Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Title: Federal Tax Offset, Administrative Offset, and Passport Denial.

OMB No.: 0970-0161.

Description: The Federal Offset programs (Federal Tax Refund Offset and Administrative Offset) collect past-due child and spousal support by intercepting certain Federal payments, including Federal tax refunds, of parents who have been ordered to pay support and are delinquent. The Federal Offset programs consist of a cooperative effort among the Department of the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service, the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), and State child support agencies.

The Passport Denial program reports noncustodial parents who owe child and spousal support above a threshold to the Department of State, which will then deny passports.

On an ongoing basis, State child support agencies submit names, Social Security numbers, and the amount(s) of past-due child and spousal support of noncustodial parents who are delinquent in making payments to OCSE.

Federal laws authorize information collection activities pertaining to the Federal Offset and Passport Denial programs and require State child support agencies to submit information pertaining to past-due support that meets specific criteria and to comply with Annual Certification Letter requirements:

(1) 42 U.S.C. 652(b), 42 U.S.C. 664, and 26 U.S.C. 6402(c), for the offset of the Federal tax refund of the noncustodial parent;

(2) 31 U.S.C. 3701 et seq. and 31 U.S.C. 3716(h), for the offset of the Federal payments other than Federal tax refunds of the noncustodial parent; and

(3) 42 U.S.C. 654(31) and 42 U.S.C. 652(k), to Department of State for the denial, revocation, restriction, or limitation of the passport of the noncustodial parent.

Respondents: State IV-D Agencies.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,020 hours.

Additional Information: Copies of the proposed collection may be obtained by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, 330 C Street SW., Washington, DC 20201. Attention Reports Clearance Officer. All requests should be identified by the title of the information collection. Email address: infocollection@acf.hhs.gov.

OMB Comment: OMB is required to make a decision concerning the collection of information between 30 and 60 days after publication of this document in the Federal Register. Therefore, a comment is best assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent directly to the following: Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, Email: OIRA_SUBMISSION@OMB.EOP.GOV, Attn: Desk Officer for the Administration for Children and Families.