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###### Department of the Treasury

###### Internal Revenue Service 

          - [REG-129243-07] 

# AGENCY:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. 

# ACTION:

Notice and request for comments. 

# 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 an existing NPRM regulation, 129243-07, Tax Return Preparer Penalties under Sections 6694 & 6695. 

# DATES:

Written comments should be received on or before December 8, 2008 to be assured of consideration. 

# ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Glenn P. Kirkland, Internal Revenue Service, room 6129, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20224. 

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

                        Requests for additional information or copies of this regulation should be directed to Carolyn N. Brown, (202) 622-6688, Internal Revenue Service, room 6129, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20224, or through the Internet at                         *Carolyn.N.Brown@irs.gov.*

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

*Title:*                     Tax Return Preparer Penalties under Sections 6694 & 6695 (NPRM).                 

*OMB Number:*                     1545-1231.                 

*Regulation Project Number:*                     REG-129243-07 (NPRM).                 

*Abstract:*                     This proposed regulation would implement the amendments to tax return preparer penalties under sections 6060, 6107, and 6694 of the Internal Revenue Code enacted by section 8246 of the Small Business and Work Opportunity Tax Act of 2007. This information is necessary to require recording of the name, taxpayer identification number, and principal place of work of each employed tax return preparer consistent with Code section 6060, require each return or claim for refund prepared available for inspection by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue or his delegate consistent with Code section 6107, and to document that the tax return preparer advised the taxpayer of the penalty standards applicable to the taxpayer in order for the tax return preparer to avoid penalties under Code section 6694.                 

*Current Actions:*                     The final regulation IA-38-90 (T.D. 8382) Penalty on Income Tax Return Preparers Who Understate Taxpayer's Liability on a Federal Income Tax Return or a Claim for Refund was superseded by Regulation 129243-07 Tax Return Preparer Penalties Under Sections 6694 & 6695 (NPRM).                 

*Type of Review:*                     Revision of a currently approved collection.                 

*Affected Public:*                     Business or other for-profit organizations, and individuals or households.                 

*Estimated Number of Respondents:*                     684,268.                 

*Estimated Time per Respondent:*                     15 hours, 36 min.                 

*Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:*                     10,679,320 hours.                 

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: September 29, 2008. 

Glenn P. Kirkland, 

IRS Reports Clearance Officer.

 [FR Doc. E8-23648 Filed 10-6-08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4830-01-P