The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) protects the retirement benefits of over 33 million workers and retirees. PBGC receives no taxpayer dollars. Its operations are financed by insurance premiums, investment income, and, for the single-employer program, assets and recoveries from failed single-employer plans. For more information on PBGC and the people we help, please visit our Who We Are page.
Where the money comes from
PBGC revenue does not come from the use of general fund tax dollars. The revenue comes from insurance premiums, investment income, and for PBGC’s Single-Employer Program, assets and recoveries from failed single-employer plans. Net premium income totaled about $5.8 billion for fiscal year 2018.
Two Pension Insurance Programs
- The single-employer program protects about 26.2 million workers and retirees in about 23,400 pension plans.
- The multiemployer program protects about 10.6 million workers and retirees in about 1,400 pension plans.
- If a single-employer plan fails and PBGC becomes responsible for it, the agency directly pays benefits due to retirees (and future retirees) up to legal limits.
- PBGC does not directly pay the benefits of people in failed multiemployer plans. Instead, the agency provides financial assistance to the plans themselves, which continue to pay retirees.
What Happens When PBGC Takes Over Your Single-Employer Plan
PBGC reviews your plan's records to determine what benefits you will receive. To ensure PBGC has the correct information, we will ask you to complete an information form.
- If you are already receiving a pension, PBGC will continue paying you without interruption during our review
- These payments will be an estimate of the benefits that PBGC can pay under the insurance program
- It may be less than you were receiving from your plan, but it will be paid in the annuity form you chose at retirement
- If you have not yet retired: Four months before you want your benefits to begin, request an estimate from PBGC. (Strongly recommended)
- Three months before you want your benefits to begin, start your application by using our online service. Or, call our Customer Contact Center toll-free at 1-800-400-7242. TTY/ASCII users may call 711.
- PBGC pays most benefits by electronic direct deposit, but you may still receive your benefit by paper check if you prefer.