Title 26 › Subtitle Subtitle A— Income Taxes › Chapter 1— NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES › Subchapter D— Deferred Compensation, Etc. › Part III— RULES RELATING TO MINIMUM FUNDING STANDARDS AND BENEFIT LIMITATIONS › Subpart A— Minimum Funding Standards for Pension Plans › § 433
Requires each covered multiemployer plan to keep a special “funding standard” account that tracks what the plan owes and what it has paid. Each year that account is charged with the plan’s normal cost plus amounts to pay down old shortfalls and losses over set time periods: 40 years for plans in existence on January 1, 1974, 30 years for plans that started after January 1, 1974 but before the first plan year after December 31, 2013, 15 years for increases from plan changes, 5 years for experience losses, and 10 years for assumption changes. Other items are amortized 5 or 20 years as stated. The account is credited with employer contributions and with amounts for decreases or gains (using the same 15-, 5-, and 10-year rules). Amortizations can be combined or offset. Account amounts use reasonable actuarial methods and fair market value for assets. Interest is normally at the plan’s interest rate, but certain amortizations use the higher of the plan rate or 150 percent of the Federal mid-term rate. Plans that meet certain rules may keep an alternative minimum funding account with its own simple charge/credit rules. Plans that are less than fully funded face extra rules for payments and penalties. Installments are due four times a year (April 15, July 15, October 15, and January 15). If a plan with a funded ratio under 100 percent misses a required installment, interest on the unpaid amount is the greater of the plan rate or 175 percent of the Federal mid-term rate. If unpaid amounts (including interest) exceed $1,000,000 and the plan’s funded ratio is under 100 percent, a lien can arise and the plan sponsor must notify the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation within 10 days. If a plan’s funded percentage at the start of a year is below 80 percent, the actuary must certify that status within 90 days and the sponsor must file a written funding restoration plan within 180 days to bring the plan to 100 percent funded in no more than the greater of 7 years or the shortest practicable time. While in restoration, benefit increases generally may not take effect unless required by law. Definitions used include current liability (all plan liabilities), funded percentage (assets divided by current liability), and the interest rate for current liability (the third segment rate).
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 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60