Tag: PBGC

The agency's Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Annual Report shows its multiemployer insurance program will become insolvent sometime in FY 2026.

With so many other challenges and debates dominating the halls of the Capitol, it is hard to imagine the union pension funding crisis will be addressed during this Congress.

The agency has also highlighted important modifications to the form.

A purchase agreement allowing the company to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy does not include the pension plan debts or assets, despite its comparatively strong funding position.

Congress is divided on how to address the union pension funding crisis, which is exemplified by the plight faced by the American Federation of Musicians and Employers’ Pension Fund.

On its face, the multiemployer pension relief included in House Democrats’ fourth relief proposal resembles a plan floated last year by two influential Republican senators—though the devil is always in the political details.

Due dates for filings or actions that would otherwise have been due on or after April 1, and before July 15, have been extended to July 15.

An executive order requires each agency to establish on its website a single, searchable indexed database that contains, or links to, all the agency’s guidance documents and provides certain information about them.

As the appellate decision explains, ownership percentages are less important than organizations’ operating structures when determining withdrawal liability from a multiemployer union pension.

Unlike the approach favored by Democrats in the House of Representatives, which would establish a government-backed loan programs to assist troubled union pension, this approach would permit the partition of such plans and would require accounting reforms. 

The associated instructions have also been updated to reflect, among other changes, an increase to $2,194 per day in the maximum civil penalty amount assessable under ERISA Section 502(c)(2).

The agency has issued proposed rules on Benefits Payable in Terminated Single-Employer Plans and Allocation of Assets in Single-Employer Plans, as well as the assumptions PBGC uses to determine de minimis lump sum benefits in PBGC-trusteed terminated single-employer defined benefit (DB) pension plans.

The single-employer program, however, has continued to improve since its emergence from a deficit. 

The proposal includes corrections, clarifications, and improvements to its regulations on Reportable Events, Premium Rates and others.

Controlled group information, company financial statements, and the defined benefit (DB) plan’s actuarial valuation report; some of all of this information will be added to five reportable events.

The agency explains that, in limited situations, employers will be able to use the soon-to-be issued coverage forms to request an opinion letter about whether a plan being developed is likely to receive PBGC coverage.