OMB appreciates
the agency's clarification of its estimate of this significant
burden increase.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
06/30/2007
6 Months From Approved
38,000,000
0
0
1,071,220,000
0
0
0
0
0
In May 2006, the IRS issued Notice
2006-50 stating taxpayers may be entitled to request a credit or
refund of the federal excise tax on nontaxable telephone service.
The refund period is for nontaxable service billed after February
28, 2003 and before August 1, 2006. The credit or refund must be
claimed on a 2006 income tax return. Form 8913 has been developed
to allow taxpayers to compute the actual amount of refund for each
month of the 14 refund periods. Taxpayers must also calculate the
interest due on the refund. Factors have been provided for each
refund period. The tax and interest is combined on Form 8913 and
one amount is transferred to the appropriate income tax
return.
We are estimating that
150-180 million individuals, businesses, and non-profit
organizations are eligible for a credit or refund of the federal
excise tax. Standard refund amounts have been provided for
individuals, allowing individuals to request their refund without
reviewing 41 months of phone bills and determining the actual tax
paid each month. All non-individual entities (corporations,
partnerships, trusts, fiduciaries, and non-profits) must request
actual expenses using Form 8913. We are estimating 50 million
filers of Form 8913. To reduce the burden on these entities, a
business estimation methodology (BEM) has been developed. The
methodology has been developed in consultation with IRS, Treasury,
the White House, and several outside stakeholders. Because of the
size and complexity of this project, the BEM was just finalized. We
have developed a worksheet to calculate the credit or refund using
the BEM. We could not submit Form 8913 for approval until the
worksheet was completed. Emergency approval is needed because Form
8913 must be available for the 2006 filing season.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.