[Federal Register: July 28, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 144)]
[Notices]               
[Page 40914-40915]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28jy99-114]                         

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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), 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 decreased 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-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 is proposing the addition of an electronic version of Form 
AA-21 to the collection. The information collected will mirror that 
obtained on the manual Form AA-21. Upon completion of the electronic 
AA-21, the applicant will receive Form AA-21cert for review and 
signature. The AA-21cert will summarize information provided by/or 
verified by the applicant. In addition, the RRB is proposing editorial 
and formatting changes to Form AA-11a, manual Form AA-21, G-131, and G-
273a.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form #(s)                                responses      Time (min)     Burden (hrs)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AA-11A..........................................................             400              10              67
Electronic AA-21 (with assistance)..............................           9,700              20           3,230
Manual AA-21 (without assistance)...............................             300              40             200
G-131...........................................................             600               5              50
G-273A..........................................................           9,600              10           1,600
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................          20,600  ..............           5,147
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[[Page 40915]]

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. Comments regarding 
the information collection should be addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, 
Railroad Retirement Board, 844 N. Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-
2092. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this 
notice.
Chuck Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-19211 Filed 7-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-M