Department of the Treasury 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

An open meeting of the Area 1 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel will be conducted via telephone conference call. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

An open meeting of the Area 3 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel will be conducted via telephone conference call. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

An open meeting of the Joint Committee of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel will be held. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comment, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

An open meeting of the Wage & Investment Reducing Taxpayer Burden (Notices) Issue Committee of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel will be conducted via telephone conference call. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to amend its distilled spirits plant regulations. Many of these proposed revisions are the result of comments submitted by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States in response to a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published in November 1998. Other proposed revisions are a result of a comprehensive TTB review of the distilled spirits plant regulations. This NPRM supersedes the NPRM issued in November 1998. We believe the proposed amendments will modernize the requirements for operating distilled spirits plants and make the regulations easier to understand, thereby allowing proprietors of such plants to operate in a more efficient manner. The proposed regulations are also written in a plain language format to improve clarity.

Pursuant to United States Code, Title 31, section 5135(b)(8)(C), the United States Mint announces the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) public meeting scheduled for May 20, 2008. Date: May 20, 2008. Time: Public meeting time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Location: United States Mint, 801 9th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20220. Subject: Review candidate designs for the 2009 District of Columbia and United States Territories Quarter Program; and other general business. Interested persons should call 202-354-7502 for the latest update on meeting time and room location. In accordance with 31 U.S.C. 5135, the CCAC: Advises the Secretary of the Treasury on any theme or design proposals relating to circulating coinage, bullion coinage, Congressional Gold Medals, and national and other medals. Advises the Secretary of the Treasury with regard to the events, persons, or places to be commemorated by the issuance of commemorative coins in each of the five calendar years succeeding the year in which a commemorative coin designation is made. Makes recommendations with respect to the mintage level for any commemorative coin recommended.

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 final regulation, REG-242282-97 (TD 8734), General Revision of Regulations Relating to Withholding of Tax on Certain U.S. Source Income Paid to Foreign Persons and Related Collection, Refunds and Credits; Revision of Information Reporting and Backup Withholding Regulations; and Removal of Regulations Under Part 35a and of Certain Regulations Under Income Tax Treaties (1.1441-1(e), 1.1441-4(a)(2), 1.1441-4(b)(1) and (2), 1.1441-4(c), (d), and (e), 1.1441-5(b)(2)(ii), 1.1441-5(c)(1), 1.1441-6(b) and (c), 1.1441-8(b), 1.1441-9(b), 1.1461- 1(b) and (c), 301.6114-1, 301.6402-3(e), and 31.3401(a)(6)-1(e)).

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on February 7, 2008 to designate VA as a Co-Sponsor of the Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), titled The Center for Enterprise Modernization (CEM). CEM is operated by The MITRE Corporation (MITRE). IRS remains the primary sponsor of this enterprise systems engineering and integration FFRDC; VA is a Co-Sponsor. VA has determined that it requires an FFRDC mission partner to assist in the achievement of its strategic and business enterprise modernization goals and the IRS FFRDC meets this need.

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 regulation, 26 CFR 601.201, Instructions for Requesting Rulings and Determination Letters.

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (``OFAC'') is publishing the names of 24 newly-designated individuals and entities whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to Executive Order 12978 of October 21, 1995, ``Blocking Assets and Prohibiting Transactions with Significant Narcotics Traffickers.''

This document provides notice of public hearing on proposed regulations providing guidance relating to sections 411(a)(13) and 411(b)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code concerning certain hybrid defined benefit plans.

The United States Mint is setting prices for the 2008 American Eagle Platinum Proof Coins. Pursuant to the authority that 31 U.S.C. 5111(a) and 5112(k) grant the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue platinum coins, and to prepare and distribute numismatic items, the United States Mint mints and issues 2008 American Eagle Platinum Proof Coins in four denominations with the following weights: One-ounce, one-half ounce, one-quarter ounce, one-tenth ounce. The United States Mint also produces American Eagle Platinum Proof four-coin sets that contain one coin of each denomination. In accordance with 31 U.S.C. 9701(b)(2)(B), the United States Mint is setting the price of these coins to reflect increases in the market price of platinum. Accordingly, the United States Mint will commence selling the following 2008 American Eagle Platinum Proof Coins according to the following price schedule:

The 2008 inflation adjustment factors and reference prices are used in determining the availability of the credit for renewable electricity production, refined coal production, and Indian coal production under section 45.

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 Revenue Procedures 2002-39, 2006-45, 2006-46, Changes in Periods of Accounting.

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 Form 8878-A, IRS e-file Electronic Funds Withdrawal Authorization for Form 7004.

This document contains final regulations regarding when a partnership may consider certain deductions and losses of a foreign partner to reduce or eliminate the partnership's obligation to pay withholding tax under section 1446 on effectively connected taxable income allocable under section 704 to such partner. The regulations will affect partnerships engaged in a trade or business in the United States that have one or more foreign partners. The final regulations also include conforming amendments to Sec. Sec. 1.1446-3 and 1.1446-5 and to regulations under sections 1464, 6071, 6091, 6151, 6302, 6402, 6414, and 6722.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is adopting as a final rule, without changes, the temporary regulations implementing the certification requirements regarding production practices and procedures for imported natural wine. These requirements were adopted in section 2002 of the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004 as an amendment to section 5382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requests applications of individuals to be considered for selection as Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC) members. Applications will be accepted for current vacancies and should describe and document the applicant's qualifications for membership. IRSAC is comprised of up to thirty (30) appointed members; approximately three of these appointments will expire in December 2008. It is important that the IRSAC continue to represent a diverse taxpayer and stakeholder base. Accordingly, to maintain membership diversity, selection is based on the applicant's qualifications as well as areas of expertise. The Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC) provides an organized public forum for IRS officials and representatives of the public to discuss relevant tax administration issues. The council advises the IRS on issues that have a substantive effect on federal tax administration. As an advisory body designed to focus on broad policy matters, the IRSAC reviews existing tax policy and/or recommends policies with respect to emerging tax administration issues. The IRSAC suggests operational improvements, offers constructive observations regarding current or proposed IRS policies, programs, and procedures, and advises the IRS with respect to issues having substantive effect on federal tax administration.

This Treasury decision establishes the ``Swan Creek'' viticultural area in Wilkes, Yadkin, and Iredell Counties, North Carolina. We designate viticultural areas to allow vintners to better describe the origin of their wines and to allow consumers to better identify wines they may purchase.

The proposed information collection request (ICR) described below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. OTS is soliciting public comments on the proposal.

The proposed information collection request (ICR) described below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. OTS is soliciting public comments on the proposal.

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 Form 1042, Annual Withholding Tax Return for U.S. Source Income of Foreign Persons, Form 1042-S, Foreign Person's U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding, and Form 1042-T, Annual Summary and Transmittal of Forms 1042-S.

This document contains corrections to a notice of proposed rulemaking (REG-104946-07) that was published in the Federal Register on Friday, December 28, 2007 (72 FR 73680) providing guidance relating to sections 411(a)(13) and 411(b)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code concerning certain hybrid defined benefit plans.

FinCEN is proposing to amend the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) regulation that allows depository institutions to exempt transactions of certain persons from the requirement to report transactions in currency in excess of $10,000. Modification of the currency transaction report exemption procedures is a part of the Department of the Treasury's continuing effort to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing policies.

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 Publication 3319, Low-Income Taxpayer Clinics2002 Grant Application Package and Guidelines.