29 U.S.C. § 1056
Form and payment of benefits
No pension plan may provide that any part of a participant’s accrued benefit derived from employer contributions (whether or not otherwise nonforfeitable) is forfeitable solely because of withdrawal by such participant of any amount attributable to the benefit derived from contributions made by such participant. The preceding sentence shall not apply (1) to the accrued benefit of any participant unless, at the time of such withdrawal, such participant has a nonforfeitable right to at least 50 percent of such accrued benefit, or (2) to the extent that an accrued benefit is permitted to be forfeited in accordance with section 1053(a)(3)(D)(iii) of this title.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, the fiduciary of a pension plan that is subject to the additional funding requirements of section 1083(j)(4) of this title shall not permit a prohibited payment to be made from a plan during a period in which such plan has a liquidity shortfall (as defined in section 1083(j)(4)(E)(i) of this title).
For purposes of this subsection, a plan has a liquidity shortfall during the period that there is an underpayment of an installment under section 1083(j)(3) of this title by reason of section 1083(j)(4)(A) of this title.
Compliance with this subsection shall not constitute a violation of any other provision of this chapter.
In the case of a plan covered by section 1350 of this title, upon termination of the plan, benefits of missing participants shall be treated in accordance with section 1350 of this title.
Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to any amendment which provides for an increase in benefits under a formula which is not based on a participant’s compensation, but only if the rate of such increase is not in excess of the contemporaneous rate of increase in average wages of participants covered by the amendment.
A defined benefit plan which is a single-employer plan shall provide that, in any case in which the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage for a plan year is less than 60 percent, the plan may not pay any prohibited payment after the valuation date for the plan year.
A defined benefit plan which is a single-employer plan shall provide that, during any period in which the plan sponsor is a debtor in a case under title 11 or similar Federal or State law, the plan may not pay any prohibited payment. The preceding sentence shall not apply on or after the date on which the enrolled actuary of the plan certifies that the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of such plan (determined by not taking into account any adjustment of segment rates under section 1083(h)(2)(C)(iv) of this title) is not less than 100 percent.
The plan shall also provide that only 1 prohibited payment meeting the requirements of clause (i) may be made with respect to any participant during any period of consecutive plan years to which the limitations under either subparagraph (A) or (B) or this subparagraph applies.
For purposes of this clause, a participant and any beneficiary on his behalf (including an alternate payee, as defined in subsection (d)(3)(K)) shall be treated as 1 participant. If the accrued benefit of a participant is allocated to such an alternate payee and 1 or more other persons, the amount under clause (i) shall be allocated among such persons in the same manner as the accrued benefit is allocated unless the qualified domestic relations order (as defined in subsection (d)(3)(B)(i)) provides otherwise.
This paragraph shall not apply to any plan for any plan year if the terms of such plan (as in effect for the period beginning on
A defined benefit plan which is a single-employer plan shall provide that, in any case in which the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage for a plan year is less than 60 percent, benefit accruals under the plan shall cease as of the valuation date for the plan year.
Subparagraph (A) shall cease to apply with respect to any plan year, effective as of the first day of the plan year, upon payment by the plan sponsor of a contribution (in addition to any minimum required contribution under section 1083 of this title) equal to the amount sufficient to result in an adjusted funding target attainment percentage of 60 percent.
For purposes of this subsection, the adjusted funding target attainment percentage shall be determined by treating as an asset of the plan any security provided by a plan sponsor in a form meeting the requirements of clause (ii).
The security shall be released (and any amounts thereunder shall be refunded together with any interest accrued thereon) at such time as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe in regulations, including regulations for partial releases of the security by reason of increases in the adjusted funding target attainment percentage.
No prefunding balance or funding standard carryover balance under section 1083(f) of this title may be used under paragraph (1), (2), or (4) to satisfy any payment an employer may make under any such paragraph to avoid or terminate the application of any limitation under such paragraph.
Subject to clause (iii), in any case in which a benefit limitation under paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4) would (but for this subparagraph and determined without regard to paragraph (1)(B), (2)(B), or (4)(B)) apply to such plan for the plan year, the plan sponsor of such plan shall be treated for purposes of this chapter as having made an election under section 1083(f) of this title to reduce the prefunding balance or funding standard carryover balance by such amount as is necessary for such benefit limitation to not apply to the plan for such plan year.
Clause (i) shall not apply with respect to a benefit limitation for any plan year if the application of clause (i) would not result in the benefit limitation not applying for such plan year.
With respect to any benefit limitation under paragraph (1), (2), or (4), clause (i) shall only apply in the case of a plan maintained pursuant to 1 or more collective bargaining agreements between employee representatives and 1 or more employers.
Paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) shall not apply to a plan for the first 5 plan years of the plan. For purposes of this paragraph, the reference in this paragraph to a plan shall include a reference to any predecessor plan.
In any case in which a benefit limitation under paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4) has been applied to a plan with respect to the plan year preceding the current plan year, the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for the current plan year shall be presumed to be equal to the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for the preceding plan year until the enrolled actuary of the plan certifies the actual adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for the current plan year.
In any case in which no certification of the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the current plan year is made with respect to the plan before the first day of the 10th month of such year, for purposes of paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4), such first day shall be deemed, for purposes of such paragraph, to be the valuation date of the plan for the current plan year and the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage shall be conclusively presumed to be less than 60 percent as of such first day.
Unless the plan provides otherwise, payments and accruals will resume effective as of the day following the close of the period for which any limitation of payment or accrual of benefits under paragraph (3) or (4) applies.
Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as affecting the plan’s treatment of benefits which would have been paid or accrued but for this subsection.
The term “funding target attainment percentage” has the same meaning given such term by section 1083(d)(2) of this title.
The term “adjusted funding target attainment percentage” means the funding target attainment percentage which is determined under subparagraph (A) by increasing each of the amounts under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 1083(d)(2) of this title by the aggregate amount of purchases of annuities for employees other than highly compensated employees (as defined in section 414(q) of title 26) which were made by the plan during the preceding 2 plan years.
In the case of a plan for any plan year, if the funding target attainment percentage is 100 percent or more (determined without regard to the reduction in the value of assets under section 1083(f)(4) of this title), the funding target attainment percentage for purposes of subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall be determined without regard to such reduction.
In the case of a plan which has designated a valuation date other than the first day of the plan year, the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe rules for the application of this subsection which are necessary to reflect the alternate valuation date.
This subsection shall not apply to a CSEC plan (as defined in section 1060(f) of this title).
Nothing in this subsection shall relieve an employer of any obligation imposed on it to make contributions to a plan to meet the minimum funding standards under part 3 of this subtitle B or to prevent or restore an impermissible forfeiture in accordance with section 1053 of this title.
Subparagraphs (A) through (F) of paragraph (4) shall not apply to protect a participant or beneficiary who is culpable. For purposes of this paragraph, a participant or beneficiary is culpable if the individual bears responsibility for the overpayment (such as through misrepresentations or omissions that led to the overpayment), or if the individual knew that the benefit payment or payments were materially in excess of the correct amount. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, an individual is not culpable merely because the individual believed the benefit payment or payments were or might be in excess of the correct amount, if the individual raised that question with an authorized plan representative and was told the payment or payments were not in excess of the correct amount.
The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620. Title II of the Social Security Act is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 401 et seq.) of chapter 7 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of Title 42 and Tables.
The Railroad Retirement Act of 1937, referred to in subsec. (b), is act Aug. 29, 1935, ch. 812, 49 Stat. 967, as amended generally by act June 24, 1937, ch. 382, part I, 50 Stat. 307, and which was classified principally to subchapter III (§ 228a et seq.) of chapter 9 of Title 45, Railroads. The Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 was amended generally and redesignated the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 by Pub. L. 93–445, title I,
This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (e)(4) and (g)(5)(C)(i), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 93–406, known as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Titles I, III, and IV of such Act are classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1001 of this title and Tables.
2022—Subsec. (d)(3)(B). Pub. L. 117–328, § 339(b)(2), inserted concluding provisions.
Subsec. (d)(3)(B)(ii)(II). Pub. L. 117–328, § 339(b)(1), inserted “or Tribal” after “State”.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 117–328, § 301(a), added subsec. (h).
2014—Subsec. (g)(3)(B). Pub. L. 113–159 substituted “of such plan (determined by not taking into account any adjustment of segment rates under section 1083(h)(2)(C)(iv) of this title)” for “of such plan”.
Subsec. (g)(9)(C). Pub. L. 113–295, § 221(a)(57)(E)(ii), struck out cl. (i) designation and heading and struck out cls. (ii) and (iii) which related to transition rule for plan years 2008 to 2010 and limitation on transition rule, respectively.
Subsec. (g)(9)(D). Pub. L. 113–295, § 221(a)(57)(F)(ii), struck out subpar. (D) which related to special rule for certain years.
Subsec. (g)(11). Pub. L. 113–295, § 221(a)(57)(G)(ii), struck out par. (11). Text read as follows: “For purposes of this subsection, in the case of plan years beginning in 2008, the funding target attainment percentage for the preceding plan year may be determined using such methods of estimation as the Secretary of the Treasury may provide.”
Subsec. (g)(12). Pub. L. 113–97 added par. (12).
2010—Subsec. (g)(9)(D). Pub. L. 111–192, § 203(a)(1), added subpar. (D).
2008—Subsec. (g)(1)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 110–458, § 101(c)(1)(B), substituted “an adjusted funding” for “a funding”.
Subsec. (g)(1)(C). Pub. L. 110–458, § 101(c)(1)(C), inserted “benefit” after “event” in heading.
Subsec. (g)(3)(E). Pub. L. 110–458, § 101(c)(1)(D), inserted concluding provisions.
Subsec. (g)(5)(A)(iv). Pub. L. 110–458, § 101(c)(1)(E), inserted “adjusted” before “funding”.
Subsec. (g)(9)(C). Pub. L. 110–458, § 101(c)(1)(F), in cl. (i), struck out “without regard to this subparagraph and” before “without regard to the reduction” and, in cl. (iii), substituted “without regard to the reduction in the value of assets under section 1083(f)(4) of this title” for “without regard to this subparagraph” and inserted “beginning” before “after” in two places.
Subsec. (g)(10), (11). Pub. L. 110–458, § 101(c)(1)(G), added par. (10) and redesignated former par. (10) as (11).
2006—Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 109–280, § 108(a)(9), formerly § 107(a)(9), as renumbered by Pub. L. 111–192, § 202(a), substituted “1083(j)(4)” for “1082(d)” and “1083(j)(4)(E)(i)” for “1082(e)(5)”.
Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 109–280, § 108(a)(10), formerly § 107(a)(10), as renumbered by Pub. L. 111–192, § 202(a), substituted “section 1083(j)(3) of this title by reason of section 1083(j)(4)(A) of this title” for “section 1082(e) of this title by reason of paragraph (5)(A) thereof”.
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–280, § 410(b), substituted “section 1350 of this title” for “subchapter III of this chapter, the plan shall provide that”.
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 109–280, § 103(a), added subsec. (g).
1997—Subsec. (d)(4), (5). Pub. L. 105–34 added pars. (4) and (5).
1994—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–465, § 761(a)(9)(B)(i), added subsec. (e).
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 103–465, § 776(c)(2), added subsec. (f).
1989—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 101–239, § 7894(c)(8), inserted “occurs” before “the date”.
Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 101–239, § 7891(a)(1), substituted “Internal Revenue Code of 1986” for “Internal Revenue Code of 1954”, which for purposes of codification was translated as “title 26” thus requiring no change in text.
Subsec. (d)(3)(I). Pub. L. 101–239, § 7894(c)(9)(A), substituted “such Act” for “such act”.
1986—Subsec. (d)(3)(E)(i). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1898(c)(7)(B)(iii), substituted “A” for “In the case of any payment before a participant has separated from service, a” in introductory provisions and inserted “in the case of any payment before a participant has separated from service,” in subcl. (I).
Subsec. (d)(3)(E)(ii). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1898(c)(7)(B)(iv), amended cl. (ii) generally. Prior to amendment, cl. (ii) read as follows: “For purposes of this subparagraph, the term ‘earliest retirement age’ has the meaning given such term by section 1055(h)(3) of this title, except that in the case of any individual account plan, the earliest retirement age shall be the date which is 10 years before the normal retirement age.”
Subsec. (d)(3)(F)(i). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1898(c)(6)(B), inserted “(and any spouse of the participant shall not be treated as a spouse of the participant for such purposes)”.
Subsec. (d)(3)(F)(ii). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1898(c)(7)(B)(i), inserted “surviving” before “former spouse”.
Subsec. (d)(3)(G)(i)(I). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1898(c)(7)(B)(ii), substituted “each” for “any other”.
Subsec. (d)(3)(H)(i). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1898(c)(2)(B)(i), substituted “shall separately account for the amounts (hereinafter in this subparagraph referred to as the ‘segregated amounts’)” for “shall segregate in a separate account in the plan or in an escrow account the amounts”.
Subsec. (d)(3)(H)(ii), (iii). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1898(c)(2)(B)(ii), (iii), substituted “the 18-month period described in clause (v)” for “18 months” and “including any interest” for “plus any interest”.
Subsec. (d)(3)(H)(iv). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1898(c)(2)(B)(iv), inserted “described in clause (v)”.
Subsec. (d)(3)(H)(v). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1898(c)(2)(B)(v), added cl. (v).
Subsec. (d)(3)(L). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1898(c)(4)(B), added subpar. (L) and redesignated former subpar. (L) as (N).
Subsec. (d)(3)(M). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1898(c)(5), added subpar. (M).
Subsec. (d)(3)(N). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1898(c)(4)(B), redesignated subpar. (L) as (N).
1984—Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 98–397 added par. (3).
Amendment by section 339(b) of Pub. L. 117–328 applicable to domestic relations orders received by plan administrators after
Amendment by Pub. L. 113–295 effective
Amendment by Pub. L. 113–159 applicable to plan years beginning after
Amendment by Pub. L. 113–97 applicable to years beginning after
Amendment by Pub. L. 110–458 effective as if included in the provisions of Pub. L. 109–280 to which the amendment relates, except as otherwise provided, see section 112 of Pub. L. 110–458, set out as a note under section 72 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.
Amendment by section 103(a) of Pub. L. 109–280 applicable to plan years beginning after
Amendment by section 108(a)(9), (10) of Pub. L. 109–280 applicable to plan years beginning after 2007, see section 108(e) of Pub. L. 109–280, set out as a note under section 1021 of this title.
Pub. L. 109–280, title IV, § 410(c),
Amendment by Pub. L. 105–34 applicable to judgments, orders, and decrees issued, and settlement agreements entered into, on or after
Pub. L. 103–465, title VII, § 761(b),
Pub. L. 103–465, title VII, § 776(e),
Amendment by section 7891(a)(1) of Pub. L. 101–239 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provision of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, Pub. L. 99–514, to which such amendment relates, see section 7891(f) of Pub. L. 101–239, set out as a note under section 1002 of this title.
Amendment by section 7894(c)(8) of Pub. L. 101–239 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if originally included in the provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, Pub. L. 93–406, to which such amendment relates, see section 7894(i) of Pub. L. 101–239, set out as a note under section 1002 of this title.
Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, § 7894(c)(9)(B),
Amendment by Pub. L. 99–514 effective as if included in the provision of the Retirement Equity Act of 1984, Pub. L. 98–397, to which such amendment relates, except as otherwise provided, see section 1898(j) of Pub. L. 99–514, set out as a note under section 401 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.
Amendment by Pub. L. 98–397 effective
For special rules on applicability of amendments by subtitles A (§§ 101–108) and B (§§ 111–116) of title I of Pub. L. 109–280 to certain eligible cooperative plans, PBGC settlement plans, and eligible government contractor plans, see sections 104, 105, and 106 of Pub. L. 109–280, set out as notes under section 401 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.
For provisions directing that if any amendments made by subtitle A or subtitle C of title XI [§§ 1101–1147 and 1171–1177] or title XVIII [§§ 1800–1899A] of Pub. L. 99–514 require an amendment to any plan, such plan amendment shall not be required to be made before the first plan year beginning on or after