[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 104 (Monday, June 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29778-29779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-14300]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Internal Revenue Service


Proposed Collection; Comment Request For Form 8655

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing 
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment 
on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning 
Form 8655, reporting Agent Authorization for Magnetic Tape/Electronic 
Filers.


[[Page 29779]]


DATES: Written comments should be received on or before July 31, 1998 
to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Garrick R. Shear, Internal 
Revenue Service, room 5571, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, 
DC 20224.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the form and instructions should be directed to Carol Savage, 
(202) 622-3945, Internal Revenue Service, room 5569, 1111 Constitution 
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20224.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Reporting Agent Authorization for Magnetic Tape/Electronic 
Filers.
    OMB Number: 1545-1058.
    Form Number: Form 8655.
    Abstract: Form 8655 allows a taxpayer to designate a reporting 
agent to file certain employment tax returns electronically or on 
magnetic tape, to receive copies of notices and other tax information, 
and to submit Federal tax deposits. The form permits IRS to disclose 
tax account information and to provide duplicate copies of taxpayer 
correspondence to authorized agents.
    Current Actions:
    The form is being revised to make it more user friendly, easier to 
process, and to remove unnecessary items. The changes are as follows:
    <bullet> Rearranged the information on the form so that it is in 
the same order as it is input into the Reporting Agent File (RAF) 
system (items 1 through 6).
    <bullet> Provided separate boxes for printing the critical taxpayer 
information (items 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, and 10).
    <bullet> Provided separate lines for the taxpayer legal name and 
the doing business as (dba) name (items 7 and 8).
    <bullet> Separated the check boxes for authorizing return filing 
and authorizing federal tax deposits (item 16).
    <bullet> Expanded the check boxes for authorizing federal tax 
deposits to include additional types of tax (item 16).
    <bullet> Included items 17 and 18 to make the form usable by 
reporting agents for their authorizations to file with State agencies.
    <bullet> Removed the reporting agent signature line.
    <bullet> Clarified the language and combined items A and B from the 
prior form (item 16).
    <bullet> Removed check boxes C and D.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 110,000.
    Estimated Time Per Respondent: 6 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 11,000.
    The following paragraph applies to all of the collections of 
information covered by this notice:
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of 
information displays a valid OMB control number. Books or records 
relating to a collection of information must be retained as long as 
their contents may become material in the administration of any 
internal revenue law. Generally, tax returns and tax return information 
are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.
    Request for Comments:
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will 
become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on: (a) whether 
the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance 
of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of 
the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) 
ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) estimates 
of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and 
purchase of services to provide information.

    Approved: May 26, 1998.
Garrick R. Shear,
IRS Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-14300 Filed 5-29-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830-01-U