Title 26 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - Income Taxes › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES › Subchapter Subchapter D— - Deferred Compensation, Etc. › Part PART III— - RULES RELATING TO MINIMUM FUNDING STANDARDS AND BENEFIT LIMITATIONS › Subpart Subpart A— - Minimum Funding Standards for Pension Plans › § 433
Requires each covered CSEC pension plan to keep a special “funding standard” account and follow strict rules about what is charged to it and what is credited to it. Each year the account must take a normal cost plus amounts to pay down past shortfalls over set time periods (for example, 40 years for plans in place on January 1, 1974; 30 years for plans started after that date but before the first plan year after December 31, 2013; 15 years for plan changes; 5 years for experience losses; 10 years for assumption changes; and 20 years for certain shifted contributions). Employer payments and any gains are credits. Interest is added consistent with plan rates, except some amortizations use at least 150% of the Federal mid-term rate, and underpayments (for plans underfunded last year) use at least 175% of that rate. Plans that meet certain rules may keep an alternative minimum account instead. Payments are made in four quarterly installments (due April 15, July 15, October 15, and January 15) equal to 25% each, and late or missed payments can trigger higher interest, liquidity rules, and a lien if unpaid amounts exceed $1,000,000. Actuaries must value the plan at least yearly and certify funding. If a plan’s funded percentage is under 80% at the start of a year, the plan sponsor must, within 180 days of the actuary’s notice, write a restoration plan to reach 100% funding within no more than 7 years (or sooner if practicable). One-line term notes: “accumulated funding deficiency” = amount by which required charges exceed credits; “funding standard account” and “alternative minimum funding standard account” = the special ledgers for charges and credits; “funded current liability percentage” / “funded percentage” = assets compared to liabilities; “funding liability” = present value of benefits; “plan sponsor” = the group that runs the plan.
Full Legal Text
Internal Revenue Code — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
26 U.S.C. § 433
Title 26 — Internal Revenue Code
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73