[4830-01-u] DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service 26 CFR Part 1 [EE-24-93] RIN 1545-AT75 Notice, Consent, and Election Requirements under Sections 411(a)(11) and 417 AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking by cross-reference to temporary regulations. SUMMARY: In the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register, the IRS is issuing temporary regulations that provide guidance concerning the notice and consent requirements under section 411(a)(11) and the notice and election requirements of section 417. The text of those temporary regulations also serves as the text of these proposed regulations. DATES: Written comments must be received by [INSERT DATE THAT IS 90 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION OF THIS DOCUMENT IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]. ADDRESSES: Send submissions to CC:DOM:CORP:T:R (EE-24-93), room 5228, Internal Revenue Service, POB 7604, Ben Franklin Station, Washington, DC 20044. In the alternative, submissions may be hand delivered between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to CC:DOM:CORP:T:R (EE-24-93), Courier's Desk, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Concerning the regulations, Judith E. Alden, (202) 622-6030 (not a toll-free number). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Paperwork Reduction Act The collection of information contained in this notice of proposed rulemaking has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507). Comments on the collection of information should be sent to the Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for the Department of Treasury, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC 20503, with copies to the Internal Revenue Service, Attn: IRS Reports Clearance Officer, PC:FP, Washington, DC 20224. To ensure that comments on the collection of information may be given full consideration during the review by OMB, these comments should be received by [INSERT DATE THAT IS 90 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THIS DOCUMENT IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a valid control number. The collection of information is in the provisions of 1.411(a)- 11(c)(2)(iii) and 1.417(e)-1(b)(3)(ii) that the plan administrator provide to a participant the information that the participant has a right to at least 30 days to consider distribution options. Existing regulations implement the mandate of section 417(a)(3) that a qualified plan provide a written explanation of distribution options to each participant. Under existing regulations, a distribution cannot be made until 30 days after the explanation is provided. The provisions of this notice of proposed rulemaking give plans the flexibility to make a distribution within 30 days provided the participant is clearly informed of the right to at least 30 days for consideration of the distribution options. The IRS requires this information to be provided to participants to assure they have adequate time to evaluate their distribution options. Books or records relating to a collection of information must be retained as long as their contents may become material in the administration of any internal revenue law. Generally, tax returns and tax return information are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103. The collection of information under this notice of proposed rulemaking can be satisfied by the addition of a statement to the explanation already provided by plan administrators to participants under existing regulations. Therefore, this collection of information results in a minor increase in an existing burden. Estimated total annual reporting burden: 8333 hours. The estimated burden per respondent varies from 0 hours to 2 hours, depending on individual circumstances, with an estimated average of .011 hours. Estimated number of respondents: 750,000. Estimated annual frequency of responses: One time per year. Background Temporary regulations in the Rules and Regulations portion of this issue of the Federal Register amend the Income Tax Regulations (26 CFR part 1) relating to section 411(a)(11) and section 417. The temporary regulations contain rules relating to the notice, consent, and election requirements of those sections. The text of those temporary regulations also serves as the text of these proposed regulations. The preamble to the temporary regulations explains the temporary regulations. Special Analyses It has been determined that this notice of proposed rulemaking is not a significant regulatory action as defined in EO 12866. Therefore, a regulatory assessment is not required. It also has been determined that section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 5) and the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) do not apply to these regulations, and, therefore, a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is not required. Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Internal Revenue Code, this notice of proposed rulemaking will be submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment on its impact on small business. Comments and Requests for a Public Hearing Before these proposed regulations are adopted as final regulations, consideration will be given to any written comments (a signed original and eight (8) copies) that are submitted timely to the IRS. All comments will be available for public inspection and copying. A public hearing may be scheduled if requested in writing by a person that timely submits written comments. If a public hearing is scheduled, notice of the date, time, and place for the hearing will be published in the Federal Register. Drafting Information The principal author of these regulations is Judith E. Alden, Office of the Associate Chief Counsel, (Employee Benefits and Exempt Organizations). However, other personnel from the IRS and Treasury Department participated in their development. List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1 Income taxes, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Proposed Amendments to the Regulations Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is proposed to be amended as follows: PART 1--INCOME TAXES Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 continues to read, in part, as follows: Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805. * * * Par. 2. Section 1.411(a)-11 is amended by: 1. Revising paragraphs (c)(2)(ii) and (iii). 2. Adding paragraphs (c)(2)(iv) and (v) and (c)(8). The revisions and additions read as follows: 1.411(a)-11 Restriction and valuation of distributions. [The text of proposed paragraphs (c)(2)(ii) through (c)(2)(v) and (c)(8) are the same as the text of 1.411(a)-11T published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register]. Par. 3. Section 1.417(e)-1 is amended by: 1. Revising paragraph (b)(3). 2. Adding paragraph (b)(4). The revision and addition read as follows: 1.417(e)-1 Restrictions and valuations of distributions from plans subjet to sections 401(a)(11) and 417. [The text of proposed paragraphs (b)(3) and (4) is the same as the text of 1.417(e)-1T published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register]. Margaret Milner Richardson Commissioner of Internal Revenue