Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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 collecitons, 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 to Act as

Representative Payee; OMB 3220-0052. Under Section 12 of the Railroad

Retirement Act, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) may pay benefits to

a representative payee when an employee, spouse or survivor annuitant

is incompetent or is a minor. A representative payee may be a court-

appointed guardian, a statutory conservator or an individual selected

by the RRB. The producers pertaining to the appointment and

responsibilities of a representative payee are prescribed in 20 CFR

part 266.

The forms furnished by the RRB to apply for representative payee

status, and for securing the information needed to support the

application follow. RRB Form AA-5, Application for Substitution of

Payee, obtains information needed to determine the selection of a

representative payee who will serve in the best interest of the

beneficiary. RRB Form G-478, Statement Regarding Patient's Capability

to Manage Payments, obtains information about an annuitant's capability

to manage payments. The form is completed by the annuitant's personal

physician or by a medical officer, if the annuitant is in an

institution. It is not required when a court has appointed an

individual or institution to manage the annuitant's funds or, in the

absence of such appointment, when the annuitant is a minor.

Completion is voluntary. One response is requested of reach

respondent. The RRB is proposing minor editorial changes to Forms AA-5

and G-478 to incorporate language required by the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995. No other changes are proposed. The estimated completion

time(s) is estimated at 17 minutes for Form AA-5 and 6 minutes for Form

G-478. The RRB estimates that approximately 3,000 Form AA-5's and 2,000

Form G-478's are completed annually.

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 North

Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092. Written comments should be

received within 60 days of this notice.

Chuck Mierzwa,

Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 97-20205 Filed 7-30-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905-01-M