Library / Laws / 113th / s / S. 1302 / Introduced in Senate
II
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1302
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 16 (legislative
day, July 15), 2013
Mr. Harkin (for himself,
Mr. Roberts, Mrs. Murray, Ms.
Murkowski, and Mr. Franken)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions
A BILL
To amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974 and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for cooperative and small
employer charity pension plans.
1.
Short
title; table of contents
(a)
Short
title
This Act may be cited
as the Cooperative and Small Employer
Charity Pension Flexibility Act.
(b)
Table of
contents
The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of
contents.
Sec. 2. Congressional findings and declarations of
policy.
Sec. 3. Definition of cooperative and small employer charity
pension plans.
Sec. 4. Funding rules applicable to cooperative and small
employer charity pension plans.
Sec. 5. Transparency.
Sec. 6. Elections.
Sec. 7. Pension insurance program modifications.
Sec. 8. Sponsor education and assistance.
Sec. 9. Effective date.
2.
Congressional
findings and declarations of policy
Congress finds as follows:
(1) Defined benefit
pension plans are a cost-effective way for cooperative associations and
charities to provide their employees with economic security in
retirement.
(2) Many cooperative
associations and charitable organizations are only able to provide their
employees with defined benefit pension plans because those organizations are
able to pool their resources using the multiple employer plan structure.
(3) The pension
funding rules should encourage cooperative associations and charities to
continue to provide their employees with pension benefits.
3.
Definition of
cooperative and small employer charity pension plans
(a)
Amendment to
ERISA
Section 210 of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1060) is amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:
(f)
Cooperative and
small employer charity pension plans
(1)
In
general
For purposes of this title, except as provided in this
subsection, a CSEC plan is a defined benefit plan (other than a multiemployer
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); or
(B) that, as of
January 1, 2013, was maintained by more than one employer and all of the
employers were organizations described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986.
(2)
Aggregation
All
employers that are treated as a single employer under subsection (b) or (c) of
section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be treated as a single
employer for purposes of determining if a plan was maintained by more than one
employer under paragraph
(1)(B).
.
(b)
Amendment to
Code
Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(y)
Cooperative and
small employer charity pension plans
(1)
In
general
For purposes of this title, except as provided in this
subsection, a CSEC plan is a defined benefit plan (other than a multiemployer
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); or
(B) that, as of
January 1, 2013, was maintained by more than one employer and all of the
employers were organizations described in section 501(c)(3).
(2)
Aggregation
All
employers that are treated as a single employer under subsection (b) or (c)
shall be treated as a single employer for purposes of determining if a plan was
maintained by more than one employer under paragraph
(1)(B).
.
4.
Funding rules
applicable to cooperative and small employer charity pension plans
(a)
Amendments to
ERISA
(1)
Minimum funding
standards under ERISA
Part 3 of title I of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1081 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
306.
Minimum funding
standards
(a)
General
rule
For purposes of section 302, the term accumulated
funding deficiency for a CSEC plan means the excess of the total
charges to the funding standard account for all plan years (beginning with the
first plan year to which section 302 applies) over the total credits to such
account for such years or, if less, the excess of the total charges to the
alternative minimum funding standard account for such plan years over the total
credits to such account for such years.
(b)
Funding standard
account
(1)
Account
required
Each plan to which this section applies shall establish
and maintain a funding standard account. Such account shall be credited and
charged solely as provided in this section.
(2)
Charges to
account
For a plan year, the funding standard account shall be
charged with the sum of—
(A) the normal cost of
the plan for the plan year,
(B) the amounts
necessary to amortize in equal annual installments (until fully
amortized)—
(i) in
the case of a plan in existence on January 1, 1974, the unfunded past service
liability under the plan on the first day of the first plan year to which
section 302 applies, over a period of 40 plan years,
(ii) in the case of a
plan which comes into existence after January 1, 1974, but before the first day
of the first plan year beginning after December 31, 2013, the unfunded past
service liability under the plan on the first day of the first plan year to
which section 302 applies, over a period of 30 plan years,
(iii) in the case of a
plan that comes into existence on or after the first day of the first plan year
beginning after December 31, 2013, the unfunded past liability under the plan
on the first day of the first plan year to which section 302 applies, over a
period of 15 years,
(iv) in the case of a
plan that is subject to section 303 for the last plan year beginning before
January 1, 2014, the sum of—
(I) the plan’s funding
standard carryover balance and prefunding balance (as such terms are defined in
section 303(f)) as of the end of such plan year, and
(II) the unfunded past
service liability under the plan for the first plan year beginning after
December 31, 2013,
over a period
of 15 years,
(v) separately, with
respect to each plan year, the net increase (if any) in unfunded past service
liability under the plan arising from plan amendments adopted in such year,
over a period of 15 plan years,
(vi) separately, with
respect to each plan year, the net experience loss (if any) under the plan,
over a period of 5 plan years, and
(vii) separately, with
respect to each plan year, the net loss (if any) resulting from changes in
actuarial assumptions used under the plan, over a period of 10 plan
years,
(C) the amount
necessary to amortize each waived funding deficiency (within the meaning of
section 302(c)(3)) for each prior plan year in equal annual installments (until
fully amortized) over a period of 5 plan years,
(D) the amount
necessary to amortize in equal annual installments (until fully amortized) over
a period of 5 plan years any amount credited to the funding standard account
under paragraph (3)(D), and
(E) the amount
necessary to amortize in equal annual installments (until fully amortized) over
a period of 20 years the contributions which would be required to be made under
the plan but for the provisions of section 302(c)(7)(A)(i)(I) (as in effect on
the day before the enactment of the Pension Protection Act of 2006).
(3)
Credits to
account
For a plan year, the funding standard account shall be
credited with the sum of—
(A) the amount
considered contributed by the employer to or under the plan for the plan
year,
(B) the amount
necessary to amortize in equal annual installments (until fully
amortized)—
(i) separately, with
respect to each plan year, the net decrease (if any) in unfunded past service
liability under the plan arising from plan amendments adopted in such year,
over a period of 15 plan years,
(ii) separately, with
respect to each plan year, the net experience gain (if any) under the plan,
over a period of 5 plan years, and
(iii) separately, with
respect to each plan year, the net gain (if any) resulting from changes in
actuarial assumptions used under the plan, over a period of 10 plan
years,
(C) the amount of the
waived funding deficiency (within the meaning of section 302(c)(3)) for the
plan year,
(D) in the case of a
plan year for which the accumulated funding deficiency is determined under the
funding standard account if such plan year follows a plan year for which such
deficiency was determined under the alternative minimum funding standard, the
excess (if any) of any debit balance in the funding standard account
(determined without regard to this subparagraph) over any debit balance in the
alternative minimum funding standard account, and
(E) for the first plan
year beginning after December 31, 2013, in the case of a plan that is subject
to section 303 for the last plan year beginning before January 1, 2014, the sum
of the plan’s funding standard carryover balance and prefunding balance (as
such terms are defined in section 302(f)) as of the end of the last plan year
beginning before January 1, 2014.
(4)
Combining and
offsetting amounts to be amortized
Under regulations prescribed
by the Secretary of the Treasury, amounts required to be amortized under
paragraph (2) or paragraph (3), as the case may be—
(A) may be combined
into one amount under such paragraph to be amortized over a period determined
on the basis of the remaining amortization period for all items entering into
such combined amount, and
(B) may be offset
against amounts required to be amortized under the other such paragraph, with
the resulting amount to be amortized over a period determined on the basis of
the remaining amortization periods for all items entering into whichever of the
two amounts being offset is the greater.
(5)
Interest
(A)
In
general
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the funding
standard account (and items therein) shall be charged or credited (as
determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury) with
interest at the appropriate rate consistent with the rate or rates of interest
used under the plan to determine costs.
(B)
Exception
The
interest rate used for purposes of computing the amortization charge described
in subsection (b)(2)(C) or for purposes of any arrangement under subsection (d)
for any plan year shall be greater of (i) 150 percent of the Federal mid-term
rate (as in effect under section 1274 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 for
the 1st month of such plan year), or (ii) the rate of interest determined under
subparagraph (A).
(6)
Amortization
schedules in effect
Amortization schedules for amounts described
in paragraphs (2) and (3) that are in effect as of the last day of the last
plan year beginning before January 1, 2014, by reason of section 104 of the
Pension Protection Act of 2006 shall remain in effect pursuant to their terms
and this section, except that such amounts shall not be amortized again under
this section. In the case of a plan that is subject to section 303 for the last
plan year beginning before January 1, 2014, any amortization schedules and
bases for plan years beginning before such date shall be reduced to
zero.
(c)
Special
rules
(1)
Determinations
to be made under funding method
For purposes of this section,
normal costs, accrued liability, past service liabilities, and experience gains
and losses shall be determined under the funding method used to determine costs
under the plan.
(2)
Valuation of
assets
(A)
In
general
For purposes of this section, the value of the plan’s
assets shall be determined on the basis of any reasonable actuarial method of
valuation which takes into account fair market value and which is permitted
under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury.
(B)
Dedicated bond
portfolio
The Secretary of the Treasury may by regulations
provide that the value of any dedicated bond portfolio of a plan shall be
determined by using the interest rate under section 302(b)(5) (as in effect on
the day before the enactment of the Pension Protection Act of 2006).
(3)
Actuarial
assumptions must be reasonable
For purposes of this section, all
costs, liabilities, rates of interest, and other factors under the plan shall
be determined on the basis of actuarial assumptions and methods—
(A) each of which is
reasonable (taking into account the experience of the plan and reasonable
expectations) or which, in the aggregate, result in a total contribution
equivalent to that which would be determined if each such assumption and method
were reasonable, and
(B) which, in
combination, offer the actuary’s best estimate of anticipated experience under
the plan.
(4)
Treatment of
certain changes as experience gain or loss
For purposes of this
section, if—
(A) a change in
benefits under the Social Security Act or in other retirement benefits created
under Federal or State law, or
(B) a change in the
definition of the term wages under section 3121 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 or a change in the amount of such wages taken into account
under regulations prescribed for purposes of section 401(a)(5) of such
Code,
results in
an increase or decrease in accrued liability under a plan, such increase or
decrease shall be treated as an experience loss or gain.
(5)
Funding method
and plan year
(A)
Funding methods
available
All funding methods available to CSEC plans under
section 302 (as in effect on the day before the enactment of the Pension
Protection Act of 2006) shall continue to be available under this
section.
(B)
Not affected by
cessation of benefit accruals
The availability of any funding
method, including all spread gain funding methods, shall not be affected by
whether benefit accruals under a plan have ceased. Except as otherwise provided
in subparagraph (C) or in regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the
Treasury, if benefit accruals have ceased under a plan, the spread gain funding
methods may be applied by amortizing over the average expected future lives of
all participants.
(C)
Minimum
amount
In the case of a plan amortizing over the average expected
future lives of all participants pursuant to subparagraph (B), such
amortization amount for any plan year shall not be less than the sum of—
(i) the amount
determined by amortizing, as of the first year for which the plan amortizes
over the average future lives of all participants, the entire unfunded past
service liability in equal installments over 15 years, and
(ii) the amount
determined by amortizing any increase or decrease in such unfunded past service
liability in any subsequent year, other than an increase or decrease
attributable to contributions or expected experience, in equal installments
over 15 years.
(D)
Changes
If
the funding method for a plan is changed, the new funding method shall become
the funding method used to determine costs and liabilities under the plan only
if the change is approved by the Secretary of the Treasury. The preceding
sentence shall not apply to any change made pursuant to, or permitted by,
subparagraph (B) if such change is made for the first plan year beginning after
December 31, 2013. Any such change may be made without the approval of the
Secretary of the Treasury. If the plan year for a plan is changed, the new plan
year shall become the plan year for the plan only if the change is approved by
the Secretary of the Treasury.
(6)
Full
funding
If, as of the close of a plan year, a plan would (without
regard to this paragraph) have an accumulated funding deficiency (determined
without regard to the alternative minimum funding standard account permitted
under subsection (e)) in excess of the full funding limitation—
(A) the funding
standard account shall be credited with the amount of such excess, and
(B) all amounts
described in paragraphs (2)(B), (C), (D), and (E) and (3)(B) of subsection (b)
which are required to be amortized shall be considered fully amortized for
purposes of such paragraphs.
(7)
Full-funding
limitation
For purposes of paragraph (6), the term
full-funding limitation means the excess (if any) of—
(A) the accrued
liability (including normal cost) under the plan (determined under the entry
age normal funding method if such accrued liability cannot be directly
calculated under the funding method used for the plan), over
(B) the lesser
of—
(i) the fair market
value of the plan’s assets, or
(ii) the value of such
assets determined under paragraph (2).
(C)
Minimum
amount
(i)
In
general
In no event shall the full-funding limitation determined
under subparagraph (A) be less than the excess (if any) of—
(I) 90 percent of the
current liability (determined without regard to paragraph (4) of subsection
(h)) of the plan (including the expected increase in such current liability due
to benefits accruing during the plan year), over
(II) the value of the
plan’s assets determined under paragraph (2).
(ii)
Assets
For
purposes of clause (i), assets shall not be reduced by any credit balance in
the funding standard account.
(8)
Annual
valuation
(A)
In
general
For purposes of this section, a determination of
experience gains and losses and a valuation of the plan’s liability shall be
made not less frequently than once every year, except that such determination
shall be made more frequently to the extent required in particular cases under
regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury.
(B)
Valuation
date
(i)
Current
year
Except as provided in clause (ii), the valuation referred to
in subparagraph (A) shall be made as of a date within the plan year to which
the valuation refers or within one month prior to the beginning of such
year.
(ii)
Use of prior
year valuation
The valuation referred to in subparagraph (A) may
be made as of a date within the plan year prior to the year to which the
valuation refers if, as of such date, the value of the assets of the plan are
not less than 100 percent of the plan’s current liability.
(iii)
Adjustments
Information
under clause (ii) shall, in accordance with regulations, be actuarially
adjusted to reflect significant differences in participants.
(iv)
Limitation
A
change in funding method to use a prior year valuation, as provided in clause
(ii), may not be made unless as of the valuation date within the prior plan
year, the value of the assets of the plan are not less than 125 percent of the
plan’s current liability.
(9)
Time when
certain contributions deemed made
For purposes of this section,
any contributions for a plan year made by an employer during the period—
(A) beginning on the
day after the last day of such plan year, and
(B) ending on the day
which is 8½ months after the close of the plan
year,
shall be
deemed to have been made on such last day.
(10)
Anticipation of
benefit increases effective in the future
In determining
projected benefits, the funding method of a collectively bargained CSEC plan
described in section 413(a) (other than a multiemployer plan) shall anticipate
benefit increases scheduled to take effect during the term of the collective
bargaining agreement applicable to the plan.
(d)
Extension of
amortization periods
The period of years required to amortize any
unfunded liability (described in any clause of subsection (b)(2)(B)) of any
plan may be extended by the Secretary of the Treasury for a period of time (not
in excess of 10 years) if such Secretary determines that such extension would
provide adequate protection for participants under the plan and their
beneficiaries and if such Secretary determines that the failure to permit such
extension would result in—
(1) a substantial risk
to the voluntary continuation of the plan, or
(2) a substantial
curtailment of pension benefit levels or employee compensation.
(e)
Alternative
minimum funding standard
(1)
In
general
A CSEC plan which uses a funding method that requires
contributions in all years not less than those required under the entry age
normal funding method may maintain an alternative minimum funding standard
account for any plan year. Such account shall be credited and charged solely as
provided in this subsection.
(2)
Charges and
credits to account
For a plan year the alternative minimum
funding standard account shall be—
(A) charged with the
sum of—
(i) the lesser of
normal cost under the funding method used under the plan or normal cost
determined under the unit credit method,
(ii) the excess, if
any, of the present value of accrued benefits under the plan over the fair
market value of the assets, and
(iii) an amount equal
to the excess (if any) of credits to the alternative minimum standard account
for all prior plan years over charges to such account for all such years,
and
(B) credited with the
amount considered contributed by the employer to or under the plan for the plan
year.
(3)
Special
rules
The alternative minimum funding standard account (and items
therein) shall be charged or credited with interest in the manner provided
under subsection (b)(5) with respect to the funding standard account.
(f)
Quarterly
contributions required
(1)
In
general
If a CSEC plan which has a funded current liability
percentage for the preceding plan year of less than 100 percent fails to pay
the full amount of a required installment for the plan year, then the rate of
interest charged to the funding standard account under subsection (b)(5) with
respect to the amount of the underpayment for the period of the underpayment
shall be equal to the greater of—
(A) 175 percent of the
Federal mid-term rate (as in effect under section 1274 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 for the 1st month of such plan year), or
(B) the rate of
interest used under the plan in determining costs.
(2)
Amount of
underpayment, period of underpayment
For purposes of paragraph
(1)—
(A)
Amount
The
amount of the underpayment shall be the excess of—
(i) the required
installment, over
(ii) the amount (if
any) of the installment contributed to or under the plan on or before the due
date for the installment.
(B)
Period of
underpayment
The period for which interest is charged under this
subsection with regard to any portion of the underpayment shall run from the
due date for the installment to the date on which such portion is contributed
to or under the plan (determined without regard to subsection (c)(9)).
(C)
Order of
crediting contributions
For purposes of subparagraph (A)(ii),
contributions shall be credited against unpaid required installments in the
order in which such installments are required to be paid.
(3)
Number of
required installments; due dates
For purposes of this
subsection—
(A)
Payable in 4
installments
There shall be 4 required installments for each plan
year.
(B)
Time for payment
of installments
In the case of the following required
installments:The due date is:
1stApril 15
2ndJuly 15
3rdOctober 15
4thJanuary 15 of the following year.
(4)
Amount of
required installment
For purposes of this subsection—
(A)
In
general
The amount of any required installment shall be 25
percent of the required annual payment.
(B)
Required annual
payment
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term
required annual payment means the lesser of—
(i) 90
percent of the amount required to be contributed to or under the plan by the
employer for the plan year under section 302 (without regard to any waiver
under subsection (c) thereof), or
(ii) 100 percent of
the amount so required for the preceding plan year.
Clause
(ii) shall not apply if the preceding plan year was not a year of 12
months.
(5)
Liquidity
requirement
(A)
In
general
A plan to which this paragraph applies shall be treated
as failing to pay the full amount of any required installment to the extent
that the value of the liquid assets paid in such installment is less than the
liquidity shortfall (whether or not such liquidity shortfall exceeds the amount
of such installment required to be paid but for this paragraph).
(B)
Plans to which
paragraph Applies
This paragraph shall apply to a CSEC plan other
than a plan described in section 302(l)(6)(A) (as in effect on the day before
the enactment of the Pension Protection Act of 2006) which—
(i) is
required to pay installments under this subsection for a plan year, and
(ii) has a liquidity
shortfall for any quarter during such plan year.
(C)
Period of
underpayment
For purposes of paragraph (1), any portion of an
installment that is treated as not paid under subparagraph (A) shall continue
to be treated as unpaid until the close of the quarter in which the due date
for such installment occurs.
(D)
Limitation on
increase
If the amount of any required installment is increased
by reason of subparagraph (A), in no event shall such increase exceed the
amount which, when added to prior installments for the plan year, is necessary
to increase the funded current liability percentage (taking into account the
expected increase in current liability due to benefits accruing during the plan
year) to 100 percent.
(E)
Definitions
For
purposes of this paragraph:
(i)
Liquidity
shortfall
The term liquidity shortfall means, with
respect to any required installment, an amount equal to the excess (as of the
last day of the quarter for which such installment is made) of the base amount
with respect to such quarter over the value (as of such last day) of the plan’s
liquid assets.
(ii)
Base
amount
(I)
In
general
The term base amount means, with respect
to any quarter, an amount equal to 3 times the sum of the adjusted
disbursements from the plan for the 12 months ending on the last day of such
quarter.
(II)
Special
rule
If the amount determined under subclause (I) exceeds an
amount equal to 2 times the sum of the adjusted disbursements from the plan for
the 36 months ending on the last day of the quarter and an enrolled actuary
certifies to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Treasury that such excess
is the result of nonrecurring circumstances, the base amount with respect to
such quarter shall be determined without regard to amounts related to those
nonrecurring circumstances.
(iii)
Disbursements
from the plan
The term disbursements from the plan
means all disbursements from the trust, including purchases of annuities,
payments of single sums and other benefits, and administrative expenses.
(iv)
Adjusted
disbursements
The term adjusted disbursements
means disbursements from the plan reduced by the product of—
(I) the plan’s funded
current liability percentage for the plan year, and
(II) the sum of the
purchases of annuities, payments of single sums, and such other disbursements
as the Secretary of the Treasury shall provide in regulations.
(v)
Liquid
assets
The term liquid assets means cash,
marketable securities and such other assets as specified by the Secretary of
the Treasury in regulations.
(vi)
Quarter
The
term quarter means, with respect to any required installment,
the 3-month period preceding the month in which the due date for such
installment occurs.
(F)
Regulations
The
Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe such regulations as are necessary to
carry out this paragraph.
(6)
Fiscal years and
short years
(A)
Fiscal
years
In applying this subsection to a plan year beginning on any
date other than January 1, there shall be substituted for the months specified
in this subsection, the months which correspond thereto.
(B)
Short plan
year
This subsection shall be applied to plan years of less than
12 months in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the
Treasury.
(g)
Imposition of
lien where failure To make required contributions
(1)
In
general
In the case of a plan to which this section applies,
if—
(A) any person fails
to make a required installment under subsection (f) or any other payment
required under this section before the due date for such installment or other
payment, and
(B) the unpaid balance
of such installment or other payment (including interest), when added to the
aggregate unpaid balance of all preceding such installments or other payments
for which payment was not made before the due date (including interest),
exceeds $1,000,000,
then there
shall be a lien in favor of the plan in the amount determined under paragraph
(3) upon all property and rights to property, whether real or personal,
belonging to such person and any other person who is a member of the same
controlled group of which such person is a member.
(2)
Plans to which
subsection Applies
This subsection shall apply to a CSEC plan for
any plan year for which the funded current liability percentage of such plan is
less than 100 percent. This subsection shall not apply to any plan to which
section 4021 does not apply (as such section is in effect on the date of the
enactment of the Retirement Protection Act of 1994).
(3)
Amount of
lien
For purposes of paragraph (1), the amount of the lien shall
be equal to the aggregate unpaid balance of required installments and other
payments required under this section (including interest)—
(A) for plan years
beginning after 1987, and
(B) for which payment
has not been made before the due date.
(4)
Notice of
failure; lien
(A)
Notice of
failure
A person committing a failure described in paragraph (1)
shall notify the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation of such failure within 10
days of the due date for the required installment or other payment.
(B)
Period of
lien
The lien imposed by paragraph (1) shall arise on the due
date for the required installment or other payment and shall continue until the
last day of the first plan year in which the plan ceases to be described in
paragraph (1)(B). Such lien shall continue to run without regard to whether
such plan continues to be described in paragraph (2) during the period referred
to in the preceding sentence.
(C)
Certain rules to
Apply
Any amount with respect to which a lien is imposed under
paragraph (1) shall be treated as taxes due and owing the United States and
rules similar to the rules of subsections (c), (d), and (e) of section 4068
shall apply with respect to a lien imposed by subsection (a) and the amount
with respect to such lien.
(5)
Enforcement
Any
lien created under paragraph (1) may be perfected and enforced only by the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or at the direction of the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation, by the contributing sponsor (or any member of the
controlled group of the contributing sponsor).
(6)
Definitions
For
purposes of this subsection—
(A)
Due date;
required installment
The terms due date and
required installment have the meanings given such terms by
subsection (f), except that in the case of a payment other than a required
installment, the due date shall be the date such payment is required to be made
under this section.
(B)
Controlled
group
The term controlled group means any group
treated as a single employer under subsections (b), (c), (m), and (o) of
section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(h)
Current
liability
For purposes of this section—
(1)
In
general
The term current liability means all
liabilities to employees and their beneficiaries under the plan.
(2)
Treatment of
unpredictable contingent event benefits
(A)
In
general
For purposes of paragraph (1), any unpredictable
contingent event benefit shall not be taken into account until the event on
which the benefit is contingent occurs.
(B)
Unpredictable
contingent event benefit
The term unpredictable contingent
event benefit means any benefit contingent on an event other
than—
(i) age, service,
compensation, death, or disability, or
(ii) an event which is
reasonably and reliably predictable (as determined by the Secretary of the
Treasury).
(3)
Interest rate
and mortality assumptions used
(A)
Interest
rate
The rate of interest used to determine current liability
under this section shall be the third segment rate determined under section
303(h)(2)(C).
(B)
Mortality
tables
(i)
Commissioners’
standard table
In the case of plan years beginning before the
first plan year to which the first tables prescribed under clause (ii) apply,
the mortality table used in determining current liability under this subsection
shall be the table prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury which is based
on the prevailing commissioners’ standard table (described in section
807(d)(5)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) used to determine reserves
for group annuity contracts issued on January 1, 1993.
(ii)
Secretarial
authority
The Secretary of the Treasury may by regulation
prescribe for plan years beginning after December 31, 1999, mortality tables to
be used in determining current liability under this subsection. Such tables
shall be based upon the actual experience of pension plans and projected trends
in such experience. In prescribing such tables, the Secretary of the Treasury
shall take into account results of available independent studies of mortality
of individuals covered by pension plans.
(iii)
Periodic
review
The Secretary of the Treasury shall periodically (at least
every 5 years) review any tables in effect under this subsection and shall, to
the extent the Secretary of the Treasury determines necessary, by regulation
update the tables to reflect the actual experience of pension plans and
projected trends in such experience.
(C)
Separate
mortality tables for the disabled
Notwithstanding subparagraph
(B)—
(i)
In
general
In the case of plan years beginning after December 31,
1995, the Secretary of the Treasury shall establish mortality tables which may
be used (in lieu of the tables under subparagraph (B)) to determine current
liability under this subsection for individuals who are entitled to benefits
under the plan on account of disability. The Secretary of the Treasury shall
establish separate tables for individuals whose disabilities occur in plan
years beginning before January 1, 1995, and for individuals whose disabilities
occur in plan years beginning on or after such date.
(ii)
Special rule
for disabilities occurring after 1994
In the case of disabilities
occurring in plan years beginning after December 31, 1994, the tables under
clause (i) shall apply only with respect to individuals described in such
subclause who are disabled within the meaning of title II of the Social
Security Act and the regulations thereunder.
(4)
Certain service
disregarded
(A)
In
general
In the case of a participant to whom this paragraph
applies, only the applicable percentage of the years of service before such
individual became a participant shall be taken into account in computing the
current liability of the plan.
(B)
Applicable
percentage
For purposes of this subparagraph, the applicable
percentage shall be determined as follows:
If the years of participation
are:The applicable percentage
is:
120
240
360
480
5 or more100.
(C)
Participants to
whom paragraph Applies
This subparagraph shall apply to any
participant who, at the time of becoming a participant—
(i) has not accrued
any other benefit under any defined benefit plan (whether or not terminated)
maintained by the employer or a member of the same controlled group of which
the employer is a member,
(ii) who first becomes
a participant under the plan in a plan year beginning after December 31, 1987,
and
(iii) has years of
service greater than the minimum years of service necessary for eligibility to
participate in the plan.
(D)
Election
An
employer may elect not to have this subparagraph apply. Such an election, once
made, may be revoked only with the consent of the Secretary of the
Treasury.
(i)
Funded current
liability percentage
For purposes of this section, the term
funded current liability percentage means, with respect to any
plan year, the percentage which—
(1) the value of the
plan’s assets determined under subsection (c)(2), is of
(2) the current
liability under the plan.
(j)
Transition
The
Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe such rules as are necessary or
appropriate with respect to the transition of a CSEC plan from the application
of section 303 to the application of this
section.
.
(2)
Special
rule
Section 210(a) of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1060(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
(4) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this section, in the case of a CSEC plan, the
requirements of section 302 shall be determined as if all participants in the
plan were employed by a single
employer.
.
(3)
Separate rules
for csec plans
(A)
In
general
Paragraph (2) of
section 302(a) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29
U.S.C. 1082(a)) is amended by striking and at the end of
subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (C) and
inserting , and, and by inserting at the end thereof the
following new subparagraph:
(D) in the case of a
CSEC plan, the employers make contributions to or under the plan for any plan
year which, in the aggregate, are sufficient to ensure that the plan does not
have an accumulated funding deficiency under section 306 as of the end of the
plan
year.
.
(B)
Conforming
amendments
Section 302 of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1082) is amended
by—
(i) striking
multiemployer plan in the first place it appears in clause (i)
of subsection (c)(1)(A), and in the last place it appears in paragraph (2) of
subsection (d), and inserting multiemployer plan or a CSEC
plan,
(ii) striking
303(j) in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) and inserting
303(j) or under 306(f),
(iii)
(I) striking
and at the end of clause (i) of subsection (c)(1)(B),
(II) striking the period at the end of clause
(ii) of subsection (c)(1)(B), and inserting , and, and
(III) inserting the following new clause
after clause (ii) of subsection (c)(1)(B):
(iii) in the case of a
CSEC plan, the funding standard account shall be credited under section
306(b)(3)(C) with the amount of the waived funding deficiency and such amount
shall be amortized as required under section
306(b)(2)(C).
,
(iv) striking
under paragraph (1) in clause (i) of subsection (c)(4)(A) and
inserting under paragraph (1) or for granting an extension under section
306(d),
(v) striking
waiver under this subsection in subparagraph (B) of subsection
(c)(4) and inserting waiver under this subsection or an extension under
306(d),
(vi) striking
waiver or modification in subclause (I) of subsection
(c)(4)(B)(i) and inserting waiver, modification, or
extension,
(vii) striking
waivers in the heading of subsection (c)(4)(C) and of clause
(ii) of subsection (c)(4)(C) and inserting waivers or
extensions,
(viii) striking
304(d) in subparagraph (A) of subsection (c)(7) and in paragraph
(2) of subsection (d) and inserting section 304(d) or section
306(d),
(ix) striking
and at the end of subclause (I) of subsection (c)(4)(C)(i) and
adding or the accumulated funding deficiency under section 306,
whichever is applicable,,
(x) striking
303(e)(2), in subclause (II) of subsection (c)(4)(C)(i) and
inserting 303(e)(2) or 306(b)(2)(C), whichever is applicable,
and,
(xi) adding
immediately after subclause (II) of subsection (c)(4)(C)(i) the following new
subclause:
(III) the total
amounts not paid by reason of an extension in effect under section
306(d),
,
(xii) striking
for waivers of in clause (ii) of subsection (c)(4)(C) and
inserting for waivers or extensions with respect to,
(xiii) striking
304(d) in paragraph (2) of subsection (d) and inserting
304(d) or 306(d), whichever is applicable, and
(xiv) striking
single-employer plan in subparagraph (A) of subsection (a)(2)
and in clause (i) of subsection (c)(1)(B) and inserting single-employer
plan (other than a CSEC plan).
(4)
Benefit
restrictions
(A)
In
general
Subsection (g) of
section 206 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C.
1056) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new
paragraph:
(12)
CSEC
plans
This subsection shall not apply to a CSEC plan (as defined
in section
210(f)).
.
(B)
Effective
date
Any restriction under
section 206(g) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 that is
in effect with respect to a CSEC plan as of the last day of the last plan year
beginning before January 1, 2014, shall cease to apply as of the first day of
the following plan year.
(5)
Benefit
increases
Paragraph (3) of
section 204(i) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29
U.S.C. 1054(i)) is amended by striking multiemployer plans and
inserting multiemployer plans or CSEC plans.
(6)
Section
103
Subparagraph (B) of
section 103(d)(8) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29
U.S.C. 1023(d)(8)) is amended by striking 303(h) and 304(c)(3)
and inserting 303(h), 304(c)(3), and 306(c)(3).
(7)
Section
4003
Subparagraph (B) of
section 4003(e)(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29
U.S.C. 1303(e)(1)) is amended by striking 303(k)(1)(A) and (B) of this
Act or section 430(k)(1)(A) and (B) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 and inserting 303(k)(1)(A) and (B) or 306(g)(1)(A) and (B)
of this Act or section 430(k)(1)(A) and (B) or 433(g)(1)(A) and (B) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(8)
Section
4010
Paragraph (2) of section
4010(b) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C.
1310(b)) is amended by striking 303(k)(1)(A) and (B) of this Act or
section 430(k)(1)(A) and (B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and
inserting 303(k)(1)(A) and (B) or 306(g)(1)(A) and (B) of this Act or
section 430(k)(1)(A) and (B) or 433(g)(1)(A) and (B) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986.
(9)
Section
4071
Section 4071 of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1371) is amended by
striking section 303(k)(4) and inserting section
303(k)(4) or 306(g)(4).
(b)
Amendments to
Code
(1)
Minimum funding
standards under the internal revenue code
Subpart A of part III
of subchapter D of chapter 1 of subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
433.
Minimum funding
standards
(a)
General
rule
For purposes of section 412, the term accumulated
funding deficiency for a CSEC plan means the excess of the total
charges to the funding standard account for all plan years (beginning with the
first plan year to which section 412 applies) over the total credits to such
account for such years or, if less, the excess of the total charges to the
alternative minimum funding standard account for such plan years over the total
credits to such account for such years.
(b)
Funding standard
account
(1)
Account
required
Each plan to which this section applies shall establish
and maintain a funding standard account. Such account shall be credited and
charged solely as provided in this section.
(2)
Charges to
account
For a plan year, the funding standard account shall be
charged with the sum of—
(A) the normal cost of
the plan for the plan year,
(B) the amounts
necessary to amortize in equal annual installments (until fully
amortized)—
(i) in
the case of a plan in existence on January 1, 1974, the unfunded past service
liability under the plan on the first day of the first plan year to which
section 412 applies, over a period of 40 plan years,
(ii) in the case of a
plan which comes into existence after January 1, 1974, but before the first day
of the first plan year beginning after December 31, 2013, the unfunded past
service liability under the plan on the first day of the first plan year to
which section 412 applies, over a period of 30 plan years,
(iii) in the case of a
plan that comes into existence on or after the first day of the first plan year
beginning after December 31, 2013, the unfunded past liability under the plan
on the first day of the first plan year to which section 412 applies, over a
period of 15 years,
(iv) in the case of a
plan that is subject to section 430 for the last plan year beginning before
January 1, 2014, the sum of—
(I) the plan’s funding
standard carryover balance and prefunding balance (as such terms are defined in
section 430(f)) as of the end of such plan year, and
(II) the unfunded past
service liability under the plan for the first plan year beginning after
December 31, 2013,
over a period
of 15 years,
(v) separately, with
respect to each plan year, the net increase (if any) in unfunded past service
liability under the plan arising from plan amendments adopted in such year,
over a period of 15 plan years,
(vi) separately, with
respect to each plan year, the net experience loss (if any) under the plan,
over a period of 5 plan years, and
(vii) separately, with
respect to each plan year, the net loss (if any) resulting from changes in
actuarial assumptions used under the plan, over a period of 10 plan
years,
(C) the amount
necessary to amortize each waived funding deficiency (within the meaning of
section 412(c)(3)) for each prior plan year in equal annual installments (until
fully amortized) over a period of 5 plan years,
(D) the amount
necessary to amortize in equal annual installments (until fully amortized) over
a period of 5 plan years any amount credited to the funding standard account
under paragraph (3)(D), and
(E) the amount
necessary to amortize in equal annual installments (until fully amortized) over
a period of 20 years the contributions which would be required to be made under
the plan but for the provisions of section 412(c)(7)(A)(i)(I) (as in effect on
the day before the enactment of the Pension Protection Act of 2006).
(3)
Credits to
account
For a plan year, the funding standard account shall be
credited with the sum of—
(A) the amount
considered contributed by the employer to or under the plan for the plan
year,
(B) the amount
necessary to amortize in equal annual installments (until fully
amortized)—
(i) separately, with
respect to each plan year, the net decrease (if any) in unfunded past service
liability under the plan arising from plan amendments adopted in such year,
over a period of 15 plan years,
(ii) separately, with
respect to each plan year, the net experience gain (if any) under the plan,
over a period of 5 plan years, and
(iii) separately, with
respect to each plan year, the net gain (if any) resulting from changes in
actuarial assumptions used under the plan, over a period of 10 plan
years,
(C) the amount of the
waived funding deficiency (within the meaning of section 412(c)(3)) for the
plan year,
(D) in the case of a
plan year for which the accumulated funding deficiency is determined under the
funding standard account if such plan year follows a plan year for which such
deficiency was determined under the alternative minimum funding standard, the
excess (if any) of any debit balance in the funding standard account
(determined without regard to this subparagraph) over any debit balance in the
alternative minimum funding standard account, and
(E) for the first
plan year beginning after December 31, 2013, in the case of a plan that is
subject to section 430 for the last plan year beginning before January 1, 2014,
the sum of the plan’s funding standard carryover balance and prefunding balance
(as such terms are defined in section 430(f)) as of the end of the last plan
year beginning before January 1, 2014.
(4)
Combining and
offsetting amounts to be amortized
Under regulations prescribed
by the Secretary, amounts required to be amortized under paragraph (2) or
paragraph (3), as the case may be—
(A) may be combined
into one amount under such paragraph to be amortized over a period determined
on the basis of the remaining amortization period for all items entering into
such combined amount, and
(B) may be offset
against amounts required to be amortized under the other such paragraph, with
the resulting amount to be amortized over a period determined on the basis of
the remaining amortization periods for all items entering into whichever of the
two amounts being offset is the greater.
(5)
Interest
(A) Except as provided
in subparagraph (B), the funding standard account (and items therein) shall be
charged or credited (as determined under regulations prescribed by the
Secretary) with interest at the appropriate rate consistent with the rate or
rates of interest used under the plan to determine costs.
(B) The interest rate
used for purposes of computing the amortization charge described in subsection
(b)(2)(C) or for purposes of any arrangement under subsection (d) for any plan
year shall be greater of—
(i) 150 percent of the
Federal mid-term rate (as in effect under section 1274 for the 1st month of
such plan year), or
(ii) the rate of
interest determined under subparagraph (A).
(6)
Amortization
schedules in effect
Amortization schedules for amounts described
in paragraphs (2) and (3) that are in effect as of the last day of the last
plan year beginning before January 1, 2014, by reason of section 104 of the
Pension Protection Act of 2006 shall remain in effect pursuant to their terms
and this section, except that such amounts shall not be amortized again under
this section. In the case of a plan that is subject to section 430 for the last
plan year beginning before January 1, 2014, any amortization schedules and
bases for plan years beginning before such date shall be reduced to
zero.
(c)
Special
rules
(1)
Determinations
to be made under funding method
For purposes of this section,
normal costs, accrued liability, past service liabilities, and experience gains
and losses shall be determined under the funding method used to determine costs
under the plan.
(2)
Valuation of
assets
(A)
In
general
For purposes of this section, the value of the plan’s
assets shall be determined on the basis of any reasonable actuarial method of
valuation which takes into account fair market value and which is permitted
under regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
(B)
Dedicated bond
portfolio
The Secretary may by regulations provide that the value
of any dedicated bond portfolio of a plan shall be determined by using the
interest rate under section 412(b)(5) (as in effect on the day before the
enactment of the Pension Protection Act of 2006).
(3)
Actuarial
assumptions must be reasonable
For purposes of this section, all
costs, liabilities, rates of interest, and other factors under the plan shall
be determined on the basis of actuarial assumptions and methods—
(A) each of which is
reasonable (taking into account the experience of the plan and reasonable
expectations) or which, in the aggregate, result in a total contribution
equivalent to that which would be determined if each such assumption and method
were reasonable, and
(B) which, in
combination, offer the actuary’s best estimate of anticipated experience under
the plan.
(4)
Treatment of
certain changes as experience gain or loss
For purposes of this
section, if—
(A) a change in
benefits under the Social Security Act or in other retirement benefits created
under Federal or State law, or
(B) a change in the
definition of the term wages under section 3121 or a change in
the amount of such wages taken into account under regulations prescribed for
purposes of section 401(a)(5),
results in
an increase or decrease in accrued liability under a plan, such increase or
decrease shall be treated as an experience loss or gain.
(5)
Funding method
and plan year
(A)
Funding methods
available
All funding methods available to CSEC plans under
section 412 (as in effect on the day before the enactment of the Pension
Protection Act of 2006) shall continue to be available under this
section.
(B)
Not affected by
cessation of benefit accruals
The availability of any funding
method, including all spread gain funding methods, shall not be affected by
whether benefit accruals under a plan have ceased. Except as otherwise provided
in subparagraph (C) or in regulations prescribed by the Secretary, if benefit
accruals have ceased under a plan, the spread gain funding methods may be
applied by amortizing over the average expected future lives of all
participants.
(C)
Minimum
amount
In the case of a plan amortizing over the average expected
future lives of all participants pursuant to subparagraph (B), such
amortization amount for any plan year shall not be less than the sum of—
(i) the amount
determined by amortizing, as of the first year for which the plan amortizes
over the average future lives of all participants, the entire unfunded past
service liability in equal installments over 15 years, and
(ii) the amount
determined by amortizing any increase or decrease in such unfunded past service
liability in any subsequent year, other than an increase or decrease
attributable to contributions or expected experience, in equal installments
over 15 years.
(D)
Changes
If the funding method for a plan is
changed, the new funding method shall become the funding method used to
determine costs and liabilities under the plan only if the change is approved
by the Secretary. The preceding sentence shall not apply to any change made
pursuant to, or permitted by, subparagraph (B) if such change is made for the
first plan year beginning after December 31, 2013. Any such change may be made
without the approval of the Secretary. If the plan year for a plan is changed,
the new plan year shall become the plan year for the plan only if the change is
approved by the Secretary.
(6)
Full
funding
If, as of the close of a plan year, a plan would (without
regard to this paragraph) have an accumulated funding deficiency (determined
without regard to the alternative minimum funding standard account permitted
under subsection (e)) in excess of the full funding limitation—
(A) the funding
standard account shall be credited with the amount of such excess, and
(B) all amounts
described in paragraphs (2)(B), (C), (D), and (E) and (3)(B) of subsection (b)
which are required to be amortized shall be considered fully amortized for
purposes of such paragraphs.
(7)
Full-funding
limitation
For purposes of paragraph (6), the term
full-funding limitation means the excess (if any) of—
(A) the accrued
liability (including normal cost) under the plan (determined under the entry
age normal funding method if such accrued liability cannot be directly
calculated under the funding method used for the plan), over
(B) the lesser
of—
(i) the fair market
value of the plan’s assets, or
(ii) the value of such
assets determined under paragraph (2).
(C)
Minimum
amount
(i)
In
general
In no event shall the full-funding limitation determined
under subparagraph (A) be less than the excess (if any) of—
(I) 90 percent of the
current liability (determined without regard to paragraph (4) of subsection
(h)) of the plan (including the expected increase in such current liability due
to benefits accruing during the plan year), over
(II) the value of the
plan’s assets determined under paragraph (2).
(ii)
Assets
For
purposes of clause (i), assets shall not be reduced by any credit balance in
the funding standard account.
(8)
Annual
valuation
(A)
In
general
For purposes of this section, a determination of
experience gains and losses and a valuation of the plan’s liability shall be
made not less frequently than once every year, except that such determination
shall be made more frequently to the extent required in particular cases under
regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
(B)
Valuation
date
(i)
Current
year
Except as provided in clause (ii), the valuation referred to
in subparagraph (A) shall be made as of a date within the plan year to which
the valuation refers or within one month prior to the beginning of such
year.
(ii)
Use of prior
year valuation
The valuation referred to in subparagraph (A) may
be made as of a date within the plan year prior to the year to which the
valuation refers if, as of such date, the value of the assets of the plan are
not less than 100 percent of the plan’s current liability.
(iii)
Adjustments
Information
under clause (ii) shall, in accordance with regulations, be actuarially
adjusted to reflect significant differences in participants.
(iv)
Limitation
A
change in funding method to use a prior year valuation, as provided in clause
(ii), may not be made unless as of the valuation date within the prior plan
year, the value of the assets of the plan are not less than 125 percent of the
plan’s current liability.
(9)
Time when
certain contributions deemed made
For purposes of this section,
any contributions for a plan year made by an employer during the period—
(A) beginning on the
day after the last day of such plan year, and
(B) ending on the day
which is 8½ months after the close of the plan
year,
shall be
deemed to have been made on such last day.
(10)
Anticipation of
benefit increases effective in the future
In determining
projected benefits, the funding method of a collectively bargained CSEC plan
described in section 413(a) (other than a multiemployer plan) shall anticipate
benefit increases scheduled to take effect during the term of the collective
bargaining agreement applicable to the plan.
(d)
Extension of
amortization periods
The period of years required to amortize any
unfunded liability (described in any clause of subsection (b)(2)(B)) of any
plan may be extended by the Secretary for a period of time (not in excess of 10
years) if such Secretary determines that such extension would provide adequate
protection for participants under the plan and their beneficiaries and if such
Secretary determines that the failure to permit such extension would result
in—
(1) a substantial risk
to the voluntary continuation of the plan, or
(2) a substantial
curtailment of pension benefit levels or employee compensation.
(e)
Alternative
minimum funding standard
(1)
In
general
A CSEC plan which uses a funding method that requires
contributions in all years not less than those required under the entry age
normal funding method may maintain an alternative minimum funding standard
account for any plan year. Such account shall be credited and charged solely as
provided in this subsection.
(2)
Charges and
credits to account
For a plan year the alternative minimum
funding standard account shall be—
(A) charged with the
sum of—
(i) the lesser of
normal cost under the funding method used under the plan or normal cost
determined under the unit credit method,
(ii) the excess, if
any, of the present value of accrued benefits under the plan over the fair
market value of the assets, and
(iii) an amount equal
to the excess (if any) of credits to the alternative minimum standard account
for all prior plan years over charges to such account for all such years,
and
(B) credited with the
amount considered contributed by the employer to or under the plan for the plan
year.
(3)
Special
rules
The alternative minimum funding standard account (and items
therein) shall be charged or credited with interest in the manner provided
under subsection (b)(5) with respect to the funding standard account.
(f)
Quarterly
contributions required
(1)
In
general
If a CSEC plan which has a funded current liability
percentage for the preceding plan year of less than 100 percent fails to pay
the full amount of a required installment for the plan year, then the rate of
interest charged to the funding standard account under subsection (b)(5) with
respect to the amount of the underpayment for the period of the underpayment
shall be equal to the greater of—
(A) 175 percent of the
Federal mid-term rate (as in effect under section 1274 for the 1st month of
such plan year), or
(B) the rate of
interest used under the plan in determining costs.
(2)
Amount of
underpayment, period of underpayment
For purposes of paragraph
(1)—
(A)
Amount
The
amount of the underpayment shall be the excess of—
(i) the required
installment, over
(ii) the amount (if
any) of the installment contributed to or under the plan on or before the due
date for the installment.
(B)
Period of
underpayment
The period for which interest is charged under this
subsection with regard to any portion of the underpayment shall run from the
due date for the installment to the date on which such portion is contributed
to or under the plan (determined without regard to subsection (c)(9)).
(C)
Order of
crediting contributions
For purposes of subparagraph (A)(ii),
contributions shall be credited against unpaid required installments in the
order in which such installments are required to be paid.
(3)
Number of
required installments; due dates
For purposes of this
subsection—
(A)
Payable in 4
installments
There shall be 4 required installments for each plan
year.
(B)
Time for payment
of installments
In the case of the following required
installments:The due date is:
1stApril 15
2ndJuly 15
3rdOctober 15
4thJanuary 15 of the following year.
(4)
Amount of
required installment
For purposes of this subsection—
(A)
In
general
The amount of any required installment shall be 25
percent of the required annual payment.
(B)
Required annual
payment
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term
required annual payment means the lesser of—
(i) 90
percent of the amount required to be contributed to or under the plan by the
employer for the plan year under section 412 (without regard to any waiver
under subsection (c) thereof), or
(ii) 100 percent of
the amount so required for the preceding plan year.
Clause
(ii) shall not apply if the preceding plan year was not a year of 12
months.
(5)
Liquidity
requirement
(A)
In
general
A plan to which this paragraph applies shall be treated
as failing to pay the full amount of any required installment to the extent
that the value of the liquid assets paid in such installment is less than the
liquidity shortfall (whether or not such liquidity shortfall exceeds the amount
of such installment required to be paid but for this paragraph).
(B)
Plans to which
paragraph Applies
This paragraph shall apply to a CSEC plan other
than a plan described in section 412(l)(6)(A) (as in effect on the day before
the enactment of the Pension Protection Act of 2006) which—
(i) is
required to pay installments under this subsection for a plan year, and
(ii) has a liquidity
shortfall for any quarter during such plan year.
(C)
Period of
underpayment
For purposes of paragraph (1), any portion of an
installment that is treated as not paid under subparagraph (A) shall continue
to be treated as unpaid until the close of the quarter in which the due date
for such installment occurs.
(D)
Limitation on
increase
If the amount of any required installment is increased
by reason of subparagraph (A), in no event shall such increase exceed the
amount which, when added to prior installments for the plan year, is necessary
to increase the funded current liability percentage (taking into account the
expected increase in current liability due to benefits accruing during the plan
year) to 100 percent.
(E)
Definitions
For
purposes of this paragraph:
(i)
Liquidity
shortfall
The term liquidity shortfall means, with
respect to any required installment, an amount equal to the excess (as of the
last day of the quarter for which such installment is made) of the base amount
with respect to such quarter over the value (as of such last day) of the plan’s
liquid assets.
(ii)
Base
amount
(I)
In
general
The term base amount means, with respect
to any quarter, an amount equal to 3 times the sum of the adjusted
disbursements from the plan for the 12 months ending on the last day of such
quarter.
(II)
Special
rule
If the amount determined under subclause (I) exceeds an
amount equal to 2 times the sum of the adjusted disbursements from the plan for
the 36 months ending on the last day of the quarter and an enrolled actuary
certifies to the satisfaction of the Secretary that such excess is the result
of nonrecurring circumstances, the base amount with respect to such quarter
shall be determined without regard to amounts related to those nonrecurring
circumstances.
(iii)
Disbursements
from the plan
The term disbursements from the plan
means all disbursements from the trust, including purchases of annuities,
payments of single sums and other benefits, and administrative expenses.
(iv)
Adjusted
disbursements
The term adjusted disbursements
means disbursements from the plan reduced by the product of—
(I) the plan’s funded
current liability percentage for the plan year, and
(II) the sum of the
purchases of annuities, payments of single sums, and such other disbursements
as the Secretary shall provide in regulations.
(v)
Liquid
assets
The term liquid assets means cash,
marketable securities and such other assets as specified by the Secretary in
regulations.
(vi)
Quarter
The
term quarter means, with respect to any required installment,
the 3-month period preceding the month in which the due date for such
installment occurs.
(F)
Regulations
The
Secretary may prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out this
paragraph.
(6)
Fiscal years and
short years
(A)
Fiscal
years
In applying this subsection to a plan year beginning on any
date other than January 1, there shall be substituted for the months specified
in this subsection, the months which correspond thereto.
(B)
Short plan
year
This subsection shall be applied to plan years of less than
12 months in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
(g)
Imposition of
lien where failure To make required contributions
(1)
In
general
In the case of a plan to which this section applies,
if—
(A) any person fails
to make a required installment under subsection (f) or any other payment
required under this section before the due date for such installment or other
payment, and
(B) the unpaid balance
of such installment or other payment (including interest), when added to the
aggregate unpaid balance of all preceding such installments or other payments
for which payment was not made before the due date (including interest),
exceeds $1,000,000,
then there
shall be a lien in favor of the plan in the amount determined under paragraph
(3) upon all property and rights to property, whether real or personal,
belonging to such person and any other person who is a member of the same
controlled group of which such person is a member.
(2)
Plans to which
subsection Applies
This subsection shall apply to a CSEC plan for
any plan year for which the funded current liability percentage of such plan is
less than 100 percent. This subsection shall not apply to any plan to which
section 4021 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 does not
apply (as such section is in effect on the date of the enactment of the
Retirement Protection Act of 1994).
(3)
Amount of
lien
For purposes of paragraph (1), the amount of the lien shall
be equal to the aggregate unpaid balance of required installments and other
payments required under this section (including interest)—
(A) for plan years
beginning after 1987, and
(B) for which payment
has not been made before the due date.
(4)
Notice of
failure; lien
(A)
Notice of
failure
A person committing a failure described in paragraph (1)
shall notify the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation of such failure within 10
days of the due date for the required installment or other payment.
(B)
Period of
lien
The lien imposed by paragraph (1) shall arise on the due
date for the required installment or other payment and shall continue until the
last day of the first plan year in which the plan ceases to be described in
paragraph (1)(B). Such lien shall continue to run without regard to whether
such plan continues to be described in paragraph (2) during the period referred
to in the preceding sentence.
(C)
Certain rules to
Apply
Any amount with respect to which a lien is imposed under
paragraph (1) shall be treated as taxes due and owing the United States and
rules similar to the rules of subsections (c), (d), and (e) of section 4068 of
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 shall apply with respect to
a lien imposed by subsection (a) and the amount with respect to such
lien.
(5)
Enforcement
Any
lien created under paragraph (1) may be perfected and enforced only by the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or at the direction of the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation, by the contributing sponsor (or any member of the
controlled group of the contributing sponsor).
(6)
Definitions
For
purposes of this subsection—
(A)
Due date;
required installment
The terms due date and
required installment have the meanings given such terms by
subsection (f), except that in the case of a payment other than a required
installment, the due date shall be the date such payment is required to be made
under this section.
(B)
Controlled
group
The term controlled group means any group
treated as a single employer under subsections (b), (c), (m), and (o) of
section 414.
(h)
Current
liability
For purposes of this section—
(1)
In
general
The term current liability means all
liabilities to employees and their beneficiaries under the plan.
(2)
Treatment of
unpredictable contingent event benefits
(A)
In
general
For purposes of paragraph (1), any unpredictable
contingent event benefit shall not be taken into account until the event on
which the benefit is contingent occurs.
(B)
Unpredictable
contingent event benefit
The term unpredictable contingent
event benefit means any benefit contingent on an event other
than—
(i) age, service,
compensation, death, or disability, or
(ii) an event which is
reasonably and reliably predictable (as determined by the Secretary).
(3)
Interest rate
and mortality assumptions used
(A)
Interest
rate
The rate of interest used to determine current liability
under this section shall be the third segment rate determined under section
430(h)(2)(C).
(B)
Mortality
tables
(i)
Commissioners’
standard table
In the case of plan years beginning before the
first plan year to which the first tables prescribed under clause (ii) apply,
the mortality table used in determining current liability under this subsection
shall be the table prescribed by the Secretary which is based on the prevailing
commissioners’ standard table (described in section 807(d)(5)(A)) used to
determine reserves for group annuity contracts issued on January 1,
1993.
(ii)
Secretarial
authority
The Secretary may by regulation prescribe for plan
years beginning after December 31, 1999, mortality tables to be used in
determining current liability under this subsection. Such tables shall be based
upon the actual experience of pension plans and projected trends in such
experience. In prescribing such tables, the Secretary shall take into account
results of available independent studies of mortality of individuals covered by
pension plans.
(iii)
Periodic
review
The Secretary shall periodically (at least every 5 years)
review any tables in effect under this subsection and shall, to the extent the
Secretary determines necessary, by regulation update the tables to reflect the
actual experience of pension plans and projected trends in such
experience.
(C)
Separate
mortality tables for the disabled
Notwithstanding subparagraph
(B)—
(i)
In
general
In the case of plan years beginning after December 31,
1995, the Secretary shall establish mortality tables which may be used (in lieu
of the tables under subparagraph (B)) to determine current liability under this
subsection for individuals who are entitled to benefits under the plan on
account of disability. The Secretary shall establish separate tables for
individuals whose disabilities occur in plan years beginning before January 1,
1995, and for individuals whose disabilities occur in plan years beginning on
or after such date.
(ii)
Special rule
for disabilities occurring after 1994
In the case of disabilities
occurring in plan years beginning after December 31, 1994, the tables under
clause (i) shall apply only with respect to individuals described in such
subclause who are disabled within the meaning of title II of the Social
Security Act and the regulations thereunder.
(4)
Certain service
disregarded
(A)
In
general
In the case of a participant to whom this paragraph
applies, only the applicable percentage of the years of service before such
individual became a participant shall be taken into account in computing the
current liability of the plan.
(B)
Applicable
percentage
For purposes of this subparagraph, the applicable
percentage shall be determined as follows:
If the years of participation
are:The applicable percentage
is:
120
240
360
480
5 or more100.
(C)
Participants to
whom paragraph Applies
This subparagraph shall apply to any
participant who, at the time of becoming a participant—
(i) has not accrued
any other benefit under any defined benefit plan (whether or not terminated)
maintained by the employer or a member of the same controlled group of which
the employer is a member,
(ii) who first becomes
a participant under the plan in a plan year beginning after December 31, 1987,
and
(iii) has years of
service greater than the minimum years of service necessary for eligibility to
participate in the plan.
(D)
Election
An
employer may elect not to have this subparagraph apply. Such an election, once
made, may be revoked only with the consent of the Secretary.
(i)
Funded current
liability percentage
For purposes of this section, the term
funded current liability percentage means, with respect to any
plan year, the percentage which—
(1) the value of the
plan’s assets determined under subsection (c)(2), is of
(2) the current
liability under the plan.
(j)
Transition
The
Secretary may prescribe such rules as are necessary or appropriate with respect
to the transition of a CSEC plan from the application of section 430 to the
application of this
section.
.
(2)
CSEC
plans
Section 413 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended
by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection:
(d)
CSEC
plans
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, in the
case of a CSEC plan—
(1)
Funding
The
requirements of section 412 shall be determined as if all participants in the
plan were employed by a single employer.
(2)
Application of
provisions
Paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (5) of subsection (c)
shall
apply.
.
(3)
Separate rules
for csec plans
(A)
In
general
Paragraph (2) of section 412(a) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 is amended by striking and at the end of
subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (C) and
inserting , and, and by inserting at the end thereof the
following new subparagraph:
(D) in the case of a
CSEC plan, the employers make contributions to or under the plan for any plan
year which, in the aggregate, are sufficient to ensure that the plan does not
have an accumulated funding deficiency under section 433 as of the end of the
plan
year.
.
(B)
Conforming
amendments
Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is
amended by—
(i) striking
multiemployer plan in paragraph (A) of subsection (a)(2), in
clause (i) of subsection (c)(1)(B), in the first place it appears in clause (i)
of subsection (c)(1)(A), and in the last place it appears in paragraph (2) of
subsection (d), and inserting multiemployer plan or a CSEC
plan,
(ii) striking
430(j) in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) and inserting
430(j) or under 433(f),
(iii)
(I) striking
and at the end of clause (i) of subsection (c)(1)(B),
(II) striking the period at the end of clause
(ii) of subsection (c)(1)(B), and inserting , and, and
(III) inserting the following new clause
after clause (ii) of subsection (c)(1)(B):
(iii) in the case of a CSEC plan, the funding
standard account shall be credited under section 433(b)(3)(C) with the amount
of the waived funding deficiency and such amount shall be amortized as required
under section
433(b)(2)(C).
,
(iv) striking
under paragraph (1) in clause (i) of subsection (c)(4)(A) and
inserting under paragraph (1) or for granting an extension under section
433(d),
(v) striking
waiver under this subsection in subparagraph (B) of subsection
(c)(4) and inserting waiver under this subsection or an extension under
433(d),
(vi) striking
waiver or modification in subclause (I) of subsection
(c)(4)(B)(i) and inserting waiver, modification, or
extension,
(vii) striking
waivers in the heading of subsection (c)(4)(C) and of clause
(ii) of subsection (c)(4)(C) and inserting waivers or
extensions,
(viii) striking
431(d) in subparagraph (A) of subsection (c)(7) and in paragraph
(2) of subsection (d) and inserting section 431(d) or section
433(d),
(ix) striking
and at the end of subclause (I) of subsection (c)(4)(C)(i) and
inserting or the accumulated funding deficiency under section 433,
whichever is applicable,,
(x) striking
430(e)(2), in subclause (II) of subsection (c)(4)(C)(i) and
inserting 430(e)(2) or 433(b)(2)(C), whichever is applicable,
and,
(xi) adding
immediately after subclause (II) of subsection (c)(4)(C)(i) the following new
subclause:
(III) the total
amounts not paid by reason of an extension in effect under section
433(d),
,
(xii) striking
for waivers of in clause (ii) of subsection (c)(4)(C) and
inserting for waivers or extensions with respect to, and
(xiii) striking
431(d) in paragraph (2) of subsection (d) and inserting
431(d) or 433(d), whichever is applicable.
(4)
Benefit
restrictions
(A)
In
general
Paragraph (29) of section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 is amended by striking multiemployer plan and
inserting multiemployer plan or a CSEC plan.
(B)
Conforming
change
Subsection (a) of section 436 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 is amended by striking single-employer plan and
inserting single-employer plan (other than a CSEC plan).
(C)
Effective
date
Any restriction under sections 401(a)(29) and 436 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that is in effect with respect to a CSEC plan as
of the last day of the last plan year beginning before January 1, 2014, shall
cease to apply as of the first day of the following plan year.
(5)
Benefit
increases
Subparagraph (C) of
section 401(a)(33) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking
multiemployer plans and inserting multiemployer plans or
CSEC plans.
5.
Transparency
(a)
Notice to
participants
(1)
In
general
Paragraph (2) of
section 101(f) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29
U.S.C. 1021(f)) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
(E)
Effect of csec
plan rules on plan funding
(i)
In
general
In the case of a CSEC plan, each notice under paragraph
(1) shall include—
(I) a statement that
different rules apply to CSEC plans than apply to single-employer plans,
(II) for the first 2
plan years beginning after December 31, 2013, a statement that, as a result of
changes in the law made by the Cooperative
and Small Employer Charity Pension Flexibility Act, the
contributions to the plan may have changed, and
(III) for the first 2
plan years beginning after December 31, 2013, a statement that participants and
participating employers may request a table which shows (determined both with
and without regard to such different rules) the required minimum contributions
to the plan for the applicable plan year and each of the 2 preceding plan
years.
(ii)
Applicable plan
year
For purposes of this subparagraph, the term
applicable plan year means any plan year beginning after
December 31, 2013, for which—
(I) the plan has a
funding shortfall (as defined in section 303(c)(4)) greater than $1,000,000,
and
(II) the plan had 50
or more participants on any day during the preceding plan year.
For purposes
of any determination under subclause (II), the aggregation rule under the last
sentence of section 303(g)(2)(B) shall apply.
(iii)
Special rule
for plan years beginning before 2014
In the case of a preceding
plan year referred to in clause (i)(III) which begins before January 1, 2014,
the information described in such clause shall be provided only without regard
to the different rules applicable to CSEC
plans.
.
(2)
Model
notice
The Secretary of Labor may modify the model notice
required to be published under section 501(c) of the Pension Protection Act of
2006 to include the information described in section 101(f)(2)(E) of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as added by this
subsection.
(b)
Notice of
failure To meet minimum funding standards
(1)
Pending
waivers
Paragraph (2) of
section 101(d) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29
U.S.C. 1021(d)) is amended by striking 303 and inserting
303 or 306.
(2)
Definitions
Paragraph (3) of section 101(d) of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (21 U.S.C. 1021(d)) is amended
by striking 303(j) and inserting 303(j) or 306(f),
whichever is applicable.
(c)
Additional
reporting requirements
Section 103 of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1023) is amended by adding at the end
the following new subsection:
(g)
Additional
information with respect to CSEC plans
With respect to any CSEC
plan, an annual report under this section for a plan year shall include a list
of participating employers and a good faith estimate of the percentage of total
contributions made by such participating employers during the plan
year.
.
6.
Elections
(a)
Election not To
be treated as a CSEC plan
(1)
Amendment to
ERISA
Subsection (f) of section 210 of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as added by section 3, is amended by adding at the
end the following new paragraph:
(3)
Election
(A)
In
general
If a plan falls within the definition of a CSEC plan
under this subsection (without regard to this paragraph), such plan shall be a
CSEC plan unless the plan sponsor elects not later than the close of the first
plan year of the plan beginning after December 31, 2013, not to be treated as a
CSEC plan. An election under the preceding sentence shall take effect for such
plan year and, once made, may be revoked only with the consent of the Secretary
of the Treasury.
(B)
Special
rule
If a plan described in subparagraph (A) is treated as a CSEC
plan, section 104 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, as amended by the
Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief
Act of 2010, shall cease to apply to such plan as of the first date as of which
such plan is treated as a CSEC
plan.
.
(2)
Amendment to
the Code
Section 414(y) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
added by section 3, is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
(3)
Election
(A)
In
general
If a plan falls within the definition of a CSEC plan
under this subsection (without regard to this paragraph), such plan shall be a
CSEC plan unless the plan sponsor elects not later than the close of the first
plan year of the plan beginning after December 31, 2013, not to be treated as a
CSEC plan. An election under the preceding sentence shall take effect for such
plan year and, once made, may be revoked only with the consent of the
Secretary.
(B)
Special
rule
If a plan described in subparagraph (A) is treated as a CSEC
plan, section 104 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, as amended by the
Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief
Act of 2010, shall cease to apply to such plan as of the first date as of which
such plan is treated as a CSEC
plan.
.
(b)
Election To
cease To be treated as an eligible charity plan
(1)
In
general
Subsection (d) of section 104 of the Pension Protection
Act of 2006, as added by section 202 of the Preservation of Access to Care for
Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010, is amended by—
(A) striking
For purposes of and inserting (1)
In general.—For
purposes of, and
(B) adding at the end
the following:
(2)
Election not to
be an eligible charity plan
A plan sponsor may elect for a plan
to cease to be treated as an eligible charity plan for plan years beginning
after December 31, 2013. Such election shall be made at such time and in such
form and manner as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. Any
such election may be revoked only with the consent of the Secretary of the
Treasury.
(3)
Election to use
funding options available to other plan sponsors
(A) A plan sponsor
that makes the election described in paragraph (2) may elect for a plan to
apply the rules described in subparagraphs (B), (C), and (D) for plan years
beginning after December 31, 2013. Such election shall be made at such time and
in such form and manner as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the
Treasury. Any such election may be revoked only with the consent of the
Secretary of the Treasury.
(B) Under the rules
described in this subparagraph, for the first plan year beginning after
December 31, 2013, a plan has—
(i) an
11-year shortfall amortization base,
(ii) a
12-year shortfall amortization base, and
(iii) a 7-year
shortfall amortization base.
(C) Under the rules
described in this subparagraph, section 303(c)(2)(A) and (B) of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and section 430(c)(2)(A) and (B) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be applied by—
(i) in
the case of an 11-year shortfall amortization base, substituting
11-plan-year period for 7-plan-year period
wherever such phrase appears, and
(ii) in the case of a
12-year shortfall amortization base, substituting 12-plan-year
period for 7-plan-year period wherever such phrase
appears.
(D) Under the rules
described in this subparagraph, section 303(c)(7) of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, and section 430(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 shall apply to a plan for which an election has been made under
subparagraph (A). Such provisions shall apply in the following manner:
(i) The first plan
year beginning after December 31, 2013, shall be treated as an election year,
and no other plan years shall be so treated.
(ii) All references in
section 303(c)(7) of such Act and section 430(c)(7) of such Code to
February 28, 2010 or March 1, 2010 shall be
treated as references to February 28, 2013 or March 1,
2013, respectively.
(E) For purposes of
this paragraph, the 11-year amortization base is an amount, determined for the
first plan year beginning after December 31, 2013, equal to the unamortized
principal amount of the shortfall amortization base (as defined in section
303(c)(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and section
430(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) that would have applied to the
plan for the first plan beginning after December 31, 2009, if—
(i) the plan had never
been an eligible charity plan,
(ii) the plan sponsor
had made the election described in section 303(c)(2)(D)(i) of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and in section 430(c)(2)(D)(i) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to have section 303(c)(2)(D)(i) of such Act and
section 430(c)(2)(D)(iii) of such Code apply with respect to the shortfall
amortization base for the first plan year beginning after December 31, 2009,
and
(iii) no event had
occurred under paragraph (6) or (7) of section 303(c) of such Act or paragraph
(6) or (7) of section 430(c) of such Code that, as of the first day of the
first plan year beginning after December 31, 2013, would have modified the
shortfall amortization base or the shortfall amortization installments with
respect to the first plan year beginning after December 31, 2009.
(F) For purposes of
this paragraph, the 12-year amortization base is an amount, determined for the
first plan year beginning after December 31, 2013, equal to the unamortized
principal amount of the shortfall amortization base (as defined in section
303(c)(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and section
430(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) that would have applied to the
plan for the first plan beginning after December 31, 2010, if—
(i) the plan had never
been an eligible charity plan,
(ii) the plan sponsor
had made the election described in section 303(c)(2)(D)(i) of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and in section 430(c)(2)(D)(i) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to have section 303(c)(2)(D)(i) of such Act and
section 430(c)(2)(D)(iii) of such Code apply with respect to the shortfall
amortization base for the first plan year beginning after December 31, 2010,
and
(iii) no event had
occurred under paragraph (6) or (7) of section 303(c) of such Act or paragraph
(6) or (7) of section 430(c) of such Code that, as of the first day of the
first plan year beginning after December 31, 2013, would have modified the
shortfall amortization base or the shortfall amortization installments with
respect to the first plan year beginning after December 31, 2010.
(G) For purposes of
this paragraph, the 7-year shortfall amortization base is an amount, determined
for the first plan year beginning after December 31, 2013, equal to—
(i) the shortfall
amortization base for the first plan year beginning after December 31, 2013,
without regard to this paragraph, minus
(ii) the sum of the
11-year shortfall amortization base and the 12-year shortfall amortization
base.
.
(c)
Deemed
election
For purposes of sections 4(b)(2) and 4021(b)(3) of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and for all other purposes, a
plan shall be deemed to have made an irrevocable election under section 410(d)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 if—
(1) the plan was
established before January 1, 2014;
(2) the plan falls
within the definition of a CSEC plan;
(3) the plan sponsor
does not make an election under section 210(f)(3)(B)(i) of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and section 414(y)(3)(B)(i) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as added by this Act; and
(4) the plan, plan
sponsor, administrator, or fiduciary remits one or more premium payments for
the plan to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation for a plan year beginning
after December 31, 2013.
(d)
Effective
date
The amendments made by this section shall apply as of the
date of enactment of this Act.
7.
Pension
insurance program modifications
(a)
Flat-Rate
premium
Subparagraph (A) of section 4006(a)(3) of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1306(a)(3)) is
amended—
(1) in clause
(i)—
(A) by striking
in the case of a single-employer plan and inserting
except as provided in clause (vi), in the case of a single-employer
plan; and
(B) in subclause
(III), by striking the period and inserting a comma;
(2) in clause (iv),
by striking or at the end;
(3) in clause (v), by
striking the period at the end and inserting , or; and
(4) by adding at the
end thereof the following new clause:
(vi) in the case of a
CSEC plan (as defined in section 210(f)), an amount for each individual who is
a participant in such plan during the plan year equal to the sum of the
additional premium (if any) described under subparagraph (K) and
$42.
.
(b)
Variable-Rate
premium
Paragraph (3) of section 4006(a) of such Act (29 U.S.C.
1306(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(K)
(i) The additional premium
determined under this subparagraph with respect to any plan for any plan
year—
(I) shall be an amount equal to the amount
determined under clause (ii) divided by the number of participants in such plan
as of the close of the preceding year; and
(II) in the case of plan years beginning in a
calendar year after 2013, shall not exceed the dollar amount described in
subparagraph (E)(i)(II) (without the application of subparagraph (J)).
(ii) The amount determined under this
clause for any plan shall be an amount equal to $9.00 for each $1,000 (or
fraction thereof) of unfunded vested benefits under the plan as of the close of
the preceding plan year. For this purpose, the term unfunded vested
benefits shall have the meaning given such term under clauses (iii) and
(iv) of subparagraph
(E).
.
(c)
Study of CSEC
plans
(1)
In
general
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation shall conduct a
study to determine if there is empirical evidence to support modifying the
premium structure under section 4006(a)(3) of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1306(a)(3)(A)) for CSEC plans.
(2)
Data
The
study under paragraph (1) shall include data with respect to—
(A) the portion of
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation’s total liabilities that are
attributable to CSEC plans;
(B) the ratio of such
portion to the total of the funding targets of CSEC plans; and
(C) with respect to
single-employer plans other than CSEC plans, the ratio of—
(i) the
portion of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation’s total liabilities that
are attributable to such plans, to
(ii) the total of the
funding targets of such plans.
(3)
Estimates
In
carrying out paragraph (2), the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation shall make
such reasonable estimates as are necessary or appropriate in providing the data
described in such paragraph.
(4)
Report
The
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation shall report the results of the study
conducted under paragraph (1), together with any recommendations for
legislative changes, to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
of the Senate and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of
Representatives.
(5)
Participant and
plan sponsor advocate
The report described in paragraph (4) shall
include a section prepared by the Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate of the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation that includes a statement setting forth
the position of such Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate on the process
underlying the study and the conclusions set forth in the report.
(6)
Definitions
In
this section—
(A) the term
CSEC plan has the meaning given such term in section 210 of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (as added by section 3);
and
(B) the term
funding target has the meaning given that term in section
303(d)(1) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 1083(d)(1)).
8.
Sponsor
education and assistance
(a)
Definition
In
this section, the term CSEC plan has the meaning given that term
in subsection (f)(1) of section 210 of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974 (as added by this Act).
(b)
Education
Not
later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation shall take reasonable steps to make the sponsors
of existing CSEC plans aware of—
(1) the changes to
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 made by this Act;
and
(2) the help and
assistance available through the Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate
established under section 4004 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 1304).
9.
Effective
date
Unless otherwise
specified in this Act, the provisions of this Act shall apply to years
beginning after December 31, 2013.