Extension without change of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
08/19/2026
table that charts list comparision
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
09/30/2026
49,816,936
58,201,069
96,489
166,067
5,458,724
5,758,314
In 2012, Congress enacted the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). The law provides funding interest rate stabilization for single employer defined benefit (DB) plans, effective for plan years beginning on and after January 1, 2012. MAP-21 set a floor (or ceiling) for the interest rates that single employer defined benefit plan administrators generally are required to use to calculate contributions. Under the rules, the generally required interest rates are limited to rates that are within a specified range, or corridor, above or below a 25-year average for the rates.
The Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 (MPRA), Public Law 113-235 (2014), added new disclosure requirements to section 101(f)(2)(B) of ERISA relating to the new multiemployer funding classification of âcritical and declining status.â A plan is in critical and declining status if it is in critical status and is projected to become insolvent with 15 years (or within 20 years if a special rule applies). MPRA requires the annual funding notice of critical and declining status plans to include the projected date of insolvency; a clear statement that such insolvency may result in benefit reductions; and a statement describing whether the plan sponsor has taken legally permitted actions to prevent insolvency. These requirements were added to the final regulation and the multiemployer plan model notice to reflect the MPRA amendments to ERISA section 101(f) and are included in the hour burden to complete that notice.
MPRA requires the annual funding notice of critical and declining status plans to include the projected date of insolvency; a clear statement that such insolvency may result in benefit reductions; and a statement describing whether the plan sponsor has taken legally permitted actions to prevent insolvency. These requirements were added to the final regulation and the multiemployer plan model notice to reflect the MPRA amendments to ERISA section 101(f).
On February 2, 2015, the Department published final rules implementing ERISA section 101(f). As required by statute, the final rule requires the plan administrator of a defined benefit pension plan that is subject to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's Insurance Program to furnish a funding notice annually to participants, beneficiaries, labor organizations representing such participants or beneficiaries, employers obligated to make contributions to a multiemployer plan, and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). Large plans must furnish the notice by the 120th day following the end of the plan year to which the notice relates. A small plan may furnish a funding notice on or before the due date, with extensions, of the plan's Form 5500 Annual Return/Report filed with the Department.
US Code:
29 USC 1021(f)
Name of Law: Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
The number of single-employer and multiemployer defined benefit plans, the number of participants and beneficiaries receiving benefits, wage rates, mailing costs, and the electronic disclosure rate have been updated in accordance with the most current available data. As a result, the number of responses has decreased by 8,384,133, the hour burden has decreased by 69,578 hours, and the cost burden has decreased by $299,590.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
FAB 2025-02 04-03-2025.docx
Annual Funding Notice for Defined Benefit Pension Plans