Effective January 1, 2016, the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation (PBGC) altered the reportable event rules for defined
benefit pension plans. Under new final regulations, the PBGC
substantially reduced the reporting requirements for pension plan
administrators, sponsors and contributing employers. In fact, the
PBGC estimates that the final regulations will allow 82 percent of
pension plans with more than 100 participants to utilize a
reporting waiver.
As a background, the reportable event rules require pension plan
administrators, sponsors and contributing employers to notify the
PBGC either 30 days before or 30 days after a specified event
occurs, including events such as extraordinary dividends or stock
redemptions; changes in the controlled group or plan sponsor;
termination or partial termination of a pension plan; active
participant reductions; loan default; distributions to substantial
owners; missed contributions; inability to pay benefits when
