Notice2026-05548
Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 23, 2026
Issuing agencies
Railroad Retirement Board
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 55 (Monday, March 23, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 55 (Monday, March 23, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13868-13870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-05548]
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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
Proposed Collection; Comment Request
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.
1. Title and purpose of information collection: Application to Act
as Representative Payee; OMB 3220-0052.
Under Section 12 of the Railroad Retirement Act (45 U.S.C. 231k),
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 procedures pertaining to the appointment and
responsibilities of a representative payee are prescribed in 20 CFR
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 Benefits, obtains information about an annuitant's capability
to manage their own benefits. 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. The RRB
also provides representative payees with a booklet at the time of their
appointment. The
[[Page 13869]]
booklet, RRB Form RB-5, Your Duties as Representative Payee-
Representative Payee's Record, advises representative payees of their
responsibilities under 20 CFR 266.9 and provides a means for the
representative payee to maintain records pertaining to the receipt and
use of RRB benefits. The booklet is provided for the representative
payee's convenience. The RRB also accepts records that are kept by
representative payee's as part of a common business practice.
Completion is voluntary. One response is requested of each respondent.
The RRB proposes the following changes to Forms AA-5, G-478 and RB-5:
Form AA-5:
<bullet> Question 4: Changed ``No--Explain in Item 17'' to ``No--
Explain in Item 18''.
<bullet> Question 10: Added checkbox for ``Care Facility''.
<bullet> Question 12: Added checkbox for ``Wages from employment''.
<bullet> Question 19: Removed bullet ``If the beneficiary begins to
receive a public service pension, or there is a change in the amount of
the pension'' to comply with the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023
and added bullet ``If there is any change to the beneficiary's banking
information;''
<bullet> Page 7: Changed office hours.
<bullet> Page 8: Changed last sentence of the Paperwork Reduction
Act Notice to ``Railroad Retirement Board, ATTN: Bureau of Information
Services/Policy & Compliance, 844 N Rush St., Chicago, IL 60611-1275.''
Form G-478:
<bullet> Changed last sentence of the Paperwork Reduction Act
Notice to ``Railroad Retirement Board, ATTN: Bureau of Information
Services/Policy & Compliance, 844 N Rush St., Chicago, IL 60611-1275.''
<bullet> Question 9: Added ``Doctor/Clinic Tax ID'' data entry
line.
Form RB-5:
<bullet> Pages 1 and 8: Changed the office hours, added secure
email and Website information.
Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
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Form No. Annual responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
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AA-5................................................... 3,000 ................. 900
Individuals........................................ 2,250 18 675
Institutions....................................... 750 ................. 225
G-478.................................................. 2,000 6 200
RB-5................................................... 15,300 ................. 15,300
Individuals........................................ 11,475 60 11,475
Institutions....................................... 3,825 ................. 3,825
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Total.......................................... 38,600 ................. 30,600
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2. Title and purpose of information collection: Supplement to Claim
of Person Outside the United States; OMB 3220-0155.
Under the Social Security Amendments of 1983 (Public Law 98-21),
which amends Section 202(t) of the Social Security Act, effective
January 1, 1985, the Tier I or the overall minimum (O/M) portion of an
annuity, and Medicare benefits payable under the Railroad Retirement
Act to certain beneficiaries living outside the U.S., may be withheld.
The benefit withholding provision of Public Law 98-21 applies to
divorced spouses, spouses, minor or disabled children, students, and
survivors of railroad employees who (1) initially became eligible for
Tier I amounts, O/M shares, and Medicare benefits after December 31,
1984; (2) are not U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals; and (3) have resided
outside the U.S. for more than six consecutive months starting with the
annuity beginning date. The benefit withholding provision does not
apply, however to a beneficiary who is exempt under either a treaty
obligation of the U.S., in effect on August 1, 1956, or a totalization
agreement between the U.S. and the country in which the beneficiary
resides, or to an individual who is exempt under other criteria
specified in Public Law 98-21.
RRB Form G-45, Supplement to Claim of Person Outside the United
States, is currently used by the RRB to determine applicability of the
withholding provision of Public Law 98-21. Completion of the form is
required to obtain or retain a benefit. One response is requested of
each respondent. The RRB proposes the following changes to Form G-45:
<bullet> Changed last sentence of the Paperwork Reduction Act
Notice to ``Railroad Retirement Board, ATTN: Bureau of Information
Services/Policy & Compliance, 844 N Rush St., Chicago, IL 60611-1275.''
<bullet> Question 9 (d) and (e): Replaced ``checks'' with
``correspondence'' and other minor editorial changes to comply with
Executive Order 14247, Modernizing Payments To and From America's Bank
Account.
Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
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Form No. Annual responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
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G-45................................................ 24 10 4
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3. Title and purpose of information collection: Repayment of Debt;
OMB 3220-0169.
Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 231a)
provides for payment of annuities to railroad employees who are retired
due to age or disability and annuities or benefits to their eligible
spouses, divorced spouses, and survivors. Section 2 of the Railroad
Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) (45 U.S.C. 352) provides for the
payment of benefits to qualified railroad employees who are unemployed,
but willing and able to work, and railroad employees who are unable to
work due to sickness or injury. When an overpayment of RRA or RUIA
benefits has occurred, prompt action is initiated to notify the
annuitant or beneficiary of the overpayment and the method by
[[Page 13870]]
which the debt may be liquidated. The overpayment recovery methods
available are cash refund by check, money order, debit card and
withholding of annuities or benefits due.
Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) procedures pertaining to RRA
annuity and benefit overpayment determinations and recovery are
prescribed in 20 CFR part 255. RUIA procedures pertaining to benefit
overpayment determinations are prescribed in 20 CFR part 340.
When a debt is owed on an RRA or RUIA-related debt, the RRB mails
Form DRL-145, Debt Notice, to the debtor; a Form G-421, Repayment
Method Form, for the debtor to indicate how they will repay the debt; a
Form G-66 or G-66B, Your Rights to Review and/or Waiver, which explains
what they can do if they disagree with the amount of the debt; and a
Form G-66A or G-66BA, Rights Request Form, to request their right to
have us review and/or waiver the debt. Completion of Form G-421F is
voluntary. The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-421F.
Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
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Form No. Annual responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
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Form G-421F (RRA) activity............................. 360 5 30
Form G-421F (RUIA) activity............................ 175 5 15
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Total.............................................. 535 ................. 45
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Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or
to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms,
and/or supporting material or comments regarding the information
collection should be addressed to Brian Foster, Railroad Retirement
Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275 or emailed
to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#591b2b303837771f362a2d3c2b192b2b3b773e362f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="87c5f5eee6e9a9c1e8f4f3e2f5c7f5f5e5a9e0e8f1">[email protected]</span></a>. Written comments should be received within 60
days of this notice.
Brian Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2026-05548 Filed 3-20-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P
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