Department of Treasury December 3, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document contains proposed regulations relating to the requirement for ``specified tax return preparers,'' generally tax return preparers who reasonably expect to file more than 10 individual income tax returns in a calendar year, to file individual income tax returns using magnetic media pursuant to section 6011(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code). The proposed regulations reflect changes to the law made by the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009. The proposed regulations affect specified tax return preparers who prepare and file individual income tax returns, as defined in section 6011(e)(3)(C). For calendar year 2011, the proposed regulations define a specified tax return preparer as a tax return preparer who reasonably expects to file (or if the preparer is a member of a firm, the firm's members in the aggregate reasonably expect to file) 100 or more individual income tax returns during the year, while beginning January 1, 2012 a specified tax return preparer is a tax return preparer who reasonably expects to file (or if the preparer is a member of a firm, the firm's members in the aggregate reasonably expect to file) 11 or more individual income tax returns in a calendar year. The proposed regulations are unrelated to and are not intended to address the requirements for obtaining a preparer tax identification number (PTIN) under section 6109. See the final regulations under section 6109 published in the Federal Register (75 FR 60309-01). This document also provides a notice of a public hearing on these proposed regulations.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Financial Management Service gives notice of a proposed new Privacy Act system of records entitled ``Treasury/FMS .008-Mailing List Records.''

By this notice, FinCEN announces the availability of two related pieces of guidance that apply to depository institutions and to securities broker-dealers, mutual funds, futures commission merchants, and introducing brokers in commodities (collectively referred to as ``final guidance'') interpreting the final rule published elsewhere in this part of today's Federal Register. Among other things, the final rule clarifies the scope of the statutory prohibition on the disclosure by a financial institution of a report of a suspicious transaction set forth in the Bank Secrecy Act (``BSA'') by stating that the confidentiality provision does not apply when a depository institution, securities broker-dealer, mutual fund, futures commission merchant, or introducing broker in commodities (hereafter, ``an authorized institution'') shares a suspicious activity report (``SAR''), or any information that would reveal the existence of a SAR, within its corporate organizational structure for purposes consistent with Title II of the BSA, as determined by regulation or guidance. The final guidance interprets this provision to permit an authorized institution to share a SAR, or information that would reveal the existence of a SAR (collectively, ``SAR information''), with certain affiliates.

The OCC is issuing this final rule to amend its regulations implementing the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) governing the confidentiality of a suspicious activity report (SAR) to: clarify the scope of the statutory prohibition on the disclosure by a financial institution of a SAR, as it applies to national banks; address the statutory prohibition on the disclosure by the government of a SAR, as that prohibition applies to the OCC's standards governing the disclosure of SARs; clarify that the exclusive standard applicable to the disclosure of a SAR, or any information that would reveal the existence of a SAR, by the OCC is to fulfill official duties consistent with Title II of the BSA; and modify the safe harbor provision in the OCC's SAR rules to include changes made by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act. These amendments are consistent with a final rule being contemporaneously issued by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

The Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) is revising its regulations governing the release of unpublished OTS information. The primary change clarifies that the OTS's decision to release a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) is governed by the standards set forth in amendments to the OTS's SAR regulation that are part of a separate, but simultaneous, rulemaking.