[Federal Register: February 15, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 32)]
[Notices]               
[Page 7208]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15fe02-127]                         

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PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY CORPORATION

 
Required Interest Rate Assumption for Determining Variable-Rate 
Premium; Interest Assumptions for Multiemployer Plan Valuations 
Following Mass Withdrawal

AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

ACTION: Notice of interest rates and assumptions.

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SUMMARY: This notice informs the public of the interest rates and 
assumptions to be used under certain Pension Benefit Guaranty 
Corporation regulations. These rates and assumptions are published 
elsewhere (or can be derived from rates published elsewhere), but are 
collected and published in this notice for the convenience of the 
public. Interest rates are also published on the PBGC's Web site 
(http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.pbgc.gov).

DATES: The required interest rate for determining the variable-rate 
premium under part 4006 applies to premium payment years beginning in 
February 2002. The interest assumptions for performing multiemployer 
plan valuations following mass withdrawal under part 4281 apply to 
valuation dates occurring in March 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harold J. Ashner, Assistant General 
Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, Pension Benefit Guaranty 
Corporation, 1200 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005, 202-326-4024. 
(TTY/TDD users may call the Federal relay service toll-free at 1-800-
877-8339 and ask to be connected to 202-326-4024.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Variable-Rate Premiums

    Section 4006(a)(3)(E)(iii)(II) of the Employee Retirement Income 
Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and Sec. 4006.4(b)(1) of the PBGC's 
regulation on Premium Rates (29 CFR part 4006) prescribe use of an 
assumed interest rate (the ``required interest rate'') in determining a 
single-employer plan's variable-rate premium. The required interest 
rate is the ``applicable percentage'' (currently 85 percent) of the 
annual yield on 30-year Treasury securities for the month preceding the 
beginning of the plan year for which premiums are being paid (the 
``premium payment year''). The yield figure is reported in Federal 
Reserve Statistical Release H.15.
    The required interest rate to be used in determining variable-rate 
premiums for premium payment years beginning in February 2002 is 4.63 
percent (i.e., 85 percent of the 5.45 percent yield figure for January 
2002).
    The following table lists the required interest rates to be used in 
determining variable-rate premiums for premium payment years beginning 
between March 2001 and February 2002.

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                                                                 The
                                                               required
          For premium payment years beginning in:              interest
                                                               rate is:
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March 2001.................................................         4.63
April 2001.................................................         4.54
May 2001...................................................         4.80
June 2001..................................................         4.91
July 2001..................................................         4.82
August 2001................................................         4.77
September 2001.............................................         4.66
October 2001...............................................         4.66
November 2001..............................................         4.52
December 2001..............................................         4.35
January 2002...............................................         4.66
February 2002..............................................         4.63
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Multiemployer Plan Valuations Following Mass Withdrawal

    The PBGC's regulation on Duties of Plan Sponsor Following Mass 
Withdrawal (29 CFR part 4281) prescribes the use of interest 
assumptions under the PBGC's regulation on Allocation of Assets in 
Single-Employer Plans (29 CFR part 4044). The interest assumptions 
applicable to valuation dates in March 2002 under part 4044 are 
contained in an amendment to part 4044 published elsewhere in today's 
Federal Register. Tables showing the assumptions applicable to prior 
periods are codified in appendix B to 29 CFR part 4044.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on this 8th day of February 2002.
Steven A. Kandarian,
Executive Director, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
[FR Doc. 02-3780 Filed 2-14-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7708-01-P