SUPPORTING STATEMENT
(IRS Form 8821)
CIRCUMSTANCES NECESSITATING COLLECTION OF INFORMATION
Code section 6103(c) allows the IRS to disclose confidential tax information concerning a taxpayer to a designee of the taxpayer. This request must be in writing.
Form 8821, Tax Information Authorization, allows an appointee to inspect or receive confidential tax information.
2. USE OF DATA
The form is used by the IRS to identify appointees of a taxpayer and to ensure that an unauthorized disclosure is not made.
3. USE OF IMPROVED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE BURDEN
We are currently offering electronic filing for Form 8821.
4. EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY DUPLICATION
We have attempted to eliminate duplication within the agency wherever possible.
METHODS TO MINIMIZE BURDEN ON SMALL BUSINESSES OR OTHER SMALL ENTITIES
Not applicable.
CONSEQUENCES OF LESS FREQUENT COLLECTION ON FEDERAL PROGRAMS OR POLICY ACTIVITIES
Not applicable.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRING DATA COLLECTION TO BE INCONSISTENT WITH GUIDELINES IN 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2)
Not applicable.
8. CONSULTATION WITH INDIVIDUALS OUTSIDE OF THE AGENCY ON AVAILABILITY OF DATA, FREQUENCY OF COLLECTION, CLARITY OF INSTRUCTIONS AND FORMS, AND DATA ELEMENTS
Periodic meetings are held between IRS personnel and representatives of the American Bar Association, the National Society of Public Accountants, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and other professional groups to discuss tax law and tax forms. During these meetings, there is an opportunity for those attending to make comments regarding Form 8821.
In response to the Federal Register notice dated June 11, 2010 (75 FR 33381), we received no comments during the comment period regarding Form 8821.
EXPLANATION OF DECISION TO PROVIDE ANY PAYMENT OR GIFT TO RESPONDENTS
Not applicable.
ASSURANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY OF RESPONSES
Generally, tax returns and tax return information are confidential as required by 26 USC 6103.
JUSTIFICATION OF SENSITIVE QUESTIONS
Not applicable.
ESTIMATED BURDEN OF INFORMATION COLLECTION
The burden estimate is as follows:
Number of Time per Total
Responses Response Hours
Form 8821 (paper) 123,333 1.05 129,500
Form 8821 (on line) 10,000 1.08 10,800
133,333 140,300
Estimates of the annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens shown are not available at this time.
The following regulation imposes no additional burden. Please continue to assign OMB number 1545-1165 to this regulation.
301.6103(c)-1
We have reviewed the regulation and have determined that the reporting requirements contained in it are entirely reflected on the form. The justification appearing in Item 1 of the supporting statement applies both to the regulation and to the form.
ESTIMATED TOTAL ANNUAL COST BURDEN TO RESPONDENTS
As suggested by OMB, our Federal Register notice dated June 11, 2010, requested public comments on estimates of cost burden that are not captured in the estimates of burden hours, i.e., estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information. However, we did not receive any response from taxpayers on this subject. As a result, estimates of the cost burdens are not available at this time.
14. ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
The primary cost to the government consists of the cost of printing Form 8821. We estimate that the cost of printing the form is $5,000.
15. REASONS FOR CHANGE
Revisions are being made to the form and instructions to add a “What’s New” section and a Note under Line 5, Disclosure to tax information per Taxpayer Communications Task Group (TACT) that appointees will no longer receive notice inserts including forms, publications, and related materials.
There is no change in the paperwork burden previously approved by OMB.
16. PLANS FOR TABULATION, STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND PUBLICATION
Not applicable.
REASONS WHY DISPLAYING THE OMB EXPIRATION DATE IS INAPPROPRIATE
See attachment.
EXCEPTIONS TO THE CERTIFICATION STATEMENT ON OMB FORM 83-I
Not applicable.
Note: The following paragraph applies to all of the collections of information in this submission:
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.
OMB EXPIRATION DATE
We believe the public interest will be better served by not printing an expiration date on the form(s) in this package.
Printing the expiration date on the form will result in increased costs because of the need to replace inventories that become obsolete by passage of the expiration date each time OMB approval is renewed. Without printing the expiration date, supplies of the form could continue to be used.
The time period during which the current edition of the form(s) in this package will continue to be usable cannot be predicted. It could easily span several cycles of review and OMB clearance renewal. In addition, usage fluctuates unpredictably. This makes it necessary to maintain a substantial inventory of forms in the supply line at all times. This includes supplies owned by both the Government and the public. Reprinting of the form cannot be reliably scheduled to coincide with an OMB approval expiration date. This form may be privately printed by users at their own expense. Some businesses print complex and expensive marginally punched continuous versions, at their expense, for use in their computers. The form may be printed by commercial printers and stocked for sale. In such cases, printing the expiration date on the form could result in extra costs to the users.
Not printing the expiration date on the form(s) will also avoid confusion among taxpayers who may have identical forms with different expiration dates in their possession.
For the above reasons we request authorization to omit printing the expiration date on the form(s) in this package.
| File Type | application/msword |
| Author | J11FB |
| Last Modified By | US Department of Treasury |
| File Modified | 2010-09-21 |
| File Created | 2010-09-21 |