Employee benefits law is mostly drawn from two federal sources—the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA. Just what is “ERISA,” though? Its official reference is the “Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.” That means the...more
All qualified retirement plans are subject to a myriad of requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA). The United States Department of Labor (DOL) is charged with enforcing the...more
The Department of Labor (“DOL”), Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) (collectively, “Agencies”) recently released the 2023 Form 5500s containing significant reporting changes...more
Acknowledging uncommon market conditions, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) announced Technical Update Number 23-1 (the Update), which provides a one-time waiver of certain reporting requirements for some...more
Recent action taken by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) and the US Department of Labor (DOL) will affect plans that are eligible for, or have received, special financial assistance (SFA). SFA-eligible plans...more
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) recently issued Technical Update Number 23-1 to provide for certain underfunded pension plans a limited waiver from the reporting requirements under ERISA section 4010 due to...more
Single-employer defined benefit pension plans that have elected to use the “alternative method” for determining Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) premiums have a window to take action that may significantly reduce...more
The Department of Labor (DOL) announced that it has finalized, together with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), the third and final round of revisions to the Form 5500 Annual...more
The Department of Labor, Internal Revenue Service, and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation recently issued final rules on employee benefit plan annual reporting requirements that are effective for plan years beginning on or...more
...Cash Balance Plan Compliance with Back-Loading Requirements - The rate at which a participant accrues benefits under a defined benefit pension plan must satisfy certain rules designed to ensure that the participant has...more
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) is now allowing multiemployer pension plans that are applying for special financial assistance (SFA) to request relief from the standard withdrawal liability calculation...more
The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0) provides welcome relief to private sector single employer sponsors of defined benefit pension plans (Pension Plan(s)). Effective for plan years beginning on and after January 1, 2024,...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On October 14, 2022, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) published its proposed rule under ERISA Section 4213 (the “Proposed Rule”), which sets forth for the first time the agency’s guidance...more
In an apparent effort to resolve uncertainty caused by court rulings, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation has proposed that actuaries of multiemployer pension plans should be allowed to use any interest rate for...more
On October 14, 2022, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), the federal agency that insures and regulates private-sector defined benefit pension plans under Title IV of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of...more
In a prior alert, we detailed how the Interim Final Rule (IFR) from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) regarding the special financial assistance (SFA) provided under American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) would...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Contributing employers to multiemployer pension plans have seen some big developments in July. The PBGC released its new Final Rule on Special Financial Assistance on July 8, 2022, which will help...more
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation has issued a Final Rule implementing the special financial assistance provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act to help financially troubled multiemployer pension plans. The Final...more
On July 6, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) issued the Final Rules (Final Rules) implementing the Special Financial Assistance Program (SFA) enacted by Congress as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021...more
On July 8, 2022 the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) published its final regulation implementing the Special Financial Assistance (“SFA”) program for multiemployer pension plans under the American Rescue Plan Act...more
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 created a significant new special financial assistance program administered by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation for certain troubled multiemployer pension plans. Shortly after...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On July 8, 2022, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) published its final rule (“Final Rule”) on the Special Financial Assistance (“SFA”) Program established under the American Rescue Plan Act...more
The recently published final regulation implementing last year’s massive multiemployer pension plan bailout contains a very thin silver lining, but overall, more bad news for already overburdened employers....more
On July 8, 2022, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) published its much anticipated final rule on the special financial assistance (“SFA”) available to certain troubled multiemployer plans under the American...more
On July 7, 2022, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), the independent federal corporation that insures private-sector defined benefit plans under Title IV of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974...more