email protected].
    Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed 
to Brian Foster, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, 
Chicago, Illinois, 60611-1275 or [email protected] and to the OMB 
Desk Officer for the RRB,

[[Page 3782]]

Fax: 202-395-6974, Email address: [email protected].

Brian D. Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-01383 Filed 1-25-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7905-01-P