us-irs-announcements-irb-2007-42-pdf•Internal Revenue Bulletin 2007-42 (PDF rendition): IRS Announcements
Internal Revenue Bulletin 2007-42 (PDF rendition): IRS Announcements
us-irs-announcements-irb-2007-42-pdfInternal Revenue Bulletin 2007-42 (PDF rendition): IRS AnnouncementsGuidance
Preserve advance releases and the authoritative Internal Revenue Bulletin rendition; directory timestamps are file-publication metadata, not legal effective dates. HTML bulletins begin June 2003; earlier available issues require full PDF parsing. Whole bulletin rendition: numbered items are identified below; other legal material and publisher context remain included. This is not a new standalone advance release.
Bulletin No. 200 7-42 October 15, 2007 HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS ISSUE These synopses are intended only as aids to the reader in identifying the subject matter covered. They may not be relied upon as authoritative interpretations. INCOME TAX Rev. Rul. 2007–61, page 799. This ruling suspends Rev. Rul. 2007–54, 2007–38 I.R.B. 604, and informs taxpayers that Treasury and the Service intend to address the issues considered in Rev. Rul. 2007–54 by regulations. Rev. Rul. 2007–54 suspended. Notice 200 7–79, page 809. This notic e allows Electronic Return Originators (EROs) to sign the follow ing forms by rubber stamp, mechanical device (such as signatu re pen), or computer software program: Form 8453, U.S. Indi vidual Income Tax Declaration for an IRS e-file Return; Form 8878 ,IRS e-file Signature Authorization for Form 4868 or Form 2350 ; and Form 8879,IRS e-file Signature Authorization. Announcement 2007–88, page 801. This announcement contains an official copy of the diplomatic notes exchanged between the United States and Angola provid- ing for a reciprocal exemption from taxation for income from the international operation of ships and aircraft. It includes the United States offer and the Angola acceptance in Portuguese and an English translation of the Angolan note. EMPLOYE EPLANS REG–11 3891–07, page 821. Propose d regulations under section 436 of the Code provide guidan ce regarding benefit restrictions for certain underfunded define d benefit pension plans and regarding the use of certain fundin g balances maintained for defined benefit pension plans. Announcement 2007–90, page 856. Pre-approved defined contribution plans; determination letters.This announcement states that the program for de- termination letters for pre-approved defined contribution plans, which are submitted on Form 5307, is being closed for a tem- porary period of time. EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS Announcement 2007–96, page 859. The IRS has revoked its determination that The Georgetown Foundation of Sandy, UT; Lumberton Family Life Center, Inc., of Lumberton, MS; Truth in Youth & Family Services, Inc., of Leland, NC; and Cunningham Charitable Group of Los Angeles, CA, qualify as organizations described in sections 501(c)(3) and 170(c)(2) of the Code. TAX CONVENTIONS Announcement 2007–88, page 801. This announcement contains an official copy of the diplomatic notes exchanged between the United States and Angola provid- ing for a reciprocal exemption from taxation for income from the international operation of ships and aircraft. It includes the United States offer and the Angola acceptance in Portuguese and an English translation of the Angolan note. (Continued on the next page) Fi nding Lists begin on page ii. ADMINISTRATIVE Notice 2007–79, page 809. This notice allows Electronic Return Originators (EROs) to sign the following forms by rubber stamp, mechanical device (such as signature pen), or computer software program: Form 8453, U.S. Individual Income Tax Declaration for an IRS e-file Return; Form 8878,IRS e-file Signature Authorization for Form 4868 or Form 2350; and Form 8879,IRS e-file Signature Authorization. Rev. Proc. 200 7–63, page 809. This procedur e provides optional rules for deeming substan- tiated the amo unt of certain business expenses of traveling away from hom ereimbursedtoanemployeeordeductibleby an employee o r self-employed individual. Rev. Proc. 2006–41 superseded. Rev. Proc. 2007–64, page 818. This procedure modifies a scope provision and one of the terms and conditions under which the Service grants approval of re- quests by corporations for changes in annual accounting pe- riods filed under Rev. Proc. 2006–45, 2006–45 I.R.B. 851. Rev. Proc. 2006–45 modified and clarified. Announcement 2007–91, page 857. This document provides a change of location for a public hearing on proposed regulations (REG–142695–05, 2007–39 I.R.B. 681) providing guidance on cafeteria plans under section 125 of the Code. Announcem ent 2007–92, page 857. This docum ent provides a change of location for a public hearing on proposed regulations (REG–128224–06, 2007–36 I.R.B. 551 ) providing guidance on which costs incurred by estates or non-grantor trusts are subject to the 2–percent floor for miscellaneous itemized deductions under section 67(a) of t he Code. Announcement 2007–93, page 858. This document contains corrections to final and temporary reg- ulations (T.D. 9344, 2007–36 I.R.B. 535) relating to the dis- charge of liens under sections 7425 and 6343 of the Code. Announcement 2007–94, page 858. This document contains corrections to proposed regulations by cross-reference to temporary regulations (REG–148951–05, 2007–36 I.R.B. 550) relating to the discharge of liens under sections 7425 and 6343 of the Code. October 15, 20072007–42 I.R.B. The IRS Mission Provide America’s taxpayers top quality service by helping them understand and meet their tax responsibilities and by applying the tax law with integrity and fairness to all. Introduction The Internal Revenue Bulletin is the authoritative instrument of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue for announcing official rulings and procedures of the Internal Revenue Service and for publishing Treasury Decisions, Executive Orders, Tax Conven- tions, legislation, court decisions, and other items of general interest. It is published weekly and may be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents on a subscription basis. Bulletin contents are compiled semiannually into Cumulative Bulletins, which are sold on a single-copy basis. It is the policy of the Service to publish in the Bulletin all sub- stantive rulings necessary to promote a uniform application of the tax laws, including all rulings that supersede, revoke, mod- ify, or amend any of those previously published in the Bulletin. All published rulings apply retroactively unless otherwise indi- cated. Procedures relating solely to matters of internal man- agement are not published; however, statements of internal practices and procedures that affect the rights and duties of taxpayers are published. Revenue rulings represent the conclusions of the Service on the application of the law to the pivotal facts stated in the revenue ruling. In those based on positions taken in rulings to taxpayers or technical advice to Service field offices, identifying details and information of a confidential nature are deleted to prevent unwarranted invasions of privacy and to comply with statutory requirements. Rulings and procedures reported in the Bulletin do not have the force and effect of Treasury Department Regulations, but they may be used as precedents. Unpublished rulings will not be relied on, used, or cited as precedents by Service personnel in the disposition of other cases. In applying published rulings and procedures, the effect of subsequent legislation, regulations, court decisions, rulings, and procedures must be considered, and Service personnel and others concerned are cautioned against reaching the same conclusions in other cases unless the facts and circumstances are substantially the same. The Bulletin is divided into four parts as follows: Part I.—19 86 Code. This part i ncludes rulings and decisions based on provisions of the Intern al Revenue Code of 1986. Part II.—Treaties and Tax Legislation. This part is divided into two subparts as follows: Subpart A, Tax Conventions and Other Related Items, and Subpart B, Leg- islation and Related Committee Reports. Part III.—Administrative, Procedural, and Miscellaneous. To the extent practicable, pertinent cross references to these subjects are contained in the other Parts and Subparts. Also included in this part are Bank Secrecy Act Administrative Rul- ings. Bank Secrecy Act Administrative Rulings are issued by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of the Assistant Sec- retary (Enforcement). Part IV .—Items of General Interest. This par t includes notices of proposed rulemakings, disbar- ment an d suspension lists, and announcements. The last Bulletin for each month includes a cumulative index for the matters published during the preceding months. These monthly indexes are cumulated on a semiannual basis, and are published in the last Bulletin of each semiannual period. The c ontents of this publication are not copyrighted and may be reprinted freely. A citation of the Internal Revenue Bulletin as the source would be appropriate. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S.Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. 2007–42 I.R.B.October 15, 2007 Place missing child here. October 15, 20072007–42 I.R.B. Part I. Rulings and Decisions Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 Section 62.—Adjusted Gross Income Defined A revenue procedure provides optional rules for deeming substantiated the amount of certain business expenses of traveling away from home reimbursed to an employee or deductible by an employee or self- employed individual. See Rev. Proc. 2007-63, page 809. Section 162.—Trade or Business Expenses A revenue procedure provides optional rules for deeming substantiated the amount of certain business expenses of traveling away from home reimbursed to an employee or deductible by an employee or self- employed individual. See Rev. Proc. 2007-63, page 809. Section 267.—Losses, Expenses, and Interest With Respect to Transactions Between Related Taxpayers A revenue procedure provides optional rules for deeming substantiated the amount of certain business expenses of traveling away from home reimbursed to an employee or deductible by an employee or self- employed individual. See Rev. Proc. 2007-63, page 809. Section 274.—Disallowance of Certain Entertainment, etc., Expenses A revenue procedure provides optional rules for deeming substantiated the amount of certain business expenses of traveling away from home reimbursed to an employee or deductible by an employee or self- employed individual. See Rev. Proc. 2007-63, page 809. Section 430.—Minimum Funding Standards for Single-Employer Defined Benefit Pension Plans 26 CFR 1.430(f)–1: Effect of prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance. The proposed regulations under section 430(f) provide guidance regarding the use of certain fund- ing balances maintained for defined benefit pension plans. The proposed regulations reflect changes made by the Pension Protection Act of 2006. See REG-113891-07, page 821. Section 436.—Funding- Based Limits on Benefits and Benefit Accruals Under Single-Employer Plans 26 CFR 1.436–1: Limits on benefits and benefit ac- cruals under single employer defined benefit plans. The proposed regulations under section 436 pro- vide guidance regarding benefit restrictions that apply to certain underfunded defined benefit pension plans. The proposed regulations reflect changes made by the Pension Protection Act of 2006. See REG-113891-07, page 821. Section 442.—Change of Annual Accounting Period This revenue procedure modifies a scope provision and one of the terms and conditions under which the Service grants approval of requests by corporations for changes in annual accounting periods filed under Rev. Proc. 2006–45, 2006–45 I.R.B. 851. See Rev. Proc. 2007-64, page 818. Section 807.—Rules for Certain Reserves (Also § 812.) This ruling suspends Rev.Rul. 2007–54, 2007–38 I.R.B. 604, and informs taxpayers that Treasury and the Service intend to address the issues considered in Rev. Rul. 2007–54 by regulations. Rev. Rul. 2007–54 suspended. Rev. Rul. 2007–61 Rev. Rul. 2007–54, 2007–38 I.R.B. 604, released on August 16, 2007, ad- dresses the determination of life insurance reserves under section 807 of the Inter- nal Revenue Code for a variable contract where some or all of the reserves are ac- counted for as part of a life insurance com- pany’s separate account reserves. The rul- ing also addresses the interest rate used un- der section 812(b)(2) to calculate required interest on the reserves if the amounts of those reserves are determined under sec- tion 807(d)(2). Sections 807 and 812 were added to the Code by the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984, P.L. 98–369 (the 1984 Act). The leg- islative history of the 1984 Act provides that the regulations, rulings and case law under the Life Insurance Company Tax Act of 1959 (the 1959 Act) are to serve as in- terpretive guides to those 1984 Act provi- sions that carry over the provisions of prior law.SeeH. Rep. No. 432, Pt. 2, 98 th Cong., 2d Sess. 1402; S. Prt. 169, Vol. 1, 98 th Cong. 2d Sess. 524. Since Rev. Rul. 2007–54 was issued, some taxpayers have argued that the provisions on which the ruling is based carried over from the 1959 Act to the 1984 Act, and that the rul- ing should not be applied retroactively be- cause its analysis is not consistent with cer- tain authorities under the 1959 Act. The Treasury Department and the Inter- nal Revenue Service (IRS) believe it is im- portant that the company’s share and poli- cyholders’ share of net investment income be determined in a manner that effectively prevents the double benefit that otherwise would result from the use of tax favored in- vestment income (such as dividends qual- ifying for the dividends received deduc- tion) to fund the company’s obligations to policyholders. In addition, the Treasury Department and the IRS are mindful of the benefit of notice and public comment and believe the issues in the revenue ruling would more appropriately be addressed by regulation. Accordingly, this ruling sus- pends Rev. Rul. 2007–54 and informs tax- payers that the Treasury Department and the IRS intend to address in regulations the issues considered in Rev. Rul. 2007–54. Until such time, the issues should be an- alyzed as though Rev. Rul. 2007–54 had not been issued. Regulations also may pro- vide guidance for determining required in- terest under section 812(b)(2) if neither the prevailing State assumed rate nor the ap- plicable Federal rate is used to determine the reserves for an insurance or annuity contract. This project has been added to the 2007-2008 Priority Guidance Plan and will be reflected in the next periodic update to that plan. EFFECT ON OTHER DOCUMENTS Rev. Rul. 2007–54 is suspended. DRAFTING INFORMATION The principal author of this revenue rul- ing is Stephen D. Hooe of the Office of 2007–42 I.R.B.799October 15, 2007 Associate Chief Counsel (Financial Insti- tutions & Products). For further infor- mation regarding this revenue ruling, con- tact Mr. Hooe at (202) 622–3900 (not a toll-free call). Section 812.—Definition of Company’s Share and Policyholders’ Share A revenue ruling that suspends Rev. Rul. 2007–54, 2007–38 I.R.B. 604, and informs taxpayers that Treasury and the Service intend to address the issues considered in Rev. Rul. 2007–54 by regula- tions. See Rev. Rul. 2007-61, page 799. Section 898.—Taxable Year of Certain Foreign Corporations This revenue procedure modifies a scope provision and one of the terms and conditions under which the Service grants approval of requests by corporations for changes in annual accounting periods filed under Rev. Proc. 2006–45, 2006–45 I.R.B. 851. See Rev. Proc. 2007-64, page 818. Section 6061.—Signing of Returns and Other Documents This notice allows Electronic Return Originators (EROs) to sign the following forms by rubber stamp, mechanical device (such as signature pen), or com- puter software program: Form 8453,U.S. Individ- ual Income Tax Declaration for an IRS e-file Return; Form 8878,IRS e-file Signature Authorization for Form 4868 or Form 2350; and Form 8879,IRS e-file Signature Authorization. See Notice 2007-79, page 809. October 15, 20078002007–42 I.R.B. Part II. Treaties and Tax Legislation Subpart A.—Tax Conventions and Other Related Items United States Angola Reciprocol Exemption Agreement Announcement 2007–88 TheUnitedStatesandAngolahaveex- changed diplomatic notes evidencing a re- ciprocal exemption agreement for income from the international operation of ships and aircraft for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2006. The diplomatic notes reproduced herein contain the terms of the reciprocal exemptions. The principal author of this announce- ment is Patricia Bray of the Office of Associate Chief Counsel (International). For further information regarding this an- nouncement, contact Patricia Bray at (202) 622–5871 (not a toll-free call). The text of the agreement is as follows. 2007–42 I.R.B.801October 15, 2007 October 15, 20078022007–42 I.R.B. 2007–42 I.R.B.803October 15, 2007 October 15, 20078042007–42 I.R.B. 2007–42 I.R.B.805October 15, 2007 October 15, 20078062007–42 I.R.B. 2007–42 I.R.B.807October 15, 2007 October 15, 20078082007–42 I.R.B. Part III. Administrative, Procedural, and Miscellaneous Alternative Signature Methods for Electronic Return Originators Notice 2007–79 SECTION I. PURPOSE This notice provides that the Internal Revenue Service willallow Electronic Re- turn Originators (EROs) to sign the follow- ing forms by rubber stamp, mechanical de- vice (such as signature pen), or computer software program: Form 8453,U.S. Indi- vidual Income Tax Declaration for an IRS e-file Return; Form 8878,IRS e-file Signa- ture Authorization for Form 4868 or Form 2350; and Form 8879,IRS e-file Signature Authorization. SECTION 2. BACKGROUND Section 6061 of the Internal Revenue Code and Treas. Reg. § 1.6061–1(a) gen- erally provide that any tax return, state- ment, or other document shall be signed in accordance with forms, instructions, or regulations prescribed by the Secretary. Publication 1345,Handbook for Autho- rized IRS e-file Providers of Individual Income Tax Returns, sets forth the proce- dures for completing the Form 8453, Form 8878, and Form 8879. If providing the sig- nature on a paper declaration, the taxpayer and the ERO (and the paid preparer if dif- ferent from the ERO) must complete and sign the Form 8453 before the electronic data portion of the return is submitted. Taxpayersmaywishtosigntheirreturns electronically, but may choose to authorize their ERO to enter their Personal Identi- fication Number (PIN) in the electronic return record by completing the appro- priate IRS e-file signature authorization form. Form 8879 authorizes an ERO to enter PINs on Individual Income Tax Re- turns, and Form 8878 authorizes an ERO to enter PINs on Forms 4868,Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return;and Form 2350,Application for Extension of Time To File U.S. Income Tax Return. SECTION 3. REQUIREMENTS FOR USE OF ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF SIGNING The alternative methods of signing that this notice authorizes must include either a facsimile of the individual ERO’s signa- ture or of the ERO’s printed name. EROs using one of these alternative means are personally responsible for affixing their signatures to returns or requests for exten- sion. This notice applies only to EROs that sign Form 8453, Form 8878, or Form 8879, and does not alter the signature re- quirements for any other type of document currently required to be manually signed, such as elections, applications for changes in accounting method, powers of attorney, or consent forms. In addition, this notice does not alter the requirement that Form 8453, Form 8878, or Form 8879 be signed by the taxpayer making these forms by handwritten signature or other authorized means. SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE This notice applies to any Form 8453, Form 8878, or Form 8879 filed on or after October 15, 2007. SECTION 5. DRAFTING INFORMATION The principal author of this notice is Michael E. Hara of the Office of Asso- ciate Chief Counsel (Procedure & Admin- istration). For further information regard- ing this notice, contact Michael E. Hara at (202) 622–4910 (not a toll-free call). 26 CFR 601.105: Examination of returns and claims for refund, credit, or abatement; determination of correct tax liability. (Also Part I, §§ 62, 162, 267, 274; 1.62–2, 1.162–17, 1.267(a)–1, 1.274–5.) Rev. Proc. 2007–63 SECTION 1. PURPOSE This revenue procedure updates Rev. Proc. 2006–41, 2006–43 I.R.B. 777, and provides rules under which the amount of ordinary and necessary business expenses of an employee for lodging, meal, and in- cidental expenses, or for meal and inci- dental expenses, incurred while traveling away from home are deemed substantiated under § 1.274–5 of the Income Tax Reg- ulations when a payor (the employer, its agent, or a third party) provides aper diem allowance under a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement to pay for the expenses. In addition, this revenue procedure provides an optional method for employees and self-employed individuals who are not reimbursed to use in comput- ing the deductible costs paid or incurred for business meal and incidental expenses, or for incidental expenses only if no meal costs are paid or incurred, while travel- ingawayfromhome. Useofamethod described in this revenue procedure is not mandatory, and a taxpayer may use actual allowable expenses if the taxpayer main- tains adequate records or other sufficient evidence for proper substantiation. This revenue procedure does not provide rules under which the amount of an employee’s lodging expenses will be deemed substan- tiated when a payor provides an allowance to pay for those expenses but not meal and incidental expenses. SECTION 2. BACKGROUND AND CHANGES .01 Section 162(a) of the Internal Rev- enue Code allows a deduction for all the or- dinary and necessary expenses paid or in- curred during the taxable year in carrying on any trade or business. Under that pro- vision, an employee or self-employed in- dividual may deduct expenses paid or in- curred while traveling away from home in pursuit of a trade or business. However, under § 262, no portion of the travel ex- penses that is attributable to personal, liv- ing, or family expenses is deductible. .02 Section 274(n) generally limits the amount allowable as a deduction under § 162 for any expense for food, bever- ages, or entertainment to 50 percent of the amount of the expense that otherwise would be allowable as a deduction. In the case of any expenses for food or bever- ages consumed while away from home (within the meaning of § 162(a)(2)) by an individual during, or incident to, the pe- riod of duty subject to the hours of service 2007–42 I.R.B.809October 15, 2007 limitations of the Department of Trans- portation, § 274(n)(3) gradually increases the deductible percentage to 80 percent for taxable years beginning in 2008 or thereafter. For taxable years beginning in 2007, the deductible percentage for these expenses is 75 percent. .03 Section 274(d) provides, in part, that no deduction is allowed under § 162 for any travel expense (including meals and lodging while away from home) unless the taxpayer complies with certain sub- stantiation requirements. Section 274(d) further provides that regulations may pre- scribe that some or all of the substantiation requirements do not apply to an expense that does not exceed an amount prescribed by the regulations. .04 Section 1.274–5(g), in part, grants the Commissioner the authority to pre- scribe rules relating to reimbursement arrangements orper diemallowances for ordinary and necessary expenses paid or incurred while traveling away from home. Pursuant to this grant of author- ity, the Commissioner may prescribe rules under which these arrangements or allowances, if in accordance with reason- able business practice, are regarded (1) as equivalent to substantiation, by adequate records or other sufficient evidence, of the amount of travel expenses for purposes of § 1.274–5(c), and (2) as satisfying the requirements of an adequate accounting to the employer of the amount of travel expenses for purposes of § 1.274–5(f). .05 For purposes of determining ad- justed gross income, § 62(a)(2)(A) allows an employee a deduction for expenses al- lowedbyPartVI(§161andfollowing), subchapter B, chapter 1 of the Code, paid or incurred by the employee in connection with the performance of services as an em- ployee under a reimbursement or other ex- pense allowance arrangement with a payor. .06 Section 62(c) provides that an ar- rangement is not treated as a reimburse- ment or other expense allowance arrange- ment for purposes of § 62(a)(2)(A) if it— (1) does not require the employee to substantiate the expenses covered by the arrangement to the payor, or (2) provides the employee with the right to retain any amount in excess of the sub- stantiated expenses covered under the ar- rangement. Section 62(c) further provides that the sub- stantiation requirements described therein do not apply to any expense to the extent that, under the grant of regulatory authority prescribed in § 274(d), the Commissioner has provided that substantiation is not re- quired for the expense. .07 Under § 1.62–2(c), a reimburse- ment or other expense allowance arrange- ment satisfies the requirements of § 62(c) if it meets the requirements of business connection, substantiation, and returning amounts in excess of expenses as specified in the regulations. If an arrangement meets these requirements, all amounts paid under the arrangement are treated as paid under an accountable plan and are excluded from income and wages. If an arrangement does not meet these requirements, all amounts paid under the arrangement are treated as paid under a nonaccountable plan and are included in the employee’s gross income, must be reported as wages or compensa- tion on the employee’s Form W–2, and are subject to the withholding and payment of employment taxes. Section 1.62–2(e)(2) specifically provides that substantiation of certain business expenses in accordance with rules prescribed under the authority of § 1.274–5(g) or (j) is treated as substantia- tion of the amount of the expenses for pur- poses of § 1.62–2. Under § 1.62–2(f)(2), the Commissioner may prescribe rules un- der which an arrangement providingper diemallowances is treated as satisfying the requirement of returning amounts in ex- cess of expenses, even though the arrange- ment does not require the employee to re- turn the portion of the allowance that re- lates to days of travel substantiated and that exceeds the amount of the employee’s expenses deemed substantiated pursuant to rules prescribed under § 274(d), provided the allowance is reasonably calculated not to exceed the amount of the employee’s expenses or anticipated expenses and the employee is required to return within a rea- sonable period of time any portion of the allowance that relates to days of travel not substantiated. .08 Section 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(B) pro- vides that, if a payor pays aper diem allowance that meets the requirements of § 1.62–2(c)(1), the portion, if any, of the allowance that relates to days of travel sub- stantiated in accordance with § 1.62–2(e), that exceeds the amount of the employee’s expenses deemed substantiated for the travel pursuant to rules prescribed under § 274(d) and § 1.274–5(g) or (j), and that the employee is not required to return, is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes. See §§ 31.3121(a)–3, 31.3231(e)–1(a)(5), 31.3306(b)–2, and 31.3401(a)–4 of the Employment Tax Regulations. Because the employee is not required to return this excess portion, the reasonable period of time provisions of § 1.62–2(g) (relating to the return of ex- cess amounts) do not apply to this portion. .09 Under § 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(B)(4), the Commissioner has the discretion to pre- scribe special rules regarding the timing of withholding and payment of employment taxes onper diemallowances. .10 Section 1.274–5(j)(1) grants the Commissioner the authority to establish a method under which a taxpayer may elect to use a specified amount for meals paid or incurred while traveling away from home in lieu of substantiating the actual cost of meals. .11 Section 1.274–5(j)(3) grants the Commissioner the authority to establish a method under which a taxpayer may elect to use a specified amount for incidental expenses paid or incurred while traveling away from home in lieu of substantiating the actual cost of incidental expenses. .12 Sections 3.02(1)(a), 4.04(6), and 5.06 of this revenue procedure provide transition rules for the last 3 months of calendar year 2007. .13 Section 5.02 of this revenue pro- cedure contains revisions to theper diem rates for high-cost localities and for other localities for purposes of section 5. .14 Section 5.03 of this revenue proce- dure contains the list of high-cost localities and section 5.04 of this revenue procedure describes changes to the list of high-cost localities for purposes of section 5. .15 Sections 7.10 and 8.06 of this revenue procedure refer to Rev. Rul. 2006–56, 2006–46 I.R.B. 874, which describes circumstances when a payor’s reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement evidences a pattern of abuse of the rules of § 62(c) and the regulations thereunder. SECTION 3. DEFINITIONS .01Per diem allowance.Theterm“per diemallowance” means a payment under a October 15, 20078102007–42 I.R.B. reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement that is — (1) paid with respect to ordinary and necessary business expenses incurred, or that the payor reasonably anticipates will be incurred, by an employee for lodging, meal, and incidental expenses, or for meal and incidental expenses, for travel away from home in connection with the perfor- mance of services as an employee of the employer, (2) reasonably calculated not to exceed the amount of the expenses or the antici- pated expenses, and (3) paid at or below the applicable fed- eralper diemrate, a flat rate or stated schedule, or in accordance with any other Service-specified rate or schedule. .02Federal per diem rate and federal M&IE rate. (1)In general. The federalper diem rate is equal to the sum of the applicable federal lodging expense rate and the appli- cable federal meal and incidental expense (M&IE) rate for the day and locality of travel. (a)CONUS rates. The rates for lo- calities in the continental United States (“CONUS”) are set forth in Appendix A to 41 C.F.R. ch. 301. However, in apply- ing section 4.01, 4.02, or 4.03 of this rev- enue procedure, taxpayers may continue to use the CONUS rates in effect for the first 9 months of 2007 for expenses of all CONUS travel away from home that are paid or incurred during calendar year 2007 in lieu of the updated GSA rates. A tax- payer must consistently use either these rates or the updated rates for the period Oc- tober 1, 2007, through December 31, 2007. (b)OCONUS rates. The rates for local- ities outside the continental United States (“OCONUS”) are established by the Sec- retary of Defense (rates for non-foreign lo- calities, including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the possessions of the United States) and by the Secretary of State (rates for for- eign localities), and are published in the Per DiemSupplement to the Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians, For- eign Areas) (updated on a monthly basis). (c)Internet access to the rates.The CONUS and OCONUS rates may be found on the Internet atwww.gsa.gov. (2)Locality of travel. The term “lo- cality of travel” means the locality where an employee traveling away from home in connection with the performance of ser- vices as an employee of the employer stops for sleep or rest. (3)Incidental expenses.Theterm“in- cidental expenses” has the same meaning as in the Federal Travel Regulations, 41 C.F.R. 300–3.1 (2007). Thus, based on the current definition of “incidental expenses” in the Federal Travel Regulations, “inci- dental expenses” means fees and tips given to porters, baggage carriers, bellhops, ho- tel maids, stewards or stewardesses and others on ships, and hotel servants in for- eign countries; transportation between places of lodging or business and places where meals are taken, if suitable meals can be obtained at the temporary duty site; and the mailingcost associated with filing travel vouchers and payment of em- ployer-sponsored charge card billings. .03Flat rate or stated schedule. (1)In general. Except as provided in section 3.03(2) of this revenue procedure, an allowance is paid at a flat rate or stated schedule if it is provided on a uniform and objective basis with respect to the ex- penses described in section 3.01 of this revenue procedure. The allowance may be paid with respect to the number of days away from home in connection with the performance of services as an employee or on any other basis that is consistently applied and in accordance with reasonable business practice. Thus, for example, an hourly payment to cover meal and inciden- tal expenses paid to a pilot or flight atten- dant who is traveling away from home in connection with the performance of ser- vices as an employee is an allowance paid at a flat rate or stated schedule. Likewise, a payment based on the number of miles traveled (such as cents per mile) to cover meal and incidental expenses paid to an over-the-road truck driver who is traveling away from home in connection with the performance of services as an employee is an allowance paid at a flat rate or stated schedule. (2)Limitation. An allowance that is computed on a basis similar to that used in computing the employee’s wages or other compensation (such as the number of hours worked, miles traveled, or pieces produced) does not meet the business con- nection requirement of § 1.62–2(d), is not aper diemallowance, and is not paid at a flat rate or stated schedule, unless, as of December 12, 1989, (a) the allowance was identified by the payor either by mak- ing a separate payment or by specifically identifying the amount of the allowance, or (b) an allowance computed on that ba- siswascommonlyusedintheindustry in which the employee is employed. See § 1.62–2(d)(3)(ii). SECTION 4.PER DIEM SUBSTANTIATION METHOD .01Per diem allowance.Ifapayorpays aper diemallowanceinlieuofreimburs- ing actual lodging, meal, and incidental ex- penses incurred or to be incurred by an employee for travel away from home, the amount of the expenses that is deemed sub- stantiated for each calendar day is equal to thelesseroftheper diemallowance for that day or the amount computed at the federalper diemrate (see section 3.02 of this revenue procedure) for the locality of travel for that day (or partial day, see sec- tion 6.04 of this revenue procedure). .02Meal and incidental expenses only per diem allowance.Ifapayorpaysa per diemallowance only for meal and in- cidental expenses in lieu of reimbursing actual meal and incidental expenses in- curred or to be incurred by an employee for travel away from home, the amount of the expenses that is deemed substantiated for each calendar day is equal to the lesser of theper diemallowance for that day or the amount computed at the federal M&IE rate for the locality of travel for that day (or partial day). Aper diemallowance is treated as paid only for meal and inci- dental expenses if (1) the payor pays the employee for actual expenses for lodging based on receipts submitted to the payor, (2) the payor provides the lodging in kind, (3) the payor pays the actual expenses for lodging directly to the provider of the lodg- ing, (4) the payor does not have a reason- able belief that lodging expenses were or will be incurred by the employee, or (5) the allowance is computed on a basis similar to that used in computing the employee’s wages or other compensation (such as the number of hours worked, miles traveled, or pieces produced). .03Optional method for meal and in- cidental expenses only deduction .Inlieu of using actual expenses in computing the amount allowable as a deduction for or- dinary and necessary meal and inciden- tal expenses paid or incurred for travel 2007–42 I.R.B.811October 15, 2007 away from home, employees and self-em- ployed individuals who pay or incur meal expenses may use an amount computed at the federal M&IE rate for the locality of travel for each calendar day (or partial day) the employee or self-employed individual is away from home. This amount will be deemed substantiated for purposes of para- graphs (b)(2) and (c) of § 1.274–5, pro- vided the employee or self-employed indi- vidual substantiates the elements of time, place, and business purpose of the travel for that day (or partial day) in accordance with those regulations. See section 6.05(1) of this revenue procedure for rules related to the application of the limitation under § 274(n) to amounts determined under this section 4.03. See section 4.05 of this rev- enue procedure for a method for substanti- ating incidental expenses that may be used by employees or self-employed individu- als who do not pay or incur meal expenses. .04Special rules for transportation in- dustry. (1)In general. This section 4.04 ap- plies to (a) a payor that pays aper diem allowance only for meal and incidental ex- penses for travel away from home as de- scribed in section 4.02 of this revenue pro- cedure to an employee in the transportation industry, or (b) an employee or self-em- ployed individual in the transportation in- dustry who computes the amount allow- able as a deduction for meal and incidental expenses for travel away from home in ac- cordance with section 4.03 of this revenue procedure. (2)Transportation industry defined. For purposes of this section 4.04, an em- ployee or self-employed individual is in the transportation industry only if the em- ployee’s or individual’s work (a) is of the type that directly involves moving people or goods by airplane, barge, bus, ship, train, or truck, and (b) regularly requires travel away from home which, during any single trip away from home, usually involves travel to localities with differ- ing federal M&IE rates. For purposes of the preceding sentence, a payor must determine that an employee or a group of employees is in the transportation indus- try by using a method that is consistently applied and in accordance with reasonable business practice. (3)Rates. A taxpayer described in sec- tion 4.04(1) of this revenue procedure may treat $52 as the federal M&IE rate for any CONUS locality of travel, and $58 as the federal M&IE rate for any OCONUS lo- cality of travel. A payor that uses either (or both) of these special rates with respect to an employee must use the special rate(s) for all amounts subject to section 4.02 of this revenue procedure paid to that em- ployee for travel away from home within CONUS and/or OCONUS, as the case may be, during the calendar year. Similarly, an employee or self-employed individual that uses either (or both) of these special rates must use the special rate(s) for all amounts computed pursuant to section 4.03 of this revenue procedure for travel away from home within CONUS and/or OCONUS, as the case may be, during the calendar year. See section 4.04(6) of this revenue proce- dure for transition rules. (4)Periodic rule. A payor described in section 4.04(1) of this revenue procedure may compute the amount of the em- ployee’s expenses that is deemed substan- tiated under section 4.02 of this revenue procedure periodically (not less frequently than monthly), rather than daily, by com- paring the totalper diemallowance paid for the period to the sum of the amounts computed either at the federal M&IE rate(s) for the localities of travel, or at the special rate described in section 4.04(3), for the days (or partial days) the employee is away from home during the period. (5)Examples. (a)Example 1. Taxpayer, an employee in the transportation industry, travels away from home on business within CONUS on 17 days (including par- tial days) during a calendar month and receives aper diemallowance only for meal and incidental expenses from a payor that uses the special rule under sec- tion 4.04(3) of this revenue procedure. The amount deemed substantiated under section 4.02 of this rev- enue procedure is equal to the lesser of the totalper diemallowance paid for the month or $884 (17 days at $52 per day). (b)Example 2. Taxpayer, a truck driver employee in the transportation industry, is paid a “cents-per- mile” allowance that qualifies as an allowance paid under a flat rate or stated schedule as defined in sec- tion 3.03 of this revenue procedure. Taxpayer travels away from home on business for 10 days. Based on the number of miles driven by Taxpayer, Taxpayer’s employer pays an allowance of $500 for the 10 days of business travel. Taxpayer actually drives for 8 days, and does not drive for the other 2 days Taxpayer is away from home. Taxpayer is paid under the peri- odic rule used for transportation industry employers and employees in accordance with section 4.04(4) of this revenue procedure. The amount deemed substan- tiated is the full $500 because that amount does not exceed $520 (ten days away from home at $52 per day). (6)Transition rules. Under the calen- dar-year convention provided in section 4.04(3), a taxpayer who used the federal M&IE rates during the first 9 months of calendar year 2007 to substantiate the amount of an individual’s travel expenses under sections 4.02 or 4.03 of Rev. Proc. 2006–41 may not use, for that individual, the special transportation industry rates provided in this section 4.04 until January 1, 2008. Similarly, a taxpayer who used the special transportation industry rates during the first 9 months of calendar year 2007 to substantiate the amount of an in- dividual’s travel expenses may not use, for that individual, the federal M&IE rates until January 1, 2008. .05Optional method for incidental ex- penses only deduction. Inlieuofusing actual expenses in computing the amount allowable as a deduction for ordinary and necessary incidental expenses paid or in- curred for travel away from home, employ- ees and self-employed individuals who do not pay or incur meal expenses for a calen- dar day (or partial day) of travel away from home may use, for each calendar day (or partial day) the employee or self-employed individual is away from home, an amount computed at the rate of $3 per day for any CONUS or OCONUS locality of travel. This amount will be deemed substantiated for purposes of paragraphs (b)(2) and (c) of § 1.274–5, provided the employee or self-employed individual substantiates the elements of time, place, and business pur- pose of the travel for that day (or partial day) in accordance with those regulations. See section 4.03 of this revenue procedure for a method that may be used by em- ployees or self-employed individuals who pay or incur meal expenses. The method authorized by this section 4.05 may not be used by payors that use section 4.01, 4.02, or 5.01 of this revenue procedure, or by employees or self-employed individu- als who use the method described in sec- tion 4.03 of this revenue procedure. See section 6.05(4) of this revenue procedure for rules related to the application of the limitation under § 274(n) to amounts de- termined under this section 4.05. SECTION 5. HIGH-LOW SUBSTANTIATION METHOD .01In general. If a payor pays aper diemallowance in lieu of reimbursing ac- October 15, 20078122007–42 I.R.B. tual lodging, meal, and incidental expenses incurred or to be incurred by an employee for travel away from home and the payor uses the high-low substantiation method describedinthissection5fortravelwithin CONUS, the amount of the expenses that is deemed substantiated for each calendar day is equal to the lesser of theper diem allowance for that day or the amount com- puted at the rate set forth in section 5.02 of this revenue procedure for the locality of travel for that day (or partial day, see sec- tion 6.04 of this revenue procedure). Ex- ceptasprovidedinsection5.06ofthisrev- enue procedure, this high-low substantia- tionmethodmaybeusedinlieuofthe per diemsubstantiation method provided in section 4.01 of this revenue procedure, but may not be used in lieu of the meal and incidental expenses onlyper diemsubstan- tiationmethodprovidedinsection4.02of this revenue procedure. .02Specific high-low rates. Except as provided in section 5.06 of this revenue procedure, theper diemrate set forth in this section 5.02 is $237 for travel to any “high- cost locality” specified in section 5.03 of this revenue procedure, or $152 for travel to any other locality within CONUS. The high or low rate, as appropriate, applies as if it were the federalper diemrate for the locality of travel. For purposes of ap- plying the high-low substantiation method and the § 274(n) limitation on meal ex- penses (see section 6.05(3) of this revenue procedure), the amount of the high and low rates that is treated as paid for meals is $58 for a high-cost locality and $45 for any other locality within CONUS. .03High-cost localities. The following localities have a federalper diemrate of $194 or more, and are high-cost localities for all of the calendar year or the portion of the calendar year specified in parentheses under the key city name: Key CityCounty or other defined location Arizona Phoenix/S cottsdale Maricopa (January 1-March 31) SedonaCity Limits of Sedona (March 1-April 30) California NapaNapa Palm SpringsRiverside (January 1-April 30) San DiegoSan Diego San FranciscoSan Francisco Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara Sant a Monica City limits of Santa Monica South Lake TahoeEl Dorado (December 1-March 31) Yosemite National ParkMariposa Colorado As pen Pi tkin (December 1-April 30) Crested Butte/GunnisonGunnison (December 1-March 31) Silverthorne/BreckenridgeSummit (December 1-March 31) Steamboat SpringsRoutt (December 1-February 29) TellurideSan Miguel (October 1-March 31) VailEagle District of Columbia Washington, D.C. (also the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax, and the counties of Arlington and Fairfax, in Virginia; and the counties of Montgomery and Prince George’s in Maryland) (See also Maryland and Virginia) 2007–42 I.R.B.813October 15, 2007 Key CityCounty or other defined location Florida Fort LauderdaleBroward (October 1-April 30) Fort Walton Be ach/De Funiak Springs Okaloosa and W alton (June 1-July 31) Key WestMonroe MiamiMiami-Dade (October 1-February 29) NaplesCollier (February 1-March 31) Palm Beach (January 1-March 31) Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Shores, Singer Island and West Palm Beach StuartMartin (Februa ry 1-March 31) Illinois ChicagoCook and Lake Maryland (For t he counties of Montgomery and Prince George’s, see Di strict of Columbia) Baltimore CityBaltimore Cambridge/St. MichaelsDorchester and Talbot (April 1-August 31) Ocea n City Worc ester (June 1-August 31) Massachusetts Boston/CambridgeSuffolk, City of Cambridge Martha’s VineyardDukes ( July 1-August 31) NantucketNantucket Nevada Incline Village/Crystal Bay/Reno/SparksWashoe (June 1-August 31) New Hampshire ConwayCaroll (July 1-August 31) New York Floral Park/Garden City/Glen Cove/Great Neck/RoslynNassau ManhattanThe Boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island QueensQueens Saratoga Springs/SchenectadySaratoga and Schenectady (July 1-August 31) Tarrytown/White Plains/New Rochelle/YonkersWestchester Pennsylvania PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia October 15, 20078142007–42 I.R.B. Key CityCounty or other defined location Rhode Island Jamestown/Middletown/NewportNewport (October 1-November 30 and February 1-September 30) ProvidenceProvidence Utah Park CitySummit (January 1- March 31) Virginia (For the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax, and the counties of Arlington and Fairfax, see District of Columbia) Loudon CountyLoudon Virginia BeachCity of Virginia Beach (June 1- August 31) Washington SeattleKing Wisconsin Lake G eneva Walwo rth (June 1-September 30) .04Changes in high-cost localities. The list of high-cost localities in section 5.03 of this revenue procedure differs from the list of high-cost localities in section 5.03 of Rev. Proc. 2006–41 (changes listed by key cities). (1) The following localities have been added to the list of high-cost lo- calities: Sedona, Arizona; Napa, Cal- ifornia; Palm Springs, California; San Diego, California; Yosemite National Park, California; Silverthorne/Brecken- ridge, Colorado; Incline Village/Crystal Bay/Reno/Sparks, Nevada; Conway, New Hampshire; Tarrytown/White Plains/New Rochelle/Yonkers, New York; Loudon County, Virginia; Virginia Beach, Vir- ginia; and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. (2) The portion of the year for which the following are high-cost localities has been changed: Santa Barbara, Califor- nia; Crested Butte/Gunnison, Colorado; Steamboat Springs, Colorado; Telluride, Colorado; Vail, Colorado; Fort Laud- erdale, Florida; Miami, Florida; Palm Beach, Florida; Cambridge/St. Michaels, Maryland; Ocean City, Maryland; Nan- tucket, Massachusetts; Jamestown/Mid- dletown/Newport, Rhode Island; and Park City, Utah. (3) The following localities have been removed from the list of high-cost local- ities: New Orleans, Louisiana and Lake Placid, New York. .05Specific limitation. (1) Except as provided in section 5.05(2) of this revenue procedure, a payor that uses the high-low substanti- ation method with respect to an employee must use that method for all amounts paid to that employee for travel away from home within CONUS during the calendar year. See section 5.06 of this revenue procedure for transition rules. (2) With respect to an employee de- scribed in section 5.05(1) of this revenue procedure, the payor may reimburse ac- tual expenses or use the meal and inci- dental expenses onlyper diemsubstan- tiation method described in section 4.02 of this revenue procedure for any travel away from home, and may use theper diemsubstantiation method described in section 4.01 of this revenue procedure for any OCONUS travel away from home. .06Transition rules. A payor who used the substantiation method of section 4.01 of Rev. Proc. 2006–41 for an employee during the first 9 months of calendar year 2007 may not use the high-low substanti- ation method in section 5 of this revenue procedure for that employee until January 1, 2008. A payor who used the high-low substantiation method of section 5 of Rev. Proc. 2006–41 for an employee during the first 9 months of calendar year 2007 must continue to use the high-low substantiation method for the remainder of calendar year 2007 for that employee. A payor described intheprevioussentencemayusetherates and high-cost localities published in sec- tion 5 of Rev. Proc. 2006–41, in lieu of the updated rates and high-cost localities provided in section 5 of this revenue proce- dure, for travel on or after October 1, 2007, and before January 1, 2008, if those rates and localities are used consistently during this period for all employees reimbursed under this method. SECTION 6. LIMITATIONS AND SPECIAL RULES .01In general. The federalper diem rate and the federal M&IE rate described in section 3.02 of this revenue procedure for the locality of travel will be applied in the same manner as applied under the Federal Travel Regulations, 41 C.F.R. Part 301–11 (2007), except as provided in sections 6.02 through 6.04 of this revenue procedure. .02Federal per diem rate. A receipt for lodging expenses is not required in de- termining the amount of expenses deemed substantiated under section 4.01 or 5.01 of this revenue procedure. See section 7.01 of this revenue procedure for the require- 2007–42 I.R.B.815October 15, 2007 ment that the employee substantiate the time, place, and business purpose of the expense. .03Federal per diem or M&IE rate.A payor is not required to reduce the federal per diemrate or the federal M&IE rate for the locality of travel for meals provided in kind, provided the payor has a reasonable belief that meal and incidental expenses were or will be incurred by the employee during each day of travel. .04Proration of the federal per diem or M&IE rate. Pursuant to the Federal Travel Regulations, in determining the federalper diemrate or the federal M&IE rate for the locality of travel, the full applicable federal M&IE rate is available for a full day of travel from 12:01 a.m. to 12:00 midnight. The method described in sec- tion 6.04(1) of this revenue procedure must be used for purposes of determining the amount deemed substantiated under sec- tion 4.03 or 4.05 of this revenue procedure for partial days of travel away from home. For purposes of determining the amount deemed substantiated under section 4.01, 4.02, 4.04, or 5 of this revenue procedure for partial days of travel away from home, either of the following methods may be used to prorate the federal M&IE rate to determine the federalper diemrate or the federal M&IE rate for the partial days of travel: (1) The rate may be prorated using the method prescribed by the Federal Travel Regulations. Currently the Federal Travel Regulations allow three-fourths of the ap- plicable federal M&IE rate for each partial day during which the employee or self-em- ployed individual is traveling away from home in connection with the performance of services as an employee or self-em- ployed individual. The same ratio may be applied to prorate the allowance for inci- dental expenses described in section 4.05 of this revenue procedure; or (2) The rate may be prorated using any method that is consistently applied and in accordance with reasonable business prac- tice. For example, if an employee travels away from home from 9 a.m. one day to 5 p.m. the next day, a method of proration thatresultsinanamountequaltotwotimes the federal M&IE rate will be treated as being in accordance with reasonable busi- ness practice (even though only one and a half times the federal M&IE rate would be allowed under the Federal Travel Regula- tions). .05Application of the appropriate § 274(n) limitation on meal expenses.Ex- cept as provided in section 6.05(4), all or part of the amount of an expense deemed substantiated under this revenue procedure is subject to the appropriate limitation un- der § 274(n) (see section 2.02 of this revenue procedure) on the deductibility of food and beverage expenses. (1) If an amount for meal and incidental expenses is computed pursuant to section 4.03 of this revenue procedure, the tax- payer must treat that amount as an expense for food and beverages. (2)Ifaper diemallowance is paid only for meal and incidental expenses, the payor must treat an amount equal to the lesser of the allowance or the federal M&IE rate for the locality of travel for each day (or partial day, see section 6.04 of this revenue pro- cedure) as an expense for food and bever- ages. (3) If aper diemallowance is paid for lodging, meal, and incidental expenses for each calendar day (or partial day) the em- ployee is away from home at a rate equal to or in excess of the federalper diemrate for the locality of travel, the payor must treat an amount equal to the federal M&IE rate for the locality of travel for each calendar day (or partial day) as an expense for food or beverages. (4) If aper diemallowance is paid for lodging, meal, and incidental expenses for each calendar day (or partial day) the em- ployee is away from home at a rate less than the federalper diemrate for the lo- cality of travel, the payor must: (a) treat an amount equal to the federal M&IE rate for the locality of travel for each calendar day (or partial day) or, if less, the amount of the allowance, as an expense for food or beverages; or (b) treat an amount equal to 40 percent of the allowance as an expense for food or beverages. (5) If an amount for incidental expenses is computed under section 4.05 of this rev- enue procedure, none of the amount so computed is subject to limitation under § 274(n) on the deductibility of food and beverage expenses. .06No double reimbursement or deduc- tion. If a payor pays aper diemallowance in lieu of reimbursing actual lodging, meal, and incidental expenses, or meal and inci- dental expenses, in accordance with sec- tion 4 or 5 of this revenue procedure, and such amounts are treated as paid under an accountable plan, any additional payment with respect to those expenses is treated as paid under a nonaccountable plan, is included in the employee’s gross income, is reported as wages or other compensa- tion on the employee’s Form W–2, and is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes. Similarly, if an em- ployee or self-employed individual com- putes the amount allowable as a deduction for meal and incidental expenses for travel away from home in accordance with sec- tion 4.03 or 4.04 of this revenue procedure, no other deduction is allowed to the em- ployee or self-employed individual with respect to those expenses. For example, assume an employee receives aper diem allowance from a payor for lodging, meal, and incidental expenses, or for meal and incidental expenses, incurred while travel- ing away from home and such amounts are treated as paid under an accountable plan. During that trip, the employee pays for din- ner for the employee and two business as- sociates. The payor reimburses as a busi- ness entertainment meal expense the meal expensefortheemployeeandthetwobusi- ness associates. Because the payor also pays aper diemallowance to cover the cost of the employee’s meals, the amount paid by the payor for the employee’s portion of the business entertainment meal expense is treated as paid under a nonaccountable plan, is reported as wages or other com- pensation on the employee’s Form W–2, and is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes. .07Related parties. Sections 4.01 and 5 of this revenue procedure do not apply if a payor and an employee are related within the meaning of § 267(b), but for this pur- pose the percentage of ownership interest referred to in § 267(b)(2) is 10 percent. SECTION 7. APPLICATION .01 If the amount of travel expenses is deemed substantiated under the rules pro- vided in section 4 or 5 of this revenue pro- cedure, and the employee substantiates to the payor the elements of time, place, and business purpose of the travel for that day (or partial day) in accordance with para- graphs (b)(2) and (c) (other than subpara- graph (2)(iii)(A) thereof) of § 1.274–5, the October 15, 20078162007–42 I.R.B. employee is deemed to satisfy the adequate accounting requirements of § 1.274–5(f) as well as the requirement to substantiate by adequate records or other sufficient ev- idence for purposes of § 1.274–5(c). See also § 1.62–2(e)(1) for the rule that in order to satisfy the substantiation requirement of an accountable plan, an arrangement must require business expenses to be substanti- ated to the payor within a reasonable pe- riod of time. .02 An arrangement providingper diem allowances will be treated as satisfying the requirement of § 1.62–2(f)(2) of return- ing amounts in excess of expenses if the employee is required to return within a reasonable period of time (as defined in § 1.62–2(g)) any portion of the allowance that relates to days of travel not substan- tiated, even though the arrangement does not require the employee to return the por- tion of the allowance that relates to days of travel substantiated and that exceeds the amount of the employee’s expenses deemed substantiated. For example, as- sume a payor provides an employee an ad- vanceper diemallowance for meal and in- cidental expenses of $250, based on an an- ticipated 5 days of business travel at $50 per day to a locality for which the fed- eral M&IE rate is $39, and the employee substantiates 3 full days of business travel. The requirement to return excess amounts is treated as satisfied if the employee is required to return within a reasonable pe- riod of time (as defined in § 1.62–2(g)) the portion of the allowance that is attribut- able to the 2 unsubstantiated days of travel ($100), even though the employee is not required to return the portion of the al- lowance ($33) that exceeds the amount of the employee’s expenses deemed substan- tiated under section 4.02 of this revenue procedure ($117) for the 3 substantiated days of travel. However, the $33 excess portion of the allowance is treated as paid under a nonaccountable plan as discussed in section 7.04 of this revenue procedure. .03 An employee is not required to in- clude in gross income the portion of a per diemallowance received from a payor that is less than or equal to the amount deemed substantiated under the rules pro- vided in section 4 or 5 of this revenue pro- cedure if the employee substantiates the business travel expenses covered by the per diemallowance in accordance with section 7.01 of this revenue procedure. See § 1.274–5(f)(2)(i). Assuming that the re- maining requirements for an accountable plan provided in § 1.62–2 are satisfied, that portion of the allowance is treated as paid under an accountable plan, is not reported as wages or other compensation on the em- ployee’s Form W–2, and is exempt from the withholding and payment of employ- ment taxes. See § 1.62–2(c)(2) and (c)(4). .04 An employee is required to include in gross income only the portion of theper diemallowance received from a payor that exceeds the amount deemed substantiated under the rules provided in section 4 or 5 of this revenue procedure if the employee substantiates the business travel expenses covered by theper diemallowance in ac- cordance with section 7.01 of this revenue procedure. See § 1.274–5(f)(2)(ii). In ad- dition, the excess portion of the allowance is treated as paid under a nonaccountable plan, is reported as wages or other compen- sation on the employee’s Form W–2, and is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes. See § 1.62–2(c)(3)(ii), (c)(5), and (h)(2)(i)(B). .05 If the amount of the expenses that is deemed substantiated under the rules provided in section 4.01, 4.02, or 5 of this revenue procedure is less than the amount of the employee’s business expenses for travel away from home, the employee may claim an itemized deduction for the amount by which the business travel ex- penses exceed the amount that is deemed substantiated, provided the employee sub- stantiates all the business travel expenses (not just the excess over the federalper diemrate), includes on Form 2106, “Em- ployee Business Expenses,” the deemed substantiated portion of theper diemal- lowance received from the payor, and in- cludes in gross income the portion (if any) of theper diemallowance received from the payor that exceeds the amount deemed substantiated. See § 1.274–5(f)(2)(iii). However, for purposes of claiming this itemized deduction with respect to meal and incidental expenses, substantiation of the amount of the expenses is not required if the employee is claiming a deduction that is equal to or less than the amount computed under section4.03ofthisrev- enue procedure minus the amount deemed substantiated under sections 4.02 and 7.01 of this revenue procedure. The itemized deduction is subject to the appropriate limitation (see section 2.02 of this revenue procedure) on meal and entertainment expenses provided in § 274(n) and the 2-percent floor on miscellaneous itemized deductions provided in § 67. .06 An employee who pays or incurs amounts for meal expenses and does not receive aper diemallowance for meal and incidental expenses may deduct an amount computed pursuant to section 4.03 of this revenue procedure only as an itemized de- duction. This itemized deduction is sub- ject to the appropriate limitation on meal and entertainment expenses provided in § 274(n) and the 2-percent floor on miscel- laneous itemized deductions provided in § 67. See section 7.07 of this revenue pro- cedure for the treatment of an employee who does not pay or incur amounts for meal expenses and does not receive aper diemallowance for incidental expenses. .07 An employee who does not pay or incur amounts for meal expenses and does not receive aper diemallowance for in- cidental expenses may deduct an amount computed pursuant to section 4.05 of this revenue procedure only as an itemized de- duction. This itemized deduction is sub- ject to the 2-percent floor on miscellaneous itemized deductions provided in § 67. See section 7.06 of this revenue procedure for the treatment of an employee who pays or incurs amounts for meal expenses and does not receive aper diemallowance for meal and incidental expenses. .08 A self-employed individual who pays or incurs meal expenses for a calen- dar day (or partial day) of travel away from home may deduct an amount computed pursuant to section 4.03 of this revenue procedure in determining adjusted gross income under § 62(a)(1). This deduction is subject to the appropriate limitation on meal and entertainment expenses provided in § 274(n). .09 A self-employed individual who does not pay or incur meal expenses for a calendar day (or partial day) of travel away from home may deduct an amount computed pursuant to section 4.05 of this revenue procedure in determining adjusted gross income under § 62(a)(1). .10 If a payor’s reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement ev- idences a pattern of abuse of the rules of § 62(c) and the regulations thereunder, all payments under the arrangement will be treated as made under a nonaccount- able plan. See § 1.62–2(k) and Rev. Rul. 2007–42 I.R.B.817October 15, 2007 2006–56. Thus, these payments are in- cluded in the employee’s gross income, are reported as wages or other compen- sation on the employee’s Form W–2, and are subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes. See § 1.62–2(c)(3), (c)(5), and (h)(2), and section 8.06 of this revenue procedure. SECTION 8. WITHHOLDING AND PAYMENT OF EMPLOYMENT TAXES .01Theportionofaper diemal- lowance, if any, that relates to the days of business travel substantiated and that exceeds the amount deemed substantiated for those days under section 4.01, 4.02, or 5 of this revenue procedure is treated as paid under a nonaccountable plan and is subject to withholding and payment of em- ployment taxes. See § 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(B). .02 In the case of aper diemallowance paid as a reimbursement, the excess de- scribed in section 8.01 of this revenue pro- cedure is subject to withholding and pay- ment of employment taxes in the payroll period in which the payor reimburses the expenses for the days of travel substanti- ated. See § 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(B)(2). .03 In the case of aper diemallowance paid as an advance, the excess described in section 8.01 of this revenue procedure is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes no later than the first payroll period following the payroll period in which the days of travel with respect to which the advance was paid are sub- stantiated. See § 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(B)(3). If some or all of the days of travel with re- spect to which the advance was paid are not substantiated within a reasonable pe- riod of time and the employee does not re- turn the portion of the allowance that re- lates to those days within a reasonable pe- riod of time, the portion of the allowance that relates to those days is subject to with- holding and payment of employment taxes no later than the first payroll period follow- ing the end of the reasonable period. See § 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(A). .04 In the case of aper diemallowance only for meal and incidental expenses for travel away from home paid to an em- ployee in the transportation industry by a payor that uses the rule in section 4.04(4) of this revenue procedure, the excess of theper diemallowance paid for the pe- riod over the amount deemed substanti- ated for the period under section 4.02 of this revenue procedure (after applying sec- tion 4.04(4) of this revenue procedure), is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes no later than the first payroll period following the payroll pe- riod in which the excess is computed. See § 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(B)(4). .05 For example, assume that an em- ployer pays an employee aper diem allowance under an arrangement that otherwise meets the requirements of an accountable plan to cover business ex- penses for meals and lodging for travel away from home at a rate of 120 percent of the federalper diemrate for the local- ities to which the employee travels. The employer does not require the employee to return the 20 percent by which the re- imbursement for those expenses exceeds the federalper diemrate. The employee substantiates 6 days of travel away from home: 2 days in a locality in which the federalper diemrate is $160 and 4 days in a locality in which the federalper diem rate is $120. The employer reimburses the employee $960 for the 6 days of travel away from home (2 x (120% x $160) + 4 x (120% x $120)), and does not require the employee to return the excess payment of $160 (2 days x $32 ($192-$160) + 4 days x $24 ($144-$120)). For the payroll period in which the employer reimburses the expenses, the employer must withhold and pay employment taxes on $160. See section 8.02 of this revenue procedure. .06 If aper diemallowance arrange- ment has no mechanism or process to determine when an allowance exceeds the amount that may be deemed substantiated and the arrangement routinely pays al- lowances in excess of the amount that may be deemed substantiated without requiring actual substantiation of all the expenses or repayment of the excess amount, the fail- ure of the arrangement to treat the excess allowances as wages for employment tax purposes causes all payments made under the arrangement to be treated as made un- der a nonaccountable plan. See Rev. Rul. 2006–56. SECTION 9. EFFECTIVE DATE This revenue procedure is effective for per diemallowances for lodging, meal and incidental expenses, or for meal and inci- dental expenses only, that are paid to an employee on or after October 1, 2007, with respect to travel away from home on or af- ter October 1, 2007. For purposes of com- puting the amount allowable as a deduc- tion for travel away from home, this rev- enue procedure is effective for meal and incidental expenses or for incidental ex- penses only paid or incurred on or after Oc- tober 1, 2007. SECTION 10. EFFECT ON OTHER DOCUMENTS Rev. Proc. 2006–41 is superseded. DRAFTING INFORMATION The principal author of this revenue procedure is Jeffrey T. Rodrick of the Of- fice of Associate Chief Counsel (Income Tax and Accounting). For further infor- mation regarding this revenue procedure, contact Mr. Rodrick at (202) 622–4930 (not a toll-free call). 26 CFR 601.204: Changes in accounting periods and in methods of accounting. (AlsoPartI,§§442,898;1.442–1.) Rev. Proc. 2007–64 SECTION 1. PURPOSE This revenue procedure modifies a scope provision and one of the terms and conditions under which the Internal Rev- enue Service grants approval of requests by corporations for changes in annual ac- counting periods filed under Rev. Proc. 2006–45, 2006–45 I.R.B. 851. Specifi- cally, this revenue procedure modifies the scope provision regarding a corporation that exits a consolidated group. See sec- tion 4.02(13) of Rev. Proc. 2006–45. In addition, this revenue procedure modifies the terms and conditions relating to record- keeping and book conformity in the case of a controlled foreigncorporation (“CFC”) that has a majority U.S. shareholder year (as defined in § 898(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code) and that is changing to a one-month deferral year described in § 898(c)(2) or to a 52–53-week taxable year that references such one-month de- ferral year. See section 6.02 of Rev. Proc. 2006–45. October 15, 20078182007–42 I.R.B. SECTION 2. BACKGROUND .01 Section 442 and § 1.442–1(a) of the Income Tax Regulations generally provide that a taxpayer that wants to change its annual accounting period and use a new taxable year must obtain the approval of the Commissioner. .02 Section 1.442–1(b)(2) provides that a change in annual accounting period will be approved only if the taxpayer agrees to the Commissioner’s prescribed terms, conditions, and adjustments for effecting the change. .03 Rev. Proc. 2006–45 provides the exclusive procedures for certain corpora- tions to obtain automatic approval of the Commissioner to change their annual ac- counting periods. .04 Section 4.02(13) of Rev. Proc. 2006–45 excludes from the scope of the revenue procedure a corporation that ceases to be a member of a consolidated group during the consolidated group’s first effective year (as defined in section 5.05 of Rev. Proc. 2006–45). .05 The Service has determined that it is appropriate to modify the scope of Rev. Proc. 2006–45 to clarify that any corpo- ration leaving a consolidated group is ex- cluded from the automatic change proce- dures under Rev. Proc. 2006–45 dur- ing the consolidatedgroup’s taxable year (without regard to a change in the consoli- dated group’s accounting period) in which the corporation ceases to be a member of the consolidated group. A corporation that ceases to be a member of a consolidated group must continue to use the annual ac- counting period of the consolidated group, unless the corporation receives approval under Rev. Proc. 2002–39, 2002–1 C.B. 1046, to change its annual accounting pe- riod (or is required to change its annual ac- counting period upon joining another con- solidated group). .06 Section 898(c)(2) provides that a specified foreign corporation (i.e.,aCFC) mayelect,inlieuofthetaxableyearun- der § 898(c)(1)(A) (i.e.,themajorityU.S. shareholder year as defined in § 898(c)(3)), a taxable year beginning one month ear- lier than the majority U.S. shareholder year (i.e., one-month deferral year described in § 898(c)(2)). .07 Section 4.02(8) of Rev. Proc. 2006–45 includes in the scope of the rev- enue procedure a CFC that has a majority U.S. shareholder year and that is chang- ing to a one-month deferral year or to a 52–53-week taxable year that references such one-month deferral year. .08 With respect to the terms and condi- tions of change under Rev. Proc. 2006–45, section 6.02(1) of that revenue procedure generally requires that a corporation com- pute its income and keep its books and records (including financial statements and reports to creditors) on the basis of the requested taxable year. That section further requires that the books and records of the corporation be closed as of the last day of the first effective year and that the corporation conform the accounting pe- riod used for financial statement purposes and reports to creditors concurrently. .09 The Service has determined that in the case of a CFC changing to a one-month deferral year or to a 52–53-week taxable year that references such one-month defer- ral year, the CFC is not required to issue financial statements and reports to credi- tors on the basis of the requested year as otherwise required by section 6.02(1) of Rev. Proc. 2006–45. However, as re- quired by section 6.02(1) of Rev. Proc. 2006–45, the CFC must close its books and records as of the last day of the first ef- fective year and, every year after the first effective year, must close its books and records as of the last day of the requested taxable year, either a one-month deferral year or a 52–53-week taxable year that ref- erences such one-month deferral year. The CFC must also compute its income and earnings and profits for U.S. tax purposes on the basis of the requested year. SECTION 3. SCOPE .01Corporations leaving a consol- idated group. This revenue procedure applies to a corporation leaving a con- solidated group that wants to change its annual accounting period in the year the corporation ceases to be a member of the consolidated group. .02CFCs changing to one-month de- ferral year or to a 52–53-week taxable year that references such one-month de- ferral year. This revenue procedure also applies to a CFC that has a majority U.S. shareholder year, and that is properly applying under Rev. Proc. 2006–45 to change to a one-month deferral year or to a 52–53-week taxable year that references such one-month deferral year. SECTION 4. MODIFICATIONS .01 Section 4.02(13) is modified to read as follows: “Corporation that exits a consolidated group.A corporation that ceases to be a member of a consolidated group and wants to change its annual ac- counting period during the consolidated group’s taxable year in which the cor- poration ceases to be a member of the consolidated group. For purposes of the prior sentence, the consolidated group’s taxable year is determined without regard to a change in the consolidated group’s an- nual accounting period. A corporation that ceases to be a member of a consolidated group must continue to use the annual ac- counting period of the consolidated group, unless the corporation receives approval under Rev. Proc. 2002–39 to change its annual accounting period (or is required to change its annual accounting period upon joining another consolidated group). A corporation that ceases to be a member of a consolidated group during the consoli- dated group’s first effective year is not a member of the consolidated group for pur- poses of the consolidated group’s change in accounting period. See section 7.02(7) of this revenue procedure. (a)Example 1.OnMarch31,2006,ABCCorpo- ration ceases to be a member of a consolidated group that has a taxable year ending on November 30. ABC Corporation is not eligible to change its annual ac- counting period under this revenue procedure to a tax- able year beginning before December 1, 2006. (b)Example 2.AssumethesamefactsasExam- ple 1, except that the consolidated group changes its annual accounting period to a taxable year ending on August 31, effective August 31, 2006. ABC Corpo- ration is not eligible to change its annual accounting period under this revenue procedure to a taxable year beginning before December 1, 2006. (c)Example 3. Assume the same facts asExam- ple 2, except that the consolidated group changes its annual accounting period to a taxable year ending on January 31, effective January 31, 2006. ABC Corpo- ration is not eligible to change its annual accounting period under this revenue procedure to a taxable year beginning before February 1, 2007.” .02 Section 6.02 of Rev. Proc. 2006–45 is modified to add paragraph (4) as follows: “(4)CFCs changing to a year described in § 898(c)(2) or to a 52–53-week taxable year that references such one-month deferral year.Theterms and conditions regarding financial state- ments and reports to creditors in section 2007–42 I.R.B.819October 15, 2007 6.02(1) of this revenue procedure do not apply in the case of a CFC that has a ma- jority U.S. shareholder year (as defined in § 898(c)(3)), and that is changing to a one-month deferral year described in § 898(c)(2) or to a 52–53-week taxable year that references such one-month de- ferral year. Such a CFC is nevertheless required to close its books and records as of the last day of the first effective year and every year thereafter to close its books and records on the last day of the requested taxable year, and to compute its income and earnings and profits for U.S. tax purposes on the basis of the requested taxable year. SECTION 5. EFFECT ON OTHER DOCUMENTS Rev. Proc. 2006–45 is modified and clarified. SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE This revenue procedure is effective for changes in annual accounting periods for which the first effective year (as defined in section 5.05 of Rev. Proc. 2006–45) ends on or after October 18, 2006. DRAFTING INFORMATION The principal author of this revenue procedure is Jeffrey S. Marshall of the Of- fice of Associate Chief Counsel (Income Tax and Accounting). For further infor- mation regarding this revenue procedure, contact Mr. Marshall at (202) 622–4960 (not a toll-free call). October 15, 20078202007–42 I.R.B. Part IV. Items of General Interest Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Benefit Restrictions for Underfunded Pension Plans REG–113891–07 AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. SUMMARY: This document contains pr o- posed regulations providing guida nce re- garding the use of certain funding b al- ances maintained for defined benef it pen- sion plans and regarding benefit re stric- tions for certain underfunded def ined ben- efit pension plans. The proposed r egu- lations reflect changes made by t he Pen- sion Protection Act of 2006. Thes e regula- tions affect sponsors, administ rators, par- ticipants, and beneficiaries of single em- ployer defined benefit pension p lans. DATES: Written or electronic comments and requests for a public hearing must be received by November 28, 2007. ADDRESSES: Send submissions to: CC:PA:LPD:PR(REG–113891–07), room 5203, Internal Revenue Service, P.O. Box 7604, Ben Franklin Sta- tion, Washington, DC 20044. Submis- sions may be hand-delivered Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG–113891–07), Courier’s Desk, In- ternal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, or sent electronically via the Federal eRulemak- ing Portal atwww.regulations.gov(IRS REG–113891–07). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lauson C. Green or Linda S.F. Marshall at (202) 622–6090; concerning submissions and requests for a public hearing, contact Kelly Banks at (202) 622–7180 (not toll-free numbers). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Paperwork Reduction Act The collections of information con- tained in this notice of proposed rulemak- ing have been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review in accordance with the Paperwork Reduc- tion Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507(d)). Comments on the collections of infor- mation should be sent to the Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Of- ficer for the Department of the Treasury, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC 20503, with copies to the Internal Revenue Service, Attn: IRS Reports Clearance Officer, SE:W:CAR:MP:T:T:SP, Washington, DC 20224. Comments on the collection of information should be received by Octo- ber 29, 2007. Comments are specifically requested concerning: Whether the proposed collection of in- formation is necessary for the proper per- formance of the functions of the Internal Revenue Service, including whether the information will have practical utility; The accuracy of the estimated burden associated with the proposed collection of information; How the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected may be en- hanced; How the burden of complying with the proposed collections of information may be minimized, including through the appli- cation of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and Estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of service to provide information. The collection of information in this proposed regulation is in §1.430(f)–1(f) and §§1.436–1(f) and 1.436–1(h). This in- formationisrequiredinorderforaqual- ified defined benefit plan’s enrolled ac- tuary to provide a timely certification of the plan’s AFTAP for each plan year to avoid certain benefit restrictions. In ad- dition, these proposed regulations provide for several written elections to be made by the plan sponsor upon occasion. This in- formation is voluntary to obtain a benefit. The likely respondentsare qualified retire- ment plan sponsors and enrolled actuaries. Estimated total annual reporting bur- den: 60,000 hours. Estimated average annual burden hours per respondent: 0.75 hours. Estimated number of respondents: 80,000. Estimated annual frequency of re- sponses: occasional. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid control number assigned by the Of- fice of Management and Budget. Books or records relating to a collection of information must be retained as long as their contents may become material in the administration of any internal revenue law. Generally, tax returns and tax return information are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103. Background This document contains proposed In- come Tax Regulations (26 CFR part 1) un- der sections 430(f) and 436, as added to the Code by the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA ’06), Public Law 109–280, 120 Stat. 780. Section 412 contains minimum funding rules that generally apply to defined bene- fit plans. 1 The minimum funding rules that apply specifically to single employer de- fined benefit plans (including multiple em- ployer plans within the meaning of section 413(c)) are set forth in new section 430. Section 430 generally provides that the minimum required contribution for a year is the sum of the target normal cost for the year and the shortfall and waiver amorti- zation charges. Under section 430(f)(3), certain funding balances referred to as the prefunding balance and the funding stan- dard carryover balance are permitted to be used to reduce the otherwise applica- 1 Section 302 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), sets forth funding rules that are parallel to those in section 412 of the Code, section 303 of ERISA sets forth additional funding rules for defined benefit plans (other than multiemployer plans) that are parallel to those in section 430 of the Code, and section 206(g) of ERISA sets forth funding-based limitations for defined benefit plans (other than multiemployer plans) that are parallel to those in section 436 of the Code. Under section 101 of Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1978 (43 FR 47713) and section 302 of ERISA, the Secretary of the Treasury has interpretive jurisdiction over the subject matter addressed in these proposed regulations for purposes of ERISA, as well as the Code. Thus, these proposed Treasury regulations issued under sections 430(f) and 436 of the Code apply as well for purposes of ERISA sections 303(f) and 206(g), respectively. 2007–42 I.R.B.821October 15, 2007 ble minimum required contribution for a plan year in certain situations. Under sec- tion 430(f)(7), the funding standard carry- over balance is based on the funding stan- dard account credit balance as determined under section 412 for a plan as of the last day of the last plan year beginning in 2007. Under section 430(f)(6), the prefunding balance represents the accumulation of the contributions that an employer makes for a plan year that exceed the minimum re- quired contribution for the year. Thus, an employer that makes additional contribu- tions for a plan year is permitted in cer- tain circumstances to use those excess con- tributions in order to satisfy the minimum funding requirement in a subsequent plan year. The treatment of these balances under section 430 reflects congressional concern with the treatment of a funding standard account credit balance under the section 412 rules in effect prior to PPA ’06. Ac- cordingly, section 430(f)(3) sets forth new limits on the ability of a poorly funded plan to use the prefunding balance and the funding standard carryover balance for a plan year. In addition,section 430(f)(4) requires that the prefunding balance and the funding standard carryover balance be subtracted from the value of plan assets for certain purposes (including the determina- tion of the plan’s funding target attainment percentage (FTAP), as defined under sec- tion 430(d)(2)) and section 430(f)(8) re- quires that the prefunding balance and the funding standard carryover balance be ad- justed for actual investment return on the plan assets. In order to give employers the opportunity to minimize the impact of the requirement to subtract the prefunding bal- ance and funding standard carryover bal- ance from the plan assets, section 430(f)(5) permits an employer to elect to reduce the balances. Section 401(a)(29) requires that a de- fined benefit plan (other than a multiem- ployer plan) satisfythe requirements of section 436. Section 436 sets forth a series of limitations on the accrual and payment of benefits under an underfunded plan. Under section 436(g), these limitations (other than the limitations on accelerated benefit payments under section 436(d)) do not apply to a plan for the first 5 plan years of the plan, taking into account any predecessor plan. Section 436(b) sets forth a limitation on plant shutdown and other unpredictable contingent event benefits in situations where the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage (AFTAP) for the plan year is less than 60 percent or would be less than 60 percent taking into account the occurrence of the event. For this pur- pose, an “unpredictable contingent event benefit” means any benefit payable solely by reason of (1) a plant shutdown (or a similar event) or (2) an event other than attainment of age, performance of service, receipt or derivation of compensation, or the occurrence of death or disability. Under section 436(b)(2), the limitation does not apply for a plan year if the plan sponsor makes a specified contribution (in addition to any minimum required con- tribution). If the AFTAP for a plan year is less than 60 percent, then the specified contribution is equal to the amount of the increase in the plan’s funding target for the plan year attributable to the occurrence of the event. If the AFTAP for a plan year is 60 percent or more but would be less than 60 percent taking into account the occurrence of the event, then the specified contribution is the amount sufficient to result in an AFTAP of 60 percent taking into account the occurrence of the event. Under section 436(c), a plan amend- ment that has the effect of increasing the liabilities of the plan by reason of any in- crease in benefits (including changes in vesting) may not take effect if the plan’s AFTAP for the plan year is less than 80 percent or would be less than 80 percent taking into account the amendment. Un- der section 436(c)(2), the limitation does not apply for a plan year if the plan spon- sor makes a specified contribution (in ad- dition to any minimum required contribu- tion). If the plan’s AFTAP for the plan year is less than 80 percent, then the specified contribution is equal to the amount of the increase in the plan’s funding target for the plan year attributable to the amendment. If the plan’s AFTAP for the plan year is 80 percent or more but would be less than 80 percent taking into account the amend- ment, then the specified contribution is the amount sufficient to result in an AFTAP of 80 percent taking into account the amend- ment. In addition, under section 436(c)(3), the limitation does not apply to an amend- ment that provides for a benefit increase under a formula not based on compensa- tion, but only if the rate of increase does not exceed the contemporaneous rate of in- crease in average wages of the participants covered by the amendment. Under section 436(d), a plan is required to set forth certain limitations on accel- erated benefit distributions. If the plan’s AFTAP for a plan year is less than 60 per- cent, the plan must not make any prohib- ited payments after the valuation date for the plan year. If the plan’s AFTAP for a plan year is at least 60 percent but is less than 80 percent, the plan must not pay any prohibited payment to the extent the pay- ment exceeds the lesser of (1) 50 percent of the amount otherwise payable under the plan and (2) the present value of the max- imum PBGC guarantee with respect to a participant. In addition, if the plan spon- sor is in bankruptcy proceedings, the plan may not pay any prohibited payment un- less the plan’s enrolled actuary certifies that the AFTAP of the plan is at least 100 percent. However, section 436(d) does not apply to a plan for a plan year if the terms of the plan provide for no benefit accruals with respect to any participant for the pe- riod beginning on September 1, 2005, and extending throughout the plan year. Under section 436(d)(5), a “prohibited payment” is (1) any payment, in excess of the monthly amount paid under a single life annuity (plus any social security sup- plements that are provided under the plan), to a participant or beneficiary, (2) any pay- ment for the purchase of an irrevocable commitment from an insurer to pay ben- efits (an annuity contract), or (3) any other payment specified bythe Secretary by reg- ulations. Under section 436(e), a plan is required to provide that if the plan’s AFTAP is less than 60 percent for a plan year, all fu- ture benefit accruals under the plan must cease as of the valuation date for the plan year. Under section 436(e)(2), the limi- tation ceases to apply with respect to any plan year, effective as of the first day of the plan year, if the plan sponsor makes a con- tribution (in addition to any minimum re- quired contribution for the plan year) equal to the amount sufficient to result in an AFTAP of 60 percent. Section 436(f) sets forth a series of rules under which the limitations of section 436 will not apply to a plan. Under section 436(f)(1), an employer is permitted to pro- vide security to the plan (in the form of a October 15, 20078222007–42 I.R.B. surety bond, cash, or other forms satisfac- tory to the Treasury Department and the parties involved) that is treated as an asset of the plan for purposes of determining the plan’s AFTAP. Under section 436(f)(2), if an employer uses the option in section 436(b)(2), 436(c)(2), or 436(e)(2) to make the specified contribution that would avoid a limitation under section 436, the speci- fied contribution must be an actual contri- bution and the employer may not use a pre- funding balance or funding standard carry- over balance in lieu of making the speci- fied contribution. In addition, a contribu- tion to avoid a benefit limitation is disre- garded in determining whether the mini- mum required contribution under section 430 has been made and in determining the plan’s prefunding balance. Section 436(f)(3) describes certain sit- uations in which an employer is deemed to have made the election in section 430(f)(5) to reduce the plan’s funding standard car- ryover balance or prefunding balance. Such an election has the effect of increas- ing the plan’s FTAP (because the result of the election is a higher asset value used to determine the FTAP) and could lead to the plan not being subject to a benefit limitation under section 436. In particu- lar, if the limitation under section 436(d) would otherwise apply to a plan, the plan sponsor is treated as having made an elec- tion (a deemed election) to reduce any prefunding balance or funding standard carryover balance by the amount neces- sary to prevent the benefit limitation from applying. A comparable rule applies to the other benefit limitations under sections 436(b), 436(c), and 436(e), but only in the case of a plan maintained pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. In either case, this deeming rule applies only if the prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balances are large enough to avoid the application of a section 436 lim- itation. Section 436(h) sets forth a series of presumptions that apply during the por- tion of the plan year that is before the plan’s enrolled actuary has certified the plan’s AFTAP for the year. Under sec- tion 436(h)(1), if a plan was subject to a limitation under section 436(b), 436(c), 436(d), or 436(e) for the plan year pre- ceding the current plan year, the plan’s AFTAP for the current year is presumed to be the same as for the preceding year un- til the plan’s enrolled actuary certifies the plan’s AFTAP for the current year. Un- der section 436(h)(3), if any of these lim- itations did not apply to the plan for the preceding year, but the plan’s AFTAP for the preceding year was within 10 percent- age points of the limitation’s threshold, the plan’s AFTAP is presumed to be reduced by 10 percentage points as of the first day of the 4th month of the current plan year, unless the plan’s enrolled actuary has certi- fied the plan’s AFTAP for the current year by that day (and that day is deemed to be the plan’s valuation date for purposes of applying the benefit limitations). If the plan’s enrolled actuary has not certified the plan’s AFTAP by the first day of the 10th month of the current plan year, section 436(h)(2) provides that the plan’s AFTAP is conclusively presumed to be less than 60 percent as of that day (and that day is deemed to be the valuation date for pur- poses of applying the benefit limitations). Under section 436(i), unless the plan provides otherwise, if a limitation on pro- hibited payments or future benefit accruals under section 436(d) or (e) ceases to apply to a plan, all such payments and benefit ac- cruals resume, effective as of the day fol- lowing the close of the limitation period. Section 436(j) provides definitions that are used under section 436, including the plan’s AFTAP. In general, the plan’s AFTAP is based on the plan’s FTAP for the plan year. However, the plan’s AFTAP is determined by adding the aggregate amount of purchases of annuities for em- ployees other than highly compensated employees (within the meaning of section 414(q)) made by the plan during the two preceding plan years to the numerator and the denominator of the fraction used to determine the FTAP. In addition, section 436(j)(3) provides a special rule which applies to certain well- funded plans under which the plan’s FTAP for purposes of section 436 (and hence the plan’s AFTAP) is determined by using the plan’s assets without reduction for the pre- funding balance and the funding standard carryover balance. Section 436(j)(3)(B) sets forth a transition rule for determining eligibility for this special rule. Section 436(k) provides that, for plan years that begin in 2008, the determination of the plan’s FTAP for the preceding year is to be made pursuant to guidance issued by the Secretary. Explanation of Provisions I.Section 430(f) — Effect of Prefunding Balance and Funding Standard Carryover Balance. A.Overview. 1.In general. The proposed regulations would be the second in a series of proposed regulations under new section 430. 2 These regulations would provide guidance on the applica- tion of section 430(f), relating to the es- tablishment and maintenance of a funding standard carryover balance and a prefund- ing balance for purposes of sections 430 and 436. The Treasury Department and the IRS intend to issue additional proposed regulations relating to other portions of the rules under section 430 later in 2007. 2.Multiple employer plans. The proposed regulations under section 430(f) apply to plans subject to section 412 that are maintained by one employer or a controlled group of employers and to multiple employer plans within the mean- ing of section 413(c). In the case of a multiple employer plan to which section 413(c)(4)(A) applies, the rules under the proposed regulations would be applied separately for each employer under the plan, as if each employer maintained a separate plan. Thus, each employer under such a multiple employer plan may have a separate funding standard carryover bal- ance and a prefunding balance for the plan. In the case of a multiple employer plan to which section 413(c)(4)(A) does not apply (that is, a plan described in section 413(c)(4)(B) that has not made the elec- tion for section 413(c)(4)(A) to apply), the proposed regulations under section 430(f) would apply as if all participants in the plan were employed by a single employer. 2 Proposed regulation §§1.430(h)(3)–1 and 1.430(h)(3)–2, relating to the mortality tables used to determine liabilities under section 430(h)(3), were issued May 29, 2007 (REG–143601–06, 2007–24 I.R.B. 1398 [72 FR 29456]). 2007–42 I.R.B.823October 15, 2007 B.Establishment of prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance. The proposed regulations would pro- vide that an employer is permitted to es- tablish a prefunding balance for a plan that represents the accumulation of contribu- tions made for plan years beginning on or after the effective date of section 430 with respect to the plan (the first effective plan year) that are in excess of the minimum re- quired contributions (determined without regard to the prefunding balance and fund- ing standard carryover balance) for those plan years. Specifically, for the first ef- fective plan year of a plan, the prefunding balance is initialized at zero dollars and an employer is permitted to elect to add some or all of the excess contributions made to a plan for each plan year to the prefund- ing balance as of the first day of the next plan year. For this purpose, the excess con- tributions are generally determined as the amount by which the employer contribu- tions to the plan for the plan year exceed the minimum required contribution for the plan year, with appropriate adjustments for interest determined at the effective inter- est rate under section 430(h)(2)(A). How- ever, the proposed regulations would pro- vide that any contribution that is made to avoid the application of a benefit limitation under section 436 is not taken into account in determining the amount of excess con- tributions. The proposed regulations would also provide that the minimum required con- tribution for purposes of determining the amount of excess contributions for the year is determined without regard to any offset of the minimum required contribution for the year as a result of the use of the pre- funding or funding standard carryover bal- ances. Accordingly, an employer would not be permitted to add to the prefund- ing balance any amount of contributions that are “excess” by reason of an offset of the minimum required contribution for the year through the use of the prefunding balance or funding standard carryover bal- ance. This prohibition precludes an em- ployer from avoiding the requirement to adjust the prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance by the actual rate of return on plan assets in the situation where the plan assets have experienced a loss (or a rate of return that is lower than the effective interest rate that is used for interest adjustments with respect to min- imum required contributions for the plan year). The proposed regulations would pro- vide that the funding standard carryover balance is initialized as the balance in the funding standard account as of the last day of the last plan year before section 430 ap- plies to a plan (the pre-effective plan year). This is generally the last plan year begin- ning in 2007, but could be a later year in the case of a plan to which a delayed effective date applies under the rules of sections 104 through 106 of PPA ’06. C.Maintenance of prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance. The proposed regulations would pro- vide that a plan’s prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance as of the beginning of a plan year are adjusted to reflect the actual rate of return on plan assets for the plan year. This calculation of the actual rate of return on plan assets for the plan year is determined on the basis of fair market value and must take into ac- count the amount and timing of all contri- butions, distributions, and other plan pay- ments made during the year. The adjust- ment for investment return is applied to the prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance after any reductions to those balances as described under the fol- lowing two headings in this preamble. In addition, the proposed regulations would provide special rules in the case of a plan with a valuation date that is not the first day of the plan year. D.Use of prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance to offset minimum funding requirements for a year. The proposed regulations would pro- vide that the employer may elect to use some or all of the prefunding balance or funding standard carryover balance to off- set the otherwise applicable minimum re- quired contributionfor a plan year, pro- vided that the plan met a funding percent- age threshold for the preceding plan year. Specifically, an employer is permitted to make such an election only if the plan’s prior year funding ratio was at least 80 per- cent. For this purpose, the plan’s prior year funding ratio generally is a fraction (ex- pressed as a percentage), the numerator of which is the value of plan assets on the valuation date for the preceding plan year, reduced by the amount of any prefunding balance (but not the amount of any fund- ing standard carryover balance), and the denominator of which is the funding target of the plan for the preceding plan year (de- termined without regard to the at-risk rules of section 430(i)(1)). The proposed regulations would pro- vide a transition rule to determine a plan’s prior year funding ratio for the first effec- tive plan year. Under this transition rule, the current liability for the plan for the pre-effective plan year is substituted for the funding target of the plan for that plan year. In addition, the transition rule pro- vides that the value of plan assets is deter- mined under section 412(c)(2) as in effect for that pre-effective plan year, except that the value of plan assets must be limited so that it is not less than 90 percent and not more than 110 percent of the fair market value of plan assets. The proposed regulations would reflect the rule in section 430(f)(3)(B) that re- quires the plan sponsor to have reduced the funding standard carryover balance in full (either by using the funding stan- dard carryover balance to offset the min- imum required contribution for a year or through a voluntary reduction under section 430(f)(5)) before the prefunding balance is permitted to be used to offset a current year minimum funding require- ment. E.Subtraction from plan assets and employer election to reduce balances. The proposed regulations would reflect the rules under section 430(f)(4) which provide that the prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance are subtracted from the plan assets for certain purposes. These include the determination of the FTAP, which is also relevant for purposes of applying the benefit limita- tions of section 436. In accordance with section 430(f)(4)(A), the proposed regula- tions would provide that the amount of the prefunding balance is subtracted from the value of plan assets for purposes of determining whether a plan is exempt from the requirement to establish a new shortfall amortization base under section 430(c)(5)onlyifanelectiontousethe prefunding balance to offset the minimum October 15, 20078242007–42 I.R.B. required contribution is made for the plan year. In addition, pursuant to section 430(f)(4)(B)(ii), the proposed regulations would provide that the prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance are not subtracted from plan assets for pur- poses of determining the funding shortfall under section 430(c)(4) to the extent that there is a binding written agreement with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) which provides that all or a por- tion of those balances cannot be used to offset the minimum required contribution for a plan year. For this purpose, an agreement with the PBGC is taken into account with respect to a plan year only if the agreement was executed prior to the valuation date for the plan year. In addition, section 436(j) sets forth an exception from the requirement to subtract the plan’s prefunding balance and fund- ing standard carryover balance from the value of plan assets in determining a plan’s FTAP for purposes of the benefit limita- tion rules of section 436 provided that the plan’s FTAP would meet certain standards if it were calculated without subtracting the balances from plan assets. Section 430(f)(5) provides that an em- ployer may elect to reduce the amount of the prefunding balance and the fund- ing standard carryover balance. This will have the effect of increasing the plan as- sets for various purposes. For example, the increase in plan assets will increase the FTAP, which may allow the plan to avoid the application of section 436 limitations. The proposed regulations would reflect the rule in section 430(f)(5)(B) that requires the employer to reduce the funding stan- dard carryover balance in full (either by using the funding standard carryover bal- ance to offset the minimum required con- tribution for a year or through a voluntary reduction under section 430(f)(5)) before any reduction is permitted for the prefund- ing balance. F.Elections under section 430(f). The proposed regulations would pro- vide that an electionunder section 430(f) is made by the plan sponsor by provid- ing written notification of the election to the plan’s enrolled actuary and the plan administrator, mustbe irrevocable when made, and must satisfy certain timing rules. The written notification must set forth the relevant details of the election, including the specific amounts involved in the election with respect to the prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance. An election under section 430(f) generally must be made on or before the due date (with extensions) for the filing of the plan’s Form 5500, “Annual Return/Re- port of Employee Benefit Plan”, for the plan year to which the election relates (or, in the case of a plan not required to file a Form 5500 for the plan year, on or before the last day of the seventh month after the end of the plan year to which the election relates). For this purpose, an election to add to the prefunding balance relates to the plan year for which excess contributions were made. However, the proposed regulations would require any section 430(f)(5) election to reduce a por- tion of the prefunding balance or funding standard carryover balance for a plan year to be made by the end of the plan year to which the election relates. For example, in the case of a calendar year plan required tofileForm5500,anelectiontoaddto the prefunding balance as of the first day ofthe2010planyear(inanamountnot in excess of the 2009 interest-adjusted ex- cess contributions), must be made no later than the due date for filing the 2009 Form 5500 (with extensions), while an election to reduce the prefunding balance as of the first day of the 2010 plan year must be made by the end of the 2010 plan year. In both cases, the election would be reported on the 2010 Form 5500 (Schedule SB) that would be filed in 2011. The proposed regulations would pro- vide that, for purposes of elections under section 430(f), any reference in the pro- posed regulations to the plan sponsor gen- erally means the employer or employers responsible for making contributions to the plan. However, in the case of elections un- der section 430(f) for multiple employer plans to which section 413(c)(4)(A) does not apply, any reference in the proposed regulations to the plan sponsor means the plan administrator withinthemeaningof section 414(g). II.Section 436 — Limits on Benefits and Benefit Accruals Under Single Employer Defined Benefit Plans. A.Overview and general rules. 1.In general. The proposed regulations would set forth the rules that a defined benefit pen- sion plan that is subject to section 412 and that is not a multiemployer plan must satisfy in order to comply with the re- quirement in section 401(a)(29) that the plan meet the requirements of section 436. This requirement is a qualification require- ment. A plan satisfies the requirements of section 436 only if the plan meets the requirements of these regulations. 2.New plans. In accordance with section 436(g), the proposed regulations would provide that the limitations described in sections 436(b), 436(c), and 436(e) do not apply to a plan for the first five plan years of the plan. For purposes of applying this new plan rule, plan years under a plan are aggregated with plan years under a predecessor plan. Thus, the only benefit limitation that could apply under a plan that is not a successor plan during the first five years of its existence is the section 436(d) limitation applicable to accelerated benefit payments (such as single sum dis- tributions). 3.Multiple employer plans. The proposed regulations under sec- tion 436 apply to plans maintained by one employer (including a controlled group of employers) and to multiple employer plans (within the meaning of section 413(c)). In the case of a multiple employer plan to which section 413(c)(4)(A) applies, the rules under the proposed regulations would be applied separately for each em- ployer under the plan, as if each employer maintained a separate plan. Thus, the ben- efit limitations under section 436 could apply differently to employees of different employers under such a multiple employer plan. In the case of a multiple employer plan to which section 413(c)(4)(A) does not apply (that is, a plan described in section 413(c)(4)(B) that has not made the election for section 413(c)(4)(A) to 2007–42 I.R.B.825October 15, 2007 apply), the proposed regulations under section 436 would apply as if all partic- ipants in the plan were employed by a single employer. 4.Treatment of plan as of close of prohibited or cessation period. The proposed regulations would pro- vide that, if a limitation on accelerated ben- efit payments under section 436(d) (such as single sum distributions) applies to a plan as of a section 436 measurement date, but that limit subsequently ceases to ap- ply to the plan as of a later section 436 measurement date, then the limitation does not apply to benefits with annuity starting dates that are on or after that later section 436 measurement date. In addition, the proposed regulations would provide that, if a limitation on benefit accruals under sec- tion 436(e) applies to a plan, unless the plan provides otherwise, benefit accruals under the plan will resume effective as of the section 436 measurement date as of which benefit accruals are no longer re- stricted. With respect to a participant who had an annuity starting date within a period dur- ing which the accelerated benefit payment limitation rules of section 436(d) applied to the plan, once the limitation ceases to apply, the participant’s benefits will con- tinuetobepaidintheformpreviously elected unless the plan permits the partic- ipant to be offered a new election which would modify the prior election. The pro- posed regulations would permit a plan to provide that the participant will be offered the opportunity to have a new election un- der which the form of benefit previously elected may be modified, subject to appli- cable qualification requirements, and that new election will constitute a new annu- ity starting date for purposes of section 417. Similarly, a plan is permitted to be amended to provide that any benefit ac- cruals that were limited under the rules of section 436(e) will be credited under the plan once the limitation no longer applies, subject to applicable qualification require- ments. If a plan provides for the restora- tion of benefit accruals for the period of the limitation under preexisting plan terms, the plan is treated as having adopted an amendment that has the effect of increas- ing liabilities under the plan if the pe- riod of the limitation exceeded 12 months. Whether a plan is amended or is treated as having been amended as described above, the amendment or pre-existing plan provi- sion is subject to the limitations of section 436(c). 3 In addition, the proposed regulations would provide that a plan is permitted to be amended to provide that any unpredictable contingent event benefits that were limited under the rules of section 436(b) will be paid or reinstated when the limitation no longer applies, subject to applicable qual- ification requirements. Any such amend- ment is subject to the limitations of sec- tion 436(c). A plan is not permitted to provide for restoration of any such unpre- dictable contingent event benefits without an amendment that complies with section 436(c). 5.Deemed election to reduce prefunding and funding standard carryover balances. The proposed regulations would pro- vide that, if a limitation on accelerated ben- efit payments under section 436(d) would otherwise apply to a plan, the plan spon- sor is treated as having made an election under section 430(f) to reduce the prefund- ing balance or funding standard carryover balance by such amount as is necessary for the AFTAP to be at or above the applica- ble threshold (60, 80, or 100 percent, as the case may be) in order for the benefit limita- tion not to apply to the plan. In such a case, the plan sponsor is treated as having made that election on the section 436 measure- ment date as of which the benefit limita- tion would otherwise apply. This deemed election applies if theplan provides for ac- celerated distributions that would be lim- ited in a plan year, regardless of whether a plan participant is eligible or elects to re- ceive such a distribution during the plan year (but does not apply if the plan does not provide for any accelerated distribu- tions that are subject to the benefit limita- tion). However, the deemed reduction ap- plies with respect to this limitation only if the prefunding and funding standard car- ryover balances to be reduced are large enough to avoid the application of the lim- itation. Thus, no reduction of prefunding and funding standardcarryover balances is required if the limitation would still apply for a year even if those balances were re- duced to zero. In addition, the proposed regulations would provide that, in the case of a plan maintained pursuant to one or more col- lective bargaining agreements between an employee representative and one or more employers in which a benefit limitation under section 436(b), 436(c), or 436(e) would otherwise apply to the plan, the em- ployer is treated for purposes of section 436ashavingmadeanelection under sec- tion 430(f) to reduce the prefunding bal- ance or funding standard carryover bal- ance by such amount as is necessary for the AFTAP to be at or above the applica- ble threshold for the benefit limitation not to apply to the plan, taking into account the unpredictable contingent event benefits or plan amendment, as applicable. The pro- posed regulations would provide that, in the case of a plan with respect to which collective bargaining agreements apply to some, but not all, of the plan participants, the plan is considered a collectively bar- gained plan for purposes of this provision if at least 25 percent of the participants in the plan are members of the collective bar- gaining units for whom the benefit levels under the plan are specified under the col- lective bargaining agreements. As in the case of the deemed reduction in funding balances for the accelerated benefit distri- butions under section 436(d), the deemed reduction applies only if the prefunding and funding standard carryover balances to be reduced are large enough to avoid the application of the limitation under section 436(b), 436(c), or 436(e), as applicable. If the mandatory reduction of funding balances applies to a plan, the employer is treated as having made that election on the date as of which the applicable bene- fit restriction would otherwise apply. In addition, the proposed regulations would provide that, if a plan (whether or not col- lectively bargained) is presumed to have an AFTAP of less than 60 percent under the section 436(h) presumption rules, then the plan is treated as if the plan’s funding standard carryover balance and prefund- ing balance are insufficient to increase the plan’s AFTAP to the threshold percentage. 3 The PBGC has informed the IRS and the Treasury Department that it expects similarly to treat such an automatic restoration of missed benefit accruals as a plan amendment. October 15, 20078262007–42 I.R.B. 6.Section 436 measurement date. The “section 436 measurement date” is a defined term under the proposed regu- lations that is used to describe the date that stops or starts the application of the limitations of sections 436(d) and 436(e) and is also used for calculations with re- spect to applying the limitations of sec- tions 436(b) and 436(c). The regulations would provide that the date of the enrolled actuary’s certification of the AFTAP for the plan year is a section 436 measure- ment date if it occurs within the first nine months of the plan year. If the date of an enrolled actuary’scertification of the AFTAP is between the first day of the 10th month of a plan year and the last day of that plan year, that date is not a section 436 measurement date for purposes of the limitations of section 436(d) or 436(e) be- cause, in that case, the plan’s AFTAP is presumed to be under 60 percent (however, receipt of the enrolled actuary’s certifica- tion during that period impacts the plan’s presumed “carryover” AFTAP for the fol- lowing year). The proposed regulations would provide that a section 436 measure- ment date occurs where there is a change in the plan’s AFTAP under the presump- tion rules of section 436(h). In addition, the proposed regulations would provide a series of rules in cases where the enrolled actuary’s certification of the AFTAP for a plan year is made after the end of the plan year, as described below under the head- ing “Presumed underfunding for purposes of benefit limitations.” B.Limitation on plant shutdown and other unpredictable contingent event benefits. In accordance with section 436(b), the proposed regulations would provide that a plan that provides for any unpre- dictable contingent event benefit 4 must provide that the benefit will not be paid to a plan participant during a plan year if the AFTAP for the plan year is less than 60 percent (or is 60 percent or more but would be less than 60 percent if the benefits attributable to the unpredictable contingent event were taken into account in determining the AFTAP). However, this prohibition on payment of unpredictable contingent event benefits no longer ap- plies for a plan year, effective as of the first day of the plan year, if the employer makes the contribution specified in section 436(b)(2), as described in paragraph II.F in this preamble. For this purpose, the proposed reg- ulations would provide that an “unpre- dictable contingentevent benefit” means any benefit or increase in benefits to the extent the benefit orincrease would not be payable but for the occurrence of an unpredictable contingent event, and an “unpredictable contingent event” means a plant shutdown (whether full or partial) or similar event, or an event other than the attainment of anyage, performance of any service, receipt or derivation of any compensation, or the occurrence of death or disability. Thus, for example, if a plan provides for an unreduced early retirement benefit upon the occurrence of an event other than the attainment of any age, performance of any service, re- ceipt or derivation of any compensation, or the occurrence of death or disability, then that unreduced early retirement ben- efit is an unpredictable contingent event benefit to the extent of any portion of the benefit that would not be payable but for the occurrence of the event, even if the remainder of the benefit is payable with- out regard to the occurrence of the event. Similarly, an unpredictable contingent event benefit under the proposed regu- lations includes a benefit payable upon the presence of circumstances specified in the plan (other than the attainment of any age, performance of any service, receipt or derivation of any compensation, or the occurrence of death or disability), so that a plan that provides those benefits upon a participant’s severance from employment in those circumstances, but not upon a severance from employment that does not involve those circumstances, is providing an unpredictable contingent event benefit. Unpredictable contingent event ben- efits attributable to a plant shutdown or other unpredictable contingent event that occurred within a period during which no limitation under section 436(b) applied to the plan are not affected by the limitation as it applies in a subsequent period. For example, if a plant shutdown occurs in 2010 and a plan’s funded status is such that its shutdown benefits are not subject to the limitation for that plan year, benefits paid pursuant to that shutdown are per- mitted to be paid in a later plan year even if the plan’s AFTAP for the subsequent year is less than 60 percent. Conversely, if a plant shutdown occurs in 2010 and a plan’s funded status is such that its shut- down benefits are subject to the limitation under section 436(b) for that plan year and cannot be paid, those shutdown benefits related to the 2010 plant shutdown are not permitted to be paid in a later year even if the plan’s AFTAP for the later year is at or above the 60 percent threshold for the section 436(b) limitation (subject to the rules permitting plan amendments to reinstate previously restricted benefits, including unpredictable contingent event benefits, as described in paragraph II.A.4 of this preamble). C.Limitations on plan amendments increasing liability for benefits. In accordance with section 436(c), the proposed regulations would provide that a plan satisfies the limitation on plan amend- ments increasing liability for benefits only if the plan provides that no amendment to the plan that has the effect of increas- ing liabilities of the plan by reason of in- creases in benefits, establishment of new benefits, changing the rate of benefit ac- crual, or changing the rate at which bene- fits become nonforfeitable is permitted to take effect if the AFTAP for the plan year is less than 80 percent (or is 80 percent or more but would be less than 80 percent if the benefits attributable to the amend- ment were taken into account in determin- ing the AFTAP). However, this prohibi- tion on plan amendments no longer applies for a plan year if the employer makes the contribution specifiedin section 436(c)(2), as described in paragraph II.F of this pre- amble. In accordance with section 436(c)(3), the limitation on amendments increasing liabilities does not apply to any amend- ment that provides for an increase in ben- efits under a formula that is not based on a participant’s compensation, but only if the rate of increase in benefits does not ex- ceed the contemporaneous rate of increase in average wages of participants covered 4 See also Notice 2007–14, 2007–7 I.R.B. 501 (see §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter), requesting comments on the types of benefits that are permitted to beprovided in a qualified defined benefit plan, including benefits payable in the event of a plant shutdown or similar event. 2007–42 I.R.B.827October 15, 2007 by the amendment. The proposed regula- tions would provide that the determination oftherateofincreaseinaveragewagesis made by taking into consideration the net increase in average wages during the pe- riod beginning with the effective date of the most recent benefit increase applicable to all of those participants who are cov- ered by the current amendment and end- ing on the effective date of the current amendment. If the participants covered by an amendment includeboth currently em- ployed participants and terminated partic- ipants (who will have no increase or de- crease in wages for this purpose after sev- erance from employment), all covered par- ticipants must be included in determining the increase in average wages of the par- ticipants covered by the amendment. Al- ternatively, the employer could adopt two amendments — one that increases ben- efits for currently employed participants and another one that increases benefits for the terminated participants. In that case, this exception from application of the sec- tion 436(c) limitation generally would ap- ply to the amendment that increases ben- efits for currently employed participants (based solely on the wages of those current employees), but the amendment that ap- pliesonlytoterminatedparticipants(who received no increase in wages from the em- ployer during the period over which the increase in average wages is determined) would not be eligible for the exception. In addition, the proposed regulations would provide that, to the extent that any amendment results in (or is made pursuant to) a mandatory increase in the vesting of benefits under the Code or ERISA (such as vesting rate increases pursuant to statute andplanterminationamendmentsunder section 411(d)(3)), that amendment does not constitute an amendment that changes the rate at which benefits become nonfor- feitable for purposes of section 436(c). D.Limitations on accelerated benefit distributions. 1.Funding percentage less than 60 percent. In accordance with section 436(d)(1), under the proposed regulations, a plan must provide that, if the plan’s AFTAP for a plan year is less than 60 percent, the plan will not pay any prohibited payment with an annuity starting date that is on or after the applicable section 436 mea- surement date. However, if a participant requests such a prohibited distribution, the plan must permit the participant to elect another form of benefit available under the plan or to defer payment to a later date to the extent permitted under applicable qualification requirements. Similar rules apply in any case in which a beneficiary is entitled to a prohibited payment (for example, where a qualified pre-retirement survivor annuity is offered in an alterna- tive single sum payment). 2.Bankruptcy. In accordance with section 436(d)(2), under the proposed regulations, a plan must provide that the plan will not pay any prohibited payment with an annuity starting date that is during any period dur- ing a plan year in which the plan sponsor is a debtor in a case under title 11, United States Code, or similar Federal or State law, until the date on which the enrolled actuary of the plan certifies that the plan’s AFTAP is not less than 100 percent. 3.Limited payment if percentage at least 60 percent but less than 80 percent. In accordance with section 436(d)(3), under the proposed regulations, a plan must provide that, in any case in which the plan’s AFTAP for a plan year is 60 percent or more but is less than 80 per- cent, a participant is permitted to elect a prohibited payment only if the present value of the portion of the payment that is greater than the amount of the monthly straight life annuity under the plan (and any social security supplement, if appli- cable) does not exceed 50 percent of the present value of the participant’s benefits (or if less, 100 percent of the present value of the maximum guarantee with respect to the participant under section 4022 of ERISA). For this purpose, present value is determined using the rules of section 417(e) except that, if the plan provides a single sum distribution that is larger than the present value of the benefit determined using the rules of section 417(e), then that larger benefit is substituted for the present value of the participant’s benefits before applying the 50 percent factor. Similar rules apply in any case in which a benefi- ciary is entitled to a prohibited payment. If an optional form of benefit that is otherwise available under the terms of the plan is not available as of the annuity start- ing date because it is a prohibited pay- ment that cannot be paid under the preced- ing paragraph, then the plan must provide a participant who elects such an optional form with the option either to defer pay- ment to a later date (to the extent permit- ted under applicable qualification require- ments) or to bifurcate the benefit into un- restricted and restricted portions. If the participant elects to bifurcate the bene- fit, the plan must permit the participant to elect, with respect to the unrestricted por- tion, any optional form of benefit other- wise available under the plan with respect to the participant’s entire benefit (whether or not the optional form of benefit with re- spect to the unrestricted portion is a pro- hibited payment). The unrestricted portion of the benefit is the lesser of (i) 50 percent of the benefit and (ii) the benefit that has a present value that does not exceed 100 percent of the present value of the maxi- mum PBGC guarantee with respect to the participant under section 4022 of ERISA. If the participant elects payment of the un- restricted portion of the benefit in the form of a prohibited payment, then the plan must permit the participant to elect payment of the restricted portion in any optional form of benefit under the plan that would have been permitted with respect to the partici- pant’s entire benefit other than a prohibited payment. A plan is also permitted (but not required) to offer optional forms of benefit that are solely available during the period section 436(d)(3) applies to the plan, such as an optional form of benefit that provides for the current payment of the unrestricted portion of the benefit, with a delayed com- mencement for the restricted portion of the benefit, subject to other applicable qualifi- cation requirements. A participant who receives a prohib- ited payment (or a series of prohibited pay- ments under a single optional form of ben- efit) under the rule permitting certain pro- hibited payments cannot receive any ad- ditional payment that would be a prohib- ited payment until there is a plan year for which none of the limitations on accel- erated distributions under section 436(d) apply. Benefits provided to a participant and any beneficiary are aggregated for pur- poses of determining the limited distribu- tion under section 436(d)(3). The pro- October 15, 20078282007–42 I.R.B. posed regulations would also reflect the rules of section 436(d)(3)(B)(ii), which de- scribes how this limited distribution is al- located among the beneficiaries of a par- ticipant. 4.Exception for certain frozen plans. In accordance with section 436(d)(4), the limitations under section 436(d) will not apply to a plan for any plan year if the terms of the plan, as in effect for the period beginning on September 1, 2005, provided for no benefit accruals with respect to any participants. However, if such a plan pro- vides for any benefit accruals during a plan year, this exception will cease to apply for the plan as of the date those accruals start. 5.Prohibited payment. In accordance with section 436(d)(5), the proposed regulations would provide that the term “prohibited payment” means: (i) Any payment for a month that is in excess of the monthly amount paid under a single life annuity (plus any social security supplements described in the last sentence of section 411(a)(9)), to a participant or beneficiary whose annuity starting date (as defined in section 417(f)(2)) occurs during any period that a limitation on accelerated benefit payments is in effect; (ii) Any payment for the purchase of an irrevocable commitment from an insurer to pay benefits; and (iii) Any other payment that is iden- tified as a prohibited payment by the Commissioner in revenue rulings and procedures, notices and other guidance published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (see §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter). In addition, for purposes of applying the limitations on accelerated benefit pay- ments under the requirements of section 436(d), the termannuity starting date means, as applicable— (a) The first day of the first period for which an amount is payable as an annuity as described in section 417(f)(2)(A)(i); (b) In the case of a benefit not payable in the form of an annuity, the first day on which all events have occurred (including the participant’s election, the participant’s severance from employment if the partici- pant is below normal retirement age, and, if applicable, the participant’s survival to the date as of which payment is made) which entitle the participant to such bene- fit as described in section 417(f)(2)(A)(ii); (c) In the case of an amount payable under a retroactive annuity starting date, the benefit commencement date; and (d) The date of any payment for the pur- chase of an irrevocable commitment from an insurer to pay benefits under the plan. E.Limitation on benefit accruals. In accordance with section 436(e), un- der the proposed regulations, a plan must provide that, in any case in which the plan’s AFTAP for a plan year is less than 60 percent, benefit accruals under the plan will cease as of the applicable section 436 measurement date. If a plan must cease benefit accruals under this limitation, then the plan is also not permitted to be amended in a manner that would increase the liabilities of the plan by reason of an in- crease in benefits or establishment of new benefits. This rule applies regardless of whether an amendment would otherwise be permissible under section 436(c)(3) (involving certain amendments to increase benefits under a formula not based on a participant’s compensation). This prohi- bition on additional benefit accruals will no longer apply for a plan year if the plan sponsor makes the contribution specified in section 436(e)(2), as described in para- graph II.F of this preamble. F.Rules relating to contributions required to avoid benefit limitations. The proposed regulations provide rules regarding contributions by the plan spon- sor to avoid benefit limitations under section 436. An employer sponsoring a plan that would otherwise be subject to the limitations of section 436 can avoid the application of those limits through one of four different techniques: 1) reducing the funding standard carryover balance and prefunding balance; 2)making additional contributions for a prior plan year that are not added to the prefunding balance; 3) making the specific contributions de- scribed in sections 436(b)(2), 436(c)(2), and 436(e)(2); and 4) providing security, as described in section 436(f)(1). As noted in this preamble, under the first of the techniques, if a plan sponsor elects to reduce the plan’s funding stan- dard carryover balance or the prefunding balance, this will have the effect of increas- ing the plan assets that are taken into ac- count in determining the plan’s FTAP and AFTAP and, thereby, will raise the AFTAP to a level so that the benefit limitations may no longer apply to the plan. Alter- natively, if the deadline for making prior year contributions has not passed, the plan sponsor could utilize the second technique — making additional contributions for the prior plan year. If these additional con- tributions are not added to the prefunding balance, then the additional contributions will also have the effect of increasing the plan’s FTAP and AFTAP. The third and fourth techniques for avoiding the application of the benefit limitations of section 436 are described in §1.436–1(f) of the proposed regulations. Under the third technique, the plan spon- sor makes additional contributions that are specifically designated at the time the contribution is used to avoid the applica- tion of a limitation under section 436(b), 436(c), or 436(e). The proposed regula- tions would provide for this designation to be provided to the plan’s enrolled actuary and plan administrator in writing. Further- more, the designation must be irrevocable, except as described below. If the con- tributions are made on a date other than the valuation date for the plan year, the contributions must be adjusted for interest (using the plan’s effective interest rate, except as provided in the proposed regu- lations). These contributions are separate from any minimum required contributions requiredbysection430,andnoprefund- ing balance or funding standard carryover balance under section 430(f) may be used as a contribution to avoid a section 436 benefit limitation. A plan sponsor that makes such a current year contribution will nonetheless fail to satisfy the mini- mum funding requirements if it does not make the minimum required contribution under section 430 for the year. In addition, as noted above, these contributions are not taken into account in determining whether a plan sponsor is making excess contribu- tions for purposes of adding to the plan’s prefunding balance. The fourth technique for a plan sponsor to avoid the application of the benefit lim- itations of section 436 is for the plan spon- sor to provide security. In such a case, the AFTAP for the plan year is determined by treating as an asset of the plan any security 2007–42 I.R.B.829October 15, 2007 provided by a plan sponsor by the valua- tion date for the plan year in a form meet- ing certain specified requirements. How- ever, this security is not taken into account for any other purpose, including section 430. The only security permitted to be pro- vided by a plan sponsor for this purpose is (i) a bond issued by a corporate surety company that is an acceptable surety for purposes of section 412 of ERISA, or (ii) cash or United States obligations that ma- ture in three years or less that are held in escrow by a bank or insurance com- pany. The regulations would reflect sec- tions 436(f)(1)(C) and (D) in specifying when the security is to be contributed to the plan and when it may be released. If the security is turned over to the plan, then that amount is treated as an employer con- tribution when it is turned over to the plan. The proposed regulations would provide that any such securityturned over to the plan pursuant to the enforcement mecha- nism cannot be treated as a contribution to avoid or terminate the application of a sec- tion 436 benefit limitation under section 436(b)(2), 436(c)(2), or 436(e)(2). G.Presumed underfunding for purposes of benefit limitations. The proposed regulations reflect the rules of section 436(h), which sets forth a series of presumptions that are used to apply the section 436 benefit limitations in situations where the plan’s enrolled actuary has not yet issued a certification of the plan’s AFTAP for the plan year. In addition, the proposed regulations also set forth rules for the application of the limi- tations prior to and during the period those presumptions apply to a plan, and describe the interaction of those presumptions with plan operations after the plan’s enrolled actuary has issued a certification of the plan’s AFTAP for the plan year. These rules are designed to encourage plans to obtain certifications in a timely manner, with a particular emphasis with respect to plans that have a greater likelihood of hav- ing a new section 436 benefit limitation apply because they had an AFTAP for the prior plan year that was near a threshold for a benefit limitation to apply. The proposed regulations would pro- vide that, in any case in which a plan was subject to a benefit limitation on the last day of the prior plan year, the first day of the plan year is a section 436 measurement date and the AFTAP of the plan for the current plan year is presumed to be equal to the preceding year’s certified AFTAP until the plan’s enrolled actuary certifies the AFTAP of the plan for the current plan year. Because no plan could be subject to a benefit limitation for a plan year that pre- cedes the plan year that begins in 2008, the section 436(h)(1) presumption gener- ally will not apply to any plan before the first plan year beginning in 2009. In accordance with section 436(h)(3), the proposed regulations would provide that, if the enrolled actuary of the plan has not certified the AFTAP of the plan for the current plan year by the first day of the 4th month of the plan year and the AFTAP for the preceding year was certified to be at least 60 percent but less than 70 percent or at least 80 percent but less than 90 percent (or, if that preceding year is the pre-effec- tive plan year, was certified to be less than 90 percent), then the first day of the 4th month of the current plan year is a section 436 measurement date, and the AFTAP oftheplanispresumedtobeequalto10 percentage points less than the AFTAP of the plan for the preceding plan year. This presumption will apply until the earlier of the date the enrolled actuary certifies the AFTAP for the plan year or the first day of the 10th month of the plan year. In accordance with section 436(h)(2), the proposed regulations would provide that, in any case in which no certifica- tion of the specific AFTAP for the current plan year is made before the first day of the 10th month of such year, that date is a section 436 measurement date and, as of that date, the plan’s AFTAP is conclu- sively presumed to be less than 60 percent. In such a case, the presumed AFTAP of un- der 60 percent for the current plan year will continue to apply under the rules of sec- tion 436(h)(1) for the next plan year, until such time as the enrolled actuary certifies the AFTAP for either the current plan year or the next plan year. The proposed regulations would pro- vide rules that apply the section 436(h) presumptions for the plan year in cases in which the enrolled actuary’s certifica- tion for the prior plan year is made on or after the first day of the 10th month of that prior plan year. If the date of the en- rolled actuary’s certification of the specific AFTAP for a plan year occurs on or af- ter the date the conclusive presumption ap- plies but on or before the last day of the plan year, the proposed regulations would provide that the certified percentage is dis- regarded for that plan year but is used for purposes of the presumption rule of sec- tion 436(h)(1) starting with the beginning of the following plan year (rather than con- tinuing to apply the less-than-60 percent presumption that applied before the first day of that following plan year). If the date of the enrolled actuary’s certification of the specific AFTAP for a plan year oc- curs after the end of the plan year but prior to the first day of the 4th month in the fol- lowing plan year, the proposed regulations would provide that the certification date is treated as a section 436 measurement date for that following plan year and that, start- ing on that date, the plan’s AFTAP is pre- sumed to be the certified AFTAP for the prior year (rather than continuing to ap- ply the less-than-60 percent presumption that applied before the certification). If the date of the enrolled actuary’s certifi- cation of the specific AFTAP for a plan year occurs after the first day of the 4th month in the following plan year but be- fore the first day of the 10th month, the proposed regulations would provide that the certification date also is a section 436 measurement date for that following plan year, and the plan’s AFTAP for that fol- lowing year beginning on that date is pre- sumed to be the certified AFTAP for the prior year (rather than continuing to apply the less-than-60 percent presumption that applied before the certification). However, in such a case, if a 10 percentage point re- duction in the AFTAP would have applied on the first day of the 4th month of that fol- lowing plan year if the AFTAP for the prior plan year had been certified before that day, then the same 10 percentage point re- duction applies on the date of the certifica- tion. These presumption rules based on the prior year AFTAP do not apply once a cer- tification of the following year’s AFTAP is issued by the plan’s enrolled actuary. The enrolled actuary’s certification of the AFTAP for a plan year must be made in writing, must be provided to the plan administrator, and must certify the plan’s AFTAP for the plan year. As an alterna- tive to certifying a specific number for the plan’s AFTAP, the regulations would pro- vide that the enrolled actuary is permitted to certify during the first nine months of a October 15, 20078302007–42 I.R.B. plan year that the plan’s AFTAP for that year is within a percentage “range” that is either (i) 60 percent or higher, but less than 80 percent, (ii) 80 percent or higher, or (iii) 100 percent or higher. The pro- posed regulations would provide that such a “range” certification ends the application of the presumptions provided that the en- rolled actuary follows up with a certifica- tion of the specific AFTAP before the first day of the 10th month of that year and that the certified specific AFTAP is within the range of the earlier certification. If this “range” certification alternative is followed, the plan is treated as having a certified AFTAP at the smallest value within the applicable range. Thus, for ex- ample, if the enrolled actuary certified that the AFTAP was more than 60 percent but less than 80 percent, then the plan is treated as having an AFTAP of 60 percent for pur- poses of applying the limitations of sec- tion 436(b) until the earlier of the date ofthespecificAFTAPcertification or the first day of the 10th month of the plan year. In such a case, if the plan has an unpredictable contingent event or a plan amendment that increases liability for ben- efits, unpredictable contingent event ben- efits cannot be paid and the plan amend- ment cannot take effect unless the plan sponsor makes a contribution described in section 436(b)(2) or 436(c)(2), as applica- ble. If the plan sponsor makes a contri- bution under section 436(b)(2) or section 436(c)(2), the proposed regulations would provide that the contribution is recharac- terized as a regular employer contribution that is taken into account under section 430 for the current plan year to the extent it is determined that the contribution was not needed to avoid the application of the ben- efit limit, based on the subsequent calcula- tion of the specific AFTAP. The proposed regulations would spec- ify that the enrolled actuary is generally not permitted to certify the AFTAP based on a value of assets that includes contribu- tions receivable for the prior year that have not actually been made as of the date of the certification. However, this rule would not apply to certifications that are made for plan years beginning before January 1, 2009. Thus, for a certification with respect to 2008, the enrolled actuary is permitted to take in account contributions for 2007 that are reasonably expected but have not yet been made by the plan sponsor at the time of the certification. However, if the plan sponsor does not make those contri- butions, the enrolled actuary’s certification will be incorrect, which will result in a fail- ure to satisfy section 401(a)(29) and sec- tion 436 if the difference constitutes a ma- terial change. If the enrolled actuary for the plan provides a certification of the AFTAP for the plan year (including a range certifi- cation) and that certified percentage is superseded by a subsequent determination of the AFTAP for that plan year, that later percentage must be applied and a determi- nation must be made whether the change in the applicable percentage is a material change or an immaterial change. For this purpose, the proposed regulations would specify that there is a material change if plan operations with respect to benefits that are addressed by section 436, taking into account any actual contributions and elections under section430(f)madebythe plan sponsor based on the prior certified percentage, would have been different based on the subsequent determination of the plan’s AFTAP for the plan year. Thus, for example, if after the actuary certifies the plan’s AFTAP for a plan year, the plan sponsor elects to add excess contributions for the prior plan year to the plan’s pre- funding balance, this would have the effect of reducing the plan’s AFTAP, and such a change could be a material change. The proposed regulations would spec- ify that an immaterial change is a change in an AFTAP that is not a material change. In addition, the proposed regulations would provide that if the difference between the AFTAP for a plan year and the later revised determination of that percentage is the re- sult of additional contributions for the pre- ceding year that are made by the plan spon- sor after the date of the enrolled actuary’s certification or results from the plan spon- sor’s election to reduce the prefunding or funding standard carryover balance after the date of the certification, such change is always treated as an immaterial change (regardless of whether it would otherwise affect the application of the section 436 benefit limitations). In the case of a material change where the plan was operated in accordance with the prior certification of the AFTAP for the plan year, the plan will not have satis- fied the requirements of section 401(a)(29) and section 436. In the case of a material change where the plan was operated in ac- cordance with the subsequent certification of the AFTAP during the period of time the prior certification applied, the plan will not have been operated in accordance with its terms. In addition, in the case of a material change, the rules requiring application of a presumed AFTAP under section 436(h) continue to apply from and after the date of the prior certification until the date of the subsequent certification. In the case of an immaterial change, the revised percent- age applies prospectively but it does not change the inapplicability of the presump- tions under section 436(h) for the plan year prior to the date of the subsequent certifi- cation. H.Coordination between presumptions and determination of AFTAP. 1.Periods during which a presumption applies to the plan. A plan must provide that, for any pe- riod during which a presumption under section 436(h) applies to the plan, the lim- itations applicable under sections 436(b), 436(c), 436(d), and 436(e) apply to the plan as if the actual AFTAP for the year were the presumed AFTAP. During that period, the rules relating to the deemed election to reduce the funding standard carryover balance and the prefunding bal- ance must be applied based on the pre- sumed percentage with respect to the ap- plicable limitations. Thus, a plan’s pre- funding balance and funding standard car- ryover balance must be reduced if the re- duction would be sufficient to avoid the applicable limitation. The proposed reg- ulations provide rules for determining the amount of the reduction in balances. If the presumed AFTAP for the plan year changes during the year because of application of the presumption in section 436(h)(3), the rules regarding the deemed election to reduce funding balances must be reapplied based on the new presumed AFTAP. This reapplication of the deemed election may require an additional reduc- tion in funding balances if the amount of the reduction in funding balances that is necessary to reach the applicable threshold to avoid the application of the limitation undersection436(d)or436(e)isgreater than the amount that was initially reduced. 2007–42 I.R.B.831October 15, 2007 2.Periods prior to certification where no presumption applies. If no presumptions under section 436(h) apply to a plan for a period and the plan’s enrolled actuary has not yet issued the cer- tification of the plan’s AFTAP for the plan year, the plan is not permitted to limit the payment of unpredictable contingent event benefits or the accrual of benefits based on an expectation that the limitations un- dersection436(d)or436(e)willapplyto the plan once the enrolled actuary’s certi- fication of the AFTAP is issued. In addi- tion, the proposed regulations would pro- vide that, if no presumptions under sec- tion 436(h) apply to a plan during a pe- riod and the plan’s enrolled actuary has not yet issued a certification of the plan’s AFTAP for the plan year, the limitations under sections 436(b) and 436(c) that ap- ply to unpredictable contingent event ben- efits and certain plan amendments, respec- tively, during that period must be applied following the special rules described be- low in paragraph H.3. of this preamble. Thus, if after application of those rules the plan would be treated as having an AFTAP below the applicablethreshold under sec- tion 436(b) or 436(c), the limitation will apply unless the plan sponsor makes a con- tribution to avoid application of the appli- cable benefit limitations described in sec- tion 436(b)(2) or 436(c)(2). In such case, following the certification of the AFTAP for the current plan year by the plan’s en- rolled actuary, the proposed regulations would provide that those contributions are recharacterized as employer contributions under section 430 for the current plan year to the extent they exceed the amount nec- essary to avoid application of the appli- cable limitation under section 436(b) or 436(c) based on the certified percentage. 3.Periods prior to certification — special rules for unpredictable contingent event benefits and plan amendments that increase liability. The proposed regulations would pro- vide that, during the pre-certification pe- riod, the rules relating to the deemed elec- tion to reduce the funding standard carry- over balance and the prefunding balance must be applied based on the plan’s pre- sumed AFTAP. The proposed regulations would provide rules for determining the amount of the reduction in those balances that would apply in such a situation and provide that, in making such determina- tion, the presumed adjusted funding target is increased to take into account the ben- efits attributable to the unpredictable con- tingent event or the plan amendment de- scribed in section 436(b) and 436(c), re- spectively. For this purpose, if no pre- sumption applies under the rules of section 436(h) (for example,because the plan’s ac- tual AFTAP for the prior year was certified to be at least 80 percent), then that prior year’s actual AFTAP is substituted for the presumed AFTAP for the plan year in de- termining the presumed adjusted funding target. In the case of a plan that is not a collectively bargained plan with a funding standard carryover balance or a prefund- ing balance, the deemed election rules do not apply for purposes of sections 436(b) and 436(c), and the plan sponsor is permit- ted (but not required) to reduce those bal- ances in order to increase the adjusted plan assets that are compared to the presumed AFTAP. If, after application of such funding bal- ance reductions and the other calculations set forth in the proposed regulations, the plan’s AFTAP (taking into account the ad- ditional benefits) is less than the applicable threshold under section 436(b) or 436(c), as applicable, then the plan is not permit- ted to provide any benefits attributable to the unpredictable contingent event or plan amendment unless the plan sponsor makes a contribution that would allow payment of unpredictable contingent event benefits or would permit a plan amendment increas- ing benefit liabilities to go into effect under the rules of section 436(b)(2) or 436(c)(2). If, after application of such funding bal- ance reductions, the plan’s AFTAP (tak- ing into account the additional benefits) is greater than or equal to the applicable threshold under section 436(b) or 436(c), as applicable, then the plan is not permitted to limit the payment of unpredictable con- tingent event benefits under section 436(b) or to restrict a plan amendment increasing liability for benefits from taking effect un- der section 436(c) based on an expectation that those limitations will apply to the plan once the enrolled actuary’s certification is issued. 4.Limitations based on AFTAP. The proposed regulations would pro- vide that, on and after the date the enrolled actuary for the plan issues a certification of the AFTAP for the current plan year, the plan must apply that certified percent- age (however, if the certification is issued on or after the first day of the 10th month of the current plan year but before the first day of the following plan year, the certified percentage applies under the presumption rules beginning on the first day of that fol- lowing plan year). For example, the plan sponsor must apply the certified AFTAP for a plan year to an unpredictable con- tingent event that occurs or a plan amend- ment that is effective on or after the date of the enrolled actuary’s certification dur- ing the plan year. Thus, the plan admin- istrator must determine if the AFTAP is at or above the applicable threshold, taking into account the increase in the funding tar- get that would be attributable to the unpre- dictable contingent event or plan amend- ment if the unpredictable contingent event benefits or the increase in liability attrib- utable to the plan amendment were taken into account. After the AFTAP for a plan year is cer- tified by the plan’s enrolled actuary, with respect to the application of limitations un- der sections 436(d) and 436(e) (acceler- ated benefit payments and benefit accruals, respectively) for the plan year, the deemed election to reduce funding balances must be reapplied based on the actual funding target for the year (provided the certifica- tion is issued by the first day of the 10th month). This reapplication of the deemed election may require an additional reduc- tion in funding balances if the amount of the reduction in funding balances that is necessary to reach the applicable thresh- old to avoid the application of those lim- itations is greater than the amount of a prior reduction for the plan year. The pro- posed regulations would also reflect sec- tion 436(d)(2), which provides that no pro- hibited payments under section 436(d)(5) are permitted to be paid by a plan during any period in which the plan sponsor is a debtor in a case under title 11, United States Code, or any similar Federal or State law, if the plan’s enrolled actuary has not yet certified the plan’s AFTAP for the plan year to be at least 100 percent. Thus, the October 15, 20078322007–42 I.R.B. presumptions do not apply for purposes of section 436(d)(2). The proposed regulations would pro- vide that the enrolled actuary’s certifica- tion of the AFTAP does not affect the ap- plication of the limitation under section 436(d) for participants with annuity start- ing dates before the certification. Sim- ilarly, the enrolled actuary’s certification for the plan year does not affect the ap- plication of the limitation under section 436(e) of this section prior to the date of that certification. With respect to the impact of the en- rolled actuary’s certification of the AFTAP for a plan year on periods prior to the cer- tification, the proposed regulations would provide that the certification does not af- fect the application of limitations under sections 436(b) and 436(c) for periods prior to the date the certification is issued, regardless of the extent to which the certi- fied percentage varies from the presumed percentage. Notwithstanding the forego- ing, in the case of a plan that, for a plan year, did not provide benefits attributable to an unpredictable contingent event or plan amendment based on the preceding year’s certified AFTAP (and where suffi- cient contributions under section 436(b)(2) or 436(c)(2) were not made), the plan must provide any benefits that were not so pro- vided if those benefits would be permitted under the rules of section 436 based on the certified AFTAP, taking into account the increase in the funding target that would be attributable to the unpredictable contin- gent event benefits or increase in liability due to the plan amendment. A special rule applies if a plan is pro- viding benefits with respect to one or more unpredictable contingent events occurring within the plan year or amendments tak- ing effect within the plan year. In such a case, the restrictions on unpredictable contingent event benefits and plan amend- ments are applied with respect to a sub- sequent unpredictable contingent event or amendment by treating the increase in the funding target attributable to the subse- quent event or amendment as if it included the increases in the funding target attrib- utable to all such earlier events or amend- ments. I.Determination of funding target attainment percentage. For purposes of section 436, thefund- ing targetmeans the funding target under section 430(d) or section 430(i), as appli- cable to the plan for a plan year. For purposes of section 436, thefund- ing target attainment percentage(FTAP) for any plan year is the fraction (expressed as a percentage), the numerator of which is the value of net plan assets, and the denom- inator of which is the plan’s funding target (determined without regard to the at-risk rules under section 430(i) even in the case ofaplanthatisinat-riskstatus). For this purpose, pursuant to section 430(f)(4), the value of net plan assets for the plan year is generally determined by subtract- ing the plan’s funding standard carryover balance and prefunding balance (if any) for the plan year from the value of plan assets. Theadjusted funding target attainment percentage(AFTAP) for any plan year is the fraction (expressed as a percentage), the numerator of which is the adjusted plan assets and the denominator of which is the adjusted funding target. The adjusted plan assets equals the net plan assets, increased by the aggregate amount of purchases of annuities for employees other than highly compensated employees (as defined in section 414(q)) which were made by the plan during the preceding 2 plan years. The proposed regulations would provide that the adjusted funding target equals the funding target for the plan year (deter- mined without regard to the at-risk rules under section 430(i)), increased by the ag- gregate amount of purchases of annuities for employees other than highly compen- sated employees (as defined in section 414(q)) which were made by the plan dur- ing the preceding 2 plan years. If the FTAP for a plan year, determined without regard to the section 430(f)(4) sub- traction of the funding standard carryover balance and the prefunding balance from the value of plan assets, would be 100 per- cent or more, then, for purposes of sec- tion 436 (but not section 430(d)), the value of net plan assets used in the determina- tion of the FTAP and the AFTAP is deter- mined without regard to any subtraction of funding balances undersection 430(f)(4). The proposed regulations would reflect the transition rule of section 436(j)(3)(B) un- der which a plan is permitted to phase up to 100 percent for purposes of the preced- ing sentence. The proposed regulations would also provide that, in the case of the first plan year beginning in 2008, the FTAP for the preceding plan year is determined as a fraction (expressed as a percentage), the numerator of which is the value of net plan assets, and the denominator of which is the plan’s current liability determined pur- suant to section 412(l)(7) on the valuation date for the last plan year that begins be- fore 2008 (the 2007 plan year). For this purpose, the value of plan assets is de- termined under section 412(c)(2) as in ef- fect for the 2007 plan year, except that the value of plan assets prior to subtrac- tion of the plan’s funding standard account credit balance described below can neither be less than 90 percent of the fair market value of plan assets nor greater than 110 percent of the fair market value of plan as- sets on the valuation date for that plan year. If a plan has a funding standard account credit balance as of the valuation date for the 2007 plan year, that balance must be subtracted from the asset value described above as of that date unless the value of plan assets is greater than or equal to 90 percent of the plan’s current liability deter- mined under section 412(l)(7) on the valu- ation date for the 2007 plan year. In the case of the first plan year begin- ning in 2008, for purposes of determin- ing the AFTAP for the 2007 plan year, the proposed regulations provide that the ad- justed funding target is equal to the cur- rent liability determined pursuant to sec- tion 412(l)(7) on the valuation date for the 2007 plan year, increased by the aggre- gate amount of purchases of annuities for employees other than highly compensated employees (as defined in section 414(q)) which were made by the plan during the preceding 2 plan years. In any case in which the plan’s enrolled actuary has not issued a certification of the AFTAP of the plan for the 2007 plan year using this rule, the AFTAP of the plan for the first plan year beginning in 2008 is presumed to be less than 60 percent until the AFTAP of the plan for the 2007 plan year has been certi- fied or the AFTAP of the plan for the first plan year beginning in 2008 has been certi- fied. This rule applies for purposes of sec- tions 436(b) and 436(c) at the beginning of the first plan year beginning in 2008 and applies for purposes of sections 436(d) and 2007–42 I.R.B.833October 15, 2007 436(e) as of the first day of the 4th month of the first plan year beginning in 2008. The special rules permitting range certifi- cations for plan years beginning after 2007 do not apply to the 2007 plan year. However, if the employer makes an election to reduce some or all of the fund- ing standard carryover balance as of the first day of the first plan year beginning in 2008 in accordance with proposed §1.430(f)–1(e), then the present value (determined as of the valuation date for the prior year using the valuation interest rate for that prior year) of the amount so reduced is not treated as part of the fund- ing standard account credit balance when that balance is subtracted from the value of net plan assets. Thus, an employer’s election to reduce the funding standard carryover balance in2008 will have the effect of reducing the amount that must be subtracted from the assets in determining the 2007 AFTAP for purposes of applying the presumptions under section 436(h)(3) as of the first day of the 4th month of the plan year beginning in 2008. Proposed Legislation Asofthedateofissuanceofthese proposed regulations, bills have been in- troduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate that would exclude manda- tory cash-out distributions under section 411(a)(11) from application of the accel- erated payments limitation under section 436(d) and that would provide the Trea- sury Department with authority to address application of the presumptions under sec- tion 436(h) to plans that have valuation dates that are later than the first day of the plan year. 5 Proposed §1.436–1(d)(6) and §1.436–1(h)(5), respectively, are reserved in order to accommodate such changes. Section 1107 of PPA ’06 and Code Section 411(d)(6) Under section 1107 of PPA ’06, a plan sponsor is permitted to delay adopting a plan amendment pursuant to statutory pro- visions under PPA ’06 (or pursuant to any regulation issued under PPA ’06) until the last day of the first plan year beginning on or after January 1, 2009 (January 1, 2011 in the case of governmental plans). As de- scribed in Rev. Proc. 2007–44, 2007–28 I.R.B. 54, this amendment deadline applies to both interim and discretionary amend- ments that are made pursuant to PPA ’06 statutory provisions or any regulation is- sued under PPA ’06. See §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter. If section 1107 of PPA ’06 applies to an amendment of a plan, sec- tion 1107 provides that the plan does not fail to meet the requirements of section 411(d)(6) by reason of such amendment, except as provided by the Secretary of the Treasury. 6 For example, section 411(d)(6) relief would be available for plan amend- ments that would prohibit single sum or other accelerated distributions if the plan’s AFTAP was less than 60 percent, in accor- dance with section 436(d) and §1.436–1(d) of the proposed regulations. Plan sponsors should note that the IRS and the Treasury Department are reviewing whether sample plan amendments should be issued with re- spect to section 436 and the §1.436–1 reg- ulations. ERISA notice to participants and beneficiaries Under section 101(j) of ERISA, as amended by PPA ’06, the plan administra- tor of a single employer plan is required to provide a written notice to participants and beneficiaries within 30 days after: •The date the plan has become sub- ject to a restriction described in the ERISA provisions that are parallel to paragraphs (b) and (d) of Code section 436; •In the case of a plan that is subject to the ERISA provisionsthat are parallel to paragraph (e) of Code section 436, the valuation date for the plan year for which the plan’s AFTAP is less than 60 percent (or, if earlier, the date the AFTAPispresumedtobelessthan 60 percent under the ERISA provisions that parallel the presumption rules in paragraph (h) of Code section 436); and •At such other time as may be deter- mined by the Secretary of the Treasury. The notice is required to be provided in writing, except that the notice may be in electronic or other form to the extent that such form is reasonably accessible to the recipient. Effective/Applicability Dates 1.Section 1.430(f)–1. In general, these regulations under sec- tion 430(f) are proposed to apply to plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2008. However, in the case of a plan for which the effective date of section 430 is delayed in accordance with sections 104 through 106 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, Public Law 109–280, 120 Stat. 780, the regulations under section 430(f) are proposed to apply to plan years beginning on or after the effective date of section 430 with respect to the plan. Unlike section 436, section 430 and the regulations under section 430(f) do not include a delayed effective date for collec- tively bargained plans. 2.Section 1.436–1. In general, the regulations under section 436 are proposed to apply to plan years be- ginning on or after January 1, 2008. How- ever, in the case of a plan for which the ef- fective date of section 436 is delayed in ac- cordance with sections 104 through 106 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, Pub- lic Law 109–280, 120 Stat. 780, the reg- ulations under section 436 are proposed to apply to plan years beginning on or after the effective date of section 436 with re- spect to the plan. In addition, in the case of a collectively bargained plan maintained pursuant to one or more collective bargain- ing agreements between employee repre- sentatives and one or more employers rat- ified before January 1, 2008, the regula- tions under section 436 would not apply to plan years beginning before the earlier of: (1) the later of the date on which the last collective bargaining agreement relating to the plan terminates (determined without 5 H.R. 3361 (August 3, 2007) and S. 1974 (August 2, 2007), at sections 2(c)(1)(C), 2(c)(2)(C), 2(c)(1)(F), and 2(c)(2)(F). 6 Except to the extent permitted under section 411(d)(6) and the §1.411(d)–4 regulations, or under a statutory provision such as section 1107 of PPA ’06, section 411(d)(6) prohibits a plan amendment that decreases a participant’s accrued benefits or that has the effect of eliminating or reducing an early retirement benefit or retirement-type subsidy, or eliminating an optional form of benefit, with respect to benefits attributable to service before theamendment. However, an amendment that eliminates or decreases benefitsthat have not yet accrued does not violate section 411(d)(6), provided the amendment is adopted and effective before the benefits accrue. October 15, 20078342007–42 I.R.B. regard to any extension thereof agreed to after August 17, 2006), or the first day of the first plan year to which the proposed regulations under section 436 would oth- erwise apply, or (2) January 1, 2010. For this purpose, any plan amendment made pursuant to a collective bargaining agree- ment relating to the plan which amends the plan solely to conform to any requirement under the proposed regulations would not be treated as a termination of the collec- tive bargaining agreement. The determina- tion of whether a plan is a collectively bar- gained plan is the same as described above in paragraph II.A.5 of this preamble with respect to a plan sponsor’s deemed elec- tion to reduce funding balances. 3.Reliance on proposed regulations. For periods following the issuance of these proposed regulations and before final regulations are issued, these proposed reg- ulations may be relied upon for plan qual- ification purposes, provided that such re- liance is on a consistent and reasonable ba- sis. 4.Effect on plans subject to section 402 of PPA ’06. The IRS and the Treasury Department are reviewing the applicability of section 436 and the funding balance rules of sec- tion 430(f) to plans that have made elec- tions under section 402 of PPA ’06 (tak- ing into account the amendments to section 402ofPPA’06bysection6615oftheU.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appro- priations Act, 2007 (Public Law 110–28)) and any special rules for such plans will be addressed in future guidance. Special Analyses It has been determined that this notice of proposed rulemaking is not a significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order 12866. Therefore, a regulatory as- sessment is not required. It has also been determined that section 553(b) of the Ad- ministrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. chap- ter 5) does not apply to these regulations. It is hereby certified that the collection of in- formation imposed by these proposed reg- ulations will not have a significant eco- nomic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Accordingly, a regulatory flexibility analysis is not required. The estimated burden imposed by the collec- tion of information contained in these pro- posed regulations is 0.75 hours per respon- dent. Moreover, most of this burden is at- tributable to the requirement for a quali- fied defined benefit plan’s enrolled actu- ary to provide a timely certification of the plan’s AFTAP for each plan year to avoid certain benefit restrictions, which is im- posed by section 436(h) of the Code. In ad- dition, these proposed regulations provide for several written elections to be made by the plan sponsor upon occasion; these written elections will require minimal time to prepare. Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Code, these regulations have been sub- mitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment on its impact on small business. Comments and Requests for a Public Hearing Before these proposed regulations are adopted as final regulations, consideration will be given to any written (one signed and eight (8) copies) or electronic com- mentsthataresubmittedtimelytothe IRS. The IRS and Treasury Department specifically request comments on the clar- ity of the proposed regulations and how they may be made easier to understand. All comments will be available for public inspection and copying. A public hearing will be scheduled if requested in writing by any person who timely submits written comments. If a public hearing is sched- uled, notice of the date, time, and place of the public hearing will be published in the Federal Register. Drafting Information The principal authors of these reg- ulations are Lauson C. Green and Linda S.F. Marshall,Office of Division Counsel/Associate Chief Counsel (Tax Exempt and Government Entities). How- ever, other personnel from the IRS and the Treasury Department participated in the development of these regulations. ***** Proposed Amendments to the Regulations Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is proposed to be amended as follows: PART 1—INCOME TAXES Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 continues to read in part as follows: Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * * Par. 2. Section 1.430(f)–1 is added to read as follows: §1.430(f)–1 Effect of prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance. (a)In general—(1)Overview. This sec- tion provides rules relating to the appli- cation of prefunding balances and fund- ing standard carryover balances under sec- tion 430(f). Section 430 and this section apply to single employer defined benefit plans (including multiple employer plans) that are subject to section 412, but do not apply to multiemployer plans (as defined in section 414(f)). Paragraph (b) of this section sets forth rules regarding a plan sponsor’s election to maintain a funding standard carryover balance or a prefund- ing balance. Paragraph (c) of this section provides rules under which those balances must be subtracted from plan assets. Para- graph (d) of this section describes a plan sponsor’s election to use those balances to offset the minimum required contribution. Paragraph (e) of this section describes a plan sponsor’s election to reduce those bal- ances (which will affect the determination of the value of plan assets for purposes of sections 430 and 436). Paragraph (f) of this section sets forthrules regarding elec- tions under this section. Paragraph (g) of this section contains examples. Paragraph (h) of this section contains effective/appli- cability dates and transitional provisions. (2)Special rules for multiple employer plans. In the case of a multiple employer plan to which section 413(c)(4)(A) applies, the rules of this section are applied sep- arately for each employer under the plan, as if each employer maintained a separate plan. Thus, each employer under such a multiple employer plan may have a sep- arate funding standard carryover balance and a prefunding balance for the plan. In the case of a multiple employer plan to which section 413(c)(4)(A) does not ap- ply (that is, a plan described in section 413(c)(4)(B) that has not made the elec- tion for section 413(c)(4)(A) to apply), the rules of this section are applied as if all par- ticipants in the plan were employed by a single employer. 2007–42 I.R.B.835October 15, 2007 (b)Election to maintain balances—(1) Prefunding balance—(i)In general.A plan sponsor is permitted to maintain a pre- funding balance for a plan. A prefunding balance maintained for a plan consists of a beginning balance of zero, increased by the amount of excess contributions to the extent the employer elects to do so as de- scribed in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this sec- tion, and decreased to the extent provided in paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of this section. The prefunding balance isadjusted further for investment return and interest as provided in paragraphs (b)(3) and (b)(4) of this sec- tion. (ii)Increases—(A)In general.Ifthe plan sponsor of a plan elects to add to the plan’s prefunding balance, as of the first day of each plan year following the first effective plan year for the plan, the pre- funding balance is increased by the amount so elected by the plan sponsor for the plan year. The amount added to the prefund- ing balance cannot exceed the interest-ad- justed excess contributions for the preced- ing plan year determined under paragraph (b)(1)(ii)(B) of this section. (B)Interest-adjusted excess contri- bution. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(1)(ii), the interest-adjusted excess contribution for the preceding plan year is the amount, increased with interest in accordance with the rules of paragraph (b)(1)(iv)(A) of this section, of the excess, if any, of— (1) The present value of the employer contributions (other than contributions to avoid or terminate benefit limitations de- scribed in §1.436–1(f)(2)) to the plan for the preceding plan year determined under the rules of paragraph (b)(1)(iv)(B) of this section); over (2) The minimum required contribution for the preceding plan year (determined without regard to any election to offset the minimum required contribution under paragraph (d) of this section for the pre- ceding plan year). (iii)Decreases. The prefunding bal- ance of a plan is decreased (but not below zero) by the sum of— (A) As of the first day of each plan year after the first effective plan year for the plan, any amount of the prefunding bal- ance that was used under paragraph (d) of this section to offset the minimum required contribution of the plan for the preceding plan year; and (B) As of the first day of each plan year, any reduction in the prefunding balance under paragraph (e) of this section for the plan year. (iv)Adjustments for interest—(A)Ad- justment of excess contribution.The amount of the excess contribution for the preceding year (as determined under paragraph (b)(1)(ii)(B) of this section) is increased for interest accruing for the period between the valuation date for the preceding plan year and the first day of the current year. For this purpose, interest is determined by using the plan’s effective interest rate under section 430(h)(2)(A) for the preceding plan year. (B)Determination of present value. The present value of the contributions described in paragraph (b)(1)(ii)(B)(1)of this section is determined as of the valua- tion date for the preceding plan year, using the plan’s effective interest rate under sec- tion 430(h)(2)(A) for the preceding plan year. (2)Funding standard carryover bal- ance—(i)In general. A funding standard carryover balance is only permitted to be maintained by a plan that had a positive balance in the funding standard account undersection412(b)asoftheendofthe pre-effective plan year for the plan. The funding standard carryover balance as of the beginning of the first effective plan year for the plan is the positive balance in the funding standard account under section 412(b) as of the end of the pre-effective plan year for the plan, decreased to the extent provided in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section and adjusted further for in- vestment return and interest as provided in paragraphs (b)(3) and (b)(4) of this sec- tion. (ii)Decreases. The funding standard carryover balance of a plan is decreased (but not below zero) by the sum of— (A) As of the first day of each plan year after the first effective plan year for the plan, any amount of the funding stan- dard carryover balance that was used un- der paragraph (d) of this section to offset the minimum required contribution of the plan for the preceding plan year; and (B) As of the first day of each plan year, any reduction in the funding standard car- ryover balance under paragraph (e) of this section for the plan year. (3)Adjustments for investment experi- ence. In determining a plan’s prefund- ing balance under paragraph (b)(1) of this section or a plan’s funding standard car- ryover balance under paragraph (b)(2) of this section as of the first day of a plan year, the balance must be adjusted to re- flect the actual rate of return on plan assets for the preceding plan year. This adjust- ment is applied to the balance after sub- tracting amounts used to offset the mini- mum required contribution for the preced- ing plan year pursuant to paragraph (d) of this section and after any reduction of bal- ances for that preceding plan year under paragraph (e) of this section. For this pur- pose, the actual rate of return on plan assets for the preceding plan year is determined on the basis of fair market value and must take into account the amount and timing of all contributions, distributions, and other plan payments made during that period. (4)Valuation date other than the first day of the plan year—(i)In general.If a plan’s valuation date is not the first day of the plan year, solely for purposes of applying paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of this section, the plan’s prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance (if any) determined under this paragraph (b) are increased to the valuation date using the plan’s effective interest rate under sec- tion 430(h)(2)(A) for the plan year. (ii)Special rule for adjustments for in- vestment experience. For purposes of ap- plying the rules regarding the adjustments for investment experience in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, in the case of a plan with a valuation date that is not the first day of the plan year, the amount of the funding balances that must be subtracted from plan assets under paragraph (d) of this section (because they are used to off- set the minimum required contribution for the plan year) must be adjusted to the first day of the plan year using the effective interest rate under section 430(h)(2)(A) for that year. (c)Effect of balances on plan as- sets—(1)In general. In the case of any plan with a prefunding balance or a fund- ing standard carryover balance, the amount of those balances mustbe subtracted from the value of plan assets for purposes of sections 430 and 436, except as provided in paragraphs (c)(2), (c)(3), and (c)(4) of this section. (2)Subtraction of balances in determin- ing new shortfall amortization base—(i) Prefunding balance. For purposes of de- October 15, 20078362007–42 I.R.B. termining whether a plan is exempt from the requirement to establish a new shortfall amortization base under section 430(c)(5), the amount of the prefunding balance is subtracted from the value of plan assets only if an election under paragraph (d) of this section to use the prefunding balance to offset the minimum required contribu- tion is made for the plan year. (ii)Funding standard carryover bal- ance. For purposes of determining whether a plan is exempt from the re- quirement to establish a new shortfall amortization base under section 430(c)(5), the funding standard carryover balance is not subtracted from the value of plan assets regardless of whether any portion of either the funding standard carryover balance or the prefunding balance is used to offset the minimum required contribu- tion for the plan year under paragraph (d) of this section. (3)Special rule for certain binding agreements with PBGC. If there is in effect for a plan year a binding written agree- ment with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) which provides that all or a portion of the prefunding balance or funding standard carryover balance (or both balances) is not available to offset the minimum required contribution for a plan year, that specified amount is not subtracted from the value of plan assets for purposes of determining the funding shortfall under section 430(c)(4). For example, if a PBGC agreement provides that $5 million of a plan’s balances is un- available to offset the minimum required contribution for a plan year, the sum of the plan’s prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance is $20 million, and the plan’s assets are $100 million, the value of plan assets for purposes of deter- mining the funding shortfall under section 430(c)(4) is reduced by $15 million ($20 million less $5 million) to $85 million. For purposes of this paragraph (c)(3), an agreement with the PBGC is taken into account with respect to a plan year only if the agreement was executed prior to the valuation date for the plan year. (4)Exception for section 436(j) and (k) special adjustment rules. See section 436(j) and (k) and §1.436–1(j)(2)(ii) and (iii) for exceptions from the requirement to subtract the prefunding and funding standard carryover balances from plan assets in determining a plan’s funding tar- get attainment percentage for purposes of section 436. (d)Election to apply balances against minimum required contribution—(1)In general. Subject to the limitations pro- vided in paragraphs (d)(2) and (d)(3) of this section, in the case of any plan year in which the plan sponsor elects to use all or a portion of the prefunding balance or the funding standardcarryover balance to offset the minimum required contribution for the current plan year, the minimum required contribution for the plan year (determined after taking into account any waiver under section 412(c)) is offset as of the valuation date for the plan year by the amount so used. (2)Requirement to use funding stan- dard carryover balance before prefunding balance. To the extent that a plan has a funding standard carryover balance greater than zero, no amount of the plan’s prefund- ing balance may be used to offset the mini- mum required contribution. Thus, a plan’s funding standard carryover balance must be exhausted before the plan’s prefunding balance may be applied under paragraph (d)(1) of this section to offset the minimum required contribution. (3)Limitation for underfunded plans. Anelectiontoapplyafundingstandard carryover balance or a prefunding balance under paragraph (d)(1) of this section is not available for a plan year if the plan’s prior year funding ratio is less than 80 percent. For purposes of this paragraph (d)(3), ex- cept as provided in paragraph (h)(5) of this section, the plan’s prior year funding ra- tio is the fraction (expressed as a percent- age)— (i)Thenumeratorofwhichisthevalue of plan assets on the valuation date for the preceding plan year, reduced by the amount of any prefunding balance (but not the amount of any funding standard carry- over balance); and (ii) The denominator of which is the funding target of the plan for the preceding plan year (determined without regard to section 430(i)(1)). (e)Election to reduce balances—(1)In general. A plan sponsor may make an election for a plan year to reduce any por- tion of a plan’s prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance under thisparagraph(e). Ifsuchanelectionis made, the amount of those balances that must be subtracted from plan assets pur- suant to paragraph (c)(1) of this section will be smaller and, accordingly, the plan assets taken into account for purposes of sections 430 and 436 will be larger. Thus, this election to reduce a plan’s prefund- ing balance and funding standard carry- over balance is taken into account in the determination of plan assets for the plan year and applies for all purposes under sec- tions 430 and 436, including for purposes of determining the plan’s prior year fund- ing ratio under paragraph (d)(3) of this section for the following plan year. See also section 436(f)(3) and §1.436–1(a)(5) for a rule under which the plan sponsor is deemed to make the election described in this paragraph (e). (2)Coordination between prefunding balance and funding standard carryover balance. To the extent that a plan has a funding standardcarryover balance greater than zero, no election under para- graph (e)(1) of this section is permitted to be made that reduces the plan’s prefund- ing balance. Thus, a plan must exhaust its funding standard carryover balance before it is permitted to make an election under paragraph (e)(1) of this section with respect to its prefunding balance. (f)Elections—(1)Method of making elections. Any election under this sec- tion by the plan sponsor must be made by providing written notification of the election to the plan’senrolled actuary and the plan administrator. The written no- tification must set forth the relevant de- tails of the election, including the specific amounts involved in the election with re- spect to the prefunding balance and fund- ing standard carryover balance. (2)Timing of elections—(i)General rule. Except as provided in paragraph (f)(2)(ii) of this section, any election under this section must be made on or before the due date (with extensions) for the filing of the plan’s Form 5500, “Annual Return/Re- port of Employee Benefit Plan”, for the plan year to which the election relates (or, in the case of a plan not required to file a Form 5500 for the plan year, on or before the last day of the seventh month after the end of the plan year to which the election relates). For this purpose, an election to add to the prefunding balance relates to the plan year for which excess contributions were made. For example, in the case of a plan required to file a Form 5500, an election to add to the prefunding balance 2007–42 I.R.B.837October 15, 2007 as of the first day of the 2010 plan year (in an amount not in excess of the 2009 interest-adjusted excess contributions un- der the rules of paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section) must be made no later than the due date for filing the 2009 Form 5500 even though the election is reported on the 2010 Form 5500 (Schedule SB). (ii)Election to reduce balances.Any election under paragraph (e) of this section to reduce the prefunding balance or fund- ing standard carryover balance for a plan year (for example, in order to avoid a ben- efit restriction under section 436) must be made by the end of the plan year to which the election relates. (3)Irrevocability of elections.Aplan sponsor’s election under this section with respect to the plan’s funding standard car- ryover balance or prefunding balance is ir- revocable (and must be unconditional). (4)Plan sponsor—(i)In general.For purposes of the elections described in this section, except as provided in paragraph (f)(4)(ii) of this section, any reference to the plan sponsor means the employer or employers responsible for making contri- butions to or under the plan. (ii)Certain multiple employer plans. For purposes of the elections described in this section, in the case of plans that are multiple employer plans to which section 413(c)(4)(A) does notapply, any reference to the plan sponsor means the plan ad- ministrator within the meaning of section 414(g). (g)Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of this section: Example 1. (i) Plan P is a defined benefit plan with a plan year that is the calendar year and a valu- ation date of January 1. The funding standard carry- over balance of Plan P is $25,000 as of the beginning of the 2008 plan year. The sponsor of Plan P, Sponsor S, does not elect in 2008, pursuant to paragraph (e)(1) of this section, to reduce any portion of the funding standard carryover balance prior to the determination of the value of plan assets. The actual rate of return on Plan P’s assets in 2008 is 2%. The effective interest rate in 2008 for Plan P is 6%. The minimum required contribution for Plan P under section 430 for 2008 is $100,000. The prior year funding ratio for Plan P for 2008, as determined under paragraph (h)(5) of this section, is not less than 80%. (ii) Sponsor S makes a contribution to Plan P of $150,000 on December 1, 2008, for the 2008 plan year and makes no other contributions for the 2008 plan year. Because this contribution was made on a date other than the valuation date for the 2008 plan year, the contribution must be adjusted to reflect in- terest that would otherwise have accrued between the valuation date and the date of the contribution, at theeffectiverateofinterestforthe2008planyear. The amount of the contribution after adjustment is $142,198, determined as $150,000 discounted for 11 months of compound interest at an effective annual interest rate of 6%. (iii) The excess of employer contributions for 2008 over the minimum required contribution for 2008, as of the valuation date, is $42,198 ($142,198 less $100,000). Accordingly, the increase in Plan P’s prefunding balance as of January 1, 2009, cannot exceed $44,730 (which is the excess contribution of $42,198 adjusted for 12 months of interest at an effective interest rate of 6%). (iv) Furthermore, if Sponsor S does not elect to apply any portion of the funding standard carryover balance toward the minimum contribution in 2008, the funding standard carryover balance as of January 1, 2009, is $25,500 (which is the funding standard carryover balance as of January 1, 2008, adjusted for investment experience at an effective interest rate of 2%). Example 2. (i) The facts are the same as inExam- ple 1except that the contribution of $150,000 is made on February 1, 2009, for the 2008 plan year. (ii) The amount of the contribution after adjust- ment is $140,824, which is determined as $150,000 discounted for 13 months of interest at an effective interest rate of 6%. Accordingly, the increase in Plan P’s prefunding balance as of January 1, 2009, cannot exceed $43,273 (which is the excess contribution of $40,824 adjusted for 12 months of interest at an ef- fective interest rate of 6%). Example 3. (i)ThefactsarethesameasinEx- ample 1except that Sponsor S contributes $85,000 to Plan P on January 1, 2008, for the 2008 plan year and makes no other contributions to Plan P for the 2008 plan year. In addition, Sponsor S elects to use $15,000 of the funding standard carryover balance to offset Plan P’s minimum required contribution in 2008, pursuant to paragraph (d)(1) of this section. (ii) With respect to the 2009 plan year, the ad- justment for investment experience under paragraph (b)(3) of this section for the funding standard carry- over balance for the preceding plan year is $200, de- termined as the actual rate of return on plan assets for 2008 as applied to the 2008 funding standard carry- over balance after reduction for the amount of that balance used under paragraph (d)(1) of this section (that is, $25,000 less $15,000, multiplied by the ac- tual rate of return of 2%). (iii) The funding standard carryover balance, as of January 1, 2009, is $10,200, determined as the 2008 funding standard carryover balance less the amount used to offset the 2008 minimum required contribu- tion, adjusted for investment experience during the 2008 year ($25,000 less $15,000 plus $200). Example 4. (i)ThefactsarethesameasinEx- ample 3except that Sponsor S contributes $90,000 (instead of $85,000) to Plan P on January 1, 2008, for the 2008 plan year. (ii) Notwithstanding the fact that the amount that Sponsor S contributed to Plan P exceeds the mini- mum required contribution ($85,000) after it has been offset as a result of the use of the funding standard carryover balance, the maximum amount that Spon- sor S may add to the prefunding balance as of Jan- uary 1, 2009, is $0. This is because the maximum amount that may be added to the prefunding balance is the excess of $90,000 over $100,000. See para- graphs (b)(1)(ii)(A) and (B) of this section. Example 5. (i) Plan Q is a defined benefit plan with a plan year that is the calendar year and a valu- ation date of July 1. The funding standard carryover balance of Plan Q is $50,000 as of January 1, 2009, the beginning of the 2009 plan year. The prefunding balance of Plan Q as of the beginning of the 2009 plan year is $0. The actual rate of return on Plan Q’s assets in 2009 is 10%. The effective interest rate for Plan Q for 2009 is 5%. The funding ratio for Plan Q in 2008 is 85%, as determined under paragraph (d)(3) of this section. Thus, the prior year funding ratio for 2009 is not less than 80%. (ii) Pursuant to paragraph (b)(4) of this section, the funding standard carryover balance is increased to $51,235 as of July 1, 2009 (that is, an increase to reflect 6 months of interest at an effective inter- est rate of 5%). Sponsor T does not elect in 2009 to reduce any portion of the funding standard carry- over balance pursuant to paragraph (e) of this section. The funding standard carryover balance ($51,235) is subtracted from the value of plan assets, as of July 1, 2009, prior to the determination of the minimum funding contribution and, accordingly, $51,235 is the maximum amount that may applied against the mini- mum required contribution. (iii) The minimum required contribution for Plan Q for 2009 is $200,000. Sponsor T makes a contri- bution to Plan Q of $190,000 on July 1, 2009, for the 2009 plan year, and makes no other contributions for the 2009 plan year. Sponsor T elects to use $10,000 of the funding standard carryover balance to offset Plan Q’s minimum required contribution in 2009. Accord- ingly, the value of the funding standard carryover bal- ance as of July 1, 2009, prior to adjustment for in- vestment experience, is $41,235 (that is, $51,235 less $10,000). (iv) The value of the funding standard carry- over balance as of January 1, 2010, is determined by first discounting the value as of July 1, 2009, after amounts have been used to offset the mini- mum required contribution, to January 1, 2009, at the effective interest rate and then crediting this so determined amount with a full year’s investment experience at a rate equal to the actual rate of re- turn. Thus, the July 1, 2009, value of $41,235 is discounted for 6 months of interest, at an effective interest rate of 5%, to obtain a January 1, 2009, value of $40,241. Accordingly, the value of the funding standard carryover balance as of January 1, 2010, is $44,265 (that is, $40,241 increased with one year’s investment return at a rate of 10%). (h)Effective/applicablility date and transition rules—(1)General effective/ap- plicability date. Except as provided in paragraph (h)(2) of this section, this sec- tion applies to plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2008. (2)Plans with delayed effective date. In the case of a plan for which the effec- tive date of section 430 is delayed in ac- cordance with sections 104 through 106 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, Public Law 109–280, 120 Stat. 780, this section applies to plan years beginning on or after the effective date of section 430 with re- spect to the plan. October 15, 20078382007–42 I.R.B. (3)First effective plan year. For pur- poses of this section, the first effective plan year for a plan is the first plan year to which this section applies under paragraph (h)(1) or (h)(2) of this section. (4)Pre-effective plan year. For pur- poses of this section, the pre-effective plan year for a plan is the last plan year begin- ning before the first effective date applica- ble under paragraph (h)(1) or (h)(2) of this section. Thus, except for plans with a de- layed effective date under paragraph (h)(2) of this section, the pre-effective plan year for a plan is the last plan year beginning before January 1, 2008. (5)Special lookback rule for pre-effec- tive plan year’s funding ratio—(i)Plan as- sets. For purposes of determining a plan’s prior year funding ratio pursuant to para- graph (d)(3) of this section for the first ef- fective plan year, the value of plan assets on the valuation date of the preceding plan year is determined under section 412(c)(2) as in effect for that pre-effective plan year, except that— (A)Ifthevalueofplanassetsisless than 90 percent of the fair market value of plan assets for the pre-effective plan year on that date, for this purpose such value is considered to be 90 percent of the fair market value; and (B) If the value of plan assets is greater than 110 percent of the fair market value of plan assets on the valuation date for the pre-effective plan year on that date, for this purpose such value is considered to be 110 percent of the fair market value. (ii)Funding target. For purposes of de- termining a plan’s prior year funding ratio pursuant to paragraph (d)(3) of this section for the first effective plan year, the fund- ing target of the plan for the preceding plan year is equal to the plan’s current liabil- ity under section 412(l)(7) on the valuation date for the plan’s pre-effective plan year. Par. 3. Section 1.436–1 is added to read as follows: §1.436–1 Limits on benefits and benefit accruals under single employer defined benefit plans. (a)General rules—(1)Qualification re- quirement. Section 401(a)(29) provides that a defined benefit pension plan that is subject to section 412 and that is not a multiemployer plan (within the mean- ingofsection414(f))isaqualifiedplan only if it satisfies the requirements of sec- tion 436. This section provides rules re- lating to funding-based limitations on cer- tain benefits under section 436, and the requirements of section 436 are satisfied only if the plan meets the requirements of this section beginning with the plan’s first effective plan year. This section applies to single employer defined benefit plans (in- cluding multiple employer plans), but does not apply to multiemployer plans. (2)Organization of the regulation. Paragraph (b) of this section describes a limitation on shutdown benefits and other unpredictable contingent event benefits. Paragraph (c) of this section describes lim- itations on plan amendments increasing liabilities. Paragraph (d) of this section describes limitations on accelerated bene- fit payments. Paragraph (e) of this section describes limitations on benefit accru- als. Paragraph (f) of this section provides rules relating to methods to avoid benefit limitations. Paragraph (g) of this section provides rules for the operation of the plan in relation to benefit limitations under section 436. Paragraph (h) of this section describes related presumptions regard- ing underfunding that apply for purposes of the benefit limitations under section 436. Paragraph (j) of this section contains definitions. Paragraph (k) of this section contains effective/applicability date pro- visions. (3)Special rules for certain plans—(i) New plans. The limitations described in paragraphs (b), (c), and (e) of this section do not apply to a plan for the first 5 plan years of the plan. For purposes of apply- ing this rule, plan years of a plan are ag- gregated with plan years of a predecessor plan in accordance withsection 414(a) or §1.415(f)–1(c). (ii)Multiple employer plans. In the case of a multiple employer plan to which sec- tion 413(c)(4)(A) applies, this section ap- plies separately with respect to each em- ployer under the plan, as if each employer maintained a separate plan. Thus, the ben- efit limitations under section 436 and this section could apply differently to partici- pants who are employees of different em- ployers under sucha multiple employer plan. In the case of a multiple employer plan to which section 413(c)(4)(A) does not apply (that is, a plan described in sec- tion 413(c)(4)(B) that has not made the election for section 413(c)(4)(A) to apply), this section applies as if all participants in the plan were employed by a single em- ployer. (4)Treatmentofplanasofcloseof prohibited or cessation period—(i)Re- sumption of benefit payments and ac- cruals—(A)Resumption of accelerated payments. If a limitation on accelerated benefit payments under paragraph (d) of this section applied to a plan as of a sec- tion 436 measurement date, but that limit no longer applies to the plan as of a later section 436 measurement date, then the prohibition on paying accelerated benefits under the plan does not apply to benefits with annuity starting dates that are on or after that later section 436 measurement date. Any amendment to eliminate the payment of accelerated benefit payments for periods in which they are not restricted under section 436 is subject to the rules of section 411(d)(6). (B)Resumption of benefit accruals. Unless the plan provides otherwise, bene- fit accruals under the plan resume effective as of the section 436 measurement date on which benefit accruals are no longer restricted under paragraph (e) of this sec- tion. (ii)Missed benefit payments and ac- cruals—(A)Option to amend plan to re- store benefits. A plan is permitted to be amended to provide participants who had an annuity starting date within a period during which the rules of paragraph (d) of this section applied to the plan with the opportunity to have a new election un- der which the form of benefit previously elected may be modified, subject to appli- cable qualification requirements. A par- ticipant who makes such a new election is treated as having a new annuity starting date under section 417. Similarly, a plan is permitted to be amended to provide that any benefit accruals which were limited undertherulesofparagraph(e)ofthissec- tion are credited under the plan when the limitation no longer applies, subject to ap- plicable qualification requirements. Any such plan amendment with respect to a new annuity starting date or crediting of benefit accruals is subject to the require- ments of section 436(c) and paragraph (c) of this section. (B)Automatic plan provisions to re- store benefits. A plan is permitted to pro- vide that participants who had an annuity starting date within a period during which 2007–42 I.R.B.839October 15, 2007 the rules of paragraph (d) of this section applied to the plan are automatically pro- vided with the opportunity to have a new annuity starting date (which would consti- tute a new annuity starting date under sec- tion 417) under which the form of ben- efit previously elected may be modified, subject to applicable qualification require- ments, once the rules of paragraph (d) of this section cease to apply. In addition, a plan is permitted to provide for the auto- matic restoration of benefit accruals that had been limited under section 436(e) as of the section 436 measurement date that the limitation ceases toapply, as described in paragraph (a)(4)(ii)(A) of this section. However, if a plan provides for the auto- matic restoration of those benefit accruals and the period of the limitation exceeds 12 months, the plan will be treated as hav- ing adopted, effective as of the section 436 measurement date on which the limitation ceases to apply, a plan amendment that has the effect of increasing liabilities under the plan. Such an amendment is subject to the limitations of paragraph (c) of this section. (iii)Shutdown and other unpredictable contingent event benefits—(A)In general. If any unpredictable contingent event ben- efits under paragraph (b) of this section are limited with respect to an unpredictable contingent event, that limitation applies to all such benefits that otherwise would have been paid to any plan participant with respect to that unpredictable contin- gent event. (B)Benefits not paid.Notwithstand- ing paragraph (a)(4)(iii)(A) of this sec- tion, a plan is permitted to be amended to provide that any unpredictable contin- gent event benefits that were limited under the rules of paragraph (b) of this section will be paid or reinstated as of the section 436 measurement date on which the limi- tation no longer applies, subject to appli- cable qualification requirements. Such a plan amendment is subject to the require- ments of section 436(c) and paragraph (c) of this section. A plan is not permitted to provide for restoration of any such unpre- dictable contingent event benefits without an amendment that complies with section 436(c). (iv)Example. The following example illustrates the application of this paragraph (a)(4): Example. (i) Plan T is a non-collectively bar- gained defined benefit plan with a plan year that is the calendar year and a valuation date of January 1. As of January 1, 2011, Plan T does not have a funding stan- dard carryover balance or a prefunding balance. Plan T’s sponsor is not in bankruptcy. Beginning January 1, 2011, Plan T is subject to the restriction on accel- erated benefit distributions under paragraph (d)(3) of this section based on a presumed adjusted funding tar- get attainment percentage (AFTAP) of 75%, and can therefore only pay a portion (generally 50%) of the accelerated benefit distributions otherwise payable to participants who commence benefit payments while the restriction is in effect. (ii) U is a participant in Plan T. Participant U re- tires on February 1, 2011, and elects to receive ben- efits in the form of a single sum. However, because U elected a form of payment that is a prohibited pay- ment that is not permitted to be paid under paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section, U elects in accordance with paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of this section to receive 50% of his benefit in a single sum and the remainder as an immediately commencing straight life annuity. (iii) On March 1, 2011, the enrolled actuary for the Plan certifies that the AFTAP for 2011 is 80%. Accordingly, beginning March 1, 2011, Plan T is no longer subject to the restriction under paragraph (d)(3) of this section. (iv) Effective March 1, 2011, Plan T is amended to provide that a participant whose benefits were restricted under paragraph (d)(3) of this section may elect within a specified period on or after March 1, 2011, a new annuity starting date and receive the remainder of his or her pension benefits in an accel- erated form of payment. Plan T’s enrolled actuary determines that the AFTAP, taking into account the amendment, is still 80%. The amendment is per- mitted to take effect because Plan T has an AFTAP of 80% taking into account the amendment, and is therefore neither subject to the restriction on plan amendments in paragraph (c) of this section nor the restrictions on accelerated benefit payments under paragraphs (d)(1) and (d)(3) of this section. Accord- ingly, Participant U may elect, subject to otherwise applicable qualification rules, including spousal con- sent, to receive the remainder of his benefits in the form of a single sum on or after March 1, 2011. (5)Deemed election to reduce fund- ing balances—(i)Limitations on acceler- ated benefit payments. If a benefit limi- tation under paragraph (d) of this section would (but for this paragraph (a)(5)) apply to a plan, the employer is treated as hav- ing made an electionunder section 430(f) to reduce the prefunding balance or fund- ing standard carryover balance by such amount as is necessary for the adjusted funding target attainment percentage to be at or above the applicable threshold (60, 80, or 100 percent, as the case may be) in order for the benefit limitation not to apply to the plan. In such a case, the employer is treated as having made that election on the section 436 measurement date as of which the benefit limitation would otherwise ap- ply (without regard to whether a partici- pant is eligible for or requests a payment that is a prohibited payment described in paragraph (d)(5) of this section). (ii)Other limitations for collectively bargained plans—(A)General rule.In the case of a collectively bargained plan to which a benefit limitation under para- graph (b), (c), or (e) of this section would (but for this paragraph (a)(5)) apply, the employer is treated as having made an election under section 430(f) to reduce the prefunding balance or funding standard carryover balance by such amount as is necessary for the adjusted funding target attainment percentage to be at or above the applicable threshold in order for the benefit limitation not to apply to the plan, taking into account the unpredictable con- tingent event benefits or plan amendment, as applicable. In such a case, the employer is treated as having made that election on thedateasofwhichthe applicable benefit limitation would otherwise apply. (B)Treatment of plans with both collec- tively bargained and non-collectively bar- gained employees. In the case of a plan with respect to which collective bargain- ing agreements apply to some, but not all, of the plan participants, the plan is consid- ered a collectively bargained plan for pur- poses of this paragraph (a)(5)(ii) if at least 25 percent of the participants in the plan are members of collective bargaining units for which the benefit levels under the plan are specified under a collective bargaining agreement. (iii)Exception for insufficient funding balances—(A)In general. Paragraphs (a)(5)(i) and (a)(5)(ii) of this section apply with respect to a benefit limitation for any plan year only if the application of those paragraphs would result in the cor- responding benefit limitation not applying forsuchplanyear. Thus,iftheplan’s prefunding and funding standard carry- over balances were reduced to zero and the resulting increase in plan assets taken into account would still not increase the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage enough to reach the threshold percentage applicable to the benefit limi- tation, the deemed election to reduce those balances pursuant to paragraph (a)(5)(i) or (a)(5)(ii) of this section does not apply. (B)Presumed adjusted funding target attainment percentage less than 60 per- cent. If a plan is presumed to have an ad- justed funding target attainment percent- age of less than 60 percent under para- October 15, 20078402007–42 I.R.B. graph (h)(3) of this section, then the plan is treated as if the funding standard carryover balance and the prefunding balance are in- sufficient to increase the adjusted funding target attainment percentage to the thresh- old percentage of 60 percent. Accordingly, paragraphs (a)(5)(i) and (a)(5)(ii) of this sectiondonotapplytosuchaplan. (iv)Example. The following example illustrates the application of this paragraph (a)(5): Example. (i) Plan W is a collectively bargained, single-employer defined benefit plan sponsored by Sponsor X, with a plan year that is the calendar year and a valuation date of January 1. Sponsor X is not in bankruptcy. (ii) The enrolled actuary for Plan W issues a cer- tification on March 1, 2010, that the 2010 AFTAP is 81%. Sponsor X adopts an amendment on March 25, 2010, to increase benefits under a formula based on participant compensation, with an effective date of May 1, 2010. (Because the formula is based on com- pensation, the exception in paragraph (c)(3) of this section for increases with respect to a formula not based on compensation does not apply.) The plan’s enrolled actuary determines that the plan’s AFTAP for 2010 would be 75% if the benefits attributable to the plan amendment were taken into account. This percentage is below the 80% threshold for the plan amendment limitation under paragraph (c) of this sec- tion. (iii) Because the AFTAP would be below the 80% threshold if the benefits attributable to the plan amendment were taken into account, Sponsor X is deemed to have made an election under paragraph (a)(5)(ii) of this section to reduce Plan W’s prefund- ing balance and funding standard carryover balance by the amount necessary for the AFTAP to reach the 80% threshold (reflecting the increase in funding target attributable to the plan amendment) in order for the limitation under paragraph (c) of this section not to apply. (iv) In this case, provided the reduction in funding balances is sufficient for the limitation not to apply, the plan amendment will go into effect on its effec- tive date (May 1). See paragraph (f) of this section for other methods to avoid benefit limitations (where, for example, the amount necessary for a benefit limi- tation not to apply for a plan year exceeds the aggre- gate funding balances). (b)Limitation on shutdown benefits and other unpredictable contingent event ben- efits—(1)In general. A plan that contains an unpredictable contingent event bene- fit satisfies section 436(b) and this section only if it provides that the benefit will not be paid to a plan participant during a plan year if the adjusted funding target attain- ment percentage for the plan year— (i) Is less than 60 percent; or (ii) Is 60 percent or more, but would be less than 60 percent if the benefits attribut- able to the unpredictable contingent event were taken into account in determining the adjusted funding targetattainment percent- age. (2)Exemption—(i)In general.The prohibition on payment of unpredictable contingent event benefits under paragraph (b)(1) of this section ceases to apply with respect to a plan year, effective as of the first day of the plan year, upon payment by the plan sponsor of the contribution de- scribed in paragraph (f)(2) of this section. (ii)Prior unpredictable contingent event. Unpredictable contingent event benefits attributable to an unpredictable contingent event that occurred within a period during which no limitation under this paragraph (b) applied to the plan are not affected by the limitation described in this paragraph (b) as it applies in a subsequent period. For example, if a plant shutdown occurs in 2010 and the plan’s funded status is such that shutdown benefits related to that shutdown are not subject to the limitation described in this paragraph (b) for that calendar plan year, this paragraph (b) will not apply to restrict payment of those shutdown benefits even if another shutdown occurs in 2012 that results in shutdown benefits related to that later shutdown being restricted under this paragraph (b) (where the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage for 2012 is less than 60 percent taking into account the liability attributable to those shutdown benefits). (3)Unpredictable contingent event.For purposes of this section, anunpredictable contingent event benefitmeans any bene- fit or increase in benefits to the extent the benefit or increase would not be payable but for the occurrence of an unpredictable contingent event. For this purpose, anun- predictable contingent eventmeans a plant shutdown (whether full or partial) or sim- ilar event, or an event other than the at- tainment of any age, performance of any service, receipt or derivation of any com- pensation, or the occurrence of death or disability. Thus, for example, if a plan provides for an unreduced early retirement benefit upon the occurrence of an event other than the attainment of any age, per- formance of any service, receipt or deriva- tion of any compensation, or the occur- rence of death or disability, then that unre- duced early retirement benefit is an unpre- dictable contingent event benefit to the ex- tent of any portion of the benefit that would not be payable but for the occurrence of the event, even if the remainder of the ben- efit is payable without regard to the oc- currence of the event. Similarly, if a plan includes a benefit payable upon the pres- ence of circumstances specified in the plan (other than the attainment of any age, per- formance of any service, receipt or deriva- tion of any compensation, or the occur- rence of death or disability), but not upon a severance from employment that does not include those circumstances, the plan is providing an unpredictable contingent event benefit. (c)Limitations on plan amendments in- creasing liability for benefits—(1)In gen- eral. Except as provided in this paragraph (c), a plan satisfies section 436(c) and this sectiononlyiftheplan provides that no amendment to the plan that has the effect of increasing liabilities of the plan by reason of increases in benefits, establishment of new benefits, changing the rate of benefit accrual, or changing the rate at which ben- efits become nonforfeitable takes effect if the adjusted funding target attainment per- centage for the plan year is— (i) Less than 80 percent; or (ii) Is 80 percent or more, but would be less than 80 percent if the benefits attrib- utable to the amendment were taken into account in determining the adjusted fund- ing target attainment percentage. (2)Exemption. The limitations on plan amendments in paragraph (c)(1) of this section cease to apply and the amendment is permitted to take effect as of the later of the first day of the plan year or the effec- tive date of the amendment upon payment by the plan sponsor of the contribution de- scribed in paragraph (f)(2) of this section. (3)Exception for certain benefit in- creases—(i)In general. The limitation on plan amendments under paragraph (c)(1) of this section does not apply to any amendment that provides for an increase in benefits under a formula that is not based on a participant’s compensation, but only if the rate of increase in benefits does not exceed the contemporaneous rate of increase in average wages of participants covered by the amendment. The determi- nation of the rate of increase in average wagesismadebytakingintoconsideration the net increase in average wages from the period of time beginning with the effective date of the most recent benefit increase applicable to all of those participants who are covered by the current amendment and 2007–42 I.R.B.841October 15, 2007 ending on the effective date of the current amendment. (ii)Application to terminated partici- pants. If an amendment applies to both currently employed and terminated partic- ipants, all such participants must be in- cluded in determining the increase in av- erage wages of the participants covered by the amendment. For this purpose, termi- nated participants are treated as having no increase or decrease in wages for the pe- riod after severance from employment. (iii)Separate amendments for differ- ent plan populations. In lieu of a single amendment that applies to both currently employed participants and terminated participants as described in paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this section, the employer could adopt two amendments — one that increases benefits for currently employed participants and another one that increases benefits for terminated participants. In that case, the two amendments are consid- ered separately in determining the increase in average wages, and the exception in this paragraph (c)(3) from application of the section 436(c) limitation would apply separately to each amendment (so that an amendment providing for increases in ben- efits for currently employed participants could go into effect, but an amendment providing for increases in benefits for terminated participants who received no increase in wages from the employer dur- ing the period over which the increase in average wages is determined could not go into effect). (4)Exception for statutorily required vesting. To the extent that any amend- ment results in (or is made pursuant to) a mandatory increase in the vesting of ben- efits under the Code or ERISA (such as vesting rate increases pursuant to statute, plan termination amendments under sec- tion 411(d)(3), and amendments that lead to vesting increases required by top heavy rules under section 416), that amendment does not constitute an amendment that changes the rate at which benefits become nonforfeitable for purposes of section 436(c) and this paragraph (c). (d)Limitations on accelerated ben- efit payments—(1)Funding percentage less than 60 percent—(i)In general.A plan satisfies the requirements of section 436(d)(1) and this paragraph (d)(1) only if the plan provides that, if the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment per- centage for a plan year is less than 60 percent, the plan will not pay any pro- hibited payment with an annuity starting date on or after the applicable section 436 measurement date. (ii)Request for prohibited distribution. If a participant or beneficiary requests a distribution that is prohibited under para- graph (d)(1)(i) of this section, the plan must permit the participant or beneficiary to elect another form of benefit available under the plan or to defer payment to a later date to the extent permitted under applica- ble qualification requirements. (2)Bankruptcy. A plan satisfies the re- quirements of section 436(d)(2) and this paragraph (d)(2) only if the plan provides that the plan will not pay any prohibited payment with an annuity starting date that isduringanyperiodinwhichtheplan sponsor is a debtor in a case under title 11, United States Code, or similar Federal or State law, except for payments made with an annuity starting date within a plan year that is on or after the date on which the enrolled actuary of the plan certifies that the plan’s adjusted funding target attain- ment percentage for that plan year is not less than 100 percent. The rules of para- graph (d)(1)(ii) of this section apply if pay- ments are prohibited under this paragraph (d)(2). (3)Limited payment if percentage at least 60 percent but less than 80 per- cent—(i)In general. A plan satisfies the requirements of section 436(d)(3) and this paragraph (d)(3) only if the plan pro- vides that, in any case in which the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment per- centage for a plan year is 60 percent or more but is less than 80 percent, a partic- ipant or beneficiary is permitted to elect the payment of a benefit with an annuity starting date on or after the applicable section 436 measurement date in the form of a prohibited payment only if the present value, determined in accordance with section 417(e)(3), of the portion of the payment that is greater than the amount of the straight life annuity under the plan (as described in paragraph (d)(5)(i)(A) of this section) does not exceed the lesser of— (A) 50 percent of the present value of the benefits, determined in accordance with section 417(e)(3) (or, if greater, 50 percent of the amount of any single sum that would be payable without regard to this paragraph (d)); or (B) 100 percent of the PBGC guarantee amount described in paragraph (d)(3)(iv) of this section. (ii)Bifurcation if optional form un- available—(A)General rule. If an op- tional form of benefit that is otherwise available under the terms of the plan is not available as of the annuity starting date because of the application of para- graph (d)(3)(i) of this section, then the plan must provide a participant or bene- ficiary who elects such an optional form with the option either to defer payment to a later date (to the extent permitted under applicable qualification requirements) or to bifurcate the benefit into unrestricted and restricted portions. If the participant or beneficiary elects to bifurcate the ben- efit, the plan must permit the participant or beneficiary to elect, with respect to the unrestricted portion, any optional form of benefit otherwise available under the plan with respect to the participant’s or ben- eficiary’s entire benefit (whether or not the optional form of benefit with respect to the unrestricted portion is a prohibited payment). In such a case, if the participant or beneficiary elects payment of the unre- stricted portion of the benefit described in paragraph (d)(3)(ii)(B) of this section in the form of a prohibited payment, the plan must permit the participant or beneficiary to elect payment of the restricted portion described in paragraph (d)(3)(ii)(C) of this section in any optional form of benefit under the plan that is not a prohibited payment and that would have been per- mitted with respect to the participant’s or beneficiary’s entire benefit. A plan is also permitted to offer optional forms of benefit that are solely available during the period this paragraph (d)(3) applies to the plan, such as an optional form of benefit that provides for the current payment of the unrestricted portion of the benefit, with a delayed commencement for the restricted portion of the benefit, subject to other applicable qualification requirements. (B)Unrestricted portion of the benefit. The unrestricted portion of the benefit is the lesser of— (1) 50 percent of the benefit; and (2) The portion of the benefit that has a present value equal to the PBGC guarantee amount described in paragraph (d)(3)(iv) of this section. (C)Restricted portion of the benefit. The restricted portion of the benefit is the October 15, 20078422007–42 I.R.B. portion of the benefit that is not described in paragraph (d)(3)(ii)(B) of this section. (iii)One-time application—(A)In gen- eral. A plan satisfies the requirements of this paragraph (d) only if the plan pro- vides that, in the case of a participant who receives a prohibited payment (or series of prohibited payments under a single op- tional form of benefit) pursuant to para- graph (d)(3)(i) or (ii) of this section, the participant cannot thereafter receive any additional prohibited payment during any period of consecutive plan years to which the limitations under either this paragraph (d)(3), paragraph (d)(1) of this section, or paragraph (d)(2) of this section apply. (B)Treatment of beneficiaries.For purposes of this paragraph (d)(3), ben- efits provided to a participant and any beneficiary (including an alternate payee, as defined in section 414(p)(8)) are ag- gregated. If the accrued benefit of a participant is allocated to such an alter- nate payee and one or more other persons, the unrestricted amount under paragraphs (d)(3)(i) and (d)(3)(ii) of this section is allocated among such persons in the same manner as the accrued benefit is allocated, unless a qualified domestic relations order (as defined in section 414(p)(1)(A)) with respect to the participant or the alternate payee provides otherwise. (iv)Present value of PBGC maximum benefit guarantee. The amount described in this paragraph (d)(3)(iv) is, with re- spect to a participant, the present value (determined under guidance prescribed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, using the interest and mortality assump- tions under section 417(e)) of the maxi- mum benefit guarantee under section 4022 of ERISA. (v)Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of this paragraph (d)(3): Example 1. (i) Plan A is subject to the restriction on accelerated benefit distributions under paragraph (d)(3) of this section for the 2010 plan year, and can therefore only pay a portion of the accelerated bene- fit payments otherwise payable to participants whose annuity starting date occurs while the restriction ap- plies. (ii) Participant P is not married, and retires at age 65 during 2010, while the restriction under paragraph (d)(3) of this section applies to Plan A. P’s accrued benefit is $10,000 per month, payable commencing at age 65 as a straight life annuity. Plan A provides for an optional single sum payment (subject to the restrictions under section 436) equal to the present value of the participant’s accrued benefit using ac- tuarial assumptions under section 417(e). P’s single sum payment, determined without regard to this para- graph (d), is calculated to be $1,416,000, payable at age 65. (iii) The PBGC guaranteed monthly benefit for a straight life annuity payable at age 65 in 2010 (for purposes of this example) is $4,500. The present value of the PBGC guaranteed benefit using actuarial assumptions under section 417(e) is $637,200. (iv) Because Participant P retires during a period when the restriction in paragraph (d)(3) of this section applies to Plan A, only a portion of the benefit can be paid in the form of a single sum. P elects a single sum payment. Because a single sum payment is a prohib- ited payment, a determination must be made whether the payment can be paid under paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section. In this case, because the portion of Participant P’s benefit that is greater than a straight life annuity exceeds the lesser of 50% of the benefit otherwise payable, or the present value of the PBGC guaranteed benefit, it cannot be paid under paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section. Accordingly, the maximum single sum that Participant P can receive is $637,200 (that is, the lesser of 50% of $1,416,000 or $637,200). (v) Pursuant to paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of this sec- tion, the plan must offer P the option to bifurcate the benefit into restricted and unrestricted portions. The unrestricted portion is a monthly straight life an- nuity of $4,500, which can be paid in a single sum of $637,200. If P elects to receive the unrestricted portion of the benefit in the form of a single sum, then, with respect to the $5,500 restricted portion, the plan must permit P to elect any form of benefit that would otherwise be permitted with respect to the full $10,000 that is not a prohibited payment. Alterna- tively, the plan could permit P to elect to defer com- mencement of the restricted portion, subject to appli- cable qualification rules. Example 2. (i) The facts are the same as inExam- ple 1. In addition, Plan A provides an optional form of payment (subject to any benefit restrictions under section 436) that consists of a partial payment equal to the total return of employee contributions to the plan accumulated with interest, with an annuity payment for the remainder of the participant’s benefit. (ii) Participant Q is not married, and retires at age 65 during 2010, while Plan A is subject to the re- striction under paragraph (d)(3) of this section. Par- ticipant Q has an accrued benefit equal to a straight life annuity of $3,000 per month. Under the optional form described in paragraph (i) of thisExample 2,Q may elect a partial payment of $99,120 (represent- ing the return of employee contributions accumulated with interest) plus a straight life annuity of $2,300 per month. The present value of Participant Q’s ac- crued benefit, using actuarial assumptions under sec- tion 417(e), is $424,800. The present value of the PBGC guarantee payableat age 65 in the form of a straight life annuity is determined to be $637,200 for the purposes of thisExample 2. (iii) Under the bifurcation approach of paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of this section, Q can receive the partial single sum payment available under the terms of Plan A as long as the amount of the single sum does not exceed the unrestricted portion of the benefit under paragraph (d)(3)(ii)(B) of this section. The unre- stricted portion of Q’s benefit is the lesser of 50% of the benefit otherwise payable, or the present value of the PBGC guaranteed benefit. Accordingly, the maximum single sum thatQ can receive is $212,400 (that is, the lesser of 50% of $424,800, or $637,200). (iv) Because the presentvalue of the portion of Q’s benefit that is greater than the straight life annuity ($99,120) is less than the lesser of 50% of the present value of benefits (50% of $424,800) and $637,200 (100% of the PBGC guaranteed benefit), the optional form described in paragraph (i) of thisExample 2is permitted to be paid under paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section. (4)Exception for cessation of benefit accruals. This paragraph (d) does not ap- ply to a plan for a plan year if the terms of the plan, as in effect for the period be- ginning on September 1, 2005, provided for no benefit accruals with respect to any participants. If a plan that is described in this paragraph (d)(4) provides for benefit accruals during any time after September 1, 2005, this paragraph (d)(4) ceases to ap- ply for the plan as of the date any benefits accrue under the plan. (5)Prohibited payment—(i)In general. For purpose of this paragraph (d), the term prohibited paymentmeans— (A) Any payment for a month that is in excess of the monthly amount paid under a straight life annuity (plus any social secu- rity supplements described in the last sen- tence of section 411(a)(9)) to a participant or beneficiary whose annuity starting date occurs during any period that a limitation under this paragraph (d) is in effect; (B) Any payment for the purchase of an irrevocable commitment from an insurer to pay benefits; and (C) Any other payment that is iden- tified as a prohibited payment by the Commissioner in revenue rulings and procedures, notices and other guidance published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (see §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter). (ii)Annuity starting date. Solely for purposes of applying the limitations on ac- celerated benefit payments under this para- graph (d), the termannuity starting date means, as applicable— (A) The first day of the first period for which an amount is payable as an annuity as described in section 417(f)(2)(A)(i); (B) In the case of a benefit not payable in the form of an annuity, the first day on which all events have occurred (including the participant’s election, the participant’s severance from employment if the partici- pant is below normal retirement age, and, if applicable, the participant’s survival to the date as of which payment is made) 2007–42 I.R.B.843October 15, 2007 which entitle the participant to such bene- fit as described in section 417(f)(2)(A)(ii); (C) In the case of an amount payable under a retroactive annuity starting date, the benefit commencement date; and (D) The date of any payment for the purchase of an irrevocable commitment from an insurer to pay benefits under the plan. (6)Involuntary distributions under sec- tion 411(a)(11). [Reserved]. (e)Limitation on benefit accruals for plans with severe funding shortfalls—(1) In general. A plan satisfies the require- ments of section 436(e) and this paragraph (e) only if it provides that, in any case in which the plan’s adjusted funding target at- tainment percentage for a plan year is less than 60 percent, benefit accruals under the plan will cease as of the applicable sec- tion 436 measurement date. If a plan is re- quired to cease benefit accruals under this paragraph (e), then the plan is not permit- ted to be amended in a manner that would increase the liabilities of the plan by reason of an increase in benefits or establishment of new benefits. The preceding sentence applies regardless of whether an amend- ment would otherwise be permissible un- der paragraph (c)(3) of this section. (2)Exemption. The prohibition on ad- ditional benefit accruals under a plan de- scribed in paragraph (e)(1) of this section ceases 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 the contribution described in paragraph (f)(2) of this section. (f)Methods to avoid benefit limita- tions—(1)In general. This paragraph (f) sets forth rules relating to employer contributions and other methods to avoid the application of section 436 limitations under a plan for a plan year. In general, there are four methods a plan sponsor may utilize to avoid or terminate one or more of the benefit limitations under this sec- tion for a plan year. Two of these methods (where the plan sponsor elects to reduce the prefunding balance or funding stan- dard carryover balance and where the plan sponsor makes additional contributions under section 430 for the prior plan year within the time period provided by sec- tion 430(j)(1) which are not added to the prefunding balance) involve increasing the amount of plan assets which are taken into account in determining the adjusted funding target attainment percentage. The other two methods (making a contribution that is specifically designated as a current year contribution to avoid application of a benefit limitation under paragraph (b), (c), or (e) of this section, and providing security under section 436(f)(1)) are de- scribed in paragraphs (f)(2) and (f)(3) of this section, respectively. (2)Current year contributions to avoid or terminate benefit limitations—(i)Gen- eral rules—(A)Amount of contribu- tion—(1)In general. This paragraph (f)(2) sets forth rules regarding contribu- tions to avoid the application of section 436 limitations under a plan for a plan year that apply to unpredictable contin- gent event benefits, plan amendments that increase liabilities for benefits, and benefit accruals. (2)Interest adjustment.Anycon- tribution made by a plan sponsor pur- suant to this paragraph (f)(2) on a date other than the valuation date for the plan year must be adjusted with interest at the plan’s effective interest rate under sec- tion 430(h)(2)(A) for the plan year. If the plan’s effective interest rate for the plan year has not been determined at the time of the contribution, then this interest ad- justment must be made using the highest of the three segment rates as applicable for the plan year under section 430(h)(2)(C). In such a case, if the effective interest rate for the year under section 430(h)(2)(A) is subsequently determined to be less than that highest rate, the excess is recharacter- ized as a section 430 contribution for the current plan year. (B)Prefunding balance or funding standard carryover balance may not be used. No prefunding balance or funding standard carryover balance under section 430(f) may be used as a contribution de- scribed in this paragraph (f)(2). However, a plan sponsor is permitted to elect to reduce the funding standard carryover bal- ance or the prefunding balance in order to increase the adjusted funding target at- tainment percentage for a plan year. See paragraph (a)(5) of this section for a rule mandating such a reduction in certain sit- uations. (ii)Section 436 contributions sepa- rate from minimum required contribu- tions—(A)In general. The contributions described in this paragraph (f)(2) are con- tributions described in section 436(b)(2), (c)(2), and (e)(2), and are separate from any minimum required contributions un- der section 430. Thus, if a plan sponsor makes a contribution described in this paragraph (f)(2) for a plan year but does not make the minimum required contri- bution for the plan year, the plan will fail to satisfy the minimum funding require- ments under section 430 for the plan year. In addition, a contribution described in this paragraph (f)(2) is disregarded in de- termining the prefunding balance under section 430(f)(6) and §1.430(f)–1(b)(1)(i). (B)Designation requirement. Any con- tribution made by a plan sponsor pursuant to this paragraph (f)(2) must be designated as such at the time the contribution is used to avoid or terminate the limitations un- der this paragraph (f)(2) and, except as specifically provided in paragraph (g) or (h) of this section, cannot subsequently be recharacterized with respect to any plan year as a contribution to satisfy a mini- mum required contribution obligation, or otherwise. The designation must be made in accordance with the rules and proce- dures that otherwise apply to elections un- der §1.430(f)–1(f) with respect to funding balances. (iii)Contribution for unpredictable contingent event benefits. In the case of a contribution to avoid the application of the limitation on benefits attributable to an unpredictable contingent event under section 436(b)— (A) If the adjusted funding target at- tainment percentage for the plan year de- termined without taking into account the liability attributable to the unpredictable contingent event benefits is less than 60 percent, then the amount of the contribu- tion under section 436(b)(2) is equal to the amount of the increase in the funding tar- get of the plan for the plan year if the ben- efits attributable to the unpredictable con- tingent event were included in the determi- nation of the funding target. (B) If the adjusted funding target at- tainment percentage for the plan year de- termined without taking into account the liability attributable to the unpredictable contingent event benefits is 60 percent or more, then the amount of the contribution under section 436(b)(2) is the amount that would be sufficient to result in an adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan year of 60 percent if— October 15, 20078442007–42 I.R.B. (1) The benefits attributable to the unpredictable contingent event were in- cluded in the determination of the funding target; and (2) The contribution were included as part of the assets of the plan. (iv)Contribution for plan amendments increasing liability for benefits. In the case of a contribution to avoid the application of the limitation on benefits attributable to a plan amendment under section 436(c)— (A) If the adjusted funding target attain- ment percentage for the plan year deter- mined without taking into account the li- ability attributable to the plan amendment is less than 80 percent, then the amount of the contribution under section 436(c)(2) is equal to the amount of the increase in the funding target of the plan for the plan year if the liabilities attributable to the amend- ment were included in the determination of the funding target. (B) If the adjusted funding target attain- ment percentage for the plan year deter- mined without taking into account the lia- bility attributable to the plan amendment is 80 percent or more, then the amount of the contribution under section 436(c)(2) is the amount that would be sufficient to result in an adjusted funding target attainment per- centage for the plan year of 80 percent if— (1) The liabilities attributable to the plan amendment were included in the de- termination of the funding target; and (2) The contribution were included as part of the assets of the plan. (v)Contribution required for continued benefit accruals. In the case of a contribu- tion to avoid the application of the limita- tion on accruals under section 436(e), the amount of the contribution under section 436(e)(2) is equal to the amount sufficient to result in an adjusted funding target at- tainment percentage for the plan year of 60 percent if the contribution were included as part of the assets of the plan. (3)Security to increase adjusted fund- ing target attainment percentage—(i)In general. For purposes of avoiding benefit limitations under section 436, a plan spon- sor may provide security in the form de- scribed in paragraph (f)(3)(ii) of this sec- tion. In such a case, the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan year is determined by treating as an asset of the plan any security provided by a plan sponsor by the valuation date for the plan year in a form meeting the requirements of paragraph (f)(3)(ii) of this section. How- ever, this security is not taken into account as a plan asset for any other purpose, in- cluding section 430. (ii)Form of security.Theformsofse- curity permitted under paragraph (f)(3)(i) of this section are limited to— (A) A bond issued by a corporate surety company that is an acceptable surety for purposes of section 412 of ERISA; or (B) Cash, or United States obligations which mature in 3 years or less, held in escrow by a bank or an insurance company. (iii)Enforcement. Any form of security provided under paragraph (f)(3)(i) of this section must provide— (A) That it will be paid to the plan upon the earliest of— (1) The plan termination date as defined insection4048ofERISA; (2) If there is a failure to make a pay- ment of the minimum required contri- bution for any plan year beginning after the security is provided, the due date for the payment under section 430(j)(1) or 430(j)(3); or (3) If the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage is less than 60 per- cent (without regard to any security pro- vided under this paragraph (f)(3)) for a consecutive period of 7 years, the valua- tion date for the last year in the 7-year pe- riod; and (B) That the plan administrator must notify the surety, bank, or insurance company that issued or holds the secu- rity of any event described in paragraph (f)(3)(iii)(A) of this section within 10 days of its occurrence. (iv)Release of security. The form of se- curity is permitted to provide that it will be released (and any amounts thereunder will be refunded together with any interest accrued thereon) as provided in the agree- ment governing the escrow, but such re- lease is not permitted until the plan’s en- rolled actuary has certified that the plan’s adjusted funding targetattainment percent- age for a plan year is at least 90 percent (without regard to anysecurity provided under this paragraph (f)(3)). (v)Contribution of security to plan. Any amount of security provided under this paragraph (f)(3) that is subsequently turned over to the plan (whether pursuant to the enforcement mechanism of para- graph (f)(3)(iii) of this section or after its release under paragraph (f)(3)(iv) of this section) is treated as a contribution by the plan sponsor under section 430 when contributed and, if turned over pursuant to paragraph (f)(3)(iii) of this section, is not a contribution under paragraph (f)(2) of this section. (4)Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of this paragraph (f): Example 1. (i) Plan Z is a non-collectively bar- gained defined benefit plan with a plan year that is the calendar year and a valuation date of January 1. Plan Z’s sponsor is not in bankruptcy and did not pur- chase any annuities in 2009 or 2010. As of January 1, 2011, Plan Z does not have a funding standard car- ryover balance or a prefunding balance. As of that date, Plan Z has plan assets (and adjusted plan assets) of $2,000,000 and a funding target (and an adjusted funding target) of $2,550,000. On March 1, 2011, the enrolled actuary for the plan certifies that the AFTAP as of January 1, 2011, is 78.43%. The effective rate of interest for Plan Z for the 2011 plan year is 5.5%. (ii) On May 1, 2011, the plan sponsor amends Plan Z to increase benefits. The enrolled actuary for the plan determines that the present value, as of Jan- uary 1, 2011, of the increase in the funding target due to this amendment is $400,000. Because the AFTAP prior to the plan amendment is less than 80%, Plan Z is subject to the restriction on plan amendments in paragraph (c) of this section, and the amendment can- not take effect unless the employer utilizes one of the methods described in paragraph (f) of this section to avoid benefit limitations. (iii) In order for this amendment to be permitted to become effective, the plan sponsor makes a con- tribution described in paragraph (f)(2) of this section. Because the AFTAP prior to the amendment was less than 80%, the provisions of paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(A) of this section apply. The amount of the contribution as of January 1, 2011, needed to avoid the restriction on plan amendments under paragraph (c) of this sec- tion is equal to the amount of the increase in the fund- ing target attributable to the amendment, or $400,000. Under the provisions of paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(A) of this section, this contribution is required even though, if the contribution were included as part of the plan assets and the liability attributable to the plan amend- ment were included in the funding target, the AFTAP would be 81.36% (because the adjusted plan assets would have been $2,400,000 and the adjusted fund- ing target would have been $2,950,000 (that is, ad- justed plan assets of $2,000,000 plus the contribution of $400,000 as of January 1, 2011; divided by the ad- justed funding target of $2,550,000 increased to re- flect the additional $400,000 in the funding target at- tributable to the plan amendment)). (iv) However, because the contribution is not paid until May 1, 2011, the necessary contribution amount must be adjusted to reflect interest that would other- wise have accrued between the valuation date and the date of the contribution, at Plan Z’s effective rate of interest for the 2011 plan year. The amount of the re- quired contribution after adjustment is $407,203, de- termined as $400,000 increased for 4 months of com- pound interest at an effective annual interest rate of 5.5%. (v) A contribution of $407,203 is made on May 1, 2011, and is designated as a contribution under 2007–42 I.R.B.845October 15, 2007 paragraph (f)(2) of this section. Accordingly, the contribution is not applied toward minimum fund- ing requirements under section 430, and is not eli- gible for inclusion in the prefunding balance under §1.430(f)–1(b)(1). Since this contribution meets the requirements of paragraph (f)(2) of this section, the plan amendment can take effect. Example 2. (i)ThefactsarethesameasinEx- ample 1, except that the plan is in at-risk status un- der section 430(i). The funding target determined under section 430(i) is $2,600,000, and the funding target determined without regard to section 430(i) is $2,550,000. (ii) On May 1, 2011, the plan sponsor amends Plan Z to increase benefits. The plan’s enrolled ac- tuary determines that the present value as of January 1, 2011 of the increase in the funding target due to the amendment (taking into account the at-risk sta- tus of the plan) is $440,000. Because the AFTAP prior to the plan amendment is less than 80%, Plan Z is subject to the restriction on plan amendments in paragraph (c) of this section, and the amendment can- not take effect unless the employer utilizes one of the methods described in paragraph (f) of this section to avoid benefit limitations. (iii) In order for this amendment to be permitted to become effective, the plan sponsor makes a con- tribution described in paragraph (f)(2) of this section. Because the AFTAP prior to the amendment was less than 80%, the provisions of paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(A) of this section apply. The amount of the contribution as of January 1, 2011, needed to avoid the restriction on plan amendments under paragraph (c) of this section is equal to the amount of the increase in funding tar- get attributable to the amendment, or $440,000. Un- der the provisions of paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(A) of this section, this contribution is required even though, if the contribution were included as part of the plan as- sets and the liability attributable to the plan amend- ment were included in the funding target, the AFTAP would exceed 80%. (iv) However, because the contribution is not paid until May 1, 2011, the necessary contribution amount must be adjusted to reflect interest that would other- wise have accrued between the valuation date and the date of the contribution, at Plan Z’s effective rate of interest for the 2011 plan year. The amount of the re- quired contribution after adjustment is $447,923, de- termined as $440,000 increased for 4 months of com- pound interest at an effective annual interest rate of 5.5%. (v) A contribution of $447,923 is made on May 1, 2011, and is designated as a contribution under paragraph (f)(2) of this section. Accordingly, the contribution is not applied toward minimum fund- ing requirements under section 430, and is not eli- gible for inclusion in the prefunding balance under §1.430(f)–1(b)(1). Since this contribution meets the requirements of paragraph (f)(2) of this section, the plan amendment can take effect. Example 3. (i)ThefactsarethesameasinEx- ample 1, except that the enrolled actuary for the plan does not issue the certification of the 2011 AFTAP until September 1, 2011. Prior to October 1, 2010, the enrolled actuary had certified the 2010 AFTAP to be 82%. The highest of the three segment rates applica- ble to the 2011 plan year under section 430(h)(2)(C) is 6%. (ii) Because the enrolled actuary has not certi- fied the actual AFTAP as of January 1, 2011, and the amendment is scheduled to take effect after April 1, 2011, the rules of paragraph (h)(2)(ii) of this section apply. Accordingly, the AFTAP for 2011 (prior to re- flecting the effect of the amendment) is presumed to be 10 percentage points lower than the 2010 AFTAP, or 72%. Because this presumed AFTAP is less than 80%, the restriction on plan amendments in para- graph (c) of this section applies, and the plan amend- ment cannot take effect. (iii) In order to allow the plan amendment to take effect, the plan sponsor decides to make a contribu- tion under paragraph (f)(2) of this section on May 1, 2011. Because the presumed AFTAP was less than 80% prior to reflecting the plan amendment, the rules of paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(A) of this section ap- ply, and the amount of the contribution under section 436(c)(2) is the amount of the increase in the fund- ing target for the year if the plan amendment were included in the determination of the funding target. Accordingly, an additional contribution of $400,000 is required as of January 1, 2011, to avoid the restric- tion on plan amendments under paragraph (c) of this section. (iv) However, since the contribution is not made until May 1, 2011, the amount of the required contri- bution must be adjusted to reflect interest that would otherwise have accrued between the valuation date and the date of the contribution. Since the effective interest rate has not yet been determined, the interest adjustment is based on the highest of the three seg- ment rates applicable for the 2011 plan year under section 430(h)(2)(C), or 6%. The amount of the re- quired contribution after adjustment is $407,845, de- termined as $400,000 increased for 4 months of com- pound interest at the highest segment interest rate for 2011, or 6%. (v) Once the plan’s effective interest rate has been determined, if that rate for the year is less than 6%, the amount of excess interest previously contributed is recharacterized as a section 430 contribution for the current plan year. (g)Rules of operation for periods prior to and after certification—(1)In general. Section 436(h) and paragraph (h) of this section set forth a series of presumptions that apply before the enrolled actuary for a plan issues a certification of the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment per- centage for a plan year. This paragraph (g) sets forth rules for the application of limitations under sections 436(b), 436(c), 436(d), and 436(e) prior to and during the period those presumptions apply to a plan, and describes the interaction of those presumptions with plan operations after the plan’s enrolled actuary has is- sued a certification of the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan year. Paragraph (g)(2) of this section sets forth rules that apply to pe- riods during which a presumption under section 436(h) applies. Paragraph (g)(3) of this section sets forth rules that apply to periods during which no presumptions under section 436(h) apply but which are prior to the enrolledactuary’s certifica- tion of the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan year. Paragraph (g)(4) of this section sets forth rules that apply after the enrolled actu- ary’s certification of the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage for a plan year. Paragraph (g)(5) of this sec- tion sets forth additional rules that apply prior to the enrolled actuary’s certification of the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for a plan year with respect to the limitations on unpredictable contin- gent event benefits and plan amendments that increase liabilities under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, respectively. Paragraph (g)(6) of this section sets forth rules for multiple unpredictable contin- gent events and amendments during a plan year. Paragraph (g)(7)of this section sets forth examples of the application of this paragraph (g). (2)Periods prior to certification dur- ing which a presumption applies—(i)Plan must follow presumptions.Aplanmust provide that, for any period during which paragraph (h)(1), (2), or (3) of this section applies to the plan, the limitations appli- cable under paragraphs (b), (c), (d), and (e) of this section apply to the plan as if the actual adjusted funding target attain- ment percentage for the year were the pre- sumed adjusted funding target attainment percentage determined under the rules of paragraph (h) of this section. (ii)Determination of amount of reduc- tion in balances—(A)Valuation date ad- justment. During the period described in this paragraph (g)(2), the rules of para- graph (a)(5) of this section (relating to the deemed election to reduce the fund- ing standard carryover balance and the pre- funding balance) must be applied based on the presumed percentage with respect to the limitations under paragraphs (b), (c), (d), and (e) of this section. In order to determine the amount of the reduction in those balances thatwould apply in such a situation, a presumed adjusted funding target must be established, which is then compared to the interim value of adjusted plan assets as of the valuation date for the current plan year. For this purpose, the interim value of adjusted plan assets is equal to the value of adjusted plan as- sets as of the valuation date, determined October 15, 20078462007–42 I.R.B. without regard to future contributions, fu- ture elections to add to the prefunding bal- ance for the prior year, and future elections (including deemed elections under para- graph (a)(5) of this section) to reduce the prefunding and funding standard carryover balances for the current plan year, and the presumed adjusted funding target is equal to the interim value of adjusted plan assets for the plan year divided by the presumed adjusted funding target attainment percent- age. (B)Change in presumed percentage in 4th month. If the presumed adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan year changes during the year be- cause of application of the presumption in paragraph (h)(2) of this section, the rules regarding the deemed election to reduce funding balances described in paragraph (a)(5) of this section must be reapplied based on the new presumed adjusted fund- ing target attainment percentage. This will typically occur on the first day of the 4th month of a plan year, but could happen later if the enrolled actuary’s certification of the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for a plan year occurs after the first day of the 4th month of the following plan year. In order toperform this reappli- cation, a new adjusted funding target must be determined based on the new presumed adjusted funding target attainment percent- age and must be compared to an updated interim value of adjusted plan assets. For this purpose, the new presumed adjusted funding target is redetermined based on the new presumed adjusted funding target attainment percentage, and is compared to the adjusted plan assets updated to take into account the plan sponsor’s contri- butions made for the prior plan year and section 430(f) elections with respect to the plan’s prefunding and funding standard carryover balances since the earlier deter- mination of the interim plan assets. This reapplication of thedeemed election may require an additional reduction in funding balances if the amount of the reduction in funding balances that is necessary to reach the applicable threshold to avoid the ap- plication of the limitation under paragraph (d) or (e) of this section is greater than the amount that was initially reduced. Prior reductions of funding balances continue to apply in accordance with the rules of paragraph (g)(4)(i)(C) of this section. (iii)Bankruptcy of plan sponsor.Pur- suant to section 436(d)(2), during any pe- riod in which the plan sponsor of a plan is a debtor in a case under title 11, United States Code, or any similar Federal or State law (as described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section), if the plan’s enrolled actu- ary has not yet certified the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan year to be at least 100 percent, no prohibited payments within the mean- ing of paragraph (d)(5) of this section may be paid. Thus, the presumption rules of paragraph (h) of this section do not apply for purposes of section 436(d)(2) and this paragraph (g)(2)(iii). (iv)Application to unpredictable con- tingent events and plan amendments.For purposes of applying the limitations under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section dur- ing the period described in this paragraph (g)(2), the presumed adjusted funding tar- get under paragraph (g)(2)(ii) of this sec- tion is adjusted to reflect the increase in the funding target that would be attribut- able to the unpredictable contingent event or the plan amendment if the unpredictable contingent event benefits or the increase in liability attributable to the plan amend- ment were taken into account. See para- graph (g)(5)(i) of this section for related rules regarding funding balances that ap- ply in the case of unpredictable contin- gent event benefits or plan amendments in- creasing benefit liabilities. (3)Periods prior to certification dur- ing which no presumption applies—(i)Ac- celerated benefit payments and benefit ac- cruals. If no presumptions under section 436(h) apply to a plan during a period and the plan’s enrolled actuary has not yet is- sued the certification of the plan’s actual adjusted funding targetattainment percent- age for the plan year, the plan is not per- mitted to limit the payment of accelerated benefits under paragraph (d) of this sec- tion or the accrual of benefits under para- graph (e) of this section based on an ex- pectation that those paragraphs will apply to the plan once an actuarial certification is issued. However, see paragraph (g)(2)(iii) of this section for a restriction on prohib- ited payments during any period in which the plan sponsor of a plan is a debtor in a case under title 11, United States Code, or any similar Federal or State law. (ii)Unpredictable contingent event benefits and plan amendments increasing benefit liability—(A)In general.Ifno presumptions under section 436(h) apply to a plan during a period and the plan’s enrolled actuary has not yet issued a cer- tification of the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan year, the limitations on unpredictable con- tingent event benefits under paragraph (b) of this section or plan amendments in- creasing benefit liability under paragraph (c) of this section during that period must be applied following the rules of paragraph (g)(5) of this section, based on the preced- ing year’s certified adjusted funding target attainment percentage. Thus, if after ap- plication of those rules the plan would be treated as having an adjusted funding target attainment percentage below the ap- plicable threshold under paragraph (b) or (c) of this section (taking into account the increase in the fundingtarget attributable to the unpredictable contingent event ben- efits or the increase in liability attributable to the plan amendment), the unpredictable contingent event benefits are not permitted to be paid, and the plan amendment is not permitted to go into effect, unless the con- tribution described in paragraph (g)(5)(ii) of this section is made. (B)Recharacterization of contributions to avoid benefit limitations. If, pursuant to paragraph (g)(3)(ii)(A) of this section, the plan sponsor makes contributions de- scribed in paragraph (g)(5)(ii) of this sec- tion to avoid application of the applicable benefit limitations, then, after the certifica- tion of the adjusted funding target attain- ment percentage for the current plan year is issued by the plan’s enrolled actuary, those contributionsare recharacterized as employer contributions under section 430 for the current plan year to the extent they exceed the amount necessary to avoid ap- plication of the applicable limitation under paragraph (b) or (c) of this section based on the certified percentage. (4)Periods after certification of ad- justed funding target attainment per- centage—(i)Plan must follow certified percentage—(A)In general.Therulesof paragraphs (g)(2) and (g)(3) of this section no longer apply for a plan year on and after the date the enrolled actuary for the plan issues a certification of the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for the current plan year, provided that the certification is issued before the first day of the 10th month of the plan 2007–42 I.R.B.847October 15, 2007 year. Thus, for example, the plan must provide that paragraph (d) of this sec- tion applies for distributions with annuity starting dates on and after the date of that certification using the certified adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for the plan year. Similarly, the plan must provide that any prohibition on accruals under paragraph (e) of this section as a result of the enrolled actuary’s cer- tification that the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for the plan year is less than 60 percent is effec- tive as of the date of the certification and that any prohibition on accruals ceases to be effective on the date the enrolled actu- ary issues a certification that the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for the plan year is at least 60 percent. In addition, in the case of a plan that has been issued a certification of the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percentage for a plan year by the plan’s enrolled actuary, the plan sponsor must comply with the requirements of para- graphs (b) and (c) of this section for an unpredictable contingent event that occurs or a plan amendment that is effective on or after the date of the enrolled actuary’s certification. Thus, theplan administrator must determine if the adjusted funding target attainment percentage is at or above the applicable threshold, taking into ac- count the increase in the funding target that would be attributable to the unpredictable contingent event or plan amendment if the unpredictable contingent event benefits or the increase in liability attributable to the plan amendment were taken into account. (B)Application of rule for deemed election to reduce funding balances.Af- ter the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for a plan year is certified by the plan’s enrolled actuary, the deemed election to reduce funding balances under paragraph (a)(5) of this section must be reapplied based on the actual funding tar- get for the year (provided the certification is issued before the first day of the 10th month of the plan year). This reapplica- tion of the deemed election may require an additional reduction in funding balances if the amount of the reduction in funding balances that is necessary to reach the applicable threshold to avoid the applica- tion of the limitations under paragraph (d) or (e) of this section is greater than the amount that was reduced under paragraph (g)(2) or (g)(3) of this section. (C)Prior reductions continue to apply. If the amount of the reduction in funding balances that is necessary to reach the ap- plicable threshold to avoid the application of the benefit limitation is less than the amount that was reduced under paragraph (g)(2) or (g)(3) of this section, then the prior reduction continues to apply. Sim- ilarly, if the amount of the reduction in funding balances that is necessary to reach the applicable threshold to avoid the appli- cation of the corresponding benefit limita- tion exceeds the amount of the funding bal- ances, then the prior reduction continues to apply and no further reduction under para- graph (a)(5) of this section is provided. (ii)Applicability to prior periods—(A) In general. Except as provided in para- graph (g)(4)(ii)(B)of this section, the enrolled actuary’s certification of the adjusted funding target attainment per- centage for the plan for the plan year does not affect the application of the limita- tion under paragraph (b) of this section with respect to unpredictable contingent events that occur during the periods to which paragraphs (g)(2) and (g)(3) of this section apply. Except as provided in paragraph (g)(4)(ii)(B) of this section, the enrolled actuary’s certification of the adjusted funding target attainment per- centage for the plan for the plan year does not affect the application of the limita- tion under paragraph (c) of this section to a plan amendment that increases lia- bility for benefits where the amendment is first effective during the periods to which paragraphs (g)(2) and (g)(3) ap- ply. The enrolled actuary’s certification of the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan for the plan year does not affect the application of the lim- itation under paragraph (d) of this section for distributions with annuity starting dates before the certification. Similarly, the enrolled actuary’s certification of the adjusted funding target attainment per- centage for the plan for the plan year does not affect the application of the limita- tion under paragraph (e) of this section prior to the date of that certification. See paragraph (a)(4) of this section for rules relating to the period of time after benefits cease to be limited. (B)Special rule for unpredictable contingent event benefits and plan amend- ments that increase liability.Ifaplan does not pay benefits attributable to an unpredictable contingent event or plan amendment because of the application of paragraph (g)(5)(ii) of this section, the plan must provide for benefits that were not previously paid (or accrued) if such benefits would be permitted under the rules of section 436 based on the certified actual adjusted funding target attainment percentage, taking into account the in- crease in the funding target that would be attributable to the unpredictable contin- gent event benefits or increase in liability due to the plan amendment. (5)Additional rules regarding limita- tions on unpredictable contingent event benefits and certain plan amendments based on presumed adjusted funding tar- get prior to certification—(i)Reduction in funding balances—(A)Mandatory re- duction for collectively bargained plans. During the period described in paragraph (g)(2) or (g)(3) of this section, the rules of paragraph (a)(5) of this section (relating to the deemed election to reduce the funding standard carryover balance and the pre- funding balance) must be applied based on the presumed percentage. In order to determine the amount of the reduction in those balances that would apply to a collectively bargained plan during that period with respect to an unpredictable contingent event or a plan amendment that increases liability for benefits, the rules of paragraph (g)(2)(ii) of this section are applied, except that the presumed ad- justed funding target is increased to take into account the benefits attributable to the unpredictable contingent event or the plan amendment. For this purpose, if no presumption applies under the rules of paragraph (h) of this section (for example, because the plan’s actual adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the prior year was certified to be at least 80 per- cent), then that prior year’s actual adjusted funding target attainment percentage is substituted for the presumed adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan year in determining the presumed adjusted funding target. (B)Optional reduction for plans that are not collectively bargained plans.A plan sponsor of a plan that is not a collec- tively bargained plan (and, thus, is not re- quired to reduce the funding standard ac- count carryover balance and the prefund- October 15, 20078482007–42 I.R.B. ing balance under the rules of paragraph (a)(5) of this section) is permitted to reduce those balances in order to increase the in- terim value of adjusted plan assets (as de- fined in paragraph (g)(2)(ii)(A) of this sec- tion) that is compared to the presumed ad- justed funding target determined under this paragraph (g)(5)(i). (ii)Plans funded below the threshold. If, after application of paragraph (g)(5)(i) of this section, the ratio of the interim value of adjusted plan assets (as defined in paragraph (g)(2)(ii)(A) of this section) to the presumed adjusted funding target determined under that paragraph is less than the applicable threshold under sec- tion 436(b) or 436(c), as applicable, then the plan is not permitted to provide any benefits attributable to the unpredictable contingent event or plan amendment un- less the plan sponsor makes a contribution that would allow payment of unpredictable contingent event benefits or would permit a plan amendment increasing benefit lia- bilities to go into effect under the rules of paragraph (b)(2) or (c)(2) of this section. (iii)Plans funded at or above the threshold. If, after application of para- graph (g)(5)(i) of this section, the ratio of the interim value of adjusted plan as- sets (as defined in paragraph (g)(2)(ii)(A) of this section) to the presumed adjusted funding target is greater than or equal to the applicable threshold under section 436(b) or 436(c), as applicable, then the plan is not permitted to limit the payment of unpredictable contingent event benefits described in paragraph (b) of this sec- tion nor is the plan permitted to restrict a plan amendment increasing benefit li- ability described in paragraph (c) of this section from becoming effective based on an expectation that the limitations under paragraph (b) or (c) of this section will apply to the plan once an actuarial certifi- cation is received. (6)Application to multiple events and amendments. For purposes of this para- graph (g), if a plan is providing benefits with respect to one or more unpredictable contingent events occurringwithinthe plan year or amendments taking effect within the plan year, then paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section are applied with respect to a subsequent unpredictable con- tingent event or amendment by treating the increase in the funding target attributable to the subsequent event or amendment as if it included the increases in the funding target attributable toall such earlier events or amendments. (7)Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of this paragraph (g). Unless otherwise indicated, these ex- amples are based on the following facts: each plan has a plan year that is the cal- endar year and a valuation date of January 1; the first effective plan year is 2008; the plan sponsor is not in bankruptcy; and no annuity purchases have been made from the plan. No plan is in at-risk status for the years discussed in the examples. Example 1. (i) As of January 1, 2011, Plan A has assets of $3,300,000 and a prefunding balance of $300,000. Plan A has no funding standard carry- over balance. Beginning on January 1, 2011, Plan A’s AFTAP for 2011 is presumed to be 75%, under the rules of paragraph (h) of this section and based on the certified AFTAP for 2010. (ii) Based on Plan A’s presumed AFTAP of 75%, Plan A would be subject to the restriction on prohib- ited payments in paragraph (d)(3) of this section as of January 1, 2011. However, under the provisions of paragraph (a)(5) of this section, if the prefunding balance is large enough, Plan A’s sponsor is deemed to elect to reduce the prefunding balance to the extent needed to avoid this restriction. (iii) The amount needed to avoid the restriction in paragraph (d)(3) of this section is determined by comparing the presumed adjusted funding target for Plan A with the interim value of adjusted plan assets as of the valuation date. The interim value of plan assets for Plan A is $3,000,000 (that is, the asset value of $3,300,000 reduced by the prefunding balance of $300,000). The presumed adjusted funding target for Plan A is the interim value of the adjusted plan assets divided by the presumed AFTAP, or $4,000,000 (that is, $3,000,000 divided by 75%). (iv) In order to avoid the restriction on prohibited payments in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, Plan A’s presumed AFTAP must be increased to 80%. This requires an increase in Plan A’s adjusted plan assets of $200,000 (that is, 80% of the presumed adjusted funding target of $4,000,000, minus the interim value of the adjusted plan assets of $3,000,000). Plan A’s prefunding balance as of January 1, 2011, is reduced by $200,000 under the deemed election provisions of paragraph (a)(5) of this section. Accordingly, Plan A’s prefunding balance is $100,000 (that is, $300,000 minus $200,000) and the interim value of adjusted plan assets is increased to $3,200,000 (that is, $3,300,000 minus the reduced prefunding balance of $100,000). Plan A must pay the full amount of the accelerated benefit distributions elected by par- ticipants with an annuity starting date of January 1, 2011, or later. Example 2. [Reserved]. Example 3. (i)ThefactsarethesameasinEx- ample 1. On July 1, 2011, the enrolled actuary for Plan A calculates the actual adjusted funding target as $3,700,000 as of January 1, 2011. Therefore, the 2011 AFTAP would have been 81.08% with- out reducing the prefunding balance (that is, plan assets of $3,300,000 minus the prefunding balance of $300,000, divided by the adjusted funding target of $3,700,000), and Plan A would not have been subject to the restrictions under paragraph (d)(3) of this section. (ii) However, paragraph (g)(4)(i)(C) of this sec- tion requires that any prior reductions in the prefund- ing or funding standard carryover balances continue to apply, and so Plan A’s prefunding balance remains at the reduced amount of $100,000 as of January 1, 2011. The enrolled actuary certifies that the 2011 AFTAP is 86.49% (that is, plan assets of $3,300,000 reduced by the prefunding balance of $100,000, di- vided by the adjusted funding target of $3,700,000). Example 4. (i) Plan B is a collectively bargained plan with assets of $2,500,000 and a prefunding bal- ance of $150,000 as of January 1, 2011. Plan B has no funding standard carryover balance. Beginning on January 1, 2011, Plan B’s AFTAP for 2011 is pre- sumed to be 83% under the rules of paragraph (g)(3) of this section and based on the certified AFTAP for 2010. (ii) On January 10, 2011, Plan B’s sponsor amends the plan to increase benefits effective on February 1, 2011. The amendment would increase Plan B’s funding target by $350,000. Under the rules of paragraph (g)(5) of this section, the presumed adjusted funding target is calculated, and then the presumed adjusted funding target is increased to take into account the benefits attributable to the plan amendment. (iii) Plan B’s interim value of adjusted plan assets as of the valuation date is $2,350,000 (that is, $2,500,000 minus the prefunding balance of $150,000). Prior to reflecting the amendment, Plan B’s presumed adjusted funding target as of January 1, 2011, is $2,831,325, which is equal to the interim value of adjusted plan assets as of the valuation date of $2,350,000, divided by the presumed AFTAP of 83%. Increasing Plan B’s presumed adjusted funding target by $350,000 to reflect the amendment results in a presumed adjusted funding target of $3,181,325 and a presumed AFTAP of 73.87% (that is, the in- terim value of adjusted plan assets as of the valuation date of $2,350,000 divided by the presumed adjusted funding target of $3,181,325). (iv) Because Plan B’s presumed AFTAP was over 80% prior to taking the amendment into account but less than 80% when the amendment is reflected, sec- tion 436(c) and paragraph (c) of this section prohibit the plan amendment from taking effect unless the ad- justed plan assets are increased so that the presumed AFTAP (reflecting the increase due to the amend- ment) is increased to 80%. This would require an ad- ditional amount of $195,060 (that is, 80% of the pre- sumed adjusted funding target of $3,181,325 less the interim value of adjusted plan assets of $2,350,000). (v) Plan B’s prefunding balance of $150,000 is not large enough for Plan B to avoid the restriction on plan amendments, and therefore the deemed elec- tion to reduce the prefunding balance under para- graph (a)(5) of this section does not apply and the amendment cannot take effect. Example 5. (i) The facts are the same as inExam- ple 4, except that Plan B’s sponsor decides to make a contribution on February 1, 2011, to avoid the ben- efit limitation as provided in paragraph (f)(2) of this section. Pursuant to paragraph (f)(2)(i)(A)(2)ofthis section, Plan B’s effective rate of interest for 2011 is treated as 5.25%. 2007–42 I.R.B.849October 15, 2007 (ii) The amount of the contribution as of Jan- uary1,2011,neededtoavoidtherestrictiononplan amendments under paragraph (c) of this section is $195,060. However, becausethe contribution is not paid until February 1, 2011, the necessary contribu- tion amount must be adjusted to reflect interest that would otherwise have accrued between the valuation date and the date of the contribution, at Plan B’s ef- fective rate of interest for the 2011 plan year. The amount of the required contribution after adjustment is $195,894, determined as $195,060 increased for one month of compound interest at an effective an- nual interest rate of 5.25%. (iii) As of April 1, 2011, the enrolled actuary for the plan has not certified the 2011 AFTAP. There- fore, beginning April 1, 2011, Plan A’s presumed AFTAPispresumedtobe73%,10percentagepoints lower than the 2010 AFTAP, in accordance with paragraph (h)(2) of this section. However, para- graph (g)(2)(ii)(B) of this section does not require reapplication of the deemed election if necessary to avoid the application of benefit restrictions un- der paragraph (c) of this section. Therefore, since the effective date of the plan amendment occurred prior to April 1, 2011, no additional reduction in the prefunding balance is required and no additional contribution is required for the plan amendment to remain in effect. (iv) On July 1, 2011, the enrolled actuary for the plan calculates the actual adjusted funding target, prior to taking the plan amendment into account, as $2,700,000 and certifies the actual AFTAP for 2011 (prior to taking the amendment into account) as 87.04% (that is, adjusted assets of $2,350,000 di- vided by the adjusted funding target of $2,700,000). Reflecting the $350,000 increase in funding tar- get due to the plan amendment would increase the adjusted funding target to $3,050,000 and would decrease Plan B’s AFTAP to 77.05%. (v) Based on the certified AFTAP, the amount necessary to avoid the benefit restriction under para- graph (c) of this section is $90,000 (that is, 80% of the adjusted funding target reflecting the plan amend- ment (or $3,050,000), minus the adjusted value of plan assets of $2,350,000). This amount must be ad- justed for interest between the valuation date and the date the contribution was made using the effective in- terest rate for Plan B. Therefore, the amount required on the payment date of February 1, 2011, is $90,385 (that is, $90,000 adjusted for compound interest for one month at Plan B’s effective interest rate of 5.25% per year). (vi) Under paragraph (g)(3)(ii)(B) of this section, the contribution made under paragraph (g)(5)(ii) of this section is recharacterized as an employer contribution under section 430 to the extent that it exceeds the amount necessary to avoid application of the restriction on plan amendments under paragraph (c) of this section. Therefore, $105,509 (that is, the $195,894 actual contribution paid on February 1, 2011, minus the $90,385 required contribution based on the actual certified AFTAP) is recharacterized as an employer contribution under section 430 for the 2011planyear. Assuch,itmaybeappliedtoward the minimum required contribution for 2011, or the plan sponsor can elect to credit the contribution to Plan B’s prefunding balance to the extent that the contributions for the 2011 plan year exceed the min- imum required contribution. Example 6. (i)ThefactsarethesameasinEx- ample 5,exceptthatonJuly1,2011,theenrolledac- tuary for Plan B calculates the actual adjusted fund- ing target (before reflecting the plan amendment) as $3,000,000 and certifies the actual AFTAP as 78.33% prior to reflecting the plan amendment (that is, ad- justed plan assets of $2,350,000 divided by the actual adjusted funding target of $3,000,000). Based on the provisions of paragraph (c) of this section, because the AFTAP prior to reflecting the amendment is less than 80%, the contribution required to avoid the re- strictiononplanamendmentswouldhavebeenthe amount equal to the increase in funding target due to the plan amendment, or $350,000. (ii) However, according to paragraph (g)(4)(ii)(A) of this section, the enrolled actu- ary’s certification of the 2011 AFTAP does not affect the application of the limitation under paragraph (c) of this section regardless of the extent to which the certified percentagevaries from the presumed percentage, because the amendment to Plan B was effective prior to the date of the certification. Therefore, it is not necessary for Plan B’s sponsor to contribute an additional amount in order for the plan amendment to remain in effect. (h)Presumed underfunding for pur- poses of benefit limitations—(1)Presump- tion of continued underfunding—(i)In general. This paragraph (h)(1) applies to a plan for which a limitation under paragraph (b), (c), (d), or (e) of this sec- tion applied to the plan on the last day of the plan year preceding the current plan year. If this paragraph (h)(1) applies to a plan, the first day of the plan year is a section 436 measurement date and the pre- sumed adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan is the percentage under paragraph (h)(1)(ii) or (iii) of this section, whichever applies to the plan, be- ginning on that first day until it is changed under this paragraph (h). (ii)Rule where preceding year certifi- cation issued during preceding year.In any case in which the plan’s enrolled ac- tuary has issued a certification under para- graph (h)(4) of this section of the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan year preceding the current year be- fore the first day of the current year, the adjusted funding targetattainment percent- age of the plan for the current plan year is presumed to be equal to the preceding year’s actual adjusted funding target at- tainment percentage until the plan’s en- rolled actuary issues a certification of the adjusted funding targetattainment percent- age of the plan for the current plan year un- der paragraph (h)(4) of this section or until changed under paragraph (h)(2) or (h)(3) of this section. (iii)No certification for preceding year issued during preceding year—(A) Deemed percentage under 60 percent. In any case in which the plan’s enrolled actuary has not issued a certification un- der paragraph (h)(4) of this section of the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for the plan year preceding the current year during that prior plan year, the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for the current plan year is presumed to be less than 60 percent until changed under para- graph (h)(1)(iii)(B) or (h)(2)(iii) of this section or where the plan’s enrolled actu- ary issues the certification of the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the current year under paragraph (h)(4) of this section. (B)Enrolled actuary’s certification in first 3 months of following year.Inany case in which the plan’s enrolled actu- ary has issued the certification under para- graph (h)(4) of this section of the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for the plan year preceding the cur- rent year on or after the first day of the cur- rent year but before the first day of the 4th month of that year, the date of that prior year certification is a new section 436 mea- surement date for the plan year. In such a case, until it is changed by a certification of the current year’s adjusted funding tar- get attainment percentage under paragraph (h)(4) of this section or otherwise changed under paragraph (h)(2) or (h)(3) of this sec- tion, the presumed percentage for the cur- rent year beginning on the date of certifi- cation is equal to the certified percentage for the preceding year. (2)Presumption of underfunding after first day of 4th month for nearly under- funded plans—(i)In general. This para- graph (h)(2) applies to a plan for which the actual adjusted funding target attain- ment percentage for the plan year preced- ing the current plan year was certified for that prior plan year to be at least 60 per- cent but less than 70 percent, or was cer- tified for that prior plan year to be at least 80 percent but less than 90 percent (or, if that prior plan year is the pre-effective plan year, was certified to be less than 90 per- cent), and where the enrolled actuary for the plan has not issued a certification of the adjusted funding target attainment per- centage for the plan year by the first day of the 4th month of the plan year. If this October 15, 20078502007–42 I.R.B. paragraph (h)(2) applies to a plan, the pre- sumed adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan is the percentage under paragraph (h)(2)(ii) or (iii) of this section, as applicable. (ii)Presumed adjusted funding target attainment percentage. If this paragraph (h)(2) applies to a plan, and the date of the enrolled actuary’s certification under paragraph (h)(4) of this section for the plan year preceding the current year occurred before the first day of the 4th month of the current plan year, then, commencing on the first day of the 4th month of the current plan year and continuing until the earlier of the date the enrolled actuary is- sues a certification under paragraph (h)(4) of this section of the adjusted funding tar- get attainment percentage for the plan year or the first day of the 10th month of the plan year as described in paragraph (h)(3) of this section— (A) The adjusted funding target attain- ment percentage of the plan as of the valu- ation date for the plan year is presumed to be equal to 10 percentage points less than the actual adjusted funding target attain- ment percentage of the plan for the preced- ing plan year; and (B) The first day of the 4th month of the plan year is treated as a section 436 measurement date. (iii)Certification for prior year.Ifthis paragraph (h)(2) applies to a plan, and the date of the enrolled actuary’s certification under paragraph (h)(4) of this section of the actual adjusted funding target attain- ment percentage for the plan year preced- ing the current year occurs on or after the first day of the 4th month of the current plan year, then, commencing on the date of that prior year certification and contin- uing until the earlier of the date the en- rolled actuary issues a certification under paragraph (h)(4) of this section of the ad- justed funding target attainment percent- age for the plan year or the first day of the 10th month of the plan year as described in paragraph (h)(3) of this section— (A) The adjusted funding target attain- ment percentage of the plan as of the valu- ation date for the plan year is presumed to be equal to 10 percentage points less than the actual adjusted funding target attain- ment percentage of the plan for the preced- ing plan year; and (B) The date of the prior year certifica- tion is treated as a section 436 measure- ment date. (3)Presumption of underfunding on and after first day of 10th month—(i)Sec- tion 436 measurement date. In any case in which no certification of the specific adjusted funding target attainment per- centage for the current plan year under paragraph (h)(4) of this section is made with respect to the plan before the first day of the 10th month of the plan year, that first day is treated as a section 436 measurement date. (ii)Presumed percentage under 60 per- cent. In any case in which no certifica- tion of the specific adjusted funding tar- get attainment percentage for the current plan year under paragraph (h)(4) of this section is made with respect to the plan be- fore the first day of the 10th month of the plan year, the plan’s adjusted funding tar- get attainment percentage is presumed to be less than 60 percent beginning on that date and continuing through the remainder of the plan year. (4)Certification of adjusted fund- ing target attainment percentage—(i) Rules generally applicable to certifi- cations—(A)In general. The enrolled actuary’s certification referred to in this section must be made in writing, must be provided to the plan administrator, and, except as provided in paragraph (h)(4)(ii) of this section, must certify the plan’s ad- justed funding target attainment percent- age for the plan year (including setting forth the aggregate amount of annuity pur- chases taken into account under paragraph (j)(3)(ii) of this section). (B)Determination of plan assets.For purposes of making any determination of the adjusted funding target attainment per- centage under this section, the determina- tion is not permitted to take into account assets that have not been contributed to the plan by the certification date. For example, the enrolled actuary’s certification of the adjusted funding targetattainment percent- age for a plan year cannot take into account contributions that are expected to be made after the certification date. Notwithstand- ing the foregoing, for plan years beginning before January 1, 2009, the enrolled ac- tuary’s certification of the adjusted fund- ing target attainment percentage is permit- ted to take into account employer contri- butions for the prior plan year that are rea- sonably expected to be made for that prior plan year but have not been contributed by the date of the enrolled actuary’s certifica- tion. See paragraph (h)(4)(iii) of this sec- tion for rules relating to changes in the cer- tified percentage. (ii)Special rules for certification within range—(A)In general.Underthispara- graph (h)(4)(ii), theplan’s enrolled actu- ary is permitted to certify during the first nine months of a plan year that the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percent- age for that plan year either is 60 percent or higher (but is less than 80 percent), is 80 percent or higher, or is 100 percent or higher. If the enrolled actuary has issued such a range certification for a plan year and the enrolled actuary subsequently is- sues a certification of the specific adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan before the first day of the 10th month of that plan year, the certification of the specific adjusted funding target at- tainment percentage is treated as a change in the applicable percentage to which para- graph (h)(4)(iii) of this section applies. If the enrolled actuary has issued a range cer- tification for a plan year but no specific certification of the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for the plan year is issued by the plan’s enrolled actuary before the first day of the 10th month of that plan year, then the rules of paragraph (h)(3) of this section apply and the change in the applicable percentage to under 60 percent on that date is treated as a change in the applicable percentage which is subject to the rules of paragraph (h)(4)(iii) of this section. (B)Effect of range certification—(1) Before certification of specific percent- age. If a plan’s enrolled actuary issues a range certification pursuant to this para- graph (h)(4)(ii), then, for all purposes under this section (for example, applying the limitations of sections 436(b) and (c), making contributions described in sec- tions 436(b)(2), 436(c)(2), and 436(e)(2), and the mandatory reduction of funding balances under paragraph (a)(5) of this section), the plan is treated as having a certified percentage at the smallest value within the applicable range. (2)On and after certification of spe- cific percentage. Once the certification of the specific adjusted funding target attain- ment percentage is issued by the plan’s en- rolled actuary (before the first day of the 2007–42 I.R.B.851October 15, 2007 10th month of the planyear), that certified percentage applies for all purposes of this section on and after the date of that cer- tification. If the plan sponsor made sec- tion 436 contributions to avoid application of a benefit limitation during the period a range certification was in effect, those sec- tion 436 contributions will be recharacter- ized as employer contributions under sec- tion 430 to the extent the contributions ex- ceed the amount necessary to avoid appli- cation of a limitation based on the specific adjusted funding target attainment percent- age as certified by the plan’s enrolled ac- tuary before the first day of the 10th month of the plan year. (iii)Change of certified percent- age—(A)Application of new percentage. If the enrolled actuary for the plan provides a certification of the adjusted funding tar- get attainment percentage of the plan for the plan year under this paragraph (h)(4) (including a range certification) and that certified percentage is superseded by a subsequent determination of the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for that plan year, that later percentage must be applied. (B)Determination of materiality—(1) In general. With respect to the effect of that subsequent determination of the ad- justed funding target attainment percent- age on the plan for the period during which the plan’s operation was based on the prior percentage, a determination must be made whether the change in the applicable per- centage is a material change or an immate- rial change. (2)Definition of material change.For this purpose, there is a material change in a plan’s certified adjusted funding tar- get attainment percentage if plan opera- tions with respect to benefits that are ad- dressed by section 436, taking into account any actual contributions and elections un- der section 430(f) made by the plan spon- sor based on the prior certified percent- age, would have been different based on the subsequent determination of the plan’s adjusted funding target attainment percent- age for the plan year. However, if the dif- ference between the adjusted funding tar- get attainment percentage for a plan year and the later revised determination of that percentage is the result of additional con- tributions for the preceding year that are made by the plan sponsor after the date of the enrolled actuary’s certification or re- sults from the plan sponsor’s election to reduce the prefunding balance or funding standard carryover balance after the date of the certification, such change is not treated as a material change. (3)Definition of immaterial change. An immaterial change is any change in an adjusted funding target attainment per- centage for a plan year that is not a material change. (C)Effect of change in percentage—(1) Material change. In the case of a mate- rial change where the plan was operated in accordance with the prior certification of the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for the plan year, the plan will not have satisfied the requirements of sec- tion 401(a)(29) and section 436. In the case of a material change where the plan was operated in accordance with the sub- sequent certification of the adjusted fund- ing target attainment percentage during the period of time the prior certification ap- plied, the plan will not have been oper- ated in accordance with its terms. In ad- dition, in the case of a material change, the rules requiring application of a presumed adjusted funding targetattainment percent- age under paragraphs (h)(1) through (h)(3) of this section continue to apply from and after the date of the prior certification until the date of the subsequent certification. (2)Effect of immaterial change.Ifthe enrolled actuary for a plan provides a cer- tification of the adjusted funding target at- tainment percentage of the plan for the plan year under this paragraph (h)(4) and that certified percentage is superseded by a subsequent determination of the adjusted funding target attainment percentage for that plan year that does not result in a mate- rial change under paragraph (h)(4)(iii)(B) of this section, the revised percentage does not change the inapplicability of the pre- sumptions under paragraphs (h)(1), (2), and (3) of this section prior to the date of the later certification. (5)Application to plan with valuation date after first day of plan year.[Re- served]. (6)Examples of application of para- graphs (h)(1), (h)(2), and (h)(3) of this sec- tion. The following examples illustrate the application of paragraphs (h)(1), (h)(2), and (h)(3) of this section. Unless other- wise indicated, the examples in this sec- tion are based on the information in this paragraph. Each plan is a non-collectively bargained defined benefit plan with a plan year that is the calendar year and a valua- tion date of January 1. The first effective plan year is 2008. The plan does not have a funding standard carryover balance or a prefunding balance as of any of the dates mentioned, and the plan sponsor does not elect to utilize any of the methods in para- graph (f) of this section to avoid applica- ble benefit restrictions. No range certifica- tion under paragraph (h)(4) of this section has been issued. The plan sponsor is not in bankruptcy. Example 1. (i) On July 15, 2010, the adjusted funding target attainmentpercentage (“AFTAP”) for Plan T is certified to be 65%. Based on this AFTAP, Plan T is subject to the restriction on prohibited pay- ments in paragraph (d)(3) of this section for the re- mainderof2010. (ii) Beginning January 1, 2011, Plan T’s AFTAP for 2011 is presumed to be equal to the AFTAP for 2010, or 65%, under the provisions of paragraph (h)(1)(ii) of this section. Accordingly, the restriction on accelerated benefit distributions in paragraph (d)(3) of this section continues to apply. (iii) On March 1, 2011, the enrolled actuary for the plan certifies that the actual AFTAP for 2011 is 80%. Therefore, beginning March 1, 2011, Plan T is no longer subject to the restriction under paragraph (d)(3) of this section, and so Plan T resumes paying the full amount of any accelerated benefit distribu- tions elected by participants with an annuity starting date of March 1, 2011, or later. Example 2. (i) The facts are the same as inEx- ample 1, except that the enrolled actuary for the plan does not certify the AFTAP for 2011 until June 1, 2011. Accordingly, Plan T’s AFTAP for 2011 is pre- sumed to be equal to the AFTAP for 2010 of 65% from January 1, 2011, through March 31, 2011, and Plan T is subject to the restriction on accelerated ben- efit distributions under paragraph (d)(3) of this sec- tion during this period. (ii) Beginning April 1, 2011, the provisions of paragraph (h)(2)(ii) of this section apply because the enrolled actuary for the plan still has not certified the actual AFTAP as of January 1, 2011. Under the provisions of paragraph (h)(2)(ii) of this section, the AFTAP for Plan T is presumed to be 10 percentage points lower, or 55%, beginning April 1, 2011. Ac- cordingly, Plan T is now subject to the restriction in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, and so cannot pay any accelerated benefit distributions otherwise payable to plan participants who have annuity starting dates on or after April 1, 2011. (iii) On June 1, 2011, the enrolled actuary for the plan certifies that the AFTAP for 2011 for Plan T is 66%. Accordingly, Plan T is no longer subject to the restriction under paragraph (d)(1) of this section, but it is subject to the restriction under paragraph (d)(3) of this section. (iv) Since Plan T is no longer subject to the re- striction on payment of accelerated benefit distribu- tions under paragraph (d)(1) of this section, Plan T must resume paying the accelerated benefit distribu- tions, as restricted under paragraph (d)(3) of this sec- tion, for participants who elect benefits in accelerated October 15, 20078522007–42 I.R.B. forms of payment and whohave an annuity starting date of June 1, 2011, or later. Example 3.(i) The facts are the same as inEx- ample 1, except that the enrolled actuary for the plan does not certify the 2011 AFTAP until November 15, 2011. Beginning October 1, 2011, Plan T is conclu- sively presumed to have an AFTAP of less than 60%, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (h)(3) of this section. Accordingly, Plan T is subject to the restriction in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, and can- not pay any accelerated benefit distributions to partic- ipants whose annuity starting date occurs on or after October 1, 2011. (ii) On November 15, 2011, the enrolled actuary for the plan certifies that the AFTAP for 2011 is 72%. However, because the certification occurred after Oc- tober 1, 2011, the certification does not constitute a new section 436 measurement date, and Plan T con- tinues to be subject to the restrictions on accelerated benefit distributions and benefit accruals under para- graphs (d)(1) and (e) of this section. (iii) Beginning January 1, 2012, the 2012 AFTAP for Plan T is presumed to be equal to the 2011 AFTAP of 72%. Because the presumed 2012 AFTAP is be- tween 70% and 80% and, therefore, paragraph (h)(2) of this section (which provides for a 10 percentage point reduction in a plan’s AFTAP in certain cases) will not apply, the presumed AFTAP will remain at 72% until the plan’s enrolled actuary certifies the AFTAP for 2012 or until paragraph (h)(3) of this sec- tion applies on the first day of the 10th month of the plan year. Because the presumed AFTAP is 72%, Plan T is no longer subject to the restrictions on ac- celerated benefit distributions under paragraph (d)(1) of this section, and Plan T must resume paying accel- erated benefit distributions, as restricted under para- graph (d)(3) of this section, that are elected by partic- ipants with annuity starting dates on or after January 1, 2012. Similarly, Plan T is no longer subject to the restriction on benefit accruals under paragraph (e) of this section, and benefit accruals resume under Plan T beginning January 1, 2012, unless Plan T provides otherwise. Example 4. (i)ThefactsarethesameasinEx- ample 3, except that the enrolled actuary for the plan does not issue a certification of the AFTAP for 2011 for Plan T until February 1, 2012. (ii) Beginning on January 1, 2012, the presump- tions in paragraph (h)(1)(iii) of this section apply for the 2012 plan year. Because the enrolled actuary for the plan has not certified the AFTAP for 2011, the presumed AFTAP as of October 1, 2011, continues to apply for the period beginning January 1, 2012. Therefore, the AFTAP as of January 1, 2012, is pre- sumed to be less than 60%, and Plan T continues to be subject to the restriction on accelerated benefit dis- tributions in paragraph (d)(1) of this section and the restriction on benefit accruals under paragraph (e) of this section. (iii) On February 1, 2012, the enrolled actuary for the plan certifies that the AFTAP for 2011 for Plan T is 65%. Because the enrolled actuary for the plan has not issued a certification of the AFTAP for 2012, the provisions of paragraph (h)(1)(iii)(B) of this section apply. Accordingly, the certification date for the 2011 AFTAP (February 1, 2012) is a section 436 measure- ment date and 65% is the presumed AFTAP for 2012 beginning on that date. (iv) Because the presumed AFTAP is over 60% but less than 80%, the full restriction on accelerated benefit distributions under paragraph (d)(1) of this section no longer applies; however the partial restric- tion on accelerated benefit distributions under para- graph (d)(3) of this section applies beginning on Feb- ruary 1, 2012. Therefore, Plan T must pay a portion of accelerated benefit distributions elected by partici- pants with annuity starting dates on or after February 1, 2012. Furthermore, based on the presumed AFTAP of 65%, the restriction on benefit accruals under para- graph (e) of this section no longer applies, and unless Plan T provides otherwise, benefit accruals will re- sume as of February 1, 2012. Example 5. (i)ThefactsarethesameasinEx- ample 3, except that the enrolled actuary for the plan does not issue a certification of the actual AFTAP for Plan T as of January 1, 2011, until May 1, 2012. (ii) Beginning on January 1, 2012, the presump- tions in paragraph (h)(1)(iii) of this section apply for the 2012 plan year. Because the enrolled actuary for the plan has not certified the actual AFTAP as of Jan- uary 1, 2011, the presumed AFTAP as of October 1, 2011, continues to apply for the period beginning Jan- uary 1, 2012. Therefore, the AFTAP as of January 1, 2012, is presumed to be less than 60%, and Plan T continues to be subject to the restriction on acceler- ated benefit distributions in paragraph (d)(1) of this section and the restriction on benefit accruals under paragraph (e) of this section. (iii) Since the enrolled actuary for the plan has not issued a certification of the actual AFTAP as of January 1, 2011, the rules of paragraph (h)(1)(iii) of this section apply beginning April 1, 2012, and the AFTAPispresumedtoremainlessthan60%.PlanT continues to be subject to the restriction on acceler- ated benefit distributions and benefit accruals under paragraphs (d)(1) and (e) of this section. (iv)OnMay1,2012,theenrolledactuaryforthe plan certifies that the actual AFTAP for 2011 for Plan T is 65%. Because the enrolled actuary for the plan has not issued a certification of the actual AFTAP as of January 1, 2012, the provisions of paragraph (h)(2)(iii) of this section apply. Accordingly, on May 1, 2012, the 2012 AFTAP is presumed to be 10 per- centage points less than the 2011 AFTAP, or 55%, so that the restrictions under paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section continue to apply. Example 6. (i) The enrolled actuary for Plan V certifies the plan’s AFTAP for 2010 to be 69%. Based on this AFTAP, Plan V is subject to the restriction in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, and can only pay a portion (generally 50%) of accelerated benefit distri- butions otherwise due to plan participants who com- mence benefits while the restriction is in effect. The enrolled actuary for the plan does not issue a certifi- cation of the AFTAP for 2011 until June 1, 2011. (ii) Beginning January 1, 2011, Plan V’s 2011 AFTAP is presumed to be equal to the 2010 AFTAP, or 69%, under the provisions of paragraph (h)(1)(ii) of this section. Accordingly, the restriction on ac- celerated benefit distributions in paragraph (d)(3) of this section continues to apply from January 1, 2011, throughMarch31,2011,andPlanTmayonlypaya portion of accelerated benefit distributions otherwise due to participants who commence benefit payments during this period. (iii) Beginning April 1, 2011, the provisions of paragraph (h)(2)(ii) of this section apply. Under those provisions, the AFTAP beginning April 1, 2011, is presumed to be 10 percentage points lower than the presumed 2011 AFTAP, or 59%. Because Plan V’s presumed AFTAP for 2011 is less than 60%, the re- striction on the payment of accelerated benefit distri- butions under paragraph (d)(1) of this section and the restriction on benefit accruals under paragraph (e) of this section apply. Accordingly, Plan V cannot pay any accelerated benefit distributions to participants with an annuity starting date on or after April 1, 2011, and benefit accruals cease as of March 31, 2011. (iv) On June 1, 2011, Plan V’s enrolled actu- ary certifies that the plan’s AFTAP for 2011 is 71%. Therefore, the restrictions on accelerated benefit dis- tributions and benefit accruals in paragraphs (d)(1) and (e) of this section no longer apply, but the partial restriction on benefit payments in paragraph (d)(3) of this section does apply. Accordingly, Plan V begins paying a portion of the accelerated benefit distribu- tions elected by participants with an annuity starting date on or after June 1, 2011, and benefit accruals pre- viously restricted under paragraph (e) of this section resume effective June 1, 2011, unless Plan V provides otherwise. (v) Participants who were not able to elect an ac- celerated form of payment during the period from April 1, 2011, through May 31, 2011, would be able to elect a new annuity starting date with a partial distribution of accelerated benefits effective June 1, 2011, if Plan V contained a preexisting provision per- mitting such an election after the restriction in para- graph (d)(1) of this section no longer applies. This is permitted because, under paragraph (a)(4)(ii)(A) of this section, a preexisting provision of this type is not considered a plan amendment and is therefore not subject to the plan amendment restriction in para- graph (c) of this section even though Plan V’s AFTAP for 2011 is less than 80%. (vi) Benefit accruals for the period beginning April 1, 2011, through May 31, 2011, would be auto- matically restored if Plan V contained a preexisting provision to retroactively restore benefit accruals restricted under paragraph (e) of this section after the restriction no longer applies. This is permitted because under paragraph (a)(4)(ii)(A) of this section, a preexisting provision of this type is not considered to be a plan amendment and is therefore not subject to the plan amendment restriction in paragraph (c) of this section even though Plan V’s AFTAP for 2011 is less than 80%, because the period of the restriction did not exceed 12 months. (7)Examples of application of para- graph (h)(4) of this section. The following examples illustrate theapplication of para- graph(h)(4)ofthissection: Example 1. (i) Plan Y is a non-collectively bar- gained defined benefit plan with a plan year that is the calendar year and a valuation date of January 1. Plan Y does not have a funding standard carryover balance or a prefunding balance. Plan Y’s sponsor is not in bankruptcy. In June of 2010, the actual AFTAP for 2010 for Plan Y is certified as 65%. On the last day of the 2010 plan year, Plan Y is subject to the re- strictions in paragraph (d)(3) of this section. (ii) The enrolled actuary for the plan issues a range certification on March21, 2011, certifying that the AFTAP for 2011 is at least 60% and less than 80%. Because the certification was issued before the 2007–42 I.R.B.853October 15, 2007 first day of the 4th month of the plan year, the 10 percentage point reduction in the presumed AFTAP under paragraph (h)(2) of this section does not apply. In addition, because the enrolled actuary for the plan has certified that the AFTAP is within this range, Plan Y is not subject to the full restriction on accel- erated benefit payments in paragraph (d)(1) of this section or the restriction on benefit accruals under paragraph (e) of this section. (iii) On August 1, 2011, the enrolled actuary for the plan certifies that the actual AFTAP as of January 1, 2011, is 75.86%. This AFTAP falls within the pre- viously certified range. Thus, the change is immate- rial under paragraph (h)(4)(iii) of this section and the new certification does not change the applicability or inapplicability of the restrictions in this section. Example 2. (i)ThefactsarethesameasinEx- ample 1, except that the plan sponsor makes an addi- tional contribution for the 2010 plan year on Septem- ber 1, 2011, that is not added to the prefunding bal- ance. Reflecting this contribution, the enrolled actu- ary for the plan issues a revised certification stating that the AFTAP for 2011 is 81%, and Plan Y is no longer subject to the restriction on accelerated bene- fit payments under paragraph (d)(3) of this section on that date. (ii) Although the revised certification changes the applicability of the restriction under paragraph (d)(3) of this section, the change not a material change under paragraph (h)(4)(iii)(B)(2) of this section because it changed only because of additional contributions for the preceding year made by the plan sponsor after the date of the enrolled actuary’s initial certification. (i) [Reserved]. (j)Definitions. For purposes of this sec- tion— (1)Funding target. For purposes of section 436, thefunding targetmeans the funding target under section 430(d) or 430(i), as applicable to the plan for the plan year. (2)Funding target attainment percent- age—(i)In general.For purposes of sec- tion 436, thefunding target attainment per- centagefor any plan yearis the fraction (expressed as a percentage), the numera- tor of which is the value of net plan assets for the plan year, and the denominator of which is the plan’s funding target for the plan year (but determined without regard to the at-risk rules under section 430(i) even in the case of a plan that is in at-risk status). For this purpose, pursuant to sec- tion 430(f)(4), the value of net plan assets for the plan year is generally determined by subtracting the plan’s funding standard carryover balance and prefunding balance (if any) for the plan year from the value of plan assets. A plan with a value of net plan assets for a plan year of zero is treated as having a funding target attainment per- centage of zero, regardless of the amount of the plan’s funding target. (ii)Application to plans that are fully funded without regard to subtraction of funding balances from plan assets—(A)In general. If the funding target attainment percentage for a plan year, determined without regard to the section 430(f)(4) subtraction of the funding standard carry- over balance and the prefunding balance from the value of plan assets, would be 100 percent or more, then, solely for pur- poses of section 436 and this section (but not section 430(d)), the value of net plan assets used in the determination of the funding target attainment percentage de- scribed in this paragraph (j)(2) (and the adjusted funding target attainment per- centage described in paragraph (j)(3) of this section) is determined without regard to any subtraction of funding balances under section 430(f)(4). (B)Transition rule.Paragraph (j)(2)(ii)(A) of this section is applied to plan years beginning after 2007 and before 2011 by substituting for “100 percent” the applicable percentage determined in ac- cordance with the following table: In the case of a plan year beginning in calendar year: The applicable percentage is: 2008 ...................................................92 2009 ...................................................94 2010 ...................................................96 (C)Limitation. Paragraph (j)(2)(ii)(B) of this section does not apply with re- spect to any plan year after 2008 unless the funding target attainment percentage (determined without regard to the section 430(f)(4) subtraction of the funding stan- dard carryover balanceand the prefunding balance from the value of plan assets) of the plan for each preceding plan year (af- ter 2007) was not less than the applica- ble percentage with respect to such preced- ing plan year determined under paragraph (j)(2)(ii)(B) of this section. (iii)Special rules for first effective plan year—(A)In general. In the case of the plan’s first effective plan year, the funding target attainment percentage under section 436 for the plan’s pre-effective plan year is determined as the fraction (expressed as a percentage), the numerator of which is the net plan assets determined under para- graph (j)(2)(iii)(B) of this section, and the denominator of which is the plan’s cur- rent liability determined pursuant to sec- tion 412(l)(7) on the valuation date for the plan’s pre-effective plan year. (B)General determination of value of net plan assets—(1)In general.The value of net plan assets for purposes of this paragraph (j)(2)(iii) is determined un- der section 412(c)(2) as in effect for the plan’s pre-effective plan year, except that the value of plan assets prior to subtract- ing the plan’s funding standard account credit balance described in paragraph (j)(2)(iii)(B)(2) of this section can neither be less than 90 percent of the fair market value of plan assets nor greater than 110 percent of the fair market value of plan assets on the valuation date for that plan year. (2)Subtraction of credit balance.Ifa plan has a funding standard account credit balance as of the valuation date for the plan’s pre-effective plan year, that bal- ance is subtracted from the net asset value described in paragraph (j)(2)(iii)(B)(1) of this section as of that valuation date. However, the subtraction does not apply if the value of plan assets determined in paragraph (j)(2)(iii)(B)(1)ofthissection is greater than or equal to 90 percent of the plan’s current liability as of the valu- ation date for the plan determined under paragraph (j)(2)(iii)(A) of this section. (3)Effect of funding standard carry- over balance reduction for first effective plan year. Notwithstanding paragraph (j)(2)(iii)(B)(2)ofthissection,if,forthe first effective plan year, the employer has made an election to reduce some or all of the funding standard carryover balance as October 15, 20078542007–42 I.R.B. of the first day of that year in accordance with §1.430(f)–1(e), then the present value (determined as of the valuation date for the pre-effective plan year using the val- uation interest rate for that pre-effective plan year) of the amount so reduced is not treated as part of the funding standard account credit balance when that balance is subtracted from the asset value under paragraph (j)(2)(iii)(B)(2) of this section. (3)Adjusted funding target attainment percentage—(i)In general.Theadjusted funding target attainment percentagefor any plan year is the fraction (expressed as a percentage), the numerator of which is theadjustedplanassetsdescribedinpara- graph (j)(3)(ii) of this section and the de- nominator of which is the adjusted fund- ing target described inparagraph (j)(3)(iii) of this section. (ii)Adjusted plan assets. The adjusted plan assets equals the net plan assets (de- termined under paragraph (j)(2) of this sec- tion), increased by the aggregate amount of purchases of annuities for employees other than highly compensated employees (as defined in section 414(q)) which were made by the plan during the preceding 2 plan years. (iii)Adjusted funding target—(A)In general. The adjusted funding target equals the funding target for the plan year (determined in accordance with paragraph (j)(1) of this section but without regard to the at-risk rules under section 430(i)), increased by the aggregate amount of pur- chases of annuities for employees other than highly compensated employees (as defined in section 414(q)) which were made by the plan during the preceding 2 plan years. (B)Special rule for first effective plan year. In the case of the plan’s first effec- tive plan year, for purposes of determining the adjusted funding target attainment per- centage for the pre-effective plan year, the adjusted funding target is equal to the current liability determined pursuant to section 412(l)(7) as of the plan’s valua- tion date for the pre-effective plan year, increased by the aggregate amount of pur- chases of annuities for employees other than highly compensated employees (as defined in section 414(q)) which were made by the plan during the preceding 2 plan years. (iv)Special rule where current liabil- ity not certified for pre-effective plan year. In any case in which the plan’s enrolled actuary has not issued a certification un- der paragraph (h)(4)(i) of this section of the adjusted funding target attainment per- centage of the plan for the pre-effective plan year, the adjusted funding target at- tainment percentage of the plan for the first effective plan year is presumed to be less than 60 percent until the adjusted funding target attainment percentage of the plan for the pre-effective plan year has been certi- fied. The preceding sentence applies for purposes of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section at the beginning of the first effec- tive plan year and applies for purposes of paragraphs(d)and(e)ofthissectionasof the first day of the 4th month of the first effective plan year. See paragraph (h) of this section for rules that apply after the adjusted funding targetattainment percent- age for the plan has been certified for ei- ther the pre-effective plan year or the first effective plan year. (4)Section 436 measurement date.The section 436 measurement date is the date that is used to stop or start the application of the limitations of sections 436(d) and 436(e), and is also used for calculations with respect to applying the limitations of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section. See paragraph (h) of this section regarding section 436 measurement dates that result from application of the presumptions un- der that paragraph (h) of this section. (5)Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of this paragraph (j): Example 1. (i) Plan S is a non-collectively bar- gained defined benefit plan with a plan year that is the calendar year and a valuation date of January 1. The first effective plan year is 2008. (ii) As of January 1, 2008, Plan S has a value of plan assets (equal to the market value of assets) of $2,100,000 and a funding standard carryover balance of $200,000. During 2006, assets from Plan S were used to purchase a total of $100,000 in annuities for employees other than highly compensated employ- ees. No annuities were purchased during 2007. On May 1, 2008, the enrolled actuary for the plan deter- mines that the funding target as of January 1, 2008, is $2,500,000. (iii) The adjusted value of assets for Plan S as of January 1, 2008, is $2,000,000 (that is, plan assets of $2,100,000 plus annuity purchases of $100,000 minus the funding standard carryover balance of $200,000). The adjusted funding target is $2,600,000 (that is, the funding target of $2,500,000, increased by the annuity purchases of $100,000). (iv) Based on the above adjusted plan assets and adjusted funding target, the AFTAP as of January 1, 2008, would be 76.92%. Since the AFTAP is less than 80% but is at least 60%, Plan S is subject to the restrictions in paragraph (d)(3) of this section. Example 2. (i) The facts are the same as inEx- ample 1,exceptthatitisreasonable to expect that the plan sponsor will make a contribution of $80,000 to Plan S for the 2007 plan year by September 15, 2008. This amount is in excess of the minimum re- quired contribution for 2007. The plan sponsor elects to reduce the funding standard carryover balance by $80,000. (ii) Because it is reasonable to expect that the $80,000 will be contributed by the plan sponsor, that amount is taken into account when the enrolled actu- ary certifies the 2008 AFTAP under the special rule in paragraph (h)(4)(i)(B) of this section for plan years beginning before 2009. Accordingly, the enrolled ac- tuary for the plan certifies the 2008 AFTAP as 80% (that is, adjusted plan assets of $2,080,000, reflect- ing the $80,000 in contributions receivable, divided by the adjusted funding target of $2,600,000). (iii) The ability to take contributions into account before they are actually paid to the plan is available only for plan years beginning before 2009. Further- more, if the employer does not actually make the contribution and the difference between the incorrect certification and the corrected AFTAP constitutes a material change, the plan will have violated section 401(a)(29) or will not have been operated in accor- dance with its terms. Example 3. (i) Plan R is a defined benefit plan with a plan year that is the calendar year and a valu- ation date of January 1. The first effective plan year for Plan R is 2008. The valuation interest rate for the 2007 plan year for Plan R is 7%. The fair mar- ket value of assets of Plan R as of January 1, 2007, is $1,000,000. The actuarial value of assets of Plan R as of January 1, 2007, is $1,200,000. The current liabil- ity of Plan R as of January 1, 2007, is $1,500,000. The funding standard account credit balance as of January 1, 2007, is $80,000. The funding standard carryover balance of Plan R is $50,000 as of the beginning of the 2008 plan year. The sponsor of Plan R, Spon- sor T, elects in 2008 to reduce the funding standard carryover balance in accordance with §1.430(f)–1 by $45,000. (ii) Pursuant to paragraph (j)(2)(iii)(B)(1)ofthis section, the asset value used to determine the fund- ing target attainment percentage (FTAP) for the 2007 plan year is limited to 110% of the fair market value of assets on January 1, 2007, or $1,100,000 (110% of $1,000,000). (iii) Pursuant to paragraph (j)(2)(iii)(B)(2)of this section, the fundingstandard account credit balance as of January 1, 2007, is subtracted from the asset value used to determine the FTAP for the 2007 plan year. However, pursuant to paragraph (j)(2)(iii)(B)(3) of this section, the present value of the amount by which Sponsor T elected to reduce the funding standard carryover balance in 2008 is not subtracted. (iv) The present value, determined at an interest rate of 7%, of the $45,000 reduction in the funding standard account carryover balance elected by Spon- sor T in 2008 is $42,056. Thus, $42,056 is not sub- tracted from the 2007 plan year asset value. Accord- ingly, the funding standard account credit balance that is subtracted from the 2007 plan year asset value is $37,944 (that is, $80,000 less $42,056). 2007–42 I.R.B.855October 15, 2007 (v) Thus, the asset value that is used to deter- mine the FTAP for the 2007 plan year is $1,100,000 less $37,944, or $1,062,056. Accordingly, for pur- poses of this section, the FTAP for the 2007 plan year for Plan R is 70.8% (that is, $1,062,056 divided by $1,500,000). (k)Effective/applicability dates—(1)In general. In general, this section applies to plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2008. (2)Plans with delayed effective/appli- cability date. In the case of a plan for which the effective date of section 436 is delayed in accordance with sections 104 through 106 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, Public Law 109–280, 120 Stat. 780, this section applies to plan years be- ginning on or after the effective date of sec- tion 436 with respect to the plan. (3)Collective bargaining excep- tion—(i)In general. In the case of a collectively bargained plan that is main- tained pursuant to one or more collective bargaining agreements between employee representatives and one or more employ- ers ratified before January 1, 2008, this section does not apply to plan years begin- ning before the earlier of— (A) The date described in paragraph (k)(3)(ii) of this section; or (B) January 1, 2010. (ii)Termination of collective bargain- ing agreement. The date described in this paragraph (k)(3)(ii) is the later of— (A) The date on which the last col- lective bargaining agreement relating to the plan terminates (determined in accor- dance with paragraph (k)(3)(iii) of this sec- tion and without regard to any extension thereof agreed to after August 17, 2006); or (B) The first day of the first plan year to which this section would (but for this paragraph (k)(3)) apply. (iii)Treatment of certain plan amend- ments. Any plan amendment made pur- suant to a collective bargaining agreement relating to the plan which amends the plan solely to conform to any requirement added by section 436 is not treated as a termination of the collective bargaining agreement. (iv)Treatment of plans with both collec- tively bargained and non-collectively bar- gained employees. In the case of a plan with respect to which a collective bargain- ing agreement applies to some, but not all, of the plan participants, the plan is consid- ered a collectively bargained plan for pur- poses of this paragraph (k)(3) if it is con- sidered a collectively bargained plan under the rules of paragraph (a)(5)(ii)(B) of this section. (4)First effective plan year. For pur- poses of this section, the first effective plan year for a plan is the first plan year to which this section applies under paragraph (k)(1), (k)(2), or (k)(3) of this section. (5)Pre-effective plan year. For pur- poses of this section, the pre-effective plan year for a plan is the last plan year begin- ning before the effective date applicable under paragraph (k)(1), (k)(2), or (k)(3) of this section. Thus, except for plans with a delayed effective date under paragraph (k)(2) or (k)(3) of this section, the pre-ef- fective plan year for a plan is the last plan year beginning before January 1, 2008. Kevin M. Brown, Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement. (Filed by the Office of the Federal Register on August 28, 2007, 8:45 a.m., and published in the issue of the Federal Register for August 31, 2007, 72 F.R. 50543) Temporary Closing of the Determination Letter Program for Adopters of Pre-Approved Defined Contribution Plans Announcement 2007–90 On December 18, 2007, the Service will temporarily stop accepting applications for determination letters for defined contribu- tion plans that are filed on Form 5307,Ap- plication for Determination for Adopters of Master or Prototype or Volume Submit- ter Plans. The Service is taking this ac- tion because all pre-approved (i.e.,mas- ter and prototype and volume submitter) defined contribution plans are required to be restated to comply with the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107–16, (“EGTRRA”) and to be submitted to the Service for a de- termination letter (if needed) using Form 5307 during the approximately two-year period which the Service expects to an- nounce early in 2008. The temporary hia- tus in accepting Form 5307 applications will allow the Service to prepare to receive the EGTRRA applications. Rev. Proc. 2007–44, 2007–28 I.R.B. 54, and Rev. Proc. 2005–16, 2005–1 C.B. 674, describe a staggered remedial amend- ment system for plans that are qualified under § 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, with five-year amendment/approval cycles for individuallydesignedplansand six-year cycles for pre-approved plans. The submission period for the initial six-year cycle for pre-approved defined contribution plans ran from February 17, 2005, to January 31, 2006. Sponsors and practitioners were required to restate their pre-approved defined contribution plans for EGTRRA and other changes in plan qualification requirements described in Notice 2004–84, 2004–2 C.B. 1030, the “2004 Cumulative List,” and apply for new opinion or advisory letters during this submission period. As provided in Rev. Proc. 2007–44, when the review of the pre-approved defined contribution plans is near completion, the Service will publish an announcement providing the date by which adopting employers must adopt the newly approved plans. This date will also be the deadline for adopting em- ployers to file Form 5307 determination letter applications for their EGTRRA-re- stated pre-approved defined contribution plans. The Service expects to publish this announcement early next year and anticipates that adopting employers will have approximately two years to adopt the restated plans and request determination letters. In order to prepare to receive the Form 5307 applications for the EGTRRA-re- stated defined contribution plans that will be filed starting next year, the Service will temporarily stop accepting determination letter applicationsfor defined contribu- tion plans filed on Form 5307, beginning December 18, 2007. The Service will continue to process determination letter applications for defined contribution plans filed on Form 5307 before December 18, 2007, provided the plan has a favorable October 15, 20078562007–42 I.R.B. GUST 1 opinion or advisory letter. Any determination letter application for a de- fined contribution plan filed on Form 5307 on or after December 18, 2007 and before the opening of the approximately two-year period for adopting EGTRRA-restated pre-approved defined contribution plans will be returned to the applicant. This announcement does not affect the ability of adopting employers to apply for determination letters on Form 5307 for pre-approved defined benefit plans. The Service will continue to accept and process such applications until further notice. This announcement also does not affect the ability of adopting employers of pre-approved plans (whether defined con- tribution or defined benefit) to apply on Form 5307 for a determination letter for plan amendments related to a voluntary correction program (VCP) submission or as required under the correction on audit program (Audit CAP), under the proce- dures described in Rev. Proc. 2006–27, 2006–1 C.B. 945. Employee Benefits—Cafeteria Plans; Hearing Announcement 2007–91 AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Change of location for public hearing. SUMMARY: This document provides a change of location for a public hearing on proposed regulations (REG–142695–05, 2007–39 I.R.B. 681) providing guidance on cafeteria plans. DATES: The public hearing is being held on Thursday, November 15, 2007, at 10 a.m. ADDRESSES: The public hearing was originally being held in the IRS Audito- rium, Internal Revenue Building, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. The hearing location has changed. The public hearing will be held in room 2615, Internal Revenue Building, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LaNita Van Dyke, (202) 622–3215 or Oluwafunmilayo Taylor, (202) 622–7180 (not toll-free numbers). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject of the public hearing is a notice of proposed rulemaking (REG–142695–05) that was published in theFederal Registeron Monday, Au- gust 6, 2007 (72 FR 43938). The rules of 26 CFR 601.601(a)(3) ap- ply to the hearing. Persons, who submit outlines and written comments by Octo- ber 25 and November 5, 2007 respectively, may present oral comments at the hearing. A period of 10 minutes is allotted to each person for presenting oral comments. TheIRSwillprepareanagendacontain- ing the schedule of speakers. Copies of the agenda will be made available, free of charge, at the hearing. LaNita Van Dyke, Chief, Publications and Regulations Branch, Legal Processing Division, Associate Chief Counsel (Procedure and Administration). (Filed by the Office of the Federal Register on September 20, 2007, 8:45 a.m., and published in the issue of the Federal Register for September 21, 2007, 72 F.R. 53977) Section 67 Limitations on Estates or Trusts; Hearing Announcement 2007–92 AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Change of location for public hearing. SUMMARY: This document provides a change of location for a public hearing on proposed regulations (REG–128224–06, 2007–36 I.R.B. 551) providing guid- ance on which costs incurred by estates or non-grantor trusts are subject to the 2-percent floor for miscellaneous itemized deductions under section 67(a). DATES: The public hearing is being held on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, at 10 a.m. ADDRESSES: The public hearing was originally being held in the IRS Audito- rium, Internal Revenue Building, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. The hearing location has changed. The public hearing will be held in room 2615, Internal Revenue Building, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LaNita Van Dyke, (202) 622–3215 or Richard Hurst at Richard.A.Hurst@irscounsel.treas.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject of the public hearing is a notice of proposed rulemaking (REG–128224–06) that was published in theFederal Registeron Friday, July 27, 2007 (72 FR 41243). The rules of 26 CFR 601.601(a)(3) ap- ply to the hearing. Persons, who submit outlines and written comments by October 24 and 25, 2007 respectively, may present oral comments at the hearing. A period of 10 minutes is allotted to each person for presenting oral comments. The IRS will prepare an agenda contain- ing the schedule of speakers. Copies of the agenda will be made available, free of charge, at the hearing. 1 The term “GUST” refers to the following: •the Uruguay Round Agreements Act, Pub. L. 103–465; •the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, Pub. L. 103–353; •the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104–188; •the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, Pub. L. 105–34; •the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, Pub. L. 105–206; and •the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000, Pub. L. 106–554. 2007–42 I.R.B.857October 15, 2007 LaNita Van Dyke, Chief, Publications and Regulations Branch, Legal Processing Division, Associate Chief Counsel (Procedure and Administration). (Filed by the Office of the Federal Register on September 20, 2007, 8:45 a.m., and published in the issue of the Federal Register for September 21, 2007, 72 F.R. 53977) Change to Office to Which Notices of Nonjudicial Sale and Requests for Return of Wrongfully Levied Property Must Be Sent; Correction Announcement 2007–93 AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Correction to final and tempo- rary regulations. SUMMARY: This document contains cor- rections to final and temporary regulations (T.D. 9344, 2007–36 I.R.B. 535) that were published in the Federal Register on Fri- day, July 20, 2007 relating to the discharge of liens under section 7425 and return of wrongfully levied property under section 6343. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robin M. Ferguson at (202) 622–3630. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The final and temporary regulations (T.D. 9344) that are the subject of these corrections are under sections 7425 and 6343 of the Internal Revenue Code. Need for Correction As published, the final and temporary regulations (T.D. 9344) contain errors that may prove to be misleading and are in need of clarification. Correction of Publication Accordingly, the final and temporary regulations (T.D. 9344) that were the sub- ject of FR. Doc. E7–14053 are corrected as follows: 1. On page 39738, column 1, in the preamble, under the caption “FOR FUR- THER INFORMATION CONTACT:”, line 2, the language “Robin M. Ferguson, (202) 622–3610 (not” is corrected to read “Robin M. Ferguson, (202) 622–3630 (not”. 2. On page 39739, column 1, in the pre- amble, under paragraph heading “Drafting Information”, lines 4 and 5, the language “and Administration (Collection, Bank- ruptcy and Summonses Division)” should be corrected to read “and Administration.” LaNita Van Dyke, Branch Chief, Publications and Regulations Branch, Legal Processing Division, Associate Chief Counsel (Procedure and Administration). (Filed by the Office of the Federal Register on August 22, 2007, 8:45 a.m., and published in the issue of the Federal Register for August 23, 2007, 72 F.R. 48236) Change to Office to Which Notices of Nonjudicial Sale and Requests for Return of Wrongfully Levied Property Must Be Sent; Correction Announcement 2007–94 AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Correction to notice of pro- posed rulemaking by cross-reference to temporary regulations. SUMMARY: This document contains cor- rections to notice of proposed rulemaking (REG–148951–05, 2007–36 I.R.B. 550) by cross-reference to temporary regula- tions that was published in the Federal Register on Friday, July 20, 2007 relating to the discharge of liens under section 7425 and return of wrongfully levied property under section 6343. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robin M. Ferguson at (202) 622–3630. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The notice of proposed rulemaking by cross-reference to temporary regulations (REG–148951–05) that is the subject of these corrections is under sections 7425 and 6343 of the Internal Revenue Code. Need for Correction As published, the notice of proposed rulemaking by cross-reference to tempo- rary regulations (REG–148951–05) con- tains errors that may prove to be mislead- ing and are in need of clarification. Correction of Publication Accordingly, the notice of proposed rulemaking by cross-reference to tempo- rary regulations (REG–148951–05) that was the subject of FR. Doc. E7–14051 is corrected as follows: 1. On page 39771, column 3, in the preamble, under the caption “FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CON- TACT:”, line 1, the language “Robin M. Ferguson, (202) 622–3610; is cor- rected to read “Robin M. Ferguson, (202) 622–3630;”. 2. On page 39772, column 1, in the pre- amble, under paragraph heading “Drafting Information”, lines 4 and 5, the language “and Administration (Collection, Bank- ruptcy and Summonses Division)” should be corrected to read “and Administration.” LaNita Van Dyke, Branch Chief, Publications and Regulations Branch, Legal Processing Division, Associate Chief Counsel (Procedure and Administration). (Filed by the Office of the Federal Register on August 22, 2007, 8:45 a.m., and published in the issue of the Federal Register for August 23, 2007, 72 F.R. 48249) October 15, 20078582007–42 I.R.B. Deletions From Cumulative List of Organizations Contributions to Which are Deductible Under Section 170 of the Code Announcement 2007–96 The Internal Revenue Service has re- voked its determination that the organi- zations listed below qualify as organiza- tions described in sections 501(c)(3) and 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Generally, the Service will not disallow deductions for contributions made to a listed organization on or before the date of announcement in the Internal Revenue Bulletin that an organization no longer qualifies. However, the Service is not precluded from disallowing a deduction for any contributions made after an or- ganization ceases to qualify under section 170(c)(2) if the organization has not timely filed a suit for declaratory judgment under section 7428 and if the contributor (1) had knowledge of the revocation of the ruling or determination letter, (2) was aware that such revocation was imminent, or (3) was in part responsible for or was aware of the activities or omissions of the organization that brought about this revocation. If on the other hand a suit for declara- tory judgment has been timely filed, con- tributions from individuals and organiza- tions described in section 170(c)(2) that are otherwise allowable will continue to be deductible. Protection under section 7428(c) would begin on October 15, 2007, andwouldendonthedatethecourtfirst determines that the organization is not de- scribed in section 170(c)(2) as more partic- ularly set forth in section 7428(c)(1). For individual contributors, the maximum de- duction protected is $1,000, with a hus- band and wife treated as one contributor. This benefit is not extended to any indi- vidual, in whole or in part, for the acts or omissions of the organization that were the basis for revocation. The Georgetown Foundation Sandy, UT Lumberton Family Life Center, Inc. Lumberton, MS Truth in Youth & Family Services, Inc. Leland, NC Cunningham Charitable Group Los Angeles, CA 2007–42 I.R.B.859October 15, 2007 Definition of Terms Revenue rulings and revenue procedures (hereinafter referred to as “rulings”) that have an effect on previous rulings use the following defined terms to describe the ef- fect: Amplifieddescribes a situation where no change is being made in a prior pub- lished position, but the prior position is be- ingextendedtoapplytoavariationofthe fact situation set forth therein. Thus, if an earlier ruling held that a principle ap- plied to A, and the new ruling holds that the same principle also applies to B, the earlier ruling is amplified. (Compare withmodi- fied,below). Clarifiedis used in those instances where the language in a prior ruling is be- ing made clear because the language has caused, or may cause, some confusion. It is not used where a position in a prior ruling is being changed. Distinguisheddescribes a situation where a ruling mentions a previously pub- lished ruling and points out an essential difference between them. Modifiedis used where the substance of a previously published position is being changed. Thus, if a prior ruling held that a principle applied to A but not to B, and the new ruling holds that it applies to both A and B, the prior ruling is modified because it corrects a published position. (Compare withamplifiedandclarified, above). Obsoleteddescribes a previously pub- lished ruling that is not considered deter- minative with respect to future transac- tions. This term is most commonly used in a ruling that lists previously published rul- ings that are obsoleted because of changes in laws or regulations. A ruling may also be obsoleted because the substance has been included in regulations subsequently adopted. Revokeddescribes situations where the position in the previously published ruling is not correct and the correct position is beingstatedinanewruling. Supersededdescribes a situation where the new ruling does nothing more than re- state the substance and situation of a previ- ously published ruling (or rulings). Thus, the term is used to republish under the 1986 Code and regulations the same po- sition published under the 1939 Code and regulations. The term is also used when it is desired to republish in a single rul- ing a series of situations, names, etc., that were previously published over a period of time in separate rulings. If the new rul- ing does more than restate the substance of a prior ruling, a combination of terms is used. For example,modifiedandsu- persededdescribes a situation where the substance of a previously published ruling is being changed in part and is continued without change in part and it is desired to restate the valid portion of the previously published ruling in a new ruling that is self contained. In this case, the previously pub- lished ruling is first modified and then, as modified, is superseded. Supplementedis used in situations in which a list, such as a list of the names of countries, is published in a ruling and that list is expanded by adding further names in subsequent rulings. After the original rul- ing has been supplemented several times, a new ruling may be published that includes the list in the original ruling and the ad- ditions, and supersedes all prior rulings in the series. Suspendedis used in rare situations to show that the previous published rul- ings will not be applied pending some future action such as the issuance of new or amended regulations, the outcome of cases in litigation, or the outcome of a Service study. Abbreviations The fol lowing abbreviations in current use and for merly used will appear in material publis hedintheBulletin. A—Individual. Acq.—A cquiescence. B—Individual. BE—Beneficiary. BK—Bank . B.T.A.—Board of Tax Appeals. C—Individual. C.B.—Cu mulative Bulletin. CFR—Code of Federal Regulations. CI—City. COOP—Coo perative. Ct.D.—Court Decision. CY—County. D—Decede nt. DC—Dummy Corporation. DE—Donee. Del. Order —Delegation Order. DISC—Domestic International Sales Corporation. DR—Donor. E—Estate. EE—Employee. E.O.—Executive Order. ER—Emp loyer. ERISA—Employee Retirement Income Security Act. EX—Executor. F—Fiduc iary. FC—Foreign Country. FICA—Federal Insurance Contributions Act. FISC—Fo reign International Sales Company. FPH—Foreign Personal Holding Company. F.R.—Federal Register. FUTA—Fed eral Unemployment Tax Act. FX—Foreign corporation. G.C.M.—Chief Counsel’s Memorandum. GE—Grante e. GP—General Partner. GR—Grantor. IC—Insura nce Company. I.R.B.—Internal Revenue Bulletin. LE—Lessee. LP—Limited Partner. LR—Lessor. M—Minor. Nonacq.—No nacquiescence. O—Organization. P—Parent Corporation. PHC—Persona l Holding Company. PO—Possession of the U.S. PR—Partner. PRS—Pa rtnership. PTE—Prohibited Transaction Exemption. Pub. L.—Public Law. REIT—Re al Estate Investment Trust. Rev. Proc.—Revenue Procedure. Rev. Rul.—Revenue Ruling. S—Subsi diary. S.P.R.—Statement of Procedural Rules. Stat.—Statutes at Large. T—Target Corporation. T.C.—Tax Court. T.D.—Treasury Decision. TFE—Trans feree. TFR—Transferor. T.I.R.—Technical Information Release. TP—Taxpay er. TR—Trust. TT—Trustee. U.S.C.—Uni ted States Code. X—Corporation. Y—Corporation. Z—Corporat ion. October 15, 2007i2007–42 I.R.B. Numerical Finding List 1 Bulletins 2007–27 through 2007–42 Announcements: 2007-61, 2007-28 I.R.B.84 2007-62, 2007-29 I.R.B.115 2007-63, 2007-30 I.R.B.236 2007-64, 2007-29 I.R.B.125 2007-65, 2007-30 I.R.B.236 2007-66, 2007-31 I.R.B.296 2007-67, 2007-32 I.R.B.345 2007-68, 2007-32 I.R.B.348 2007-69, 2007-33 I.R.B.371 2007-70, 2007-33 I.R.B.371 2007-71, 2007-33 I.R.B.372 2007-72, 2007-33 I.R.B.373 2007-73, 2007-34 I.R.B.435 2007-74, 2007-35 I.R.B.483 2007-75, 2007-36 I.R.B.540 2007-76, 2007-36 I.R.B.560 2007-77, 2007-38 I.R.B.662 2007-78, 2007-38 I.R.B.663 2007-79, 2007-40 I.R.B.749 2007-80, 2007-38 I.R.B.667 2007-81, 2007-38 I.R.B.667 2007-82, 2007-40 I.R.B.749 2007-83, 2007-40 I.R.B.752 2007-84, 2007-41 I.R.B.797 2007-85, 2007-39 I.R.B.719 2007-86, 2007-39 I.R.B.719 2007-87, 2007-40 I.R.B.753 2007-88, 2007-42 I.R.B.801 2007-89, 2007-41 I.R.B.798 2007-90, 2007-42 I.R.B.856 2007-91, 2007-42 I.R.B.857 2007-92, 2007-42 I.R.B.857 2007-93, 2007-42 I.R.B.858 2007-94, 2007-42 I.R.B.858 2007-96, 2007-42 I.R.B.859 Notices: 2007-54, 2007-27 I.R.B.12 2007-55, 2007-27 I.R.B.13 2007-56, 2007-27 I.R.B.15 2007-57, 2007-29 I.R.B.87 2007-58, 2007-29 I.R.B.88 2007-59, 2007-30 I.R.B.135 2007-60, 2007-35 I.R.B.466 2007-61, 2007-30 I.R.B.140 2007-62, 2007-32 I.R.B.331 2007-63, 2007-33 I.R.B.353 2007-64, 2007-34 I.R.B.385 2007-65, 2007-34 I.R.B.386 2007-66, 2007-34 I.R.B.387 2007-67, 2007-35 I.R.B.467 Notices— Continued: 2007-68, 2007-35 I.R.B.468 2007-69, 2007-35 I.R.B.468 2007-70, 2007-40 I.R.B.735 2007-71, 2007-35 I.R.B.472 2007-72, 2007-36 I.R.B.544 2007-73, 2007-36 I.R.B.545 2007-74, 2007-37 I.R.B.585 2007-75, 2007-39 I.R.B.679 2007-76, 2007-40 I.R.B.735 2007-77, 2007-40 I.R.B.735 2007-78, 2007-41 I.R.B.780 2007-79, 2007-42 I.R.B.809 Proposed Regulations: REG-121475-03, 2007-35 I.R.B.474 REG-128274-03, 2007-33 I.R.B.356 REG-114084-04, 2007-33 I.R.B.359 REG-149036-04, 2007-33 I.R.B.365 REG-149036-04, 2007-34 I.R.B.411 REG-101001-05, 2007-36 I.R.B.548 REG-119097-05, 2007-28 I.R.B.74 REG-128843-05, 2007-37 I.R.B.587 REG-142695-05, 2007-39 I.R.B.681 REG-143397-05, 2007-41 I.R.B.790 REG-147171-05, 2007-32 I.R.B.334 REG-148951-05, 2007-36 I.R.B.550 REG-163195-05, 2007-33 I.R.B.366 REG-118886-06, 2007-37 I.R.B.591 REG-128224-06, 2007-36 I.R.B.551 REG-138707-06, 2007-32 I.R.B.342 REG-139268-06, 2007-34 I.R.B.415 REG-142039-06, 2007-34 I.R.B.415 REG-144540-06, 2007-31 I.R.B.296 REG-148393-06, 2007-39 I.R.B.714 REG-103842-07, 2007-28 I.R.B.79 REG-113891-07, 2007-42 I.R.B.821 REG-116215-07, 2007-38 I.R.B.659 REG-118719-07, 2007-37 I.R.B.593 Revenue Procedures: 2007-42, 2007-27 I.R.B.15 2007-43, 2007-27 I.R.B.26 2007-44, 2007-28 I.R.B.54 2007-45, 2007-29 I.R.B.89 2007-46, 2007-29 I.R.B.102 2007-47, 2007-29 I.R.B.108 2007-48, 2007-29 I.R.B.110 2007-49, 2007-30 I.R.B.141 2007-50, 2007-31 I.R.B.244 2007-51, 2007-30 I.R.B.143 2007-52, 2007-30 I.R.B.222 2007-53, 2007-30 I.R.B.233 2007-54, 2007-31 I.R.B.293 2007-55, 2007-33 I.R.B.354 2007-56, 2007-34 I.R.B.388 Revenue Procedures— Continued: 2007-57, 2007-36 I.R.B.547 2007-58, 2007-37 I.R.B.585 2007-59, 2007-40 I.R.B.745 2007-60, 2007-39 I.R.B.679 2007-61, 2007-40 I.R.B.747 2007-62, 2007-41 I.R.B.786 2007-63, 2007-42 I.R.B.809 2007-64, 2007-42 I.R.B.818 Revenue Rulings: 2007-42, 2007-28 I.R.B.44 2007-43, 2007-28 I.R.B.45 2007-44, 2007-28 I.R.B.47 2007-45, 2007-28 I.R.B.49 2007-46, 2007-30 I.R.B.126 2007-47, 2007-30 I.R.B.127 2007-48, 2007-30 I.R.B.129 2007-49, 2007-31 I.R.B.237 2007-50, 2007-32 I.R.B.311 2007-51, 2007-37 I.R.B.573 2007-52, 2007-37 I.R.B.575 2007-53, 2007-37 I.R.B.577 2007-54, 2007-38 I.R.B.604 2007-55, 2007-38 I.R.B.604 2007-56, 2007-39 I.R.B.668 2007-57, 2007-36 I.R.B.531 2007-58, 2007-37 I.R.B.562 2007-59, 2007-37 I.R.B.582 2007-60, 2007-38 I.R.B.606 2007-61, 2007-42 I.R.B.799 2007-62, 2007-41 I.R.B.767 2007-63, 2007-41 I.R.B.778 Tax Conventions: 2007-75, 2007-36 I.R.B.540 2007-88, 2007-42 I.R.B.801 Treasury Decisions: 9326, 2007-31 I.R.B.242 9327, 2007-28 I.R.B.50 9328, 2007-27 I.R.B.1 9329, 2007-32 I.R.B.312 9330, 2007-31 I.R.B.239 9331, 2007-32 I.R.B.298 9332, 2007-32 I.R.B.300 9333, 2007-33 I.R.B.350 9334, 2007-34 I.R.B.382 9335, 2007-34 I.R.B.380 9336, 2007-35 I.R.B.461 9337, 2007-35 I.R.B.455 9338, 2007-35 I.R.B.463 9339, 2007-35 I.R.B.437 9340, 2007-36 I.R.B.487 9341, 2007-35 I.R.B.449 9342, 2007-35 I.R.B.451 1 A cumulative list of all revenue rulings, revenueprocedures, Treasury decisions, etc., publishedin Internal Revenue Bulletins 2007–1 through 2007–26 is in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2007–26, dated June 25, 2007. 2007–42 I.R.B.iiOctober 15, 2007 Treasury Decisions— Continued: 9343, 2007-36 I.R.B.533 9344, 2007-36 I.R.B.535 9345, 2007-36 I.R.B.523 9346, 2007-37 I.R.B.570 9347, 2007-38 I.R.B.624 9348, 2007-37 I.R.B.563 9349, 2007-39 I.R.B.668 9350, 2007-38 I.R.B.607 9351, 2007-38 I.R.B.616 9352, 2007-38 I.R.B.621 9353, 2007-40 I.R.B.721 9354, 2007-41 I.R.B.759 9355, 2007-37 I.R.B.577 9356, 2007-39 I.R.B.675 9357, 2007-41 I.R.B.773 9358, 2007-41 I.R.B.769 October 15, 2007iii2007–42 I.R.B. Finding List of Current Actions on Previously Published Items 1 Bulletins 2007–27 through 2007–42 Announcements: 84-26 Obsoleted by T.D. 9336, 2007-35 I.R.B.461 84-37 Obsoleted by T.D. 9336, 2007-35 I.R.B.461 Notices: 89-110 Modified by REG-142695-05, 2007-39 I.R.B.681 99-6 Obsoleted as of January 1, 2009 by T.D. 9356, 2007-39 I.R.B.675 2002-45 Modified by REG-142695-05, 2007-39 I.R.B.681 2003-81 Modified and supplemented by Notice 2007-71, 2007-35 I.R.B.472 2006-1 Modified by Notice 2007-70, 2007-40 I.R.B.735 2006-43 Modified by T.D. 9332, 2007-32 I.R.B.300 2006-56 Clarified by Notice 2007-74, 2007-37 I.R.B.585 2006-89 Modified by Notice 2007-67, 2007-35 I.R.B.467 2007-3 Modified by Notice 2007-69, 2007-35 I.R.B.468 2007-26 Modified by Notice 2007-56, 2007-27 I.R.B.15 Proposed Regulations: EE-16-79 Withdrawn by REG-142695-05, 2007-39 I.R.B.681 EE-130-86 Withdrawn by REG-142695-05, 2007-39 I.R.B.681 Proposed Regulations— Continued: REG-243025-96 Withdrawn by REG-142695-05, 2007-39 I.R.B.681 REG-117162-99 Withdrawn by REG-142695-05, 2007-39 I.R.B.681 REG-157711-02 Corrected by Ann. 2007-74, 2007-35 I.R.B.483 REG-119097-05 Hearing location change by Ann. 2007-81, 2007-38 I.R.B.667 REG-142695-05 Hearing location change by Ann. 2007-91, 2007-42 I.R.B.857 REG-148951-05 Corrected by Ann. 2007-94, 2007-42 I.R.B.858 REG-109367-06 Hearing scheduled by Ann. 2007-66, 2007-31 I.R.B.296 REG-128224-06 Hearing location change by Ann. 2007-92, 2007-42 I.R.B.857 REG-138707-06 Corrected by Ann. 2007-79, 2007-40 I.R.B.749 REG-143601-06 Corrected by Ann. 2007-71, 2007-33 I.R.B.372 REG-143797-06 Cancellation of hearing by Ann. 2007-85, 2007-39 I.R.B.719 REG-103842-07 Corrected by Ann. 2007-77, 2007-38 I.R.B.662 Revenue Procedures: 90-27 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2007-52, 2007-30 I.R.B.222 95-28 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2007-54, 2007-31 I.R.B.293 97-14 Modified and superseded by Rev. Proc. 2007-47, 2007-29 I.R.B.108 98-48 Modified by T.D. 9353, 2007-40 I.R.B.721 Revenue Procedures— Continued: 2002-9 Modified and amplified by Rev. Proc. 2007-48, 2007-29 I.R.B.110 Rev. Proc. 2007-53, 2007-30 I.R.B.233 2003-43 Supplemented by Rev. Proc. 2007-62, 2007-41 I.R.B.786 2004-42 Superseded by Notice 2007-59, 2007-30 I.R.B.135 2004-48 Supplemented by Rev. Proc. 2007-62, 2007-41 I.R.B.786 2005-16 Modified by Rev. Proc. 2007-44, 2007-28 I.R.B.54 2005-27 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2007-56, 2007-34 I.R.B.388 2005-66 Clarified, modified, and superseded by Rev. Proc. 2007-44, 2007-28 I.R.B.54 2006-25 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2007-42, 2007-27 I.R.B.15 2006-27 Modified by Rev. Proc. 2007-49, 2007-30 I.R.B.141 2006-33 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2007-51, 2007-30 I.R.B.143 2006-41 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2007-63, 2007-42 I.R.B.809 2006-45 Modified and clarified by Rev. Proc. 2007-64, 2007-42 I.R.B.818 2006-53 Modified by Rev. Proc. 2007-60, 2007-39 I.R.B.679 2006-55 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2007-43, 2007-27 I.R.B.26 2007-4 Modified by Notice 2007-69, 2007-35 I.R.B.468 2007-15 Superseded by Rev. Proc. 2007-50, 2007-31 I.R.B.244 1 A cumulative list of current actions on previously published items in Internal Revenue Bulletins 2007–1 through 2007–26 is in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2007–26, dated June 25, 2007. 2007–42 I.R.B.ivOctober 15, 2007 Revenue Rulings: 54-378 Clarified by Rev. Rul. 2007-51, 2007-37 I.R.B.573 67-93 Obsoleted by T.D. 9347, 2007-38 I.R.B.624 69-141 Modified by REG-142695-05, 2007-39 I.R.B.681 74-299 Amplified by Rev. Rul. 2007-48, 2007-30 I.R.B.129 75-425 Obsoleted by Rev. Rul. 2007-60, 2007-38 I.R.B.606 76-278 Obsoleted by T.D. 9354, 2007-41 I.R.B.759 76-288 Obsoleted by T.D. 9354, 2007-41 I.R.B.759 76-450 Obsoleted by T.D. 9347, 2007-38 I.R.B.624 78-257 Obsoleted by T.D. 9347, 2007-38 I.R.B.624 78-369 Revoked by Rev. Rul. 2007-53, 2007-37 I.R.B.577 89-96 Amplified by Rev. Rul. 2007-47, 2007-30 I.R.B.127 92-17 Modified by Rev. Rul. 2007-42, 2007-28 I.R.B.44 94-62 Supplemented by Rev. Rul. 2007-58, 2007-37 I.R.B.562 2001-48 Modified by T.D. 9332, 2007-32 I.R.B.300 2002-41 Modified by REG-142695-05, 2007-39 I.R.B.681 2003-102 Modified by REG-142695-05, 2007-39 I.R.B.681 2005-24 Modified by REG-142695-05, 2007-39 I.R.B.681 Revenue Rulings— Continued: 2006-36 Modified by REG-142695-05, 2007-39 I.R.B.681 2006-57 Modified by Notice 2007-76, 2007-40 I.R.B.735 2007-54 Suspended by Rev. Rul. 2007-61, 2007-42 I.R.B.799 2007-59 Amplified by Notice 2007-74, 2007-37 I.R.B.585 Treasury Decisions: 8073 Removed by T.D. 9349, 2007-39 I.R.B.668 9321 Corrected by Ann. 2007-68, 2007-32 I.R.B.348 Ann. 2007-78, 2007-38 I.R.B.663 9330 Corrected by Ann. 2007-80, 2007-38 I.R.B.667 9332 Corrected by Ann. 2007-83, 2007-40 I.R.B.752 Ann. 2007-84, 2007-41 I.R.B.797 9334 Corrected by Ann. 2007-93, 2007-42 I.R.B.858 October 15, 2007v2007–42 I.R.B. INTERNAL REVENUE BULLETIN The Introduction at the beginning of this issue describes the purpose and content of this publication. The weekly Internal Revenue Bulletin is sold on a yearly subscription basis by the Superintendent of Documents. Current subscribers are notified by the Superin- tendent of Documents when their subscriptions must be renewed. CUMULATIVE BULLETINS The contents of this weekly Bulletin are consolidated semiannually into a permanent, indexed, Cumulative Bulletin. 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