Collapse to view only § 1058. Mergers and consolidations of plans or transfers of plan assets
- § 1051. Coverage
- § 1052. Minimum participation standards
- § 1053. Minimum vesting standards
- § 1054. Benefit accrual requirements
- § 1055. Requirement of joint and survivor annuity and preretirement survivor annuity
- § 1056. Form and payment of benefits
- § 1057. Repealed.
- § 1058. Mergers and consolidations of plans or transfers of plan assets
- § 1059. Recordkeeping and reporting requirements
- § 1060. Multiple employer plans and other special rules
- § 1061. Effective dates
§ 1051. Coverage
This part shall apply to any employee benefit plan described in section 1003(a) of this title (and not exempted under section 1003(b) of this title) other than—
(1) an employee welfare benefit plan;
(2) a plan which is unfunded and is maintained by an employer primarily for the purpose of providing deferred compensation for a select group of management or highly compensated employees;
(3)
(A) a plan established and maintained by a society, order, or association described in section 501(c)(8) or (9) of title 26, if no part of the contributions to or under such plan are made by employers of participants in such plan, or
(B) a trust described in section 501(c)(18) of title 26;
(4) a plan which is established and maintained by a labor organization described in section 501(c)(5) of title 26 and which does not at any time after September 2, 1974, provide for employer contributions;
(5) any agreement providing payments to a retired partner or a deceased partner’s successor in interest, as described in section 736 of title 26;
(6) an individual retirement account or annuity described in section 408 of title 26, or a retirement bond described in section 409 of title 26 (as effective for obligations issued before January 1, 1984);
(7) an excess benefit plan; or
(8) any plan, fund or program under which an employer, all of whose stock is directly or indirectly owned by employees, former employees or their beneficiaries, proposes through an unfunded arrangement to compensate retired employees for benefits which were forfeited by such employees under a pension plan maintained by a former employer prior to the date such pension plan became subject to this chapter.
(Pub. L. 93–406, title I, § 201, Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 852; Pub. L. 96–364, title IV, § 411(a), Sept. 26, 1980, 94 Stat. 1308; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, §§ 7891(a)(1), 7894(c)(1)(A), (11)(A), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2445, 2448, 2449.)
§ 1052. Minimum participation standards
(a)
(1)
(A) No pension plan may require, as a condition of participation in the plan, that an employee complete a period of service with the employer or employers maintaining the plan extending beyond the later of the following dates—
(i) the date on which the employee attains the age of 21; or
(ii) the date on which he completes 1 year of service.
(B)
(i) In the case of any plan which provides that after not more than 2 years of service each participant has a right to 100 percent of his accrued benefit under the plan which is nonforfeitable at the time such benefit accrues, clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) shall be applied by substituting “2 years of service” for “1 year of service”.
(ii) In the case of any plan maintained exclusively for employees of an educational organization (as defined in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii) of title 26) by an employer which is exempt from tax under section 501(a) of title 26, which provides that each participant having at least 1 year of service has a right to 100 percent of his accrued benefit under the plan which is nonforfeitable at the time such benefit accrues, clause (i) of subparagraph (A) shall be applied by substituting “26” for “21”. This clause shall not apply to any plan to which clause (i) applies.
(2) No pension plan may exclude from participation (on the basis of age) employees who have attained a specified age.
(3)
(A) For purposes of this section, the term “year of service” means a 12-month period during which the employee has not less than 1,000 hours of service. For purposes of this paragraph, computation of any 12-month period shall be made with reference to the date on which the employee’s employment commenced, except that, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary, such computation may be made by reference to the first day of a plan year in the case of an employee who does not complete 1,000 hours of service during the 12-month period beginning on the date his employment commenced.
(B) In the case of any seasonal industry where the customary period of employment is less than 1,000 hours during a calendar year, the term “year of service” shall be such period as may be determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
(C) For purposes of this section, the term “hour of service” means a time of service determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
(D) For purposes of this section, in the case of any maritime industry, 125 days of service shall be treated as 1,000 hours of service. The Secretary may prescribe regulations to carry out the purposes of this subparagraph.
(4) A plan shall be treated as not meeting the requirements of paragraph (1) unless it provides that any employee who has satisfied the minimum age and service requirements specified in such paragraph, and who is otherwise entitled to participate in the plan, commences participation in the plan no later than the earlier of—
(A) the first day of the first plan year beginning after the date on which such employee satisfied such requirements, or
(B) the date 6 months after the date on which he satisfied such requirements,
unless such employee was separated from the service before the date referred to in subparagraph (A) or (B), whichever is applicable.
(b)
(1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), all years of service with the employer or employers maintaining the plan shall be taken into account in computing the period of service for purposes of subsection (a)(1).
(2) In the case of any employee who has any 1-year break in service (as defined in section 1053(b)(3)(A) of this title) under a plan to which the service requirements of clause (i) of subsection (a)(1)(B) apply, if such employee has not satisfied such requirements, service before such break shall not be required to be taken into account.
(3) In computing an employee’s period of service for purposes of subsection (a)(1) in the case of any participant who has any 1-year break in service (as defined in section 1053(b)(3)(A) of this title), service before such break shall not be required to be taken into account under the plan until he has completed a year of service (as defined in subsection (a)(3)) after his return.
(4)
(A) For purposes of paragraph (1), in the case of a nonvested participant, years of service with the employer or employers maintaining the plan before any period of consecutive 1-year breaks in service shall not be required to be taken into account in computing the period of service if the number of consecutive 1-year breaks in service within such period equals or exceeds the greater of—
(i) 5, or
(ii) the aggregate number of years of service before such period.
(B) If any years of service are not required to be taken into account by reason of a period of breaks in service to which subparagraph (A) applies, such years of service shall not be taken into account in applying subparagraph (A) to a subsequent period of breaks in service.
(C) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term “nonvested participant” means a participant who does not have any nonforfeitable right under the plan to an accrued benefit derived from employer contributions.
(5)
(A) In the case of each individual who is absent from work for any period—
(i) by reason of the pregnancy of the individual,
(ii) by reason of the birth of a child of the individual,
(iii) by reason of the placement of a child with the individual in connection with the adoption of such child by such individual, or
(iv) for purposes of caring for such child for a period beginning immediately following such birth or placement,
the plan shall treat as hours of service, solely for purposes of determining under this subsection whether a 1-year break in service (as defined in section 1053(b)(3)(A) of this title) has occurred, the hours described in subparagraph (B).
(B) The hours described in this subparagraph are—
(i) the hours of service which otherwise would normally have been credited to such individual but for such absence, or
(ii) in any case in which the plan is unable to determine the hours described in clause (i), 8 hours of service per day of such absence,
except that the total number of hours treated as hours of service under this subparagraph by reason of any such pregnancy or placement shall not exceed 501 hours.
(C) The hours described in subparagraph (B) shall be treated as hours of service as provided in this paragraph—
(i) only in the year in which the absence from work begins, if a participant would be prevented from incurring a 1-year break in service in such year solely because the period of absence is treated as hours of service as provided in subparagraph (A); or
(ii) in any other case, in the immediately following year.
(D) For purposes of this paragraph, the term “year” means the period used in computations pursuant to subsection (a)(3)(A).
(E) A plan may provide that no credit will be given pursuant to this paragraph unless the individual furnishes to the plan administrator such timely information as the plan may reasonably require to establish—
(i) that the absence from work is for reasons referred to in subparagraph (A), and
(ii) the number of days for which there was such an absence.
(Pub. L. 93–406, title I, § 202, Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 853; Pub. L. 98–397, title I, § 102(a), (d)(1), (e)(1), Aug. 23, 1984, 98 Stat. 1426, 1427; Pub. L. 99–509, title IX, § 9203(a)(1), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1979; Pub. L. 99–514, title XI, § 1113(e)(3), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2448; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, §§ 7861(a)(2), 7891(a)(1), 7892(a), 7894(c)(2), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2430, 2445, 2447, 2449; Pub. L. 117–328, div. T, title I, § 125(a)(1), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5314.)
§ 1053. Minimum vesting standards
(a) Nonforfeitability requirementsEach pension plan shall provide that an employee’s right to his normal retirement benefit is nonforfeitable upon the attainment of normal retirement age and in addition shall satisfy the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection.
(1) A plan satisfies the requirements of this paragraph if an employee’s rights in his accrued benefit derived from his own contributions are nonforfeitable.
(2)
(A)
(i) In the case of a defined benefit plan, a plan satisfies the requirements of this paragraph if it satisfies the requirements of clause (ii) or (iii).
(ii) A plan satisfies the requirements of this clause if an employee who has completed at least 5 years of service has a nonforfeitable right to 100 percent of the employee’s accrued benefit derived from employer contributions.
(iii) A plan satisfies the requirements of this clause if an employee has a nonforfeitable right to a percentage of the employee’s accrued benefit derived from employer contributions determined under the following table:
Years of service: | The nonforfeitable percentage is: |
|---|---|
3 | 20 |
4 | 40 |
5 | 60 |
6 | 80 |
7 or more | 100. |
(B)
(i) In the case of an individual account plan, a plan satisfies the requirements of this paragraph if it satisfies the requirements of clause (ii) or (iii).
(ii) A plan satisfies the requirements of this clause if an employee who has completed at least 3 years of service has a nonforfeitable right to 100 percent of the employee’s accrued benefit derived from employer contributions.
(iii) A plan satisfies the requirements of this clause if an employee has a nonforfeitable right to a percentage of the employee’s accrued benefit derived from employer contributions determined under the following table:
Years of service: | The nonforfeitable percentage is: |
|---|---|
2 | 20 |
3 | 40 |
4 | 60 |
5 | 80 |
6 or more | 100. |
(3)
(A) A right to an accrued benefit derived from employer contributions shall not be treated as forfeitable solely because the plan provides that it is not payable if the participant dies (except in the case of a survivor annuity which is payable as provided in section 1055 of this title).
(B) A right to an accrued benefit derived from employer contributions shall not be treated as forfeitable solely because the plan provides that the payment of benefits is suspended for such period as the employee is employed, subsequent to the commencement of payment of such benefits—
(i) in the case of a plan other than a multiemployer plan, by an employer who maintains the plan under which such benefits were being paid; and
(ii) in the case of a multiemployer plan, in the same industry, in the same trade or craft, and the same geographic area covered by the plan, as when such benefits commenced.
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this subparagraph, including regulations with respect to the meaning of the term “employed”.
(C) A right to an accrued benefit derived from employer contributions shall not be treated as forfeitable solely because plan amendments may be given retroactive application as provided in section 1082(d)(2) of this title.
(D)
(i) A right to an accrued benefit derived from employer contributions shall not be treated as forfeitable solely because the plan provides that, in the case of a participant who does not have a nonforfeitable right to at least 50 percent of his accrued benefit derived from employer contributions, such accrued benefit may be forfeited on account of the withdrawal by the participant of any amount attributable to the benefit derived from mandatory contributions (as defined in the last sentence of section 1054(c)(2)(C) of this title) made by such participant.
(ii) Clause (i) shall not apply to a plan unless the plan provides that any accrued benefit forfeited under a plan provision described in such clause shall be restored upon repayment by the participant of the full amount of the withdrawal described in such clause plus, in the case of a defined benefit plan, interest. Such interest shall be computed on such amount at the rate determined for purposes of section 1054(c)(2)(C) of this title (if such subsection applies) on the date of such repayment (computed annually from the date of such withdrawal). The plan provision required under this clause may provide that such repayment must be made (I) in the case of a withdrawal on account of separation from service, before the earlier of 5 years after the first date on which the participant is subsequently re-employed by the employer, or the close of the first period of 5 consecutive 1-year breaks in service commencing after the withdrawal; or (II) in the case of any other withdrawal, 5 years after the date of the withdrawal.
(iii) In the case of accrued benefits derived from employer contributions which accrued before September 2, 1974, a right to such accrued benefit derived from employer contributions shall not be treated as forfeitable solely because the plan provides that an amount of such accrued benefit may be forfeited on account of the withdrawal by the participant of an amount attributable to the benefit derived from mandatory contributions, made by such participant before September 2, 1974, if such amount forfeited is proportional to such amount withdrawn. This clause shall not apply to any plan to which any mandatory contribution is made after September 2, 1974. The Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this clause.
(iv) For purposes of this subparagraph, in the case of any class-year plan, a withdrawal of employee contributions shall be treated as a withdrawal of such contributions on a plan year by plan year basis in succeeding order of time.
(v) Cross reference.—
(E)
(i) A right to an accrued benefit derived from employer contributions under a multiemployer plan shall not be treated as forfeitable solely because the plan provides that benefits accrued as a result of service with the participant’s employer before the employer had an obligation to contribute under the plan may not be payable if the employer ceases contributions to the multiemployer plan.
(ii) A participant’s right to an accrued benefit derived from employer contributions under a multiemployer plan shall not be treated as forfeitable solely because—(I) the plan is amended to reduce benefits under section 1425 1
1 See References in Text note below.
or 1441 of this title, or(II) benefit payments under the plan may be suspended under section 1426 or 1441 of this title.(F) A matching contribution (within the meaning of section 401(m) of title 26) shall not be treated as forfeitable merely because such contribution is forfeitable if the contribution to which the matching contribution relates is treated as an excess contribution under section 401(k)(8)(B) of title 26, an excess deferral under section 402(g)(2)(A) of title 26, an erroneous automatic contribution under section 414(w) of title 26, or an excess aggregate contribution under section 401(m)(6)(B) of title 26.
(span) Computation of period of service
(1) In computing the period of service under the plan for purposes of determining the nonforfeitable percentage under subsection (a)(2), all of an employee’s years of service with the employer or employers maintaining the plan shall be taken into account, except that the following may be disregarded:
(A) years of service before age 18,2
2 So in original. The comma probably should be a semicolon.
(B) years of service during a period for which the employee declined to contribute to a plan requiring employee contributions,2
(C) years of service with an employer during any period for which the employer did not maintain the plan or a predecessor plan, defined by the Secretary of the Treasury;
(D) service not required to be taken into account under paragraph (3);
(E) years of service before January 1, 1971, unless the employee has had at least 3 years of service after December 31, 1970;
(F) years of service before this part first applies to the plan if such service would have been disregarded under the rules of the plan with regard to breaks in service, as in effect on the applicable date; and
(G) in the case of a multiemployer plan, years of service—
(i) with an employer after—(I) a complete withdrawal of such employer from the plan (within the meaning of section 1383 of this title), or(II) to the extent permitted by regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, a partial withdrawal described in section 1385(span)(2)(A)(i) of this title in connection with the decertification of the collective bargaining representative; and
(ii) with any employer under the plan after the termination date of the plan under section 1348 of this title.
(2)
(A) For purposes of this section, except as provided in subparagraph (C), the term “year of service” means a calendar year, plan year, or other 12-consecutive month period designated by the plan (and not prohibited under regulations prescribed by the Secretary) during which the participant has completed 1,000 hours of service.
(B) For purposes of this section, the term “hour of service” has the meaning provided by section 1052(a)(3)(C) of this title.
(C) In the case of any seasonal industry where the customary period of employment is less than 1,000 hours during a calendar year, the term “year of service” shall be such period as determined under regulations of the Secretary.
(D) For purposes of this section, in the case of any maritime industry, 125 days of service shall be treated as 1,000 hours of service. The Secretary may prescribe regulations to carry out the purposes of this subparagraph.
(3)
(A) For purposes of this paragraph, the term “1-year break in service” means a calendar year, plan year, or other 12-consecutive-month period designated by the plan (and not prohibited under regulations prescribed by the Secretary) during which the participant has not completed more than 500 hours of service.
(B) For purposes of paragraph (1), in the case of any employee who has any 1-year break in service, years of service before such break shall not be required to be taken into account until he has completed a year of service after his return.
(C) For purposes of paragraph (1), in the case of any participant in an individual account plan or an insured defined benefit plan which satisfies the requirements of suspansection 1054(span)(1)(F) of this title who has 5 consecutive 1-year breaks in service, years of service after such 5-year period shall not be required to be taken into account for purposes of determining the nonforfeitable percentage of his accrued benefit derived from employer contributions which accrued before such 5-year period.
(D)
(i) For purposes of paragraph (1), in the case of a nonvested participant, years of service with the employer or employers maintaining the plan before any period of consecutive 1-year breaks in service shall not be required to be taken into account if the number of consecutive 1-year breaks in service within such period equals or exceeds the greater of—(I) 5, or(II) the aggregate number of years of service before such period.
(ii) If any years of service are not required to be taken into account by reason of a period of breaks in service to which clause (i) applies, such years of service shall not be taken into account in applying clause (i) to a subsequent period of breaks in service.
(iii) For purposes of clause (i), the term “nonvested participant” means a participant who does not have any nonforfeitable right under the plan to an accrued benefit derived from employer contributions.
(E)
(i) In the case of each individual who is absent from work for any period—(I) by reason of the pregnancy of the individual,(II) by reason of the birth of a child of the individual,(III) by reason of the placement of a child with the individual in connection with the adoption of such child by such individual, or(IV) for purposes of caring for such child for a period beginning immediately following such birth or placement,
the plan shall treat as hours of service, solely for purposes of determining under this paragraph whether a 1-year break in service has occurred, the hours described in clause (ii).
(ii) The hours described in this clause are—(I) the hours of service which otherwise would normally have been credited to such individual but for such absence, or(II) in any case in which the plan is unable to determine the hours described in subclause (I), 8 hours of service per day of absence,
except that the total number of hours treated as hours of service under this clause by reason of such pregnancy or placement shall not exceed 501 hours.
(iii) The hours described in clause (ii) shall be treated as hours of service as provided in this subparagraph—(I) only in the year in which the absence from work begins, if a participant would be prevented from incurring a 1-year break in service in such year solely because the period of absence is treated as hours of service as provided in clause (i); or(II) in any other case, in the immediately following year.
(iv) For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “year” means the period used in computations pursuant to paragraph (2).
(v) A plan may provide that no credit will be given pursuant to this subparagraph unless the individual furnishes to the plan administrator such timely information as the plan may reasonably require to establish—(I) that the absence from work is for reasons referred to in clause (i), and(II) the number of days for which there was such an absence.
(4) Cross references
(A) For definitions of “accrued benefit” and “normal retirement age”, see sections 1002(23) and (24) of this title.
(B) For effect of certain cash out distributions, see section 1054(d)(1) of this title.
(c) Plan amendments altering vesting schedule
(1)
(A) A plan amendment changing any vesting schedule under the plan shall be treated as not satisfying the requirements of subsection (a)(2) if the nonforfeitable percentage of the accrued benefit derived from employer contributions (determined as of the later of the date such amendment is adopted, or the date such amendment becomes effective) of any employee who is a participant in the plan is less than such nonforfeitable percentage computed under the plan without regard to such amendment.
(B) A plan amendment changing any vesting schedule under the plan shall be treated as not satisfying the requirements of subsection (a)(2) unless each participant having not less than 3 years of service is permitted to elect, within a reasonable period after adoption of such amendment, to have his nonforfeitable percentage computed under the plan without regard to such amendment.
(2) Subsection (a) shall not apply to benefits which may not be provided for designated employees in the event of early termination of the plan under provisions of the plan adopted pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury to preclude the discrimination prohibited by section 401(a)(4) of title 26.
(d) Nonforfeitable benefits after lesser period and in greater amounts than required
(e) Consent for distribution; present value; covered distributions
(1) If the present value of any nonforfeitable benefit with respect to a participant in a plan exceeds $7,000, the plan shall provide that such benefit may not be immediately distributed without the consent of the participant.
(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the present value shall be calculated in accordance with section 1055(g)(3) of this title.
(3) This subsection shall not apply to any distribution of dividends to which section 404(k) of title 26 applies.
(4) A plan shall not fail to meet the requirements of this subsection if, under the terms of the plan, the present value of the nonforfeitable accrued benefit is determined without regard to that portion of such benefit which is attributable to rollover contributions (and earnings allocable thereto). For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “rollover contributions” means any rollover contribution under sections 402(c), 403(a)(4), 403(span)(8), 408(d)(3)(A)(ii), and 457(e)(16) of title 26.
(f) Special rules for plans computing accrued benefits by reference to hypothetical account balance or equivalent amounts
(1) In generalAn applicable defined benefit plan shall not be treated as failing to meet—
(A) subject to paragraph (2), the requirements of subsection (a)(2), or
(B) the requirements of section 1054(c) or 1055(g) of this title, or the requirements of subsection (e), with respect to accrued benefits derived from employer contributions,
solely because the present value of the accrued benefit (or any portion thereof) of any participant is, under the terms of the plan, equal to the amount expressed as the balance in the hypothetical account described in paragraph (3) or as an accumulated percentage of the participant’s final average compensation.
(2) 3-year vesting
(3) Applicable defined benefit plan and related rulesFor purposes of this subsection—
(A) In general
(B) Regulations to include similar plans
(Puspan. L. 93–406, title I, § 203, Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 854; Puspan. L. 96–364, title III, § 303, Sept. 26, 1980, 94 Stat. 1292; Puspan. L. 98–397, title I, §§ 102(span), (c), (d)(2), (e)(2), 105(a), Aug. 23, 1984, 98 Stat. 1426–1428, 1436; Puspan. L. 99–514, title XI, §§ 1113(e)(1), (2), (4)(A), 1139(c)(1), title XVIII, § 1898(a)(1)(B), (4)(B)(i), (d)(1)(B), (2)(B), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2447, 2448, 2487, 2942, 2944, 2955; Puspan. L. 101–239, title VII, §§ 7861(a)(1), (5)(B), (6)(B), 7862(d)(4), (5), (10), 7891(a)(1), (span)(1), (2), 7894(c)(3), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2430, 2434, 2445, 2449; Puspan. L. 103–465, title VII, § 767(c)(1), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 5039; Puspan. L. 104–188, title I, § 1442(span), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1808; Puspan. L. 105–34, title X, § 1071(span)(1), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 948; Puspan. L. 107–16, title VI, §§ 633(span), 648(a)(2), June 7, 2001, 115 Stat. 116, 127; Puspan. L. 108–311, title IV, § 408(span)(8), Oct. 4, 2004, 118 Stat. 1193; Puspan. L. 109–280, title I, § 108(a)(4), formerly § 107(a)(4), title VII, § 701(a)(2), title IX, §§ 902(d)(2)(E), 904(span), Aug. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 819, 984, 1038, 1049, renumbered Puspan. L. 111–192, title II, § 202(a), June 25, 2010, 124 Stat. 1297; Puspan. L. 110–458, title I, § 107(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2008, 122 Stat. 5107; Puspan. L. 117–328, div. T, title I, § 125(span), title III, § 304(a), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5315, 5341.)
§ 1054. Benefit accrual requirements
(a) Satisfaction of requirements by pension plansEach pension plan shall satisfy the requirements of subsection (b)(3), and—
(1) in the case of a defined benefit plan, shall satisfy the requirements of subsection (b)(1); and
(2) in the case of a defined contribution plan, shall satisfy the requirements of subsection (b)(2).
(b) Enumeration of plan requirements
(1)
(A) A defined benefit plan satisfies the requirements of this paragraph if the accrued benefit to which each participant is entitled upon his separation from the service is not less than—
(i) 3 percent of the normal retirement benefit to which he would be entitled at the normal retirement age if he commenced participation at the earliest possible entry age under the plan and served continuously until the earlier of age 65 or the normal retirement age specified under the plan, multiplied by
(ii) the number of years (not in excess of 33⅓) of his participation in the plan.
In the case of a plan providing retirement benefits based on compensation during any period, the normal retirement benefit to which a participant would be entitled shall be determined as if he continued to earn annually the average rate of compensation which he earned during consecutive years of service, not in excess of 10, for which his compensation was the highest. For purposes of this subparagraph, social security benefits and all other relevant factors used to compute benefits shall be treated as remaining constant as of the current year for all years after such current year.
(B) A defined benefit plan satisfies the requirements of this paragraph of a particular plan year if under the plan the accrued benefit payable at the normal retirement age is equal to the normal retirement benefit and the annual rate at which any individual who is or could be a participant can accrue the retirement benefits payable at normal retirement age under the plan for any later plan year is not more than 133⅓ percent of the annual rate at which he can accrue benefits for any plan year beginning on or after such particular plan year and before such later plan year. For purposes of this subparagraph—
(i) any amendment to the plan which is in effect for the current year shall be treated as in effect for all other plan years;
(ii) any change in an accrual rate which does not apply to any individual who is or could be a participant in the current year shall be disregarded;
(iii) the fact that benefits under the plan may be payable to certain employees before normal retirement age shall be disregarded; and
(iv) social security benefits and all other relevant factors used to compute benefits shall be treated as remaining constant as of the current year for all years after the current year.
(C) A defined benefit plan satisfies the requirements of this paragraph if the accrued benefit to which any participant is entitled upon his separation from the service is not less than a fraction of the annual benefit commencing at normal retirement age to which he would be entitled under the plan as in effect on the date of his separation if he continued to earn annually until normal retirement age the same rate of compensation upon which his normal retirement benefit would be computed under the plan, determined as if he had attained normal retirement age on the date any such determination is made (but taking into account no more than the 10 years of service immediately preceding his separation from service). Such fraction shall be a fraction, not exceeding 1, the numerator of which is the total number of his years of participation in the plan (as of the date of his separation from the service) and the denominator of which is the total number of years he would have participated in the plan if he separated from the service at the normal retirement age. For purposes of this subparagraph, social security benefits and all other relevant factors used to compute benefits shall be treated as remaining constant as of the current year for all years after such current year.
(D)
(i) his accrued benefit determined under the plan, as in effect from time to time prior to September 2, 1974, or
(ii) an accrued benefit which is not less than one-half of the accrued benefit to which such participant would have been entitled if subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) applied with respect to such years of participation.
(E) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of this paragraph, a plan shall not be treated as not satisfying the requirements of this paragraph solely because the accrual of benefits under the plan does not become effective until the employee has two continuous years of service. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “year of service” has the meaning provided by section 1052(a)(3)(A) of this title.
(F) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C), a defined benefit plan satisfies the requirements of this paragraph if such plan
(i) is funded exclusively by the purchase of insurance contracts, and
(ii) satisfies the requirements of paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 1081(b) of this title (relating to certain insurance contract plans),
but only if an employee’s accrued benefit as of any applicable date is not less than the cash surrender value his insurance contracts would have on such applicable date if the requirements of paragraphs (4), (5), and (6) of section 1081(b) of this title were satisfied.
(G) Notwithstanding the preceding subparagraphs, a defined benefit plan shall be treated as not satisfying the requirements of this paragraph if the participant’s accrued benefit is reduced on account of any increase in his age or service. The preceding sentence shall not apply to benefits under the plan commencing before benefits payable under title II of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.] which benefits under the plan—
(i) do not exceed social security benefits, and
(ii) terminate when such social security benefits commence.
(H)
(i) Notwithstanding the preceding subparagraphs, a defined benefit plan shall be treated as not satisfying the requirements of this paragraph if, under the plan, an employee’s benefit accrual is ceased, or the rate of an employee’s benefit accrual is reduced, because of the attainment of any age.
(ii) A plan shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of this subparagraph solely because the plan imposes (without regard to age) a limitation on the amount of benefits that the plan provides or a limitation on the number of years of service or years of participation which are taken into account for purposes of determining benefit accrual under the plan.
(iii) In the case of any employee who, as of the end of any plan year under a defined benefit plan, has attained normal retirement age under such plan—(I) if distribution of benefits under such plan with respect to such employee has commenced as of the end of such plan year, then any requirement of this subparagraph for continued accrual of benefits under such plan with respect to such employee during such plan year shall be treated as satisfied to the extent of the actuarial equivalent of in-service distribution of benefits, and(II) if distribution of benefits under such plan with respect to such employee has not commenced as of the end of such year in accordance with section 1056(a)(3) of this title, and the payment of benefits under such plan with respect to such employee is not suspended during such plan year pursuant to section 1053(a)(3)(B) of this title, then any requirement of this subparagraph for continued accrual of benefits under such plan with respect to such employee during such plan year shall be treated as satisfied to the extent of any adjustment in the benefit payable under the plan during such plan year attributable to the delay in the distribution of benefits after the attainment of normal retirement age.
The preceding provisions of this clause shall apply in accordance with regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury. Such regulations may provide for the application of the preceding provisions of this clause, in the case of any such employee, with respect to any period of time within a plan year.
(iv) Clause (i) shall not apply with respect to any employee who is a highly compensated employee (within the meaning of section 414(q) of title 26) to the extent provided in regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury for purposes of precluding discrimination in favor of highly compensated employees within the meaning of subchapter D of chapter 1 of title 26.
(v) A plan shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of clause (i) solely because the subsidized portion of any early retirement benefit is disregarded in determining benefit accruals.
(vi) Any regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to clause (v) of section 411(b)(1)(H) of title 26 shall apply with respect to the requirements of this subparagraph in the same manner and to the same extent as such regulations apply with respect to the requirements of such section 411(b)(1)(H).
(2)
(A) A defined contribution plan satisfies the requirements of this paragraph if, under the plan, allocations to the employee’s account are not ceased, and the rate at which amounts are allocated to the employee’s account is not reduced, because of the attainment of any age.
(B) A plan shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of subparagraph (A) solely because the subsidized portion of any early retirement benefit is disregarded in determining benefit accruals.
(C) Any regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to subparagraphs (B) and (C) of section 411(b)(2) of title 26 shall apply with respect to the requirements of this paragraph in the same manner and to the same extent as such regulations apply with respect to the requirements of such section 411(b)(2).
(3) A plan satisfies the requirements of this paragraph if—
(A) in the case of a defined benefit plan, the plan requires separate accounting for the portion of each employee’s accrued benefit derived from any voluntary employee contributions permitted under the plan; and
(B) in the case of any plan which is not a defined benefit plan, the plan requires separate accounting for each employee’s accrued benefit.
(4)
(A) For purposes of determining an employee’s accrued benefit, the term “year of participation” means a period of service (beginning at the earliest date on which the employee is a participant in the plan and which is included in a period of service required to be taken into account under section 1052(b) of this title, determined without regard to section 1052(b)(5) of this title) as determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary which provide for the calculation of such period on any reasonable and consistent basis.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, except as provided in subparagraph (C), in the case of any employee whose customary employment is less than full time, the calculation of such employee’s service on any basis which provides less than a ratable portion of the accrued benefit to which he would be entitled under the plan if his customary employment were full time shall not be treated as made on a reasonable and consistent basis.
(C) For purposes of this paragraph, in the case of any employee whose service is less than 1,000 hours during any calendar year, plan year or other 12-consecutive-month period designated by the plan (and not prohibited under regulations prescribed by the Secretary) the calculation of his period of service shall not be treated as not made on a reasonable and consistent basis merely because such service is not taken into account.
(D) In the case of any seasonal industry where the customary period of employment is less than 1,000 hours during a calendar year, the term “year of participation” shall be such period as determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
(E) For purposes of this subsection in the case of any maritime industry, 125 days of service shall be treated as a year of participation. The Secretary may prescribe regulations to carry out the purposes of this subparagraph.
(5)Special rules relating to age.—
(A)Comparison to similarly situated younger individual.—
(i)In general.—A plan shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of paragraph (1)(H)(i) if a participant’s accrued benefit, as determined as of any date under the terms of the plan, would be equal to or greater than that of any similarly situated, younger individual who is or could be a participant.
(ii)Similarly situated.—For purposes of this subparagraph, a participant is similarly situated to any other individual if such participant is identical to such other individual in every respect (including period of service, compensation, position, date of hire, work history, and any other respect) except for age.
(iii)Disregard of subsidized early retirement benefits.—In determining the accrued benefit as of any date for purposes of this subparagraph, the subsidized portion of any early retirement benefit or retirement-type subsidy shall be disregarded.
(iv)Accrued benefit.—For purposes of this subparagraph, the accrued benefit may, under the terms of the plan, be expressed as an annuity payable at normal retirement age, the balance of a hypothetical account, or the current value of the accumulated percentage of the employee’s final average compensation.
(B)Applicable defined benefit plans.—
(i)Interest credits.—(I)In general.—An applicable defined benefit plan shall be treated as failing to meet the requirements of paragraph (1)(H) unless the terms of the plan provide that any interest credit (or an equivalent amount) for any plan year shall be at a rate which is not greater than a market rate of return. A plan shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of this subclause merely because the plan provides for a reasonable minimum guaranteed rate of return or for a rate of return that is equal to the greater of a fixed or variable rate of return.(II)Preservation of capital.—An applicable defined benefit plan shall be treated as failing to meet the requirements of paragraph (1)(H) unless the plan provides that an interest credit (or equivalent amount) of less than zero shall in no event result in the account balance or similar amount being less than the aggregate amount of contributions credited to the account.(III)Market rate of return.—The Secretary of the Treasury may provide by regulation for rules governing the calculation of a market rate of return for purposes of subclause (I) and for permissible methods of crediting interest to the account (including fixed or variable interest rates) resulting in effective rates of return meeting the requirements of subclause (I).
(ii)Special rule for plan conversions.—If, after June 29, 2005, an applicable plan amendment is adopted, the plan shall be treated as failing to meet the requirements of paragraph (1)(H) unless the requirements of clause (iii) are met with respect to each individual who was a participant in the plan immediately before the adoption of the amendment.
(iii)Rate of benefit accrual.—Subject to clause (iv), the requirements of this clause are met with respect to any participant if the accrued benefit of the participant under the terms of the plan as in effect after the amendment is not less than the sum of—(I) the participant’s accrued benefit for years of service before the effective date of the amendment, determined under the terms of the plan as in effect before the amendment, plus(II) the participant’s accrued benefit for years of service after the effective date of the amendment, determined under the terms of the plan as in effect after the amendment.
(iv)Special rules for early retirement subsidies.—For purposes of clause (iii)(I), the plan shall credit the accumulation account or similar amount 1
1 So in original. Probably should be “similar account”.
with the amount of any early retirement benefit or retirement-type subsidy for the plan year in which the participant retires if, as of such time, the participant has met the age, years of service, and other requirements under the plan for entitlement to such benefit or subsidy.(v)Applicable plan amendment.—For purposes of this subparagraph—(I)In general.—The term “applicable plan amendment” means an amendment to a defined benefit plan which has the effect of converting the plan to an applicable defined benefit plan.(II)Special rule for coordinated benefits.—If the benefits of 2 or more defined benefit plans established or maintained by an employer are coordinated in such a manner as to have the effect of the adoption of an amendment described in subclause (I), the sponsor of the defined benefit plan or plans providing for such coordination shall be treated as having adopted such a plan amendment as of the date such coordination begins.(III)Multiple amendments.—The Secretary of the Treasury shall issue regulations to prevent the avoidance of the purposes of this subparagraph through the use of 2 or more plan amendments rather than a single amendment.(IV)Applicable defined benefit plan.—For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “applicable defined benefit plan” has the meaning given such term by section 1053(f)(3) of this title.
(vi)Termination requirements.—An applicable defined benefit plan shall not be treated as meeting the requirements of clause (i) unless the plan provides that, upon the termination of the plan—(I) if the interest credit rate (or an equivalent amount) under the plan is a variable rate, the rate of interest used to determine accrued benefits under the plan shall be equal to the average of the rates of interest used under the plan during the 5-year period ending on the termination date, and(II) the interest rate and mortality table used to determine the amount of any benefit under the plan payable in the form of an annuity payable at normal retirement age shall be the rate and table specified under the plan for such purpose as of the termination date, except that if such interest rate is a variable rate, the interest rate shall be determined under the rules of subclause (I).
(C)Certain offsets permitted.—A plan shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of paragraph (1)(H)(i) solely because the plan provides offsets against benefits under the plan to the extent such offsets are otherwise allowable in applying the requirements of section 401(a) of title 26.
(D)Permitted disparities in plan contributions or benefits.—A plan shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of paragraph (1)(H) solely because the plan provides a disparity in contributions or benefits with respect to which the requirements of section 401(l) of title 26 are met.
(E)Indexing permitted.—
(i)In general.—A plan shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of paragraph (1)(H) solely because the plan provides for indexing of accrued benefits under the plan.
(ii)Protection against loss.—Except in the case of any benefit provided in the form of a variable annuity, clause (i) shall not apply with respect to any indexing which results in an accrued benefit less than the accrued benefit determined without regard to such indexing.
(iii)Indexing.—For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “indexing” means, in connection with an accrued benefit, the periodic adjustment of the accrued benefit by means of the application of a recognized investment index or methodology.
(F)Early retirement benefit or retirement-type subsidy.—For purposes of this paragraph, the terms “early retirement benefit” and “retirement-type subsidy” have the meaning given such terms in subsection (g)(2)(A).
(G)Benefit accrued to date.—For purposes of this paragraph, any reference to the accrued benefit shall be a reference to such benefit accrued to date.
(6)Projected interest crediting rate.—For purposes of subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1), in the case of an applicable defined benefit plan (within the meaning of section 1053(f)(3) of this title) which provides variable interest crediting rates, the interest crediting rate which is treated as in effect and as the projected interest crediting rate shall be a reasonable projection of such variable interest crediting rate, not to exceed 6 percent.
(c) Employee’s accrued benefits derived from employer and employee contributions
(1) For purposes of this section and section 1053 of this title an employee’s accrued benefit derived from employer contributions as of any applicable date is the excess (if any) of the accrued benefit for such employee as of such applicable date over the accrued benefit derived from contributions made by such employee as of such date.
(2)
(A) In the case of a plan other than a defined benefit plan, the accrued benefit derived from contributions made by an employee as of any applicable date is—
(i) except as provided in clause (ii), the balance of the employee’s separate account consisting only of his contributions and the income, expenses, gains, and losses attributable thereto, or
(ii) if a separate account is not maintained with respect to an employee’s contributions under such a plan, the amount which bears the same ratio to his total accrued benefit as the total amount of the employee’s contributions (less withdrawals) bears to the sum of such contributions and the contributions made on his behalf by the employer (less withdrawals).
(B)Defined benefit plans.—In the case of a defined benefit plan, the accrued benefit derived from contributions made by an employee as of any applicable date is the amount equal to the employee’s accumulated contributions expressed as an annual benefit commencing at normal retirement age, using an interest rate which would be used under the plan under section 1055(g)(3) of this title (as of the determination date).
(C) For purposes of this subsection, the term “accumulated contributions” means the total of—
(i) all mandatory contributions made by the employee,
(ii) interest (if any) under the plan to the end of the last plan year to which section 1053(a)(2) of this title does not apply (by reason of the applicable effective date), and
(iii) interest on the sum of the amounts determined under clauses (i) and (ii) compounded annually—(I) at the rate of 120 percent of the Federal mid-term rate (as in effect under section 1274 of title 26 for the 1st month of a plan year for the period beginning with the 1st plan year to which subsection (a)(2) applies by reason of the applicable effective date) and ending with the date on which the determination is being made, and(II) at the interest rate which would be used under the plan under section 1055(g)(3) of this title (as of the determination date) for the period beginning with the determination date and ending on the date on which the employee attains normal retirement age.
For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “mandatory contributions” means amounts contributed to the plan by the employee which are required as a condition of employment, as a condition of participation in such plan, or as a condition of obtaining benefits under the plan attributable to employer contributions.
(D) The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to adjust by regulation the conversion factor described in subparagraph (B) from time to time as he may deem necessary. No such adjustment shall be effective for a plan year beginning before the expiration of 1 year after such adjustment is determined and published.
(3) For purposes of this section, in the case of any defined benefit plan, if an employee’s accrued benefit is to be determined as an amount other than an annual benefit commencing at normal retirement age, or if the accrued benefit derived from contributions made by an employee is to be determined with respect to a benefit other than an annual benefit in the form of a single life annuity (without ancillary benefits) commencing at normal retirement age, the employee’s accrued benefit, or the accrued benefits derived from contributions made by an employee, as the case may be, shall be the actuarial equivalent of such benefit or amount determined under paragraph (1) or (2).
(4) In the case of a defined benefit plan which permits voluntary employee contributions, the portion of an employee’s accrued benefit derived from such contributions shall be treated as an accrued benefit derived from employee contributions under a plan other than a defined benefit plan.
(d) Employee service which may be disregarded in determining employee’s accrued benefits under planNotwithstanding section 1053(b)(1) of this title, for purposes of determining the employee’s accrued benefit under the plan, the plan may disregard service performed by the employee with respect to which he has received—
(1) a distribution of the present value of his entire nonforfeitable benefit if such distribution was in an amount (not more than the dollar limit under section 1053(e)(1) of this title) permitted under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, or
(2) a distribution of the present value of his nonforfeitable benefit attributable to such service which he elected to receive.
Paragraph (1) shall apply only if such distribution was made on termination of the employee’s participation in the plan. Paragraph (2) shall apply only if such distribution was made on termination of the employee’s participation in the plan or under such other circumstances as may be provided under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury.
(e) Opportunity to repay full amount of distributions which have been reduced through disregarded employee serviceFor purposes of determining the employee’s accrued benefit, the plan shall not disregard service as provided in subsection (d) unless the plan provides an opportunity for the participant to repay the full amount of a distribution described in subsection (d) with, in the case of a defined benefit plan, interest at the rate determined for purposes of subsection (c)(2)(C) and provides that upon such repayment the employee’s accrued benefit shall be recomputed by taking into account service so disregarded. This subsection shall apply only in the case of a participant who—
(1) received such a distribution in any plan year to which this section applies which distribution was less than the present value of his accrued benefit,
(2) resumes employment covered under the plan, and
(3) repays the full amount of such distribution with, in the case of a defined benefit plan, interest at the rate determined for purposes of subsection (c)(2)(C).
The plan provision required under this subsection may provide that such repayment must be made (A) in the case of a withdrawal on account of separation from service, before the earlier of 5 years after the first date on which the participant is subsequently re-employed by the employer, or the close of the first period of 5 consecutive 1-year breaks in service commencing after the withdrawal; or (B) in the case of any other withdrawal, 5 years after the date of the withdrawal.
(f) Employer treated as maintaining a plan
(g) Decrease of accrued benefits through amendment of plan
(1) The accrued benefit of a participant under a plan may not be decreased by an amendment of the plan, other than an amendment described in section 1082(d)(2) or 1441 of this title.
(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), a plan amendment which has the effect of—
(A) eliminating or reducing an early retirement benefit or a retirement-type subsidy (as defined in regulations), or
(B) eliminating an optional form of benefit,
with respect to benefits attributable to service before the amendment shall be treated as reducing accrued benefits. In the case of a retirement-type subsidy, the preceding sentence shall apply only with respect to a participant who satisfies (either before or after the amendment) the preamendment conditions for the subsidy. The Secretary of the Treasury shall by regulations provide that this paragraph shall not apply to any plan amendment which reduces or eliminates benefits or subsidies which create significant burdens or complexities for the plan and plan participants, unless such amendment adversely affects the rights of any participant in a more than de minimis manner. The Secretary of the Treasury may by regulations provide that this subparagraph shall not apply to a plan amendment described in subparagraph (B) (other than a plan amendment having an effect described in subparagraph (A)).
(3) For purposes of this subsection, any—
(A) tax credit employee stock ownership plan (as defined in section 409(a) of title 26, or
(B) employee stock ownership plan (as defined in section 4975(e)(7) of title 26),
shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of this subsection merely because it modifies distribution options in a nondiscriminatory manner.
(4)
(A) A defined contribution plan (in this subparagraph referred to as the “transferee plan”) shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of this subsection merely because the transferee plan does not provide some or all of the forms of distribution previously available under another defined contribution plan (in this subparagraph referred to as the “transferor plan”) to the extent that—
(i) the forms of distribution previously available under the transferor plan applied to the account of a participant or beneficiary under the transferor plan that was transferred from the transferor plan to the transferee plan pursuant to a direct transfer rather than pursuant to a distribution from the transferor plan;
(ii) the terms of both the transferor plan and the transferee plan authorize the transfer described in clause (i);
(iii) the transfer described in clause (i) was made pursuant to a voluntary election by the participant or beneficiary whose account was transferred to the transferee plan;
(iv) the election described in clause (iii) was made after the participant or beneficiary received a notice describing the consequences of making the election; and
(v) the transferee plan allows the participant or beneficiary described in clause (iii) to receive any distribution to which the participant or beneficiary is entitled under the transferee plan in the form of a single sum distribution.
(B) Subparagraph (A) shall apply to plan mergers and other transactions having the effect of a direct transfer, including consolidations of benefits attributable to different employers within a multiple employer plan.
(5) Except to the extent provided in regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Treasury, a defined contribution plan shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of this subsection merely because of the elimination of a form of distribution previously available thereunder. This paragraph shall not apply to the elimination of a form of distribution with respect to any participant unless—
(A) a single sum payment is available to such participant at the same time or times as the form of distribution being eliminated; and
(B) such single sum payment is based on the same or greater portion of the participant’s account as the form of distribution being eliminated.
(h) Notice of significant reduction in benefit accruals
(1) An applicable pension plan may not be amended so as to provide for a significant reduction in the rate of future benefit accrual unless the plan administrator provides the notice described in paragraph (2) to each applicable individual (and to each employee organization representing applicable individuals) and to each employer who has an obligation to contribute to the plan.
(2) The notice required by paragraph (1) shall be written in a manner calculated to be understood by the average plan participant and shall provide sufficient information (as determined in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury) to allow applicable individuals to understand the effect of the plan amendment. The Secretary of the Treasury may provide a simplified form of notice for, or exempt from any notice requirement, a plan—
(A) which has fewer than 100 participants who have accrued a benefit under the plan, or
(B) which offers participants the option to choose between the new benefit formula and the old benefit formula.
(3) Except as provided in regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, the notice required by paragraph (1) shall be provided within a reasonable time before the effective date of the plan amendment.
(4) Any notice under paragraph (1) may be provided to a person designated, in writing, by the person to which it would otherwise be provided.
(5) A plan shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of paragraph (1) merely because notice is provided before the adoption of the plan amendment if no material modification of the amendment occurs before the amendment is adopted.
(6)
(A) In the case of any egregious failure to meet any requirement of this subsection with respect to any plan amendment, the provisions of the applicable pension plan shall be applied as if such plan amendment entitled all applicable individuals to the greater of—
(i) the benefits to which they would have been entitled without regard to such amendment, or
(ii) the benefits under the plan with regard to such amendment.
(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), there is an egregious failure to meet the requirements of this subsection if such failure is within the control of the plan sponsor and is—
(i) an intentional failure (including any failure to promptly provide the required notice or information after the plan administrator discovers an unintentional failure to meet the requirements of this subsection),
(ii) a failure to provide most of the individuals with most of the information they are entitled to receive under this subsection, or
(iii) a failure which is determined to be egregious under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury.
(7) The Secretary of the Treasury may by regulations allow any notice under this subsection to be provided by using new technologies.
(8) For purposes of this subsection—
(A) The term “applicable individual” means, with respect to any plan amendment—
(i) each participant in the plan; and
(ii) any beneficiary who is an alternate payee (within the meaning of section 1056(d)(3)(K) of this title) under an applicable qualified domestic relations order (within the meaning of section 1056(d)(3)(B)(i) of this title),
whose rate of future benefit accrual under the plan may reasonably be expected to be significantly reduced by such plan amendment.
(B) The term “applicable pension plan” means—
(i) any defined benefit plan; or
(ii) an individual account plan which is subject to the funding standards of section 412 of title 26.
(9) For purposes of this subsection, a plan amendment which eliminates or reduces any early retirement benefit or retirement-type subsidy (within the meaning of subsection (g)(2)(A)) shall be treated as having the effect of reducing the rate of future benefit accrual.
(i) Prohibition on benefit increases where plan sponsor is in bankruptcy
(1) In the case of a plan described in paragraph (3) which is maintained by an employer that is a debtor in a case under title 11 or similar Federal or State law, no amendment of the plan which increases the liabilities of the plan by reason of—
(A) any increase in benefits,
(B) any change in the accrual of benefits, or
(C) any change in the rate at which benefits become nonforfeitable under the plan,
with respect to employees of the debtor, shall be effective prior to the effective date of such employer’s plan of reorganization.
(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any plan amendment that—
(A) the Secretary of the Treasury determines to be reasonable and that provides for only de minimis increases in the liabilities of the plan with respect to employees of the debtor,
(B) only repeals an amendment described in section 1082(d)(2) of this title,
(C) is required as a condition of qualification under part I of subchapter D of chapter 1 of title 26, or
(D) was adopted prior to, or pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement entered into prior to, the date on which the employer became a debtor in a case under title 11 or similar Federal or State law.
(3) This subsection shall apply only to plans (other than multiemployer plans or CSEC plans) covered under section 1321 of this title for which the funding target attainment percentage (as defined in section 1083(d)(2) of this title) is less than 100 percent after taking into account the effect of the amendment.
(4) For purposes of this subsection, the term “employer” has the meaning set forth in section 1082(b)(1) of this title, without regard to section 1082(b)(2) of this title.
(j) Diversification requirements for certain individual account plans
(1) In general
(2) Employee contributions and elective deferrals invested in employer securities
(3) Employer contributions invested in employer securitiesIn the case of the portion of the account attributable to employer contributions other than elective deferrals which is invested in employer securities, a plan meets the requirements of this paragraph if each applicable individual who—
(A) is a participant who has completed at least 3 years of service, or
(B) is a beneficiary of a participant described in subparagraph (A) or of a deceased participant,
may elect to direct the plan to divest any such securities and to reinvest an equivalent amount in other investment options meeting the requirements of paragraph (4).
(4) Investment options
(A) In general
(B) Treatment of certain restrictions and conditions
(i) Time for making investment choices
(ii) Certain restrictions and conditions not allowed
(5) Applicable individual account planFor purposes of this subsection—
(A) In general
(B) Exception for certain ESOPSSuch term does not include an employee stock ownership plan if—
(i) there are no contributions to such plan (or earnings thereunder) which are held within such plan and are subject to subsection (k) or (m) of section 401 of title 26, and
(ii) such plan is a separate plan (for purposes of section 414(l) of title 26) with respect to any other defined benefit plan or individual account plan maintained by the same employer or employers.
(C) Exception for one participant plans
(D) Certain plans treated as holding publicly traded employer securities
(i) In general
(ii) Exception for certain controlled groups with publicly traded securitiesClause (i) shall not apply to a plan if—(I) no employer corporation, or parent corporation of an employer corporation, has issued any publicly traded employer security, and(II) no employer corporation, or parent corporation of an employer corporation, has issued any special class of stock which grants particular rights to, or bears particular risks for, the holder or issuer with respect to any corporation described in clause (i) which has issued any publicly traded employer security.
(iii) DefinitionsFor purposes of this subparagraph, the term—(I) “controlled group of corporations” has the meaning given such term by section 1563(a) of title 26, except that “50 percent” shall be substituted for “80 percent” each place it appears,(II) “employer corporation” means a corporation which is an employer maintaining the plan, and(III) “parent corporation” has the meaning given such term by section 424(e) of title 26.
(6) Other definitionsFor purposes of this paragraph—
(A) Applicable individualThe term “applicable individual” means—
(i) any participant in the plan, and
(ii) any beneficiary who has an account under the plan with respect to which the beneficiary is entitled to exercise the rights of a participant.
(B) Elective deferral
(C) Employer security
(D) Employee stock ownership plan
(E) Publicly traded employer securities
(F) Year of service
(7) Transition rule for securities attributable to employer contributions
(A) Rules phased in over 3 years
(i) In general
(ii) Exception for certain participants aged 55 or over
(B) Applicable percentage
(k) Special rule for determining normal retirement age for certain existing defined benefit plans
(1) In general
(2) Applicable planFor purposes of this subsection—
(A) In generalThe term “applicable plan” means a defined benefit plan the terms of which, on or before December 8, 2014, provided for a normal retirement age which is the earlier of—
(i) an age otherwise permitted under section 1002(24) of this title, or
(ii) the age at which a participant completes the number of years (not less than 30 years) of benefit accrual service specified by the plan.
A plan shall not fail to be treated as an applicable plan solely because the normal retirement age described in the preceding sentence only applied to certain participants or only applied to employees of certain employers in the case of a plan maintained by more than 1 employer.
(B) Expanded application
(C) Limitation on expanded applicationA defined benefit plan shall be an applicable plan only with respect to an individual who—
(i) is a participant in the plan on or before January 1, 2017, or
(ii) is an employee at any time on or before January 1, 2017, of any employer maintaining the plan, and who becomes a participant in such plan after such date.
(l) Cross reference
(Pub. L. 93–406, title I, § 204, Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 858; Pub. L. 98–397, title I, §§ 102(e)(3), (f), 105(b), title III, § 301(a)(2), Aug. 23, 1984, 98 Stat. 1429, 1436, 1451; Pub. L. 99–272, title XI, § 11006(a), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 243; Pub. L. 99–509, title IX, § 9202(a), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1975; Pub. L. 99–514, title XI, § 1113(e)(4)(B), title XVIII, §§ 1879(u)(1), 1898(a)(4)(B)(ii), (f)(1)(B), (2), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2448, 2913, 2944, 2956; Pub. L. 100–203, title IX, § 9346(a), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–374; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, §§ 7862(b)(1)(A), (2), 7871(a)(1), (3), 7881(m)(2)(A)–(C), 7891(a)(1), 7894(c)(4)–(6), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2432, 2434, 2435, 2444, 2445, 2449; Pub. L. 103–465, title VII, § 766(a), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 5036; Pub. L. 105–34, title X, § 1071(b)(2), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 948; Pub. L. 107–16, title VI, §§ 645(a)(2), (b)(2), 659(b), June 7, 2001, 115 Stat. 124, 125, 139; Pub. L. 107–147, title IV, § 411(u)(2), Mar. 9, 2002, 116 Stat. 52; Pub. L. 109–280, title I, § 108(a)(5)–(8), formerly § 107(a)(5)–(8), title V, § 502(c)(1), title VII, § 701(a)(1), title IX, § 901(b)(1), Aug. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 819, 941, 981, 1029, renumbered Pub. L. 111–192, title II, § 202(a), June 25, 2010, 124 Stat. 1297; Pub. L. 110–458, title I, § 107(a)(2), (3), Dec. 23, 2008, 122 Stat. 5107; Pub. L. 113–97, title I, § 102(b)(4), Apr. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 1116; Pub. L. 113–235, div. P, § 2(a), Dec. 16, 2014, 128 Stat. 2827; Pub. L. 117–328, div. T, title III, § 348(b), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5385.)
§ 1055. Requirement of joint and survivor annuity and preretirement survivor annuity
(a) Required contents for applicable plansEach pension plan to which this section applies shall provide that—
(1) in the case of a vested participant who does not die before the annuity starting date, the accrued benefit payable to such participant shall be provided in the form of a qualified joint and survivor annuity, and
(2) in the case of a vested participant who dies before the annuity starting date and who has a surviving spouse, a qualified preretirement survivor annuity shall be provided to the surviving spouse of such participant.
(b) Applicable plans
(1) This section shall apply to—
(A) any defined benefit plan,
(B) any individual account plan which is subject to the funding standards of section 1082 of this title, and
(C) any participant under any other individual account plan unless—
(i) such plan provides that the participant’s nonforfeitable accrued benefit (reduced by any security interest held by the plan by reason of a loan outstanding to such participant) is payable in full, on the death of the participant, to the participant’s surviving spouse (or, if there is no surviving spouse or the surviving spouse consents in the manner required under subsection (c)(2), to a designated beneficiary),
(ii) such participant does not elect the payment of benefits in the form of a life annuity, and
(iii) with respect to such participant, such plan is not a direct or indirect transferee (in a transfer after December 31, 1984) of a plan which is described in subparagraph (A) or (B) or to which this clause applied with respect to the participant.
Clause (iii) of subparagraph (C) shall apply only with respect to the transferred assets (and income therefrom) if the plan separately accounts for such assets and any income therefrom.
(2)
(A) In the case of—
(i) a tax credit employee stock ownership plan (as defined in section 409(a) of title 26), or
(ii) an employee stock ownership plan (as defined in section 4975(e)(7) of title 26),
subsection (a) shall not apply to that portion of the employee’s accrued benefit to which the requirements of section 409(h) of title 26 apply.
(B) Subparagraph (A) shall not apply with respect to any participant unless the requirements of clause 1
1 So in original. Probably should be “clauses”.
(i), (ii), and (iii) of paragraph (1)(C) are met with respect to such participant.(4)2
2 So in original. There are two pars. designated (4) and no par. (3).
This section shall not apply to a plan which the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate has determined is a plan described in section 404(c) of title 26 (or a continuation thereof) in which participation is substantially limited to individuals who, before January 1, 1976, ceased employment covered by the plan.(4)2 A plan shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of paragraph (1)(C) or (2) merely because the plan provides that benefits will not be payable to the surviving spouse of the participant unless the participant and such spouse had been married throughout the 1-year period ending on the earlier of the participant’s annuity starting date or the date of the participant’s death.
(c) Plans meeting requirements of section
(1) A plan meets the requirements of this section only if—
(A) under the plan, each participant—
(i) may elect at any time during the applicable election period to waive the qualified joint and survivor annuity form of benefit or the qualified preretirement survivor annuity form of benefit (or both),
(ii) if the participant elects a waiver under clause (i), may elect the qualified optional survivor annuity at any time during the applicable election period, and
(iii) may revoke any such election at any time during the applicable election period, and
(B) the plan meets the requirements of paragraphs (2), (3), and (4).
(2) Each plan shall provide that an election under paragraph (1)(A)(i) shall not take effect unless—
(A)
(i) the spouse of the participant consents in writing to such election, (ii) such election designates a beneficiary (or a form of benefits) which may not be changed without spousal consent (or the consent of the spouse expressly permits designations by the participant without any requirement of further consent by the spouse), and (iii) the spouse’s consent acknowledges the effect of such election and is witnessed by a plan representative or a notary public, or
(B) it is established to the satisfaction of a plan representative that the consent required under subparagraph (A) may not be obtained because there is no spouse, because the spouse cannot be located, or because of such other circumstances as the Secretary of the Treasury may by regulations prescribe.
Any consent by a spouse (or establishment that the consent of a spouse may not be obtained) under the preceding sentence shall be effective only with respect to such spouse.
(3)
(A) Each plan shall provide to each participant, within a reasonable period of time before the annuity starting date (and consistent with such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe) a written explanation of—
(i) the terms and conditions of the qualified joint and survivor annuity and of the qualified optional survivor annuity,
(ii) the participant’s right to make, and the effect of, an election under paragraph (1) to waive the joint and survivor annuity form of benefit,
(iii) the rights of the participant’s spouse under paragraph (2), and
(iv) the right to make, and the effect of, a revocation of an election under paragraph (1).
(B)
(i) Each plan shall provide to each participant, within the applicable period with respect to such participant (and consistent with such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe), a written explanation with respect to the qualified preretirement survivor annuity comparable to that required under subparagraph (A).
(ii) For purposes of clause (i), the term “applicable period” means, with respect to a participant, whichever of the following periods ends last:(I) The period beginning with the first day of the plan year in which the participant attains age 32 and ending with the close of the plan year preceding the plan year in which the participant attains age 35.(II) A reasonable period after the individual becomes a participant.(III) A reasonable period ending after paragraph (5) ceases to apply to the participant.(IV) A reasonable period ending after this section applies to the participant.
In the case of a participant who separates from service before attaining age 35, the applicable period shall be a reasonable period after separation.
(4) Each plan shall provide that, if this section applies to a participant when part or all of the participant’s accrued benefit is to be used as security for a loan, no portion of the participant’s accrued benefit may be used as security for such loan unless—
(A) the spouse of the participant (if any) consents in writing to such use during the 90-day period ending on the date on which the loan is to be so secured, and
(B) requirements comparable to the requirements of paragraph (2) are met with respect to such consent.
(5)
(A) The requirements of this subsection shall not apply with respect to the qualified joint and survivor annuity form of benefit or the qualified preretirement survivor annuity form of benefit, as the case may be, if such benefit may not be waived (or another beneficiary selected) and if the plan fully subsidizes the costs of such benefit.
(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), a plan fully subsidizes the costs of a benefit if under the plan the failure to waive such benefit by a participant would not result in a decrease in any plan benefits with respect to such participant and would not result in increased contributions from such participant.
(6) If a plan fiduciary acts in accordance with part 4 of this subtitle in—
(A) relying on a consent or revocation referred to in paragraph (1)(A), or
(B) making a determination under paragraph (2),
then such consent, revocation, or determination shall be treated as valid for purposes of discharging the plan from liability to the extent of payments made pursuant to such Act.
(7) For purposes of this subsection, the term “applicable election period” means—
(A) in the case of an election to waive the qualified joint and survivor annuity form of benefit, the 180-day period ending on the annuity starting date, or
(B) in the case of an election to waive the qualified preretirement survivor annuity, the period which begins on the first day of the plan year in which the participant attains age 35 and ends on the date of the participant’s death.
In the case of a participant who is separated from service, the applicable election period under subparagraph (B) with respect to benefits accrued before the date of such separation from service shall not begin later than such date.
(8) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection—
(A)
(i) A plan may provide the written explanation described in paragraph (3)(A) after the annuity starting date. In any case to which this subparagraph applies, the applicable election period under paragraph (7) shall not end before the 30th day after the date on which such explanation is provided.
(ii) The Secretary of the Treasury may by regulations limit the application of clause (i), except that such regulations may not limit the period of time by which the annuity starting date precedes the provision of the written explanation other than by providing that the annuity starting date may not be earlier than termination of employment.
(B) A plan may permit a participant to elect (with any applicable spousal consent) to waive any requirement that the written explanation be provided at least 30 days before the annuity starting date (or to waive the 30-day requirement under subparagraph (A)) if the distribution commences more than 7 days after such explanation is provided.
(d) “Qualified joint and survivor annuity” and “qualified optional survivor annuity” defined
(1) For purposes of this section, the term “qualified joint and survivor annuity” means an annuity—
(A) for the life of the participant with a survivor annuity for the life of the spouse which is not less than 50 percent of (and is not greater than 100 percent of) the amount of the annuity which is payable during the joint lives of the participant and the spouse, and
(B) which is the actuarial equivalent of a single annuity for the life of the participant.
Such term also includes any annuity in a form having the effect of an annuity described in the preceding sentence.
(2)
(A) For purposes of this section, the term “qualified optional survivor annuity” means an annuity—
(i) for the life of the participant with a survivor annuity for the life of the spouse which is equal to the applicable percentage of the amount of the annuity which is payable during the joint lives of the participant and the spouse, and
(ii) which is the actuarial equivalent of a single annuity for the life of the participant.
Such term also includes any annuity in a form having the effect of an annuity described in the preceding sentence.
(B)
(i) For purposes of subparagraph (A), if the survivor annuity percentage—(I) is less than 75 percent, the applicable percentage is 75 percent, and(II) is greater than or equal to 75 percent, the applicable percentage is 50 percent.
(ii) For purposes of clause (i), the term “survivor annuity percentage” means the percentage which the survivor annuity under the plan’s qualified joint and survivor annuity bears to the annuity payable during the joint lives of the participant and the spouse.
(e) “Qualified preretirement survivor annuity” definedFor purposes of this section—
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the term “qualified preretirement survivor annuity” means a survivor annuity for the life of the surviving spouse of the participant if—
(A) the payments to the surviving spouse under such annuity are not less than the amounts which would be payable as a survivor annuity under the qualified joint and survivor annuity under the plan (or the actuarial equivalent thereof) if—
(i) in the case of a participant who dies after the date on which the participant attained the earliest retirement age, such participant had retired with an immediate qualified joint and survivor annuity on the day before the participant’s date of death, or
(ii) in the case of a participant who dies on or before the date on which the participant would have attained the earliest retirement age, such participant had—(I) separated from service on the date of death,(II) survived to the earliest retirement age,(III) retired with an immediate qualified joint and survivor annuity at the earliest retirement age, and(IV) died on the day after the day on which such participant would have attained the earliest retirement age, and
(B) under the plan, the earliest period for which the surviving spouse may receive a payment under such annuity is not later than the month in which the participant would have attained the earliest retirement age under the plan.
In the case of an individual who separated from service before the date of such individual’s death, subparagraph (A)(ii)(I) shall not apply.
(2) In the case of any individual account plan or participant described in subparagraph (B) or (C) of subsection (b)(1), the term “qualified preretirement survivor annuity” means an annuity for the life of the surviving spouse the actuarial equivalent of which is not less than 50 percent of the portion of the account balance of the participant (as of the date of death) to which the participant had a nonforfeitable right (within the meaning of section 1053 of this title).
(3) For purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2), any security interest held by the plan by reason of a loan outstanding to the participant shall be taken into account in determining the amount of the qualified preretirement survivor annuity.
(f) Marriage requirements for plan
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a plan may provide that a qualified joint and survivor annuity (or a qualified preretirement survivor annuity) will not be provided unless the participant and spouse had been married throughout the 1-year period ending on the earlier of—
(A) the participant’s annuity starting date, or
(B) the date of the participant’s death.
(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), if—
(A) a participant marries within 1 year before the annuity starting date, and
(B) the participant and the participant’s spouse in such marriage have been married for at least a 1-year period ending on or before the date of the participant’s death,
such participant and such spouse shall be treated as having been married throughout the 1-year period ending on the participant’s annuity starting date.
(g) Distribution of present value of annuity; written consent; determination of present value
(1) A plan may provide that the present value of a qualified joint and survivor annuity or a qualified preretirement survivor annuity will be immediately distributed if such value does not exceed the amount that can be distributed without the participant’s consent under section 1053(e) of this title. No distribution may be made under the preceding sentence after the annuity starting date unless the participant and the spouse of the participant (or where the participant has died, the surviving spouse) consent in writing to such distribution.
(2) If—
(A) the present value of the qualified joint and survivor annuity or the qualified preretirement survivor annuity exceeds the amount that can be distributed without the participant’s consent under section 1053(e) of this title, and
(B) the participant and the spouse of the participant (or where the participant has died, the surviving spouse) consent in writing to the distribution,
the plan may immediately distribute the present value of such annuity.
(3)
(A) For purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2), the present value shall not be less than the present value calculated by using the applicable mortality table and the applicable interest rate.
(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A)—
(i) The term “applicable mortality table” means a mortality table, modified as appropriate by the Secretary of the Treasury, based on the mortality table specified for the plan year under subparagraph (A) of section 1083(h)(3) of this title (without regard to subparagraph (C) or (D) of such section).
(ii) The term “applicable interest rate” means the adjusted first, second, and third segment rates applied under rules similar to the rules of section 1083(h)(2)(C) of this title (determined by not taking into account any adjustment under clause (iv) thereof) for the month before the date of the distribution or such other time as the Secretary of the Treasury may by regulations prescribe.
(iii) For purposes of clause (ii), the adjusted first, second, and third segment rates are the first, second, and third segment rates which would be determined under section 1083(h)(2)(C) of this title (determined by not taking into account any adjustment under clause (iv) thereof) if section 1083(h)(2)(D) of this title were applied by substituting the average yields for the month described in clause (ii) for the average yields for the 24-month period described in such section.
(h) DefinitionsFor purposes of this section—
(1) The term “vested participant” means any participant who has a nonforfeitable right (within the meaning of section 1002(19) of this title) to any portion of such participant’s accrued benefit.
(2)
(A) The term “annuity starting date” means—
(i) the first day of the first period for which an amount is payable as an annuity, or
(ii) in the case of a benefit not payable in the form of an annuity, the first day on which all events have occurred which entitle the participant to such benefit.
(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the first day of the first period for which a benefit is to be received by reason of disability shall be treated as the annuity starting date only if such benefit is not an auxiliary benefit.
(3) The term “earliest retirement age” means the earliest date on which, under the plan, the participant could elect to receive retirement benefits.
(i) Increased costs from providing annuity
(j) Use of participant’s accrued benefit as security for loan as not preventing distribution
(k) Spousal consent
(l) Regulations; consultation of Secretary of the Treasury with Secretary of Labor
(Pub. L. 93–406, title I, § 205, Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 862; Pub. L. 98–397, title I, § 103(a), Aug. 23, 1984, 98 Stat. 1429; Pub. L. 99–514, title XI, §§ 1139(c)(2), 1145(b), title XVIII, § 1898(b)(1)(B), (2)(B), (3)(B), (4)(B), (5)(B), (6)(B), (7)(B), (8)(B), (9)(B), (10)(B), (11)(B), (12)(B), (13)(B), (14)(B), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2488, 2491, 2945–2951; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, §§ 7861(d)(2), 7862(d)(1)(B), (3), (6)–(9), 7891(a)(1), (b)(3), (c), (e), 7894(c)(7)(A), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2431, 2434, 2445, 2447, 2449; Pub. L. 103–465, title VII, § 767(c)(2), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 5039; Pub. L. 104–188, title I, § 1451(b), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1815; Pub. L. 105–34, title X, § 1071(b)(2), title XVI, § 1601(d)(5), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 948, 1089; Pub. L. 107–147, title IV, § 411(r)(2), Mar. 9, 2002, 116 Stat. 51; Pub. L. 109–280, title III, § 302(a), title X, § 1004(b), title XI, § 1102(a)(2)(A), Aug. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 920, 1054, 1056; Pub. L. 110–458, title I, § 103(b)(1), Dec. 23, 2008, 122 Stat. 5103; Pub. L. 112–141, div. D, title II, § 40211(b)(3)(B), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 849; Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title II, § 221(a)(57)(B)(ii), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 4046.)
§ 1056. Form and payment of benefits
(a) Commencement date for payment of benefitsEach pension plan shall provide that unless the participant otherwise elects, the payment of benefits under the plan to the participant shall begin not later than the 60th day after the latest of the close of the plan year in which—
(1) occurs the date on which the participant attains the earlier of age 65 or the normal retirement age specified under the plan,
(2) occurs the 10th anniversary of the year in which the participant commenced participation in the plan, or
(3) the participant terminates his service with the employer.
In the case of a plan which provides for the payment of an early retirement benefit, such plan shall provide that a participant who satisfied the service requirements for such early retirement benefit, but separated from the service (with any nonforfeitable right to an accrued benefit) before satisfying the age requirement for such early retirement benefit, is entitled upon satisfaction of such age requirement to receive a benefit not less than the benefit to which he would be entitled at the normal retirement age, actuarially reduced under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury.
(b) Decrease in plan benefits by reason of increases in benefit levels under Social Security Act or Railroad Retirement Act of 1937If—
(1) a participant or beneficiary is receiving benefits under a pension plan, or
(2) a participant is separated from the service and has non-forfeitable rights to benefits,
a plan may not decrease benefits of such a participant by reason of any increase in the benefit levels payable under title II of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.] or the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 [45 U.S.C. 231 et seq.] or any increase in the wage base under such title II, if such increase takes place after September 2, 1974, or (if later) the earlier of the date of first entitlement of such benefits or the date of such separation.
(c) Forfeiture of accrued benefits derived from employer contributions
(d) Assignment or alienation of plan benefits
(1) Each pension plan shall provide that benefits provided under the plan may not be assigned or alienated.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) of this subsection, there shall not be taken into account any voluntary and revocable assignment of not to exceed 10 percent of any benefit payment, or of any irrevocable assignment or alienation of benefits executed before September 2, 1974. The preceding sentence shall not apply to any assignment or alienation made for the purposes of defraying plan administration costs. For purposes of this paragraph a loan made to a participant or beneficiary shall not be treated as an assignment or alienation if such loan is secured by the participant’s accrued non-forfeitable benefit and is exempt from the tax imposed by section 4975 of title 26 (relating to tax on prohibited transactions) by reason of section 4975(d)(1) of title 26.
(3)
(A) Paragraph (1) shall apply to the creation, assignment, or recognition of a right to any benefit payable with respect to a participant pursuant to a domestic relations order, except that paragraph (1) shall not apply if the order is determined to be a qualified domestic relations order. Each pension plan shall provide for the payment of benefits in accordance with the applicable requirements of any qualified domestic relations order.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph—
(i) the term “qualified domestic relations order” means a domestic relations order—(I) which creates or recognizes the existence of an alternate payee’s right to, or assigns to an alternate payee the right to, receive all or a portion of the benefits payable with respect to a participant under a plan, and(II) with respect to which the requirements of subparagraphs (C) and (D) are met, and
(ii) the term “domestic relations order” means any judgment, decree, or order (including approval of a property settlement agreement) which—(I) relates to the provision of child support, alimony payments, or marital property rights to a spouse, former spouse, child, or other dependent of a participant, and(II) is made pursuant to a State or Tribal domestic relations law (including a community property law).
For purposes of clause (ii)(II), the term “Tribal” with respect to a domestic relations law means such a law which is issued by or under the laws of an Indian tribal government (as defined in section 7701(a)(40) of title 26), a subdivision of such an Indian tribal government, or an agency or instrumentality of either.
(C) A domestic relations order meets the requirements of this subparagraph only if such order clearly specifies—
(i) the name and the last known mailing address (if any) of the participant and the name and mailing address of each alternate payee covered by the order,
(ii) the amount or percentage of the participant’s benefits to be paid by the plan to each such alternate payee, or the manner in which such amount or percentage is to be determined,
(iii) the number of payments or period to which such order applies, and
(iv) each plan to which such order applies.
(D) A domestic relations order meets the requirements of this subparagraph only if such order—
(i) does not require a plan to provide any type or form of benefit, or any option, not otherwise provided under the plan,
(ii) does not require the plan to provide increased benefits (determined on the basis of actuarial value), and
(iii) does not require the payment of benefits to an alternate payee which are required to be paid to another alternate payee under another order previously determined to be a qualified domestic relations order.
(E)
(i) A domestic relations order shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of clause (i) of subparagraph (D) solely because such order requires that payment of benefits be made to an alternate payee—(I) in the case of any payment before a participant has separated from service, on or after the date on which the participant attains (or would have attained) the earliest retirement age,(II) as if the participant had retired on the date on which such payment is to begin under such order (but taking into account only the present value of benefits actually accrued and not taking into account the present value of any employer subsidy for early retirement), and(III) in any form in which such benefits may be paid under the plan to the participant (other than in the form of a joint and survivor annuity with respect to the alternate payee and his or her subsequent spouse).
For purposes of subclause (II), the interest rate assumption used in determining the present value shall be the interest rate specified in the plan or, if no rate is specified, 5 percent.
(ii) For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “earliest retirement age” means the earlier of—(I) the date on which the participant is entitled to a distribution under the plan, or(II) the later of the date of 1
1 So in original. The word “of” probably should not appear.
the participant attains age 50 or the earliest date on which the participant could begin receiving benefits under the plan if the participant separated from service.(F) To the extent provided in any qualified domestic relations order—
(i) the former spouse of a participant shall be treated as a surviving spouse of such participant for purposes of section 1055 of this title (and any spouse of the participant shall not be treated as a spouse of the participant for such purposes), and
(ii) if married for at least 1 year, the surviving former spouse shall be treated as meeting the requirements of section 1055(f) of this title.
(G)
(i) In the case of any domestic relations order received by a plan—(I) the plan administrator shall promptly notify the participant and each alternate payee of the receipt of such order and the plan’s procedures for determining the qualified status of domestic relations orders, and(II) within a reasonable period after receipt of such order, the plan administrator shall determine whether such order is a qualified domestic relations order and notify the participant and each alternate payee of such determination.
(ii) Each plan shall establish reasonable procedures to determine the qualified status of domestic relations orders and to administer distributions under such qualified orders. Such procedures—(I) shall be in writing,(II) shall provide for the notification of each person specified in a domestic relations order as entitled to payment of benefits under the plan (at the address included in the domestic relations order) of such procedures promptly upon receipt by the plan of the domestic relations order, and(III) shall permit an alternate payee to designate a representative for receipt of copies of notices that are sent to the alternate payee with respect to a domestic relations order.
(H)
(i) During any period in which the issue of whether a domestic relations order is a qualified domestic relations order is being determined (by the plan administrator, by a court of competent jurisdiction, or otherwise), the plan administrator shall separately account for the amounts (hereinafter in this subparagraph referred to as the “segregated amounts”) which would have been payable to the alternate payee during such period if the order had been determined to be a qualified domestic relations order.
(ii) If within the 18-month period described in clause (v) the order (or modification thereof) is determined to be a qualified domestic relations order, the plan administrator shall pay the segregated amounts (including any interest thereon) to the person or persons entitled thereto.
(iii) If within the 18-month period described in clause (v)—(I) it is determined that the order is not a qualified domestic relations order, or(II) the issue as to whether such order is a qualified domestic relations order is not resolved,
then the plan administrator shall pay the segregated amounts (including any interest thereon) to the person or persons who would have been entitled to such amounts if there had been no order.
(iv) Any determination that an order is a qualified domestic relations order which is made after the close of the 18-month period described in clause (v) shall be applied prospectively only.
(v) For purposes of this subparagraph, the 18-month period described in this clause is the 18-month period beginning with the date on which the first payment would be required to be made under the domestic relations order.
(I) If a plan fiduciary acts in accordance with part 4 of this subtitle in—
(i) treating a domestic relations order as being (or not being) a qualified domestic relations order, or
(ii) taking action under subparagraph (H),
then the plan’s obligation to the participant and each alternate payee shall be discharged to the extent of any payment made pursuant to such Act.
(J) A person who is an alternate payee under a qualified domestic relations order shall be considered for purposes of any provision of this chapter a beneficiary under the plan. Nothing in the preceding sentence shall permit a requirement under section 1301 of this title of the payment of more than 1 premium with respect to a participant for any period.
(K) The term “alternate payee” means any spouse, former spouse, child, or other dependent of a participant who is recognized by a domestic relations order as having a right to receive all, or a portion of, the benefits payable under a plan with respect to such participant.
(L) This paragraph shall not apply to any plan to which paragraph (1) does not apply.
(M) Payment of benefits by a pension plan in accordance with the applicable requirements of a qualified domestic relations order shall not be treated as garnishment for purposes of section 1673(a) of title 15.
(N) In prescribing regulations under this paragraph, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of the Treasury.
(4) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any offset of a participant’s benefits provided under an employee pension benefit plan against an amount that the participant is ordered or required to pay to the plan if—
(A) the order or requirement to pay arises—
(i) under a judgment of conviction for a crime involving such plan,
(ii) under a civil judgment (including a consent order or decree) entered by a court in an action brought in connection with a violation (or alleged violation) of part 4 of this subtitle, or
(iii) pursuant to a settlement agreement between the Secretary and the participant, or a settlement agreement between the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and the participant, in connection with a violation (or alleged violation) of part 4 of this subtitle by a fiduciary or any other person,
(B) the judgment, order, decree, or settlement agreement expressly provides for the offset of all or part of the amount ordered or required to be paid to the plan against the participant’s benefits provided under the plan, and
(C) in a case in which the survivor annuity requirements of section 1055 of this title apply with respect to distributions from the plan to the participant, if the participant has a spouse at the time at which the offset is to be made—
(i) either—(I) such spouse has consented in writing to such offset and such consent is witnessed by a notary public or representative of the plan (or it is established to the satisfaction of a plan representative that such consent may not be obtained by reason of circumstances described in section 1055(c)(2)(B) of this title), or(II) an election to waive the right of the spouse to a qualified joint and survivor annuity or a qualified preretirement survivor annuity is in effect in accordance with the requirements of section 1055(c) of this title,
(ii) such spouse is ordered or required in such judgment, order, decree, or settlement to pay an amount to the plan in connection with a violation of part 4 of this subtitle, or
(iii) in such judgment, order, decree, or settlement, such spouse retains the right to receive the survivor annuity under a qualified joint and survivor annuity provided pursuant to section 1055(a)(1) of this title and under a qualified preretirement survivor annuity provided pursuant to section 1055(a)(2) of this title, determined in accordance with paragraph (5).
A plan shall not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of section 1055 of this title solely by reason of an offset under this paragraph.
(5)
(A) The survivor annuity described in paragraph (4)(C)(iii) shall be determined as if—
(i) the participant terminated employment on the date of the offset,
(ii) there was no offset,
(iii) the plan permitted commencement of benefits only on or after normal retirement age,
(iv) the plan provided only the minimum-required qualified joint and survivor annuity, and
(v) the amount of the qualified preretirement survivor annuity under the plan is equal to the amount of the survivor annuity payable under the minimum-required qualified joint and survivor annuity.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, the term “minimum-required qualified joint and survivor annuity” means the qualified joint and survivor annuity which is the actuarial equivalent of the participant’s accrued benefit (within the meaning of section 1002(23) of this title) and under which the survivor annuity is 50 percent of the amount of the annuity which is payable during the joint lives of the participant and the spouse.
(e) Limitation on distributions other than life annuities paid by plan
(1) In general
(2) Prohibited paymentFor purposes of paragraph (1), the term “prohibited payment” means—
(A) any payment, in excess of the monthly amount paid under a single life annuity (plus any social security supplements described in the last sentence of section 1054(b)(1)(G) of this title), to a participant or beneficiary whose annuity starting date (as defined in section 1055(h)(2) of this title), that occurs during the period referred to in paragraph (1),
(B) any payment for the purchase of an irrevocable commitment from an insurer to pay benefits, and
(C) any other payment specified by the Secretary of the Treasury by regulations.
(3) Period of shortfall
(4) Coordination with other provisions
(f) Missing participants in terminated plans
(g) Funding-based limits on benefits and benefit accruals under single-employer plans
(1) Funding-based limitation on shutdown benefits and other unpredictable contingent event benefits under single-employer plans
(A) In generalIf a participant of a defined benefit plan which is a single-employer plan is entitled to an unpredictable contingent event benefit payable with respect to any event occurring during any plan year, the plan shall provide that such benefit may not be provided if the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for such plan year—
(i) is less than 60 percent, or
(ii) would be less than 60 percent taking into account such occurrence.
(B) ExemptionSubparagraph (A) shall cease to apply with respect to any plan year, effective as of the first day of the plan year, upon payment by the plan sponsor of a contribution (in addition to any minimum required contribution under section 1083 of this title) equal to—
(i) in the case of subparagraph (A)(i), the amount of the increase in the funding target of the plan (under section 1083 of this title) for the plan year attributable to the occurrence referred to in subparagraph (A), and
(ii) in the case of subparagraph (A)(ii), the amount sufficient to result in an adjusted funding target attainment percentage of 60 percent.
(C) Unpredictable contingent event benefitFor purposes of this paragraph, the term “unpredictable contingent event benefit” means any benefit payable solely by reason of—
(i) a plant shutdown (or similar event, as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury), or
(ii) an event other than the attainment of any age, performance of any service, receipt or derivation of any compensation, or occurrence of death or disability.
(2) Limitations on plan amendments increasing liability for benefits
(A) In generalNo amendment to a defined benefit plan which is a single-employer plan which has the effect of increasing liabilities of the plan by reason of increases in benefits, establishment of new benefits, changing the rate of benefit accrual, or changing the rate at which benefits become nonforfeitable may take effect during any plan year if the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for such plan year is—
(i) less than 80 percent, or
(ii) would be less than 80 percent taking into account such amendment.
(B) ExemptionSubparagraph (A) shall cease to apply with respect to any plan year, effective as of the first day of the plan year (or if later, the effective date of the amendment), upon payment by the plan sponsor of a contribution (in addition to any minimum required contribution under section 1083 of this title) equal to—
(i) in the case of subparagraph (A)(i), the amount of the increase in the funding target of the plan (under section 1083 of this title) for the plan year attributable to the amendment, and
(ii) in the case of subparagraph (A)(ii), the amount sufficient to result in an adjusted funding target attainment percentage of 80 percent.
(C) Exception for certain benefit increases
(3) Limitations on accelerated benefit distributions
(A) Funding percentage less than 60 percent
(B) Bankruptcy
(C) Limited payment if percentage at least 60 percent but less than 80 percent
(i) In generalA defined benefit plan which is a single-employer plan shall provide that, in any case in which the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage for a plan year is 60 percent or greater but less than 80 percent, the plan may not pay any prohibited payment after the valuation date for the plan year to the extent the amount of the payment exceeds the lesser of—(I) 50 percent of the amount of the payment which could be made without regard to this subsection, or(II) the present value (determined under guidance prescribed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, using the interest and mortality assumptions under section 1055(g) of this title) of the maximum guarantee with respect to the participant under section 1322 of this title.
(ii) One-time application(I) In general(II) Treatment of beneficiaries
(D) Exception
(E) Prohibited paymentFor purpose 2
2 So in original. Probably should be “purposes”.
of this paragraph, the term “prohibited payment” means—(i) any payment, in excess of the monthly amount paid under a single life annuity (plus any social security supplements described in the last sentence of section 1054(b)(1)(G) of this title), to a participant or beneficiary whose annuity starting date (as defined in section 1055(h)(2) of this title) occurs during any period a limitation under subparagraph (A) or (B) is in effect,
(ii) any payment for the purchase of an irrevocable commitment from an insurer to pay benefits, and
(iii) any other payment specified by the Secretary of the Treasury by regulations.
Such term shall not include the payment of a benefit which under section 1053(e) of this title may be immediately distributed without the consent of the participant.
(4) Limitation on benefit accruals for plans with severe funding shortfalls
(A) In general
(B) Exemption
(5) Rules relating to contributions required to avoid benefit limitations
(A) Security may be provided
(i) In general
(ii) Form of securityThe security required under clause (i) shall consist of—(I) a bond issued by a corporate surety company that is an acceptable surety for purposes of section 1112 of this title,(II) cash, or United States obligations which mature in 3 years or less, held in escrow by a bank or similar financial institution, or(III) such other form of security as is satisfactory to the Secretary of the Treasury and the parties involved.
(iii) EnforcementAny security provided under clause (i) may be perfected and enforced at any time after the earlier of—(I) the date on which the plan terminates,(II) if there is a failure to make a payment of the minimum required contribution for any plan year beginning after the security is provided, the due date for the payment under section 1083(j) of this title, or(III) if the adjusted funding target attainment percentage is less than 60 percent for a consecutive period of 7 years, the valuation date for the last year in the period.
(iv) Release of security
(B) Prefunding balance or funding standard carryover balance may not be used
(C) Deemed reduction of funding balances
(i) In general
(ii) Exception for insufficient funding balances
(iii) Restrictions of certain rules to collectively bargained plans
(6) New plans
(7) Presumed underfunding for purposes of benefit limitations
(A) Presumption of continued underfunding
(B) Presumption of underfunding after 10th month
(C) Presumption of underfunding after 4th month for nearly underfunded plansIn any case in which—
(i) a benefit limitation under paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4) did not apply to a plan with respect to the plan year preceding the current plan year, but the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for such preceding plan year was not more than 10 percentage points greater than the percentage which would have caused such paragraph to apply to the plan with respect to such preceding plan year, and
(ii) as of the first day of the 4th month of the current plan year, the enrolled actuary of the plan has not certified the actual adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for the current plan year,
until the enrolled actuary so certifies, such first day shall be deemed, for purposes of such paragraph, to be the valuation date of the plan for the current plan year and the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan as of such first day shall, for purposes of such paragraph, be presumed to be equal to 10 percentage points less than the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for such preceding plan year.
(8) Treatment of plan as of close of prohibited or cessation periodFor purposes of applying this part—
(A) Operation of plan after period
(B) Treatment of affected benefits
(9) Terms relating to funding target attainment percentageFor purposes of this subsection—
(A) In general
(B) Adjusted funding target attainment percentage
(C) Application to plans which are fully funded without regard to reductions for funding balances
(10) Secretarial authority for plans with alternate valuation date
[(11) Repealed. Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title II, § 221(a)(57)(G)(ii), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 4047]
(12) CSEC plans
(h) Special rules applicable to benefit overpayments
(1) General ruleIn the case of an inadvertent benefit overpayment by any pension plan, the responsible plan fiduciary shall not be considered to have failed to comply with the requirements of this subchapter merely because such fiduciary determines, in the exercise of its discretion, not to seek recovery of all or part of such overpayment from—
(A) any participant or beneficiary,
(B) any plan sponsor of, or contributing employer to—
(i) an individual account plan, provided that the amount needed to prevent or restore any impermissible forfeiture from any participant’s or beneficiary’s account arising in connection with the overpayment is, separately from and independently of the overpayment, allocated to such account pursuant to the nonforfeitability requirements of section 1053 of this title (for example, out of the plan’s forfeiture account, additional employer contributions, or recoveries from those responsible for the overpayment), or
(ii) a defined benefit pension plan subject to the funding rules in part 3 of this subtitle B, unless the responsible plan fiduciary determines, in the exercise of its fiduciary discretion, that failure to recover all or part of the overpayment faster than required under such funding rules would materially affect the plan’s ability to pay benefits due to other participants and beneficiaries, or
(C) any fiduciary of the plan, other than a fiduciary (including a plan sponsor or contributing employer acting in a fiduciary capacity) whose breach of its fiduciary duties resulted in such overpayment, provided that if the plan has established prudent procedures to prevent and minimize overpayment of benefits and the relevant plan fiduciaries have followed such procedures, an inadvertent benefit overpayment will not give rise to a breach of fiduciary duty.
(2) Reduction in future benefit payments and recovery from responsible partyParagraph (1) shall not fail to apply with respect to any inadvertent benefit overpayment merely because, after discovering such overpayment, the responsible plan fiduciary—
(A) reduces future benefit payments to the correct amount provided for under the terms of the plan, or
(B) seeks recovery from the person or persons responsible for the overpayment.
(3) Employer funding obligations
(4) Recoupment from participants and beneficiariesIf the responsible plan fiduciary, in the exercise of its fiduciary discretion, decides to seek recoupment from a participant or beneficiary of all or part of an inadvertent benefit overpayment made by the plan to such participant or beneficiary, it may do so, subject to the following conditions:
(A) No interest or other additional amounts (such as collection costs or fees) are sought on overpaid amounts for any period.
(B) If the plan seeks to recoup past overpayments of a non-decreasing annuity by reducing future benefit payments—
(i) the reduction ceases after the plan has recovered the full dollar amount of the overpayment,
(ii) the amount recouped each calendar year does not exceed 10 percent of the full dollar amount of the overpayment, and
(iii) future benefit payments are not reduced to below 90 percent of the periodic amount otherwise payable under the terms of the plan.
Alternatively, if the plan seeks to recoup past overpayments of a non-decreasing annuity through one or more installment payments, the sum of such installment payments in any calendar year does not exceed the sum of the reductions that would be permitted in such year under the preceding sentence.
(C) If the plan seeks to recoup past overpayments of a benefit other than a non-decreasing annuity, the plan satisfies requirements developed by the Secretary of Labor for purposes of this subparagraph.
(D) Efforts to recoup overpayments are—
(i) not accompanied by threats of litigation, unless the responsible plan fiduciary makes a determination that there is a reasonable likelihood of success to recover an amount greater than the cost of recovery, and
(ii) not made through a collection agency or similar third party, unless the participant or beneficiary ignores or rejects efforts to recoup the overpayment following either a final judgment in Federal or State court or a settlement between the participant or beneficiary and the plan, in either case authorizing such recoupment.
(E) Recoupment of past overpayments to a participant is not sought from any beneficiary of the participant, including a spouse, surviving spouse, former spouse, or other beneficiary.
(F) Recoupment may not be sought if the first overpayment occurred more than 3 years before the participant or beneficiary is first notified in writing of the error, except in the case of fraud or misrepresentation by the participant.
(G) A participant or beneficiary from whom recoupment is sought is entitled to contest all or part of the recoupment pursuant to the claims procedures of the plan that made the overpayment to the extent such procedures are consistent with section 1133 of this title and in the case of an inadvertent benefit overpayment from a plan to which paragraph (1) applies that is transferred to an eligible retirement plan (as defined in section 402(c)(8)(B) of title 26) by or on behalf of a participant or beneficiary—
(i) such plan shall notify the plan receiving the rollover of such dispute,
(ii) the plan receiving the rollover shall retain such overpayment on behalf of the participant or beneficiary (and shall be entitled to treat such overpayment as plan assets) pending the outcome of such procedures, and
(iii) the portion of such overpayment with respect to which recoupment is sought on behalf of the plan shall be permitted to be returned to such plan if it is determined to be an overpayment (and the plans making and receiving such transfer shall be treated as permitting such transfer).
(H) In determining the amount of recoupment to seek, the responsible plan fiduciary may take into account the hardship that recoupment likely would impose on the participant or beneficiary.
(5) Effect of culpability
(Pub. L. 93–406, title I, § 206, Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 864; Pub. L. 98–397, title I, § 104(a), Aug. 23, 1984, 98 Stat. 1433; Pub. L. 99–514, title XVIII, § 1898(c)(2)(B), (4)(B), (5), (6)(B), (7)(B), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2952–2954; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, §§ 7891(a)(1), 7894(c)(8), (9)(A), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2445, 2449; Pub. L. 103–465, title VII, §§ 761(a)(9)(B)(i), 776(c)(2), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 5033, 5048; Pub. L. 105–34, title XV, § 1502(a), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 1058; Pub. L. 109–280, title I, §§ 103(a), 108(a)(9), (10), formerly § 107(a)(9), (10), title IV, § 410(b), Aug. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 809, 819, 935, renumbered Pub. L. 111–192, title II, § 202(a), June 25, 2010, 124 Stat. 1297; Pub. L. 110–458, title I, § 101(c)(1)(B)–(G), Dec. 23, 2008, 122 Stat. 5097; Pub. L. 111–192, title II, § 203(a)(1), June 25, 2010, 124 Stat. 1299; Pub. L. 113–97, title I, § 102(b)(3), Apr. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 1116; Pub. L. 113–159, title II, § 2003(c)(2), Aug. 8, 2014, 128 Stat. 1850; Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title II, § 221(a)(57)(E)(ii), (F)(ii), (G)(ii), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 4046, 4047; Pub. L. 117–328, div. T, title III, §§ 301(a), 339(b), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5335, 5375.)
§ 1057. Repealed. Pub. L. 109–280, title I, § 108(d), formerly § 107(d), Aug. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 820, renumbered Pub. L. 111–192, title II, § 202(a), June 25, 2010, 124 Stat. 1297
§ 1058. Mergers and consolidations of plans or transfers of plan assets
A pension plan may not merge or consolidate with, or transfer its assets or liabilities to, any other plan after September 2, 1974, unless each participant in the plan would (if the plan then terminated) receive a benefit immediately after the merger, consolidation, or transfer which is equal to or greater than the benefit he would have been entitled to receive immediately before the merger, consolidation, or transfer (if the plan had then terminated). The preceding sentence shall not apply to any transaction to the extent that participants either before or after the transaction are covered under a multiemployer plan to which subchapter III of this chapter applies.
(Pub. L. 93–406, title I, § 208, Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 865; Pub. L. 96–364, title IV, § 402(b)(1), Sept. 26, 1980, 94 Stat. 1299.)
§ 1059. Recordkeeping and reporting requirements
(a)
(1) Except as provided by paragraph (2) every employer shall, in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, maintain records with respect to each of his employees sufficient to determine the benefits due or which may become due to such employees. The plan administrator shall make a report, in such manner and at such time as may be provided in regulations prescribed by the Secretary, to each employee who is a participant under the plan and who—
(A) requests such report, in such manner and at such time as may be provided in such regulations,
(B) terminates his service with the employer, or
(C) has a 1-year break in service (as defined in section 1053(b)(3)(A) of this title).
The employer shall furnish to the plan administrator the information necessary for the administrator to make the reports required by the preceding sentence. Not more than one report shall be required under subparagraph (A) in any 12-month period. Not more than one report shall be required under subparagraph (C) with respect to consecutive 1-year breaks in service. The report required under this paragraph shall be in the same form, and contain the same information, as periodic benefit statements under section 1025(a) of this title.
(2) If more than one employer adopts a plan, each such employer shall furnish to the plan administrator the information necessary for the administrator to maintain the records, and make the reports, required by paragraph (1). Such administrator shall maintain the records, and make the reports, required by paragraph (1).
(b) If any person who is required, under subsection (a), to furnish information or maintain records for any plan year fails to comply with such requirement, he shall pay to the Secretary a civil penalty of $10 for each employee with respect to whom such failure occurs, unless it is shown that such failure is due to reasonable cause.
(Pub. L. 93–406, title I, § 209, Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 865; Pub. L. 110–458, title I, § 105(f), Dec. 23, 2008, 122 Stat. 5105.)
§ 1060. Multiple employer plans and other special rules
(a) Plan maintained by more than one employerNotwithstanding any other provision of this part or part 3, the following provisions of this subsection shall apply to a plan maintained by more than one employer:
(1)Section 1052 of this title shall be applied as if all employees of each of the employers were employed by a single employer.
(2) Sections 1053 and 1054 of this title shall be applied as if all such employers constituted a single employer, except that the application of any rules with respect to breaks in service shall be made under regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
(3) The minimum funding standard provided by section 1082 of this title shall be determined as if all participants in the plan were employed by a single employer.
(b) Maintenance of plan of predecessor employerFor purposes of this part and part 3—
(1) in any case in which the employer maintains a plan of a predecessor employer, service for such predecessor shall be treated as service for the employer, and
(2) in any case in which the employer maintains a plan which is not the plan maintained by a predecessor employer, service for such predecessor shall, to the extent provided in regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, be treated as service for the employer.
(c) Plan maintained by controlled group of corporations
(d) Plan of trades or businesses under common control
(e) Special rules for eligible combined defined benefit plans and qualified cash or deferred arrangements
(1) General rule
(2) Eligible combined planFor purposes of this subsection—
(A) In generalThe term “eligible combined plan” means a plan—
(i) which is maintained by an employer which, at the time the plan is established, is a small employer,
(ii) which consists of a defined benefit plan and an applicable individual account plan each of which qualifies under section 401(a) of title 26,
(iii) the assets of which are held in a single trust forming part of the plan and are clearly identified and allocated to the defined benefit plan and the applicable individual account plan to the extent necessary for the separate application of this chapter under paragraph (1), and
(iv) with respect to which the benefit, contribution, vesting, and nondiscrimination requirements of subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), (E), and (F) are met.
For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “small employer” has the meaning given such term by section 4980D(d)(2) of title 26, except that such section shall be applied by substituting “500” for “50” each place it appears.
(B) Benefit requirements
(i) In general
(ii) Applicable percentageFor purposes of clause (i), the applicable percentage is the lesser of—(I) 1 percent multiplied by the number of years of service with the employer, or(II) 20 percent.
(iii) Special rule for applicable defined benefit plans
(iv) Years of service
(C) Contribution requirements
(i) In generalThe contribution requirements of this subparagraph with respect to any applicable individual account plan forming part of an eligible combined plan are met if—(I) the qualified cash or deferred arrangement included in such plan constitutes an automatic contribution arrangement, and(II) the employer is required to make matching contributions on behalf of each employee eligible to participate in the arrangement in an amount equal to 50 percent of the elective contributions of the employee to the extent such elective contributions do not exceed 4 percent of compensation.
Rules similar to the rules of clauses (ii) and (iii) of section 401(k)(12)(B) of title 26 shall apply for purposes of this clause.
(ii) Nonelective contributions
(D) Vesting requirementsThe vesting requirements of this subparagraph are met if—
(i) in the case of a defined benefit plan forming part of an eligible combined plan an employee who has completed at least 3 years of service has a nonforfeitable right to 100 percent of the employee’s accrued benefit under the plan derived from employer contributions, and
(ii) in the case of an applicable individual account plan forming part of eligible combined plan—(I) an employee has a nonforfeitable right to any matching contribution made under the qualified cash or deferred arrangement included in such plan by an employer with respect to any elective contribution, including matching contributions in excess of the contributions required under subparagraph (C)(i)(II), and(II) an employee who has completed at least 3 years of service has a nonforfeitable right to 100 percent of the employee’s accrued benefit derived under the arrangement from nonelective contributions of the employer.
For purposes of this subparagraph, the rules of section 1053 of this title shall apply to the extent not inconsistent with this subparagraph.
(E) Uniform provision of contributions and benefits
(F) Requirements must be met without taking into account social security and similar contributions and benefits or other plans
(i) In general
(ii) Social security and similar contributionsThe requirements of this clause are met if—(I) the requirements of subparagraphs (B) and (C) are met without regard to section 401(l) of title 26, and(II) the requirements of sections 401(a)(4) and 410(b) of title 26 are met with respect to both the applicable defined contribution plan and defined benefit plan forming part of an eligible combined plan without regard to section 401(l) of title 26.
(iii) Other plans and arrangements
(3) Automatic contribution arrangementFor purposes of this subsection—
(A) In generalA qualified cash or deferred arrangement shall be treated as an automatic contribution arrangement if the arrangement—
(i) provides that each employee eligible to participate in the arrangement is treated as having elected to have the employer make elective contributions in an amount equal to 4 percent of the employee’s compensation unless the employee specifically elects not to have such contributions made or to have such contributions made at a different rate, and
(ii) meets the notice requirements under subparagraph (B).
(B) Notice requirements
(i) In general
(ii) Reasonable period to make electionThe requirements of this clause are met if each employee to whom subparagraph (A)(i) applies—(I) receives a notice explaining the employee’s right under the arrangement to elect not to have elective contributions made on the employee’s behalf or to have the contributions made at a different rate, and(II) has a reasonable period of time after receipt of such notice and before the first elective contribution is made to make such election.
(iii) Annual notice of rights and obligations
The requirements of this subparagraph shall not be treated as met unless the requirements of clauses (i) and (ii) of section 401(k)(12)(D) of title 26 are met with respect to the notices described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of this subparagraph.
(4) Coordination with other requirements
(A) Treatment of separate plans
(B) Reporting
(5) Applicable individual account planFor purposes of this subsection—
(A) In general
(B) Qualified cash or deferred arrangement
(f) Cooperative and small employer charity pension plans
(1) In generalFor purposes of this subchapter, except as provided in this subsection, a CSEC plan is an employee pension benefit plan (other than a multiemployer plan) that is a defined benefit plan—
(A) to which section 104 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 applies, without regard to—
(i) section 104(a)(2) of such Act;
(ii) the amendments to such section 104 by section 202(b) of the Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010; and
(iii) paragraph (3)(B);
(B) that, as of June 25, 2010, was maintained by more than one employer and all of the employers were organizations described in section 501(c)(3) of title 26;
(C) that, as of June 25, 2010, was maintained by an employer—
(i) described in section 501(c)(3) of such title,
(ii) chartered under part B of subtitle II of title 36,
(iii) with employees in at least 40 States, and
(iv) whose primary exempt purpose is to provide services with respect to children; or
(D) that, as of January 1, 2000, was maintained by an employer—
(i) described in section 501(c)(3) of title 26,
(ii) who has been in existence since at least 1938,
(iii) who conducts medical research directly or indirectly through grant making, and
(iv) whose primary exempt purpose is to provide services with respect to mothers and children.
(2) Aggregation
(3) Election
(A) In general
(B) Special rule
(Pub. L. 93–406, title I, § 210, Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 866; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, §§ 7891(a)(1), 7894(c)(10), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2445, 2449; Pub. L. 109–280, title IX, § 903(b)(1), (2)(A), Aug. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 1044, 1048; Pub. L. 110–458, title I, § 109(c)(2), Dec. 23, 2008, 122 Stat. 5111; Pub. L. 113–97, title I, §§ 101, 103(a), Apr. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 1102, 1117; Pub. L. 113–235, div. P, § 3(a), Dec. 16, 2014, 128 Stat. 2829; Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title III, § 3609(a), Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 413.)
§ 1061. Effective dates
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, this part shall apply in the case of plan years beginning after September 2, 1974.
(b)
(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d), sections 1055, 1056(d) and 1058 of this title shall apply with respect to plan years beginning after December 31, 1975.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (c) and (d) in the case of a plan in existence on January 1, 1974, this part shall apply in the case of plan years beginning after December 31, 1975.
(c)
(1) In the case of a plan maintained on January 1, 1974, pursuant to one or more agreements which the Secretary finds to be collective bargaining agreements between employee organizations and one or more employers, no plan shall be treated as not meeting the requirements of sections 1054 and 1055 of this title by reason of a supplementary or special plan provision (within the meaning of paragraph (2)) for any plan year before the year which begins after the earlier of—
(A) the date on which the last of such agreements relating to the plan terminates (determined without regard to any extension thereof agreed to after September 2, 1974), or
(B)December 31, 1980.
For purposes of subparagraph (A) and section 1086(c) 1
1 See References in Text note below.
of this title, any plan amendment made pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement relating to the plan which amends the plan solely to conform to any requirement contained in this chapter or title 26 shall not be treated as a termination of such collective bargaining agreement. This paragraph shall not apply unless the Secretary determines that the participation and vesting rules in effect on September 2, 1974, are not less favorable to participants, in the aggregate, than the rules provided under sections 1052, 1053, and 1054 of this title.(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term “supplementary or special plan provision” means any plan provision which—
(A) provides supplementary benefits, not in excess of one-third of the basic benefit, in the form of an annuity for the life of the participant, or
(B) provides that, under a contractual agreement based on medical evidence as to the effects of working in an adverse environment for an extended period of time, a participant having 25 years of service is to be treated as having 30 years of service.
(3) This subsection shall apply with respect to a plan if (and only if) the application of this subsection results in a later effective date for this part than the effective date required by subsection (b).
(d) If the administrator of a plan elects under section 1017(d) of this Act to make applicable to a plan year and to all subsequent plan years the provisions of title 26 relating to participation, vesting, funding, and form of benefit, this part shall apply to the first plan year to which such election applies and to all subsequent plan years.
(e)
(1) No pension plan to which section 1052 of this title applies may make effective any plan amendment with respect to breaks in service (which amendment is made or becomes effective after January 1, 1974, and before the date on which section 1052 of this title first becomes effective with respect to such plan) which provides that any employee’s participation in the plan would commence at any date later than the later of—
(A) the date on which his participation would commence under the break in service rules of section 1052(b) of this title, or
(B) the date on which his participation would commence under the plan as in effect on January 1, 1974.
(2) No pension plan to which section 1053 of this title applies may make effective any plan amendment with respect to breaks in service (which amendment is made or becomes effective after January 1, 1974, and before the date on which section 1053 of this title first becomes effective with respect to such plan) if such amendment provides that the nonforfeitable benefit derived from employer contributions to which any employee would be entitled is less than the lesser of the nonforfeitable benefit derived from employer contributions to which he would be entitled under—
(A) the break in service rules of section 1052(b)(3) of this title, or
(B) the plan as in effect on January 1, 1974.
Subparagraph (B) shall not apply if the break in service rules under the plan would have been in violation of any law or rule of law in effect on January 1, 1974.
(f) The preceding provisions of this section shall not apply with respect to amendments made to this part in provisions enacted after September 2, 1974.
(Pub. L. 93–406, title I, § 211, Sept. 2, 1974, 88 Stat. 867; Pub. L. 99–272, title XI, § 11015(a)(1)(B), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 265; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, §§ 7891(a)(1), 7894(h)(2), Dec. 19, 1989,