View Information Collection Request (ICR) Package

OMB Control No: 1845-0129	ICR Reference No: 202007-1845-012
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201706-1845-003
Agency/Subagency: ED/FSA	Agency Tracking No: ED-2020-SCC-0127
Title: PLUS Adverse Credit Reconsideration Loan Counseling
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 06/21/2021
	Date Received in OIRA: 11/24/2020
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	06/30/2024	36 Months From Approved	06/30/2021
Responses	142,824	0	475,974
Time Burden (Hours)	107,119	0	356,982
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Abstract: Section 428B(a)(1)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), provides that to be eligible to receive a Federal PLUS Loan under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, the applicant must not have an adverse credit history, as determined pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Secretary. In accordance with section 455(a)(1) of the HEA, this same eligibility requirement applies to applicants for PLUS loans under the Direct Loan Program. Since July 1, 2010 there have been no new FFEL Program loans originated and the Direct Loan Program is the only Federal loan program that offers Federal PLUS Loans. The adverse credit history section of the eligibility regulations in 34 CFR §685.200 (b) and (c) were updated in 2014 by the Department of Education (the Department) when a review of and a change to the regulations was made. Specifically, an applicant for a PLUS loan who is determined to have an adverse credit history must complete loan counseling offered by the Secretary before receiving the Federal PLUS loan. The Department is requesting a revision to the information collection regarding the adverse credit history regulations in 34 CFR §685.200 (b) and (c) and the burden these changes create for Federal PLUS loan borrowers, both parent and graduate/professional students.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 20 USC 1078-2 Name of Law: Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended Federal PLUS Loans

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	85 FR 47758	08/06/2020
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	85 FR 67724	10/26/2020
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
PLUS Credit Counseling

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion
Annual Number of Responses	142,824	475,974	-333,150
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	107,119	356,982	-249,863
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Short Statement: This is a request for a revision of the current information collection. We are estimating a decrease of 249,863 hours of burden to individuals to 107,119 hours 71,412 PLUS applicants x 1.5 hours). The decrease in burden is due to the decrease in the cases of borrowers who have been denied a PLUS loan due to an adverse credit determination and who appeal the loan denial determination using the extenuating circumstances determination or by obtaining an endorser without adverse credit to complete the enhanced PLUS loan counseling.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $0

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Beth Grebeldinger 202 708-8242

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