Multiemployer plan receives five-year funding extension

Plain-English summary

A multiemployer pension plan requested more time to amortize specified unfunded liabilities. The plan submitted an actuarial certification that it would otherwise face an accumulated funding deficiency, had adopted a funding-improvement plan, was projected to have enough assets to pay expected benefits and expenses during the extended period, and had provided the required notice. The IRS found that the plan met the criteria in IRC § 431(d)(1)(B). It approved a five-year extension for the eligible amortization charge bases and expected the plan to keep its actuarial assumptions and methods compliant and current.

Ruling snapshot

• Question: Did the multiemployer plan qualify for an automatic extension of its unfunded-liability amortization periods?
• Outcome: Approved
• Key authorities: IRC §§ 431(b) and 431(d)(1)

Full text (IRS public release)

Significant Index Number 0431.00-00

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20224

201451067

TAX EXEMPT AND
GOVERNMENT ENTITIES
DIVISION

SEP 22 2014

[illegible]

Re:
(Plan No. ) (“Plan”)
EIN:

Taxpayer =

Dear

This letter constitutes notice that approval has been granted for your request for a 5-year automatic extension for amortizing the unfunded liabilities as of

, for the above-named Plan which are described in sections 431(b)(2)(B) and 431(b)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), and sections 304(b)(2)(B) and 304(b)(4) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). This extension is effective with the plan year beginning

. This extension applies to the eligible amortization charge bases, established as of

.

The extension of the amortization periods of the unfunded liabilities of the Plan was granted in accordance with section 431(d)(1) of the Code. Section 431(d)(1)(A) of the Code requires the Secretary to extend the period of time required to amortize any unfunded liability of a plan for a period of time (not in excess of 5 years) if the Plan submits an application meeting the criteria stated in section 431(d)(1)(B). The plan has submitted the required information to meet the criteria in section 431(d)(1)(B), including a certification from the plan’s actuary that:

(i) absent the extension under subparagraph (A), the plan would have an accumulated funding deficiency in the current plan year or any of the 9 succeeding plan years,

(ii) the plan sponsor has adopted a plan to improve the plan's funding status,

2

201451067

(iii) the plan is projected to have sufficient assets to timely pay expected benefits and anticipated expenditures over the amortization period as extended, and

(iv) the notice required under paragraph (3)(A) has been provided.

In granting this ruling, it is expected that the Plan's assumptions and methods will be reviewed and updated as appropriate so that each prescribed assumption was applied in accordance with applicable law and regulations. And each other assumption is reasonable (taking into account the experience of the plan and reasonable expectations) and such other assumptions, in combination, offer the best estimate of anticipated experience under the plan.

We have sent a copy of this letter to the Manager, EP Classification in Baltimore, Maryland and to the Manager, EP Compliance Unit in Chicago, Illinois.

This ruling is directed only to the taxpayer that requested it. Section 6110(k)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code provides that it may not be used or cited by others as precedent.

If you require further assistance in this matter, please contact

(ID# ) at

.

Sincerely yours,

David M. Ziegler
Manager, EP Actuarial Group 2

cc: