§ 4233.7 - Actuarial and financial information.

§ 4233.7 Actuarial and financial information.

(a) Required information. An application for partition must include the following plan actuarial and financial information:

(1) A copy of the plan's most recent actuarial report and copies of the actuarial reports for the two preceding plan years.

(2) A copy of the plan actuary's most recent certification of critical and declining status, including a detailed description of the assumptions used in the certification, the basis for the projection of future contributions, withdrawal liability payments, investment return assumptions, and any other assumption that may have a material effect on projections.

(3) A detailed statement of the basis for the conclusion that the plan will not remain solvent without a partition and, if applicable, suspension of benefits, including supporting data, calculations, assumptions, and a description of the methodology. Include as an exhibit annual cash flow projections for the plan without partition (or suspension, if applicable) through the projected date of insolvency. Annual cash flow projections must reflect the following information:

(i) Market value of assets as of the beginning of the year.

(ii) Contributions and withdrawal liability payments.

(iii) Benefit payments organized by participant status (e.g., active, retiree, terminated vested, beneficiary).

(iv) Administrative expenses.

(v) Market value of assets at year end.

(4) A long-term projection reflecting reduced benefit disbursements at the PBGC-guarantee level after insolvency, and a statement of the present value of all future financial assistance without a partition (using the interest and mortality assumptions applicable to the valuation of plans terminated by mass withdrawal as specified in § 4281.13 of this chapter and other reasonable actuarial assumptions, including retirement age, form of benefit payment, and administrative expenses, certified by an enrolled actuary).

(5) A detailed statement of the basis for the conclusion that the original plan will remain solvent if the application for partition, and, if applicable, the application for suspension of benefits, is granted, including supporting data, calculations, assumptions, and a description of the methodology, which must be consistent with section 305(e)(9)(D)(iv) and the regulations thereunder (including any adjustment to the cash flows in the initial year to incorporate recent actual fund activity required to be included under that section). Annual cash flow projections for the original plan with partition (and suspension, if applicable) must be included as an exhibit and must reflect the following information:

(i) Market value of assets as of the beginning of the year.

(ii) Contributions and withdrawal liability payments.

(iii) Benefit payments organized by participant status (e.g., active, retiree, terminated vested, beneficiary).

(iv) Administrative expenses.

(v) Market value of assets at year end.

(6) If applicable, a copy of the plan actuary's certification under section 305(e)(9)(C)(i) of ERISA.

(7) The plan's projected insolvency date with benefit suspension alone (if applicable), including supporting data.

(8) A long-term projection reflecting benefit disbursements from the successor plan (organized by participant status (e.g., active, retiree, terminated vested, beneficiary)), and a statement of the present value of all future financial assistance to be paid as a result of a partition (using the interest and mortality assumptions applicable to the valuation of plans terminated by mass withdrawal as specified in § 4281.13 of this chapter and other reasonable actuarial assumptions, including retirement age, form of benefit payment, and administrative expenses, certified by an enrolled actuary).

(9) A long-term projection of pre-partition benefit disbursements from the original plan reflecting reduced benefit disbursements at the PBGC-guarantee level beginning on the proposed effective date of the partition (using a closed group valuation and no accruals after the proposed effective date of partition, and organized separately by participant status groupings (e.g., active, retiree, terminated vested, beneficiary)).

(10) A long-erm projection of pre-partition benefit disbursements from the original plan reflecting the maximum benefit suspensions permissible under section 305(e)(9) of ERISA beginning on the proposed effective date of the partition (using an open group valuation and organized separately by participant status groupings (e.g., active, retiree, terminated vested, beneficiary)).

(b) Additional projections. PBGC may ask the plan for additional projections based on assumptions that it specifies.

(c) Actuarial calculations and assumptions -

(1) General. All calculations required by this part must be performed by an enrolled actuary.

(2) Assumptions. All calculations required by this part must be consistent with calculations used for purposes of an application for suspension of benefits under section 305(e)(9) of ERISA, and based on methods and assumptions each of which is reasonable (taking into account the experience of the plan and reasonable expectations), and which, in combination, offer the actuary's best estimate of anticipated experience under the plan. Any change(s) in assumptions from the most recent actuarial valuation, and critical and declining status certification, must be disclosed and must be accompanied by a statement explaining the reason(s) for any change(s) in assumptions.

(3) Updates. PBGC may, in its discretion, require updated calculations and representations based on the actual effective date of a partition, revised actuarial assumptions, or for other good cause.

[80 FR 35229, June 19, 2015, as amended at 80 FR 79694, Dec. 23, 2015]