Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Notice 98-52 and REG-108639-99

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, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Notice 98-52, Cash or Deferred Arrangements; Nondiscrimination, and existing notice of proposed rulemaking, REG-108639-99, Retirement Plans; Cash or Deferred Arrangements Under Section 401(k) and Matching Contributions or Employee Contributions Under Section 401(m) (§§ 1.401(k)-3(d) and 1.401(m)-3(e)).

DATES:

Written comments should be received on or before January 10, 2005, to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to R. Joseph Durbala, Internal Revenue Service, room 6516, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20224.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the notice and regulation should be directed to Carol Savage at Internal Revenue Service, room 6516, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20224, or at (202) 622-3945, or through the Internet at CAROL.A.SAVAGE@irs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Cash or Deferred Arrangements; Nondiscrimination (Notice 98-52), Retirement Plans; Cash or Deferred Arrangements Under Section 401(k) and Matching Contributions or Employee Contributions Under Section 401(m) (REG-108639-9).

OMB Number: 1545-1624.

Notice Number: Notice 98-52.

Regulation Project Number: REG-108639-99.

Abstract: This notice provides guidance to plan administrators, plan sponsors, etc., regarding nondiscriminatory safe harbors with respect to Internal Revenue Code sections 401(k)(12) and 401(m)(11), as amended by the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996. The safe harbor provisions pertain to the actual deferral percentage test and the actual contribution percentage test for cash or deferred arrangements and for defined contribution plans. To take advantage of the safe harbor provisions, plan sponsors must amend their plans to reflect the new law and must provide plan participants with an annual notice describing the benefits available under the plan.

Current Actions: There are no changes being made to the notice at this time.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations, and not-for-profit institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 60,000.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 1 hour, 20 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 80,000.

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.