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ICRAS Tracking and OMB Number: ( 1430.09 ) 1845 - 0058 Revised: 04/21/2014 RIN Number: N/A **SUPPORTING STATEMENT**

**FOR PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION**

**A. Justification** 1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary . Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a hard cop y of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information , or you may provide a valid URL link or paste the applicable section 1
. Specify the review t ype of the collectio n (new, revision, extension, reinstatement with change, reinstatement without change) . If revised, briefl y specify the changes. If a rulemaking is involved, make note of the sections or changed sections, if applicable. The Higher Education Act of 1965, a s amended (HEA), established the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program, and the Federal Perkins (Perkins) Loan programs under Title IV, Parts B, D, and E, respectivel y. Section 437(c)(1 ) of the HEA authorizes the discharge of a FFEL or Direct Loan program loan borrower’s obligation to repay his or her loan(s) based on school closure or false certification of student eligibility . Section 464(g)(1) of the HEA authorizes the discharge of a Perkins Loan Program loan based on school closure. For the FFEL and Direct Loan programs, the regulations governing closed school and false certification loan discharges are in 34 CFR 682.402(d) and (e) (FFEL Program) and 34 CFR 685.212, 214 and 215 (Dir ect Loan Program). For the Perkins Loan Program, the regulations governing closed school discharges are in 34 CFR 674.33(g). This collection is necessary in order for loan holders in the FFEL, Direct Loan, and Perkins L oan programs to obtain the information that is needed to determine whether a borrower qualifies for a closed school or false certification loan discharge. The loan discharge regulations in all three loan programs require borrowers who seek discharge of their FFEL, Direct Loan, or Perkins Lo an program loans to request a loan discharge and provide their loan holders with certain information in writing. This information collection includes the following four loan discharge applications that are used to obtain the information needed to determine whether a borrower qualifies for a closed school or false certification loan discharge: 1. Loan Discharge Applic ation: School Closure 2. Loan Discharge Application: False Certification (Ability to Benefit) 3. Loan Discharge Application: False Certification (Disqualifying Status)

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ICRAS Tracking and OMB Number: ( 1430.09 ) 1845 - 0058 Revised: 04/21/2014 RIN Number: N/A

4. Loan Discharge Application: False Certification (Unauthorized Signature/Unauthorized Pay ment) 5. Loan Discharge Application: Unpaid Refund This collection (1845
- 0058), as currentl y approved, contains on the Loan Discharge: Unpaid Refund form. A related collection (1845
- 0015), as currentl y approved, contains the L oan Discharge Application: School Clos ure and L oan Discharge Application: False Certification forms. Through this revision, we will merge all of the forms contained in 1845 - 0015 into 1845
- 0058 and subsequentl y submit a discontinuation for 1845
- 0015. As a result of this change, it appears as th ough burden is significantl y increasing; however, this is only

as a result of the fact that other, currently approved forms are being added to this collection. There is no burden that is actuall y being added to this collection. The Department is not makin g substantive changes to the forms except as follows:

 The False Certification (Ability to Benefit) discharge form is being revised to incorporate changes to the Higher Education Act that were made b y the Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2012, which limit ed this basis for discharge.  The School Closure discharge form is being revised to incorporate changes to the Perkins, Direct Loan, and FFEL Program regulations, which slightly expanded this basis for discharge. 2. Indicate how, by

whom, and for what pur

pose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection. ED and FFEL and Perkins Program loan holders have used the information collected on the forms to determine whether a borrower qualifies for a loan discharge. The collection will continue to be used for this purpose. Borrowers generally

obtain a copy

of the unpaid refund loan discharge application by contacting their loan holder. ED service rs and F FEL and Perkins Program loan holders may also make the form available on their web sites. 3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or forms of information technology , e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision of adopting this means of collection. Also describe an y consideration given to using technology

to reduce burden. ED continue s its effort to maximize the use of available information technology in making and servicing Direct Loans, and will encourage FFEL Program loan holders to use computer technology extensively , when it is feasible and cost
- effective. In deed, most lo an holders and servicers permit borrowers to scan and upload or scan and email copies of forms.3

ICRAS Tracking and OMB Number: ( 1430.09 ) 1845 - 0058 Revised: 04/21/2014 RIN Number: N/A 4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specificall y wh y an y similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purpo ses described in Item 2 above. There is no similar information already available from other sources that can be used for the purposes described in Item 2. 5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden. A small entity may be (1) a small business which is deemed to be one that is independently owned and operated and that is not dominant in its field of operation; (2) a small organization that is any not - for
- profit enterpri se that is independently owned and operated and is not dominant in its field; or (3) a small government jurisdiction, which is a government of a city , count y, town, township, school district, or special district with a population of less than 50,000. No s mall businesses are affected b y this information collection. 6. Describe the consequences to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequentl y, as well as an y technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden. A borrower who requests an unpaid refund loan discharge is required to submit a loan discharge application only one time. 7. Explain any

special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:

 requiring r espondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterl y;  requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 day s after receipt of it;  requiring respondents to submit more than an original an d two copies of any document;  requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant - in
- aid, or tax records for more than three years;  in connection with a statistical survey , that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results than can be generalized to the universe of study ;  requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved b y OMB;  that includes a pledge of confidentiality that is not supported by

authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or that unnecessaril y i mpedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use; or  requiring respon dents to submit proprietary trade secrets, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information ’ s confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.4

ICRAS Tracking and OMB Number: ( 1430.09 ) 1845 - 0058 Revised: 04/21/2014 RIN Number: N/A This information collection does not involve any of the above conditions. 8. As applicable, state that the Department has published the 60 and 30 Federal Register notices as required b y 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken b y the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden. Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to ob tain their views on the availability

of data, frequency

of collection, the clarity

of instruction and record keeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if an y), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported. Consultation with representati ves of those from whom information is to be obtained or those who must compile records should occur at least once every 3 years – even if the collection of information activity

is the same as in prior periods. There may be circumstances that may preclude consultation in a specific situation. These circumstances should be explained. ED considered comments from the public when developin g the currentl y approved form and will consider comments from the public during the 60
- and 30
- day comment periods. 9. Explain any

decision to provide any

pay ment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees with meaningful justification
. No pay ments or gifts have been provided to respondents. 10. Describe an y assurance of confidentiality prov ided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy
. If personally

identifiable information (PII) is being collected, a Privacy Act statement should be included on the instrument. Please provide a citation for the S ys tems of Record Notice and the date a Privacy Impact Assessment was completed as indicated on the I C Data Form . A confidentiality statement with a legal citation that authorizes the pledge of confidentiality should be provided. 2 If the collection is subje ct to the Privacy Act, the Privacy

Act statement is deemed sufficient with respect to confidentiality . I f there is no expectation of confidentiality , simply state that the Department make s no pledge about the confidentiall y of the data. The forms include a Privacy Act Notice that (1) informs borrowers of the statutory authority for the information collection; (2) explains that the disclosure of the information is voluntary , but is required in order to qualify for a loan discharge; and (3) identifi es the
2 Requests for this information are in accordance with the following ED and OMB policies: Privacy Act of 1974, OMB Circular A
- 108

– Privacy Act Implementation

– Guidelines and Responsibilities, OMB Circular A
- 130 Appendix I

– Federal Agency Responsibilities for Maintaining Records About Individuals, OMB M
- 03 - 22

– OMB Guidance for Implementing the Privacy Provisions of the E
- Government Act of 2002, OMB M
- 06 - 15

– Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information, OM : 6 - 104

– Privacy Act of 1974 ( Collection, Use and Protection of Personally Identifiable Information)5

ICRAS Tracking and OMB Number: ( 1430.09 ) 1845 - 0058 Revised: 04/21/2014 RIN Number: N/A third parties to whom the information may be disclosed and explains the circumstances under which those disclosures may occur. 11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, reli gious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. The justification should include the reasons wh y the agency considers the questions necessary , the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons f rom whom the information is requested, and an y steps to be taken to obtain their consent. The forms do not require borrowers to provide any information of a sensitive nature. 12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. The statement should:

 Indicate the number of respondents by affected public ty

pe (federal government, individuals or households, private sector

– businesses or other for
- profit, private sector

– not - for
- profit institutions, farms, state, local or tribal gove rnments) , frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated, including identification of burden t ype: recordkeeping, reporting or third party disclosure. All narrative should be included in item 12. Unless direc ted to do so, agencies should not conduct special survey s to obtain information on which to base hour burden estimates. Consultation with a sample (fewer than 10) of potential respondents is desirable. If the hour burden on respondents is expected to vary widel y because of differences in activity , size, or complexity , show the range of estimated hour burden, and explain the reasons for the variance. Generall y, estimates should not include burden hours for customary and usual business practices.  If this r equest for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form and aggregate the hour burdens in the ROCI S IC Burden Analy sis Table
. (The table should at minimum include Respondent types, IC activity , Respondent and Re sponses, Hours/Response, and Total Hours)  Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents of the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories. The cost of contracting out or paying outside parties for information collection activities should not be included here. Instead, this cost should be included in Item 14. ED estimates the total annual number of respondents for this information collection to be as follows:  Loan Discharge: School Closure

– 2 2,083  Loan Discharge: False Certification (Ability to Benefit)

– 3,715  Loan Discharge: False Certification (Disqualifying Status)

– 1,290  Loan Discharge: False Certification (Unauthorized Signature/Pay ment)

– 2,563  Loan Discharge: Unpaid Refund
- 400. The estimated time required to complete the forms is 0.5 hours (30 minutes).6

ICRAS Tracking and OMB Number: ( 1430.09 ) 1845 - 0058 Revised: 04/21/2014 RIN Number: N/A Based on one response per respondent, this equates to a total estimated annual reporting burden of 15,026 hours, calculated as follows: Estimated annual number of respondents: 30,051 Number of responses per borrower: x 1 Hours per response: x 0.5 (30 minutes) Annual hour burden: 15,026 hours There are no annual costs to respondents associated with operating or maintaining sy stems or purchasing services. 13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in Items 12 and 14.)

 The cost estimate should be split into two components: (a) a t otal capital and start
- up cost component (annualized over its expected useful life); and (b) a total operation and maintenance and purchase of services component. The estimates should take into account costs associated with generating, maintaining, and di sclosing or providing the information. Include descriptions of methods used to estimate major cost factors including s ys tem and technology acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, the discount rate(s), and the time period over which costs w ill be incurred. Capital and start - up costs include, among other items, preparations for collecting information such as purchasing computers and software; monitoring, sampling, drilling and testing equipment; and acquiring and maintaining record storage f acilities.  If cost estimates are expected to vary widel y, agencies should present ranges of cost burdens and explain the reasons for the variance. The cost of contracting out information collection services should be a part of this cost burden estimate. In developing cost burden estimates, agencies may consult with a sample of respondents (fewer than 10), utilize the 60
- day

pre - OMB submission public comment process and use existing economic or regulatory

impact anal ys is associated with the rulemaking cont aining the information collection, as appropriate.  Generally , estimates should not include purchases of equipment or services, or portions thereof, made: (1) prior to October 1, 1995, (2) to achieve regulatory compliance with requirements not associated wi th the information collection, (3) for reasons other than to provide information or keep records for the government or (4) as part of customary and usual business or private practices. Also, these estimates should not include the hourly costs (i.e., the mo netization of the hours) captured above in Item 12 Total Annualized Capital/Startup Cost : $0.00 Total Annual Costs (O&M) : $0.00

____________________ Total Annualized Costs Requested : $0.007

ICRAS Tracking and OMB Number: ( 1430.09 ) 1845 - 0058 Revised: 04/21/2014 RIN Number: N/A

There are no capital/startup costs to respondents.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), and any other expense that woul d not have been incurred without this collection of information. Agencies also may aggregate cost estimates from Items 12, 13, and 14 in a single table. There is no significant cost to the federal government related to these forms from FFEL Program , Dire ct L oan, or Perkins L oan borrowers, since loan holders and servicers distribute and process the loan discharge application s, and ED servicers do not specificall y charge the government for distributing these forms
. 15. Explain the reasons for an y program c hanges or adjustments. Generally , adjustments in burden result from re
- estimating burden and/or from economic phenomenon outside of an agency ’ s control (e.g., correcting a burden estimate or an organic increase in the size of the reporting universe). Progr am changes result from a deliberate action that materiall y changes a collection of information and generally are result of new statute or an agency action (e.g., changing a form, revising regulations, redefining the respondent universe, etc.). Burden chang es should be disaggregated by t ype of change (i.e., adjustment, program change due to new statute, and/or program change due to agency discretion) , ty

pe of collection (new, revision, extension, reinstatement with change, reinstatement without change) and i nclude totals for changes in burden hours , responses and cost s (if applicable)
. The burden hours associated with this collection is increasing for one reason; namely , that the collection is being combined with the collection with OMB Control Number 1845 - 0 015 so that all loan discharge forms are contained in one collection with the same OMB Control Number. After the revision to 1845
- 0058 is approved, we will submit a discontinuation for 1845
- 0015. 16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analy

tical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of rep ort, publication dates, and other actions. The results of this information collection will not be published. 17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate. The Department is not seeking this approval.8

ICRAS Tracking and OMB Number: ( 1430.09 ) 1845 - 0058 Revised: 04/21/2014 RIN Number: N/A 18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in the Certification of Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is not requesting an y exceptions to the "Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions".