2020 Supporting Statement

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

Internal Revenue Service

Form 8855

Election to Treat a Qualified Revocable Trust as Part of an Estate

1545-1881

1. CIRCUMSTANCES NECESSITATING COLLECTION OF INFORMATION

This form is necessary to allow the trustee of a qualified revocable trust and the executor of its related estate, if any, to make an IRC section 645 election. This election allows a qualified revocable trust to be treated and taxed (for income tax purposes) as part of its related estate during the election period.

The authority is Internal Revenue Code section 645 and 26 CFR 1.645-1 and affects

businesses and other for-profits.

2. USE OF DATA

The form is used by a qualified revocable trust(s) and its related estate to make a valid section 645 election; this allows the IRS to freeze the trust account and allow for the treatment and taxation of the trust as an estate.

3. USE OF IMPROVED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE BURDEN

By making the election on this Form, which has multiple signatures as required by

the Regulations, as opposed to an attachment to Form 1041, it allows Form 1041

to be filed electronically (electronically filed returns can only accommodate one

signature). Also, the qualified revocable trust and the estate do not have to write

in an attachment all the items listed in the Regulations that they must agree to. All

the items are included in the jurat to which the entities only need to sign if they

agree to it.

4. EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY DUPLICATION

The information obtained through this collection is unique and is not already available for use or adaptation from another source.

5. METHODS TO MINIMIZE BURDEN ON SMALL BUSINESSES OR OTHER SMALL ENTITIES

The collection of information requirement will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

6. CONSEQUENCES OF LESS FREQUENT COLLECTION ON FEDERAL PROGRAMS OR POLICY ACTIVITIES

Less frequent collection of taxes could adversely affect the government’s effectiveness and would reduce the oversight of the public in ensuring compliance with Internal Revenue Service Code.

7. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRING DATA COLLECTION TO BE INCONSISTENT WITH GUIDELINES IN 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2)

There are no special circumstances requiring data collection to be inconsistent with Guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).

8. CONSULTATION WITH INDIVIDUALS OUTSIDE OF THE AGENCY ON AVAILABILITY OF DATA, FREQUENCY OF COLLECTION, CLARITY OF INSTRUCTIONS AND FORMS, AND DATA ELEMENTS

In response to the Federal Register Notice dated February 4, 2020 (85 FR 6263),

the agency received no comments during the comment period regarding Form 8855.

9. EXPLANATION OF DECISION TO PROVIDE ANY PAYMENT OR GIFT TO RESPONDENTS

No payment or gift has been provided to any respondents.

10. ASSURANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY OF RESPONSES

Generally, tax returns and tax return information are confidential as required by 26 USC 6103.

11. JUSTIFICATION OF SENSITIVE QUESTIONS

There is no sensitive personally identifiable information (PII) in this collection.

12. ESTIMATED BURDEN OF INFORMATION COLLECTION

Authority	Description	# of Respondents	# Responses per Respondent	Annual Responses	Hours per Response	Total Burden
IRC Code 645	Form 8855	1	5000	1	5.64	28,200
Totals

13. ESTIMATED TOTAL ANNUAL COST BURDEN TO RESPONDENTS

To ensure more accuracy and consistency across its information collections, IRS is currently in the process of revising the methodology it uses to estimate burden and costs. Once this methodology is complete, IRS will update this information collection to reflect a more precise estimate of burden and costs.

14. ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

The Federal government cost estimate is based on a model that considers the following three cost factors for each information product: aggregate labor costs for development, including annualized start up expenses, operating and maintenance expenses, and distribution of the product that collects the information.

The government computes cost using a multi-step process. First, the government creates a weighted factor for the level of effort to create each information collection product based on variables such as; complexity, number of pages, type of product and frequency of revision. Second, the total costs associated with developing the product such as labor cost, and operating expenses associated with the downstream impact such as support functions, are added together to obtain the aggregated total cost. Then, the aggregated total cost and factor are multiplied together to obtain the aggregated cost per product. Lastly, the aggregated cost per product is added to the cost of shipping and printing each product to IRS offices, National Distribution Center, libraries and other outlets. The result is the Government cost estimate per product.

The government cost estimate for this collection is summarized in the table below.

Product	Aggregate Cost per Product (factor applied)		Printing and Distribution		Government Cost Estimate per Product
Form 8855	12,758		0		12,758
Form Instructions
Grand Total
Table costs are based on 2018 actuals obtained from IRS Chief Financial Office and Media and Publications
* New product costs will be included in the next collection update.

15. REASONS FOR CHANGE IN BURDEN

There is no change in the paperwork burden previously approved by OMB.

16. PLANS FOR TABULATION, STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND PUBLICATION

There are no plans for tabulation, statistical analysis and publication.

17. REASONS WHY DISPLAYING THE OMB EXPIRATION DATE IS INAPPROPRIATE

IRS believes that displaying the OMB expiration date is inappropriate because it could cause confusion by leading taxpayers to believe that the regulation sunsets as of the expiration date. Taxpayers are not likely to be aware that the Service intends to request renewal of the OMB approval and obtain a new expiration date before the old one expires.

18. EXCEPTIONS TO THE CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

There are no exceptions to the certification statement.

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.