Department of the Treasury June 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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)).

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 the Tip Rate Determination Agreement (Gaming Industry).

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, PS-105-75 (TD 8348), Limitations on Percentage Depletion in the Case of Oil and Gas Wells (Section 1.613A- 3(l)).

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 Procedure 97-15, section 103-Remedial Payment Closing Agreement Program.

Publication of the reference price for the nonconventional source production credit for calendar year 2014. The credit period for nonconventional source production credit ended on December 31, 2013 for facilities producing coke or coke gas (other than from petroleum based products). However, the reference price continues to apply in determining the amount of the enhanced oil recovery credit under section 43, the marginal well production credit under section 45I, and the percentage depletion in case of oil and natural gas produced from marginal properties under section 613A.

This document partially withdraws the portion of the notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Federal Register on September 16, 2013 (78 FR 56842), relating to the definition of issue price for purposes of the arbitrage restrictions under section 148 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code). This document also contains a notice of proposed rulemaking that provides a revised definition of issue price for purposes of the arbitrage restrictions. In addition, this document provides notice of a public hearing on the proposed regulations in this document. The proposed regulations in this document affect issuers of tax-exempt and other tax-advantaged bonds.

The OCC, 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 a continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). In accordance with the requirements of the PRA, the OCC may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OCC is soliciting comment concerning renewal of its information collection titled, ``Subordinated Debt.'' The OCC also is giving notice that it has sent the collection to OMB for review.

This document contains proposed regulations under section 529A of the Internal Revenue Code that provide guidance regarding programs under The Stephen Beck, Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014. Section 529A provides rules under which States or State agencies or instrumentalities may establish and maintain a new type of tax- favored savings program through which contributions may be made to the account of an eligible disabled individual to meet qualified disability expenses. These accounts also receive favorable treatment for purposes of certain means-tested Federal programs. In addition, these proposed regulations provide corresponding amendments to regulations under sections 511 and 513, with respect to unrelated business taxable income, sections 2501, 2503, 2511, 2642 and 2652, with respect to gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes, and section 6011, with respect to reporting requirements. This document also provides notice of a public hearing on these proposed regulations.

The OCC, 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 an information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). In accordance with the requirements of the PRA, the OCC may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OCC is soliciting comment concerning its proposed information collection titled, ``Domestic Credit Card Data.'' The OCC also is giving notice that the collection has been submitted to OMB for review.

The OCC, 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 an information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). In accordance with the requirements of the PRA, the OCC may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OCC is soliciting comment concerning its proposed information collection titled, ``Domestic First Lien Residential Mortgage Data.'' The OCC also is giving notice that it has sent the collection to OMB for review.

This document contains temporary regulations relating to multiemployer pension plans that are projected to have insufficient funds, at some point in the future, to pay the full benefits to which individuals will be entitled under the plans (referred to as plans in ``critical and declining status''). The Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 (``MPRA'') amended the Internal Revenue Code to incorporate suspension of benefits provisions that permit these multiemployer plans to reduce pension benefits payable to participants and beneficiaries if certain conditions are satisfied. MPRA requires the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and the Secretary of Labor, to approve or deny applications by these plans to reduce benefits. As required by MPRA, these temporary regulations, together with proposed regulations being published at the same time, provide guidance implementing these statutory provisions. These temporary regulations affect active, retired, and deferred vested participants and beneficiaries of multiemployer plans that are in critical and declining status as well as employers contributing to, and sponsors and administrators of, those plans. The text of these temporary regulations also serves, in part, as the text of the proposed regulations (REG-102648-15) set forth in the notice of proposed rulemaking on this subject in the Proposed Rules section of this issue of the Federal Register.

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 Special Valuation Rules.

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 5884-C, Work Opportunity Credit for Qualified Tax-Exempt Organizations Hiring Qualified Veterans.

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 712, Life Insurance Statement.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a, the Department of the Treasury (``Treasury'') proposes to establish new Privacy Act systems of records titled ``Treasury .017 Correspondence and Contact Information.'' The systems will be used to facilitate mailings and correspondence to multiple addressees and other activities in furtherance of Treasury duties. Treasury bureaus and Departmental Offices will use the systems to account for all individuals appearing on contact lists and individuals who choose to be placed on Treasury mailing lists; maintaining lists of individuals who attend meetings; maintaining information regarding individuals who enter Treasury-sponsored contests; and for other purposes for which mailing or contact lists may be created.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to expand the approximately 5,360-square mile ``Willamette Valley'' viticultural area in northwestern Oregon by approximately 29 square miles. The established Willamette Valley viticultural area and the proposed expansion area do not lie within any other viticultural area. TTB designates viticultural areas to allow vintners to better describe the origin of their wines and to allow consumers to better identify wines they may purchase. TTB invites comments on this proposed addition to its regulations.

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing the names of 3 individuals and 4 entities whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 and whose names have been added to OFAC's list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List).

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 a proposed and/or continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A). Currently the Bureau of the Fiscal Service within the Department of the Treasury is soliciting comments concerning the Voucher for Payment of Awards.

An open meeting of the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC) will be conducted at the Internal Revenue Service Building in Washington, DC. The ETAAC will discuss recommendations for electronic tax administration which will be published in their Annual Report to Congress by June 30, 2015. The IRS will respond to these recommendations.

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 8932, Credit for Employer Differential Wage Payments.

This document contains final regulations that provide guidance under sections 2010 and 2505 of the Internal Revenue Code on the estate and gift tax applicable exclusion amount, in general, as well as on the applicable requirements for electing portability of a deceased spousal unused exclusion (DSUE) amount to the surviving spouse and on the applicable rules for the surviving spouse's use of this DSUE amount. The statutory provisions underlying the portability rules were enacted as part of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, and these provisions were made permanent by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. The portability rules affect the estates of married decedents dying on or after January 1, 2011, and the surviving spouses of those decedents.

This document contains corrections to final regulations (TD 9719) that were published in the Federal Register on May 8, 2015 (80 FR 26437). The final regulations amend the treatment of nonperiodic payments made or received pursuant to certain notional principal contracts.