December 18, 2025
The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) has begun the renewal process for OGE’s information collection related to OGE’s Legal Expense Fund regulation.
The LEF regulation requires that employees who wish to establish a legal expense fund do so through a trust with a single, named employee beneficiary and a trustee. It also requires an employee beneficiary to file quarterly reports that include information (1) regarding members of the public who make financial donations to help pay for the employee beneficiary's legal expenses (donors) and (2) members of the public who receive payments from a legal expense fund (payees). The employee beneficiary must also file a termination report upon the termination of the trust and/or executive branch employment. The trust documents, quarterly reports, and termination reports are posted directly on OGE's website. OGE seeks input from the public on the use of these forms.
Specifically, OGE would like to know:
1. What problems do you have using the form?
2. Are there sections of the form or instructions that are unclear?
3. Is there information provided that is confusing?
4. What additional information would be helpful?
5. Is it clear from the form that the filing requirement begins once a Legal Expense Fund is approved under Subpart J of 5 C.F.R. part 2635, regardless of whether a reportable contribution or distribution is made during a reporting period?
You can see the current forms in the Forms Library and read about the forms renewal in this Federal Register Notice. Comments may be submitted by email to usoge@oge.gov and must be received by February 17, 2026.