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Guidance documents database
The documents listed below are PBGC’s guidance documents. The contents of these documents do not have the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract, and are not meant to bind the public in any way. These documents are intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
If you would like to comment on an existing guidance document, please submit your comment, including your contact information, to the General Counsel at GuidanceComments@pbgc.gov or at Regulatory Affairs Division, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, Office of the General Counsel, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024-2101.
| Title | Issuance Date | Agency Identifier (indexed field) | Topics | Summary | Posted Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opinion Letter 75-010 | 4-8-1975 | PBGC Op Let 75-10 | Individual account plan, Coverage | Individual account plan exemption from coverage. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 84-009 | 12-27-1984 | PBGC Op Let 84-09 | Multiemployer, Withdrawal Liability | Provides guidance on the meaning of "employer" with respect to withdrawals from multiemployer pension plans; focuses on the garment industry and in particular, the work done by the contractor and the jobber/manufacturer. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 82-017 | 5-26-1982 | PBGC Op Let 82-17 | Sale of stock, Withdrawal, Multiemployer | Discusses whether the sale of stock constitutes a withdrawal from a multiemployer plan and whether the sale of assets rule applies. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 79-006 | 4-10-1979 | PBGC Op Let 79-6 | Governmental plan, Coverage | Plan of an entity chartered by the US Congress does not meet the Governmental plan coverage exemption. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 76-043 | 3-25-1976 | PBGC Op Let 76-43 | Excess assets | Absence of provision in plan allowing reversion of excess plan assets to the employer means that the requirements for reversion of excess assets to employer not met. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 75-053 | 12-4-1975 | PBGC Op Let 75-53 | Nonresident aliens, Coverage | Plan is governed by laws of Virgin Islands. Plan is not a qualified plan and is exempt from coverage under Title IV. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 86-024 | 10-31-1986 | PBGC Op Let 86-24 | Multiemployer, Withdrawal Liability, Unfunded vested benefits | Addresses (1) whether vested ancillary benefits may be included in the calculation of unfunded vested benefits; (2) the meaning of "nonforfeitable benefit"; (3) what actuarial assumptions may be used to calculate unfunded vested benefits. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 82-015 | 4-30-1982 | PBGC Op Let 82-15 | Transfer of assets and liabilities, Multiemployer | Addresses the rules governing the transfer of assets from multiemployer plan to single-employer plan; addresses the withdrawal liability consequences of transferring assets to a single employer plan. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 81-015 | 5-28-1981 | PBGC Op Let 81-15 | Termination | PBGC accepted the withdrawal of a plan’s notice of intent to terminate because employers would continue to make contributions pursuant to their collective bargaining agreements and the plan participants would continue to receive credit under the plan for service with contributing employers. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 74-003 | 11-14-1974 | PBGC Op Let 74-3 | Individual account plan, Coverage | Title IV excludes a defined benefit plan to the extent it is treated as an Individual account plan under 1002(35)(B). |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 74-023 | 12-18-1974 | PBGC Op Let 74-23 | Coverage | A plan maintained by a union and funded only by contributions from union members is not covered under Title IV |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 76-061 | 4-30-1976 | PBGC Op Let 76-61 | Professional service employer plan, Coverage | A physician-owned company is a professional service employer plan. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 81-040 | 12-9-1981 | PBGC Op Let 81-40 | Governmental plan, Coverage | Plan does not meet the Governmental plan coverage exemption. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 81-024 | 8-21-1981 | PBGC Op Let 81-24 | Residual assets | Addresses the distribution of residual assets to an employer. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 75-013 | 1-6-1975 | PBGC Op Let 75-13 | Individual account plan, Coverage | Individual account plan is exempt from coverage |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 77-160 | 8-30-1977 | PBGC Op Let 77-160 | Allocation of assets | Following plan terms, the plan may be charged for reasonable termination-related expenses for which the plan is responsible. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 85-027 | 12-2-1985 | PBGC Op Let 85-27 | Pre-MPPAA withdrawals, Multiemployer, Withdrawal Liability | Discusses how pre-MPPAA withdrawals affect the calculation of the annual withdrawal liability payment. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 88-008 | 5-2-1988 | PBGC Op Let 88-08 | Withdrawal, Construction industry, Multiemployer, Withdrawal Liability | Addresses determining the date of a construction industry employer's withdrawal from a multiemployer plan in the context of a labor dispute. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 76-117 | 11-3-1976 | PBGC Op Let 76-117 | Termination | No plan termination occurred when subsidiaries ended plan participation. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 75-015 | 1-24-1975 | PBGC Op Let 75-15 | defined contribution plans, Coverage | Defined contribution plans are not covered plans under Title IV. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 74-026 | 11-14-1974 | PBGC Op Let 74-26 | Professional service employer plan, Coverage | Company owners are physicians and company provides medical services. Plan is exempt as a Professional Servicer Employer plan. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 88-009 | 12-6-1988 | PBGC Op Let 88-9 | Professional service employer plan, Coverage | Original plan is a Title IV covered plan. Successor plan is also a Title IV covered plan. Successor plan does not qualify as an exempt plan under the Professional Service plan exemption even though successor plan has fewer than 25 employees. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 90-006 | 10-31-1990 | PBGC Op Let 90-6 | Professional service employer plan, Coverage | Plan meets the Substantial Owner plan coverage exemption. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 75-044 | 12-8-1975 | PBGC Op Let 75-44 | “Established and maintained”, Governmental plan, Coverage | A plan maintained by a public agency or political subdivision which has been taken over from a private business is excluded from coverage. |
2-28-2020 |
| Opinion Letter 85-022 | 9-11-1985 | PBGC Op Let 85-22 | Reciprocity agreement, Multiemployer | Addresses whether a reciprocity agreement operates to impose on certain employers and defined contribution pension plans the minimum contribution requirements or the withdrawal liability provisions of the law. |
2-28-2020 |