[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 113 (Friday, June 12, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32286-32287]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-15624]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Internal Revenue Service


Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Forms W-8, W-8A, W-8B, 
and W-8C

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, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning 
Form W-8, certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United 
States Tax Withholding; Form W-8A, Foreign Person's Claim of Income 
Effectively Connected With the Conduct of a Trade or Business in the 
United States; Form W-8B, Certification for United States Tax 
Withholding for Foreign Governments and Other Foreign Organizations; 
and Form W-8C, Certificate of Foreign Intermediary, Foreign 
Partnership, and Certain U.S. Branches for United States Tax 
Withholding. These forms and their instructions are being published as 
Announcement 98-51 in Internal Revenue Bulletin 1998-24, dated June 15, 
1998.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before August 11, 1998 
to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to the Chairman, Tax Forms 
Coordinating Committee, Internal Revenue Service, room 5577, 1111 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20224.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United 
States Tax Withholding (Form W-8); Foreign Person's Claim of Income 
Effectively Connected With the Conduct of a Trade or Business in the 
United States (Form W-8A); Certification for United States Tax 
Withholding for Foreign Governments and Other Foreign Organizations 
(Form W-8B); and Certificate of Foreign Intermediary, Foreign 
Partnership, and Certain U.S. Branches for United States Tax 
Withholding (Form W-8C).
    OMB Number: To be assigned later.
    Form Number: W-8, W-8A, W-8B, and W-8C.
    Abstract: Foreign persons are subject to U.S. tax at a 30% rate on 
income they receive from U.S. sources that consists of interest, 
dividends, rents, premiums, annuities, compensation, and other fixed or 
determinable annual or periodical income. Form W-8 will be used for 
certain types of income to establish that the person is a foreign 
person, is the beneficial owner of the income for which Form W-8 is 
being provided and, if applicable, to claim a reduced rate of, or 
exemption from, withholding as a resident of a foreign country with 
which the United States has an income tax treaty. Form W-8A will be 
used to establish that the person is a foreign person, is the 
beneficial owner of the income for which Form W-8A is being provided, 
and to claim that the income is effectively connected with the conduct 
of a trade or business within the United States. Form W-8B will be used 
by a foreign government, international organization, foreign central 
bank of issue, foreign tax-exempt organization, or foreign private 
foundation. The form will be used by such persons to establish foreign 
status, to claim that the person is the beneficial owner of the income 
for which Form W-8B is given and, if applicable, to claim a reduced 
rate of, or exemption from, withholding. Form W-8C will be provided to 
a withholding agent or payer by a foreign intermediary, foreign 
partnership, and certain U.S. branches to make representations 
regarding the status of beneficial owners or to transmit appropriate 
documentation to the withholding agent.
    Current Actions: This is a new collection of information.
    Type of Review: New OMB approval.
    Affected Public: Individuals, business or other for-profit 
organizations and not-for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Form W-8--3,000,000; Form W-8A--
180,000; Form W-8B--240; Form W-8C--400.
    Estimated Time Per Respondent: Form W-8--10 hr., 6 min.; Form W-
8A--6 hr., 54 min.; Form W-8B--16 hr., 18 min.; Form W-8C--18 hr., 22 
min.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Form W-8--30,300,000 Form W-
8A--1,242,000; Form W-8B--3,912; Form W-8C--7,348.
    The following paragraph applies to all of the collections of 
information covered by this notice:

[[Page 32287]]

    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; and 
(d) ways to minimize the burden of the 5 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: June 5, 1998.
Garrick R. Shear,
IRS Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-15624 Filed 6-11-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830-01-P