Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0270]

Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans

Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995

(44 U.S.C., 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Veterans

Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, has

submitted the collection of information abstracted below to the Office

of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA

submission describes the nature of the information collection and its

expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection

instrument.

DATE: Comments must be submitted on or before May 5, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION CONTACT: Ron

Taylor, Information Management Service (045A4), Department of Veterans

Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-8015

or FAX (202) 273-5981. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0270.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Financial Counseling Statement, VA Form 26-8844.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0270.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: The form is part of VA's supplemental servicing program

for helping veteran-borrowers who are seriously delinquent on

guaranteed or insured VA home loans. In VA's supplemental servicing

effort, financial counseling is performed in appropriate cases to

afford veteran-borrowers the maximum assistance possible to retain

their homes during periods of temporary financial difficulty. The

information collected is used by VA to make recommendations to the

borrower in an effort to help the borrower cure the default status of

the loan.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required

to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a

currently valid OMB control number. The Federal Register Notice with a

60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of

information was published on September 24, 1998 at page 51120.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 3,750 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 45 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 5,000.

Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the

information collection to VA's OMB Desk Officer, Allison Eydt, OMB

Human Resources and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room

10235, Washington, DC 20503 (202) 395-4650. Please refer to ``OMB

Control No. 2900-0029'' in any correspondence.

Dated: March 2, 1999.

By direction of the Secretary.

Donald L. Neilson,

Director, Information Management Service.

[FR Doc. 99-8189 Filed 4-2-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320-01-P