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 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:

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Annual

Form #(s) responses Time (min) Burden (hrs)

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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

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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