News & Information

 

FEATURED PRODUCT

5500 Preparer's Manual for 2012 Plan Years
The premier resource in the field of Form 5500 preparation, 5500 Preparer's Manual will help you handle the required annual Form 5500 filings for both pension benefits and welfare benefit plans.

Learn More »

CCH® PENSION — 01/14/11

IRS semiannual regulatory agenda includes additional guidance on funding rules

The IRS has released its semiannual regulatory agenda for Fall 2010, which includes pension and benefit regulations that are currently under development or review.

Prerule stage

Among the items in the IRS's prerule rule stage are:

• Guidance relating to the determination of whether a plan is a governmental plan within the meaning of Code Sec. 414(d).
• Guidance on how to calculate the applicable premium under COBRA.

Proposed rule stage

Among the items in the IRS's proposed rule stage are:

• A proposed regulation providing guidance with respect to determining the annual benefit under a defined benefit plan for the purpose of applying the Code Sec. 415 limits in cases where there has been more than one annuity starting date.
• Guidance relating to multiemployer plans that are in either endangered or critical status.
• Additional rules regarding hybrid retirement plans.
• Additional guidance regarding the determination of plan assets and benefit liabilities for purposes of the funding requirements that apply to single-employer defined benefit plans, the use of certain funding balances maintained for those plans, and the benefit restrictions for certain underfunded defined benefit pension plans.

Final rule stage

The items in the IRS's final rule stage include the following:

• Regulations providing guidance on the application of the accrual rules for defined benefit plans in cases where plan benefits are determined on the basis of the greater of two or more separate formulas.
• Guidance on the determination of minimum required contributions for purposes of the funding requirements that apply to single-employer defined benefit pension plans.
• Regulations providing relief from the 3% mandatory nonelective contribution requirement in safe harbor 401(k) plans.
• Cafeteria plan rules.
• Regulations governing the performance of actuarial services under ERISA.

Source: The IRS Agenda for Fall 2010 is available at www.RegInfo.gov.

For more information on this and related topics, consult the CCH Pension Plan Guide, CCH Employee Benefits Management, and Spencer's Benefits Reports.

Visit our News Library to read more news stories.