Labor Department Seeks Feedback on Benefit Plan Paperwork
Published Date: 2/18/2026
Notice
Summary
The Department of Labor wants your thoughts on keeping some paperwork rules the same for now. This affects businesses and nonprofits who help manage employee benefit plans, with no new changes or extra costs proposed. You’ve got until April 20, 2026, to share your feedback and help keep things running smoothly!
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
401(k) Fee Disclosure Extension
The Department seeks comment on extending fee and expense disclosure rules for participant-directed individual account plans (29 CFR 2550.404a-5) under OMB Control No. 1210-0090. The collection covers 619,650 respondents, about 1,039,819,787 responses, estimated 5,204,349 burden hours, and an estimated total burden cost of $221,557,106, with current approval expiring on September 30, 2026.
Employee Hiring Marketplace Notice
The Department seeks comment on extending the FLSA section 18B notice to employees about Health Insurance Marketplace options under OMB Control No. 1210-0149. The collection covers 10,909,076 respondents, 31,595,244 responses, and an estimated total burden cost of $5,480,827, with current approval scheduled to expire on September 30, 2026. The notice must be provided at hiring and inform employees about Marketplace services and potential premium tax credit eligibility if an employer plan's share is less than 60 percent.
Defined Benefit Funding Notice Extension
The Department requests comment to extend the annual funding notice collection for defined benefit pension plans under OMB Control No. 1210-0126. The collection covers 32,209 respondents, 58,201,069 responses, estimated 166,067 burden hours, and estimated total burden cost of $5,758,314, with current approval scheduled to expire on September 30, 2026. For plans in 'critical and declining status,' notices must include the projected date of insolvency and a statement that insolvency may result in benefit reductions.
Summary Plan Description Continuation
The Department is requesting comment to extend the existing paperwork requirements for Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs) under OMB Control No. 1210-0039. This collection covers 3,214,973 respondents, an estimated 117,968,000 responses, and an estimated total burden cost of $88,872,000, with current OMB approval scheduled to expire on September 30, 2026.
Electronic Plan Disclosure Consent
The Department is requesting comment to extend the information collection on consent to receive employee benefit plan disclosures electronically under OMB Control No. 1210-0121. The collection lists 760,585 respondents, 55,055,864 responses, and estimated total burden cost of $3,101,381, with current OMB approval scheduled to expire on September 30, 2026.
Plan Loan Documentation Requirement
The Department requests comment on extending the information collection for plan loan documentation under OMB Control No. 1210-0076, which requires plan documents to include eight specific loan provisions. This collection lists 2,606 respondents, 2,606 responses, an estimated 7,818 burden hours, and current OMB approval scheduled to expire on August 31, 2026.
QDIA Notice and Disclosure Extension
The Department is seeking comment to extend information collections related to qualified default investment alternatives (QDIAs) under OMB Control No. 1210-0132, including annual notices and participant disclosures. The collection shows 384,183 respondents, about 49,546,060 responses, an estimated 87,978 burden hours, and an estimated total burden cost of $2,183,990, with current approval scheduled to expire on September 30, 2026.
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