[Federal Register: January 26, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 17)]
[Notices]               
[Page 4384]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26ja06-77]                         

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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

Nonresident Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0145.

    Under Public Laws 98-21 and 98-76, benefits under the Railroad 
Retirement Act payable to annuitants living outside the United States 
may be subject to taxation under United States income tax laws. Whether 
the social security equivalent and non-social security equivalent 
portions of Tier I, Tier II, vested dual benefit, or supplemental 
annuity payments are subject to tax withholding, and whether the same 
or different rates are applied to each payment, depends on a 
beneficiary's citizenship and legal residence status, and whether 
exemption under a tax treaty between the United States and the country 
in which the beneficiary is a legal resident has been claimed. To 
effect the required tax withholding, the Railroad Retirement Board 
(RRB) needs to know a nonresidents citizenship and legal residence 
status.
    To secure the required information, the RRB utilizes Form RRB-1001, 
Nonresident Questionnaire, as a supplement to an application as part of 
the initial application process, and as an independent vehicle for 
obtaining the needed information when an annuitant's residence or tax 
treaty status changes. Completion is voluntary. One response is 
requested of each respondent.
    The RRB estimates that 1,300 Form RRB-1001's are completed 
annually. The completion time for Form RRB-1001 is estimated at 30 
minutes. No changes are proposed to Form RRB-1001.
    Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or 
to obtain a copy of the information collection justifications, forms, 
and/or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at 
(312) 751-3363 or send an e-mail request to Charles.Mierzwa@RRB.GOV. 
Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to 
Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 N. Rush Street, 
Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 or send an e-mail to 
Ronald.Hodapp@RRB.GOV. Comments should be received within 60 days of 

this notice.

Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E6-946 Filed 1-25-06; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905-01-P