Login.gov is a secure sign-in service used by the public to sign in to participating government agencies. Login.gov uses the highest standards of security to keep your information safe by using two-factor authentication, similar to what you are probably used to when logging on to a website to check your banking or credit card information.
Once you set up a Login.gov account, you will be able to use your Login.gov credentials (i.e., email address and password) to access any agency that partners with Login.gov. This streamlines your process and eliminates the need to remember multiple usernames and passwords.
Yes. On February 1, 2024, PBGC launched a new and improved version of its e-Filing Portal. The new e-Filing Portal is accessible only via Login.gov. That means, you will need to set up a Login.gov account (if you don’t already have one) and use those credentials to log in to the e-Filing Portal instead of the UserID and password you used to access the e-Filing Portal before February 1.
Executive Order 14028 requires federal agencies to adopt multifactor authentication for public facing websites. Login.gov's two-factor authentication and password requirements for secure validation and verification satisfy this requirement and provide a simple and secure way for you to access the e-Filing Portal. By using Login.gov, you’ll get an extra layer of security to help protect your plan information.
PBGC began the transition last year by making these changes to My PAA (PBGC’s premium filing and payment system). We have now completed the transition by making the same change to our e-Filing Portal system.
Now that PBGC has transitioned to Login.gov for e-Filing Portal purposes, your current e-Filing login credentials (username and password) no longer serve any purpose. All you need to remember are your Login.gov credentials.
It’s up to you, but we recommend you use that email address as doing so will provide the smoothest transition. That is because PBGC needs to sync your new Login.gov credentials with the email address previously associated with your e-Filing Portal account to enable you to access previously submitted filings, applications, draft filings, etc. Syncing is also needed to enable you to prepopulate a new filing with data from a previously submitted filing.
If you set up your Login.gov account using the same email that was previously associated with your e-Filing Portal account, the syncing will happen automatically. That means, the first time you log in to the new e Filing Portal, you will automatically be directed to your “dashboard” where you will see (and have access to) all of your previously submitted filings, draft filing, documents, etc. (See PBGC’s e-Filing Portal User Guide for information about the “dashboard”).
If you use a different email address for your Login.gov account, the first time you login to the new e-Filing Portal, the system will not recognize you which means you will not have automatic access to your old filings. See next question for information about what to do if you are in this situation.
If you don’t remember the email address that was associated with your old e-Filing Portal account, email us at efiling.portal@pbgc.gov, and we will refresh your memory (after we authenticate that you are really you).
If you previously had a PBGC e-Filing Portal account, but your Login.gov email address is not the same as the one that was associated with your e-Filing Portal, when you first log into the new e-Filing Portal:
- You will be prompted to enter some information about yourself to populate your e-Filing Portal profile page (e.g., company, title, work address, phone number), and
- You will not have access to the documents and filings that were in your account before the transition (i.e., your “dashboard” will be empty). (See PBGC’s e-Filing Portal User Guide for information about the “dashboard”).
If you are in this situation, contact us by email at efiling.portal@pbgc.gov. As noted in our previous communications, it will be a somewhat cumbersome process to sync your old e-filing Portal account with your new Login.gov credentials, so the sooner you contact us, the better, especially if you’re planning on prepopulating a new filing that’s due in the near future using data from a previously submitted filing.
Alternatively, you can work around this issue yourself by setting up a second Login.gov account using the email address that was associated with your e-Filing Portal account on February 1 and logging into the new e-Filing Portal using that Login.gov account. If you don’t remember the email address that was associated with your old e-Filing Portal account, contact efiling.portal@pbgc.gov, and we will refresh your memory (after we authenticate that you are really you). With this approach:
- When you log into the e-Filing Portal via your new Login.gov account, the system will recognize you and all of your old filings will appear on your dashboard, and
- If you do not want to maintain two Login.gov accounts going forward, after logging in, you can reassign any/all old filings to your preferred Login.gov account.
Then you are one step ahead in the game! That’s the beauty of Login.gov. You can use your Login.gov credentials (i.e., email address and password) to access the e-Filing Portal.
However, if you previously had a PBGC e-Filing Portal account and your Login.gov email address is not the same as the one that was associated with your e-Filing Portal account before the transition, and you did not follow our previous instruction to change it to the email address you used for Login.gov before February 1, you will need to take some extra steps to gain access to your prior filings. See prior question for information about what to do if you are in this situation.
Although Login.gov is operated by GSA, once you have created your Login.gov account, PBGC might be able to answer basic questions. If you can't find what you need on the Login.gov website, email efiling.portal@pbgc.gov or contact us via any of the other methods listed on PBGC's Contact Us webpage.
If you need assistance accessing your Login.gov account, experience problems while creating a Login.gov account, or would like to learn more about Login.gov, please feel free to browse the help topics prepared by the Login.gov team. You can also submit a question to the Federal Login.gov team by submitting a Contact Us Form.
It is not required, but PBGC strongly recommends setting up two methods, just in case you ever need a backup. For example, if, when you set up your Login.gov account, you choose to have a one-time code sent to your mobile phone each time you log in to Login.gov and then lose your mobile phone (or get a new phone number without first updating your Login.gov account), you won’t be able to access your Login.gov account, which means you won’t be able to access your My PAA account.
If you set up a backup authentication method (e.g., an alternative cell phone #), you can avoid this sort of problem. For more details on the available authentication methods, please visit the Login.gov website.
Although there is no way for PBGC (or any other government agency) to stop someone from sharing their Login.gov account with another person, doing so is highly discouraged. In addition, it would be extremely challenging for someone else to use your Login.gov credentials because of the second-factor authentication process (e.g., being required to enter a code that’s sent via text to your mobile phone).
No. You will not need to submit any PII to log in and access your e-Filing Portal account.