[Federal Register: March 16, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 49)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 11035-11037]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16mr09-12]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY CORPORATION
29 CFR Parts 4022 and 4044
Allocation of Assets in Single-Employer Plans; Benefits Payable
in Terminated Single-Employer Plans; Interest Assumptions for Valuing
and Paying Benefits
AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's regulations on
Allocation of Assets in Single-Employer Plans and Benefits Payable in
Terminated Single-Employer Plans prescribe interest assumptions for
valuing and paying certain benefits under terminating single-employer
plans. This final rule amends the asset allocation regulation to adopt
interest assumptions for plans with valuation dates in the second
quarter of 2009 and amends the benefit payments regulation to adopt
interest assumptions for plans with valuation dates in April 2009.
Interest assumptions are also published on PBGC's Web site (http://
www.pbgc.gov).
DATES: Effective April 1, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine B. Klion, Manager,
Regulatory and Policy Division, Legislative and Regulatory Department,
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: PBGC's regulations prescribe actuarial
assumptions--including interest assumptions--for valuing and paying
plan benefits of terminating single-employer plans covered by title IV
of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The interest
assumptions are intended to reflect current conditions in the financial
and annuity markets.
These interest assumptions are found in two PBGC regulations: the
regulation on Allocation of Assets in Single-Employer Plans (29 CFR
Part 4044) and the regulation on Benefits Payable in Terminated Single-
Employer Plans (29 CFR Part 4022). Assumptions under the asset
allocation regulation are updated quarterly; assumptions under the
benefit payments regulation are updated monthly. This final rule
updates the assumptions under the asset allocation regulation for the
second quarter (April through June) of 2009 and updates the
[[Page 11036]]
assumptions under the benefit payments regulation for April 2009.
The interest assumptions prescribed under the asset allocation
regulation (found in Appendix B to Part 4044) are used for the
valuation of benefits for allocation purposes under ERISA section 4044.
Two sets of interest assumptions are prescribed under the benefit
payments regulation: (1) A set for PBGC to use to determine whether a
benefit is payable as a lump sum and to determine lump-sum amounts to
be paid by PBGC (found in Appendix B to Part 4022), and (2) a set for
private-sector pension practitioners to refer to if they wish to use
lump-sum interest rates determined using PBGC's historical methodology
(found in Appendix C to Part 4022).
This amendment (1) Adds to Appendix B to Part 4044 the interest
assumptions for valuing benefits for allocation purposes in plans with
valuation dates during the second quarter (April through June) of 2009,
(2) adds to Appendix B to Part 4022 the interest assumptions for PBGC
to use for its own lump-sum payments in plans with valuation dates
during April 2009, and (3) adds to Appendix C to Part 4022 the interest
assumptions for private-sector pension practitioners to refer to if
they wish to use lump-sum interest rates determined using PBGC's
historical methodology for valuation dates during April 2009.
The interest assumptions that PBGC will use for valuing benefits
for allocation purposes (set forth in Appendix B to part 4044) will be
5.50 percent for the first 20 years following the valuation date and
5.02 percent thereafter. These interest assumptions represent a
decrease (from those in effect for the first quarter of 2009) of 0.52
percent for the first 20 years following the valuation date and 0.46
percent for all years thereafter.
The interest assumptions that PBGC will use for its own lump-sum
payments (set forth in Appendix B to part 4022) will be 3.25 percent
for the period during which a benefit is in pay status and 4.00 percent
during any years preceding the benefit's placement in pay status. These
interest assumptions represent a decrease (from those in effect for
March 2009) of 0.25 percent in the immediate annuity rate and are
otherwise unchanged. For private-sector payments, the interest
assumptions (set forth in Appendix C to part 4022) will be the same as
those used by PBGC for determining and paying lump sums (set forth in
Appendix B to part 4022).
PBGC has determined that notice and public comment on this
amendment are impracticable and contrary to the public interest. This
finding is based on the need to determine and issue new interest
assumptions promptly so that the assumptions can reflect current market
conditions as accurately as possible.
Because of the need to provide immediate guidance for the valuation
and payment of benefits in plans with valuation dates during April
2009, PBGC finds that good cause exists for making the assumptions set
forth in this amendment effective less than 30 days after publication.
PBGC has determined that this action is not a ``significant
regulatory action'' under the criteria set forth in Executive Order
12866.
Because no general notice of proposed rulemaking is required for
this amendment, the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 does not apply.
See 5 U.S.C. 601(2).
List of Subjects
29 CFR Part 4022
Employee benefit plans, Pension insurance, Pensions, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
29 CFR Part 4044
Employee benefit plans, Pension insurance, Pensions.
0
In consideration of the foregoing, 29 CFR parts 4022 and 4044 are
amended as follows:
PART 4022--BENEFITS PAYABLE IN TERMINATED SINGLE-EMPLOYER PLANS
0
1. The authority citation for part 4022 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 29 U.S.C. 1302, 1322, 1322b, 1341(c)(3)(D), and 1344.
0
2. In appendix B to part 4022, Rate Set 186, as set forth below, is
added to the table.
Appendix B to Part 4022--Lump Sum Interest Rates for PBGC Payments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For plans with a valuation date Immediate Deferred annuities (percent)
Rate set ---------------------------------- annuity rate ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On or after Before (percent) i1 i2 i3 n1 n2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * *
186 4-1-09 5-1-09 3.25 4.00 4.00 4.00 7 8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0
3. In appendix C to part 4022, Rate Set 186, as set forth below, is
added to the table.
Appendix C to Part 4022--Lump Sum Interest Rates for Private-Sector
Payments
* * * * *
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For plans with a valuation date Immediate Deferred annuities (percent)
Rate set ---------------------------------- annuity rate ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On or after Before (percent) i1 i2 i3 n1 n2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * *
186 4-1-09 5-1-09 3.25 4.00 4.00 4.00 7 8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 11037]]
PART 4044--ALLOCATION OF ASSETS IN SINGLE-EMPLOYER PLANS
0
4. The authority citation for part 4044 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 29 U.S.C. 1301(a), 1302(b)(3), 1341, 1344, 1362.
0
5. In appendix B to part 4044, a new entry for April-June 2009, as set
forth below, is added to the table.
Appendix B to Part 4044--Interest Rates Used to Value Benefits
* * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The values of it are:
For valuation dates occurring in -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
the months-- it for t = it for t = it for t =
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * *
April-June 2009................. 0.0550 1-20 0.0502 >20 N/A N/A
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Issued in Washington, DC, on this 11th day of March 2009.
Vincent K. Snowbarger,
Acting Director, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
[FR Doc. E9-5656 Filed 3-13-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7709-01-P