Executive Branch Qualified Trust Documents (see items 1.-2. in Supporting Statement for titles of all documents)

Form Approved: OMB No. 3209-0007

(Revised 2/2023, Expires 2/28/2026)

U.S. OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS

Certificate of Independence

With respect to the trust of ____ (Settlor), which has been submitted to the Office of Government Ethics for certification pursuant to the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-521, as amended), the undersigned proposed [Trustee] [____] of such trust is a financial institution which is eligible to serve in such fiduciary capacity in accordance with section 102(f)(3)(A) of such Act:

FIRST: The undersigned is (check one)—

( ) a bank, as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1841(c), or

( ) an investment adviser, as defined in 15 U.S.C. 80b-2(a)(11), not more than 10 percent of which is owned or controlled by a single individual.

SECOND: The undersigned—

1. Is independent of and unassociated with any interested party so that the undersigned cannot be controlled or influenced in the administration of the trust by any interested party; and

2. is not and has not been affiliated with any interested party, and is not a partner of, or involved in any joint venture or other investment or business with any interested party.

THIRD: Any director, officer, or employee of the undersigned—

1. Is independent of and unassociated with any interested party so that such director, officer, or employee cannot be controlled or influenced in the administration of the trust by any interested party;

2. Is not and has not been employed by any interested party, nor a director, officer, or employee of any organization affiliated with any interested party, and is not and has not been a partner of, or involved in any joint venture or other investment or business with, any interested party; and

3. Is not a relative of any interested party.

FOURTH: The undersigned certifies that the statements contained herein are true, complete and correct to the best of such undersigned's knowledge and belief.

Date___

(firm)___

By:___

(title)___

Privacy Act Statement

Section 102(f) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 as amended (the “Ethics Act”) (5 U.S.C. App.) and subpart D of 5 CFR part 2634 of the regulations of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) require the reporting of this information for the administration of qualified trusts under the Ethics Act. The consequences of failing to provide the requested information are as follows: for proposed qualified trusts, OGE may be unable to review or approve the trust under the Ethics Act; for existing qualified trusts, OGE may revoke the trust certification or trustee approval previously granted. The primary use of the information on this certificate is for review by Government officials of OGE and the agency of the Government employee for whom the trust is established to determine compliance with applicable Federal laws and regulations as regards qualified trusts. Additional disclosures of the information on this certificate may be made:

1. in accordance with sections 105 and 402(b)(1) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, 5 U.S.C. app., as amended, and subject to the limitations contained therein, to any requesting person;

2. to a Federal, State or local law enforcement agency if the disclosing agency becomes aware of a violation or potential violation of law or regulation;

3. to a source when necessary to obtain information relevant to a conflict of interest issue;

4. to the National Archives and Records Administration or the General Services Administration in records management inspections;

5. to the Office of Management and Budget during legislative coordination on private relief legislation;

6. when the disclosing agency determines that that the records are arguably relevant to a proceeding before a court, grand jury, or administrative or adjudicative body; or in a proceeding before an administrative or adjudicative body when the adjudicator determines the records to be relevant to the proceeding;

7. to a Member of Congress or a congressional office in response to an inquiry made on behalf of, and at the request of, an individual who is the subject of the record;

8. to appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when: (1) the agency maintaining the records suspects or has confirmed that there has been a breach of the system of records; (2) the agency maintaining the records has determined that as a result of the suspected or confirmed breach there is a risk of harm to individuals, the agency (including its information systems, programs, and operations), the Federal Government, or national security; and (3) the disclosure made to such agencies, entities, and persons is reasonably necessary to assist in connection with the agency's efforts to respond to the suspected or confirmed breach or to prevent, minimize, or remedy such harm; and

9. to another Federal agency or Federal entity, when the agency maintaining the record determines that information from this system of records is reasonably necessary to assist the recipient agency or entity in (1) responding to a suspected or confirmed breach or (2) preventing, minimizing, or remedying the risk of harm to individuals, the recipient agency or entity (including its information systems, programs, and operations), the Federal Government, or national security, resulting from a suspected or confirmed breach.

Knowing or willful falsification of information on this certificate or failure to file or report information required to be reported under title I of the Ethics Act and 5 CFR part 2634 of the OGE regulations may lead to disqualification as a trustee or other fiduciary as well as possible disqualification of the underlying trust itself. Knowing and willful falsification of information required under the Ethics Act and the regulations may also subject you to criminal prosecution.

Public Burden Information and Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

This collection of information is estimated to take an average of twenty minutes per response. You can send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Program Counsel, U.S. Office of Government Ethics, Suite 500, 1201 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20005-3917. Do not send your completed certificate to that official; rather, send it to the Director of the Office of Government Ethics at that address.

Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act, as amended, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and no person is required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number (that number, 3209-0007, is displayed here and in the upper right-hand corner of the first page of this document).