SECTION 7. INITIAL

QUALIFICATION, ETC.

Scope .01 This section contains the procedures for requesting determination letters for individually-designed defined contribution and defined benefit plans including employee stock ownership plans in the following circumstances:

(1) Initial qualification.

(2) Amendment (other than minor amendments described in section 11 below for which Form 6406 is appropriate).

(3) Restatement of plan.

(4) Qualification of a plan in the event of a partial termination.

(5) Change in scope of determination letter. This means that the applicant has previously received a favorable determination letter for the plan and now wishes to modify the scope of the letter, for example, by requesting the Service to review the plan for certain nondiscrimination requirements that were not within the scope of the earlier letter.

(6) Other circumstances (excluding plan termination) such as a change in the demographics of the employer or a change in the method of testing the plan that was used in a demonstration submitted in support of an earlier application.

Forms .02 A determination letter request for the items listed in section 7.01 is made by filing the appropriate form according to the instructions to the form and any prevailing revenue procedures, notices, and announcements. In addition, all determination letter submissions must be submitted timely under the procedures set forth in Rev. Proc. 2005–66. The timing of the submission period for any particular individually designed plan within staggered remedial amendment cycles will depend on the plan’s particular cycle. The first submission period for Cycle A individually designed plans will begin February 1, 2006 and will end on January 31, 2007. See Rev. Proc. 2005–66 for details.

(1) Form 5300, Application for Determination for Employee Benefit Plan, must be filed to request a determination letter for individually designed plans, including collectively bargained plans.

(2) Form 5309, Application for Determination of Employee Stock Ownership Plan, must be filed as an attachment with a Form 5300, in order to request a determination whether the plan is an ESOP under § 409 or § 4975(e)(7).

January 3, 2006 216 2006–1 I.R.B.

Application must include copy of plan and amendments

(3) Schedule Q, (Form 5300), Elective Determination Requests, may be filed as an attachment with Form 5300.

.03 Because a plan amendment, other than a minor amendment described in section 11, may affect other portions of a plan so as to cause plan disqualification, a determination letter issued on such an amendment to a plan will express an opinion on the entire plan, as amended. Therefore, the determination letter application must include a copy of the plan and trust instrument plus all plan amendments made to the date of the application. The application must also include a statement explaining how any amendments made since the last determination letter affect the plan or any other plan maintained by the employer. In addition, the applicant must send the Service any amendments that are adopted and/or proposed after the date of the determination letter application and before the Service issues the determination letter. The applicant must submit a cover letter that references the date that the pending application was submitted, the identity of the employer and the plan, and any other helpful identifying information. The amendments must be attached to the letter. Send the cover letter and the attachments to: Internal Revenue Service, TE/GE Adjustments Unit, P.O. Box 2508, Room 4024, Cincinnati, Ohio 45201. Although all such amendments must be provided to the Service, it is possible that the determination letter may not provide reliance for all of these amendments. See Rev. Proc. 2005–66 for the scope of the Service’s review with respect to a particular determination letter application.

The Service will not consider amendments that predate a prior determination letter as part of a current determination letter application, unless such amendments are submitted under the current application. Amendments that predate a prior determination letter are amendments that were adopted and/or proposed prior to the date a previous favorable determination letter was issued but that were not submitted as a part of that earlier determination letter application. If that amended language is part of the current application, that language may be considered in the current determination letter application, provided that Rev. Proc. 2005–66 is met regarding the scope of the Service’s review. In any event, the new determination letter will not provide reliance for the period prior to the effective date of that new letter.

Restatements may be required .04 A restated plan is required to be submitted if four or more amendments (excluding amendments making only non-substantive changes) have been made since the last restated plan was submitted. In addition, the Service may require restatement of a plan or submission of a working copy of the plan in a restated format when considered necessary. Where a working copy is submitted with executed amendments integrated into the working copy, all such amendments must also be separately submitted. For example, restatement may be required when there have been major changes in law. A restated plan or a working copy of the plan in a restated format must be submitted for a plan that has not previously received a determination letter that takes into account all requirements of EGTRRA.

Controlled groups, etc. .05 For a controlled group of corporations as defined in § 414(b), trades or businesses under common control as defined in § 414(c), an affiliated service group within the meaning of § 414(m), and entities utilizing the services of leased employees within the meaning of § 414(n), the coverage items on the application forms referred to in this revenue procedure must be completed as though the controlled group, commonly controlled trades or businesses, affiliated service group, etc., constitutes a single entity. Leased employees within the meaning of § 414(n) must be included as employees of the recipient entity (except in the case of a safe-harbor plan described in § 414(n)(5)). See sections 9 through 11 of Rev. Proc. 2005–66 for a discussion of the five-year remedial amendment cycle that applies in certain special circumstances, including the cycle that applies to plans maintained by multiple members of a controlled group and to plans maintained by employers that are members of an affiliated service group under section 414(m) of the Code.

2006–1 I.R.B. 217 January 3, 2006