SECTION 15. WAIVER OF

MINIMUM FUNDING

Scope .01 This section provides procedures with respect to defined contribution plans for requesting a waiver of the minimum funding standard account and requesting a determination letter on any plan amendment required for the waiver.

Applicability of Rev. Proc. .02 The procedures in Rev. Proc. 2004–15, 2004–1 C.B. 490, apply to the request for a 2004–15 waiver of the minimum funding requirement. Section 2 of that revenue procedure contains the procedures for obtaining waivers of the minimum funding standards in the instance of defined benefit plans. In order to provide maximum flexibility in requesting a waiver for a defined contribution pension plan, section 3 of the revenue procedure contains three alternative methods as described more fully in Rev. Proc. 2004–15.

Waiver request submitted to EP Technical

Waiver and determination letter request submitted to EP Technical

.03 The first two alternatives involve (1) a waiver ruling only, without submission of a plan amendment, and (2) a waiver ruling only, with submission of a plan amendment. Under these first two procedures, requests for waivers must be submitted to:

Employee Plans Internal Revenue Service Commissioner, TE/GE Attention: SE:T:EP:RA P.O. Box 27063 McPherson Station Washington, DC 20038

In both cases, the applicant must satisfy the requirements of section 2 of Rev. Proc. 2004–15, other than the parts applicable only to defined benefit plans.

If a plan amendment is not submitted or is not already part of a plan, the Service will supply an amendment which will, if adopted, satisfy section 3 of Rev. Rul. 78–223, 1978–1 C.B. 125. The waiver will be conditioned upon the plan being amended by adoption of that amendment, within a reasonable period of time, and will contain a caveat stating that the ruling is not a ruling as to the effect the plan provision may have on the qualified status of the plan. The applicant may request reconsideration within 60 days of the date of the letter if the amendment is inappropriate, by submitting a letter to the above address.

If the request for the waiver is submitted along with a plan amendment, the plan provisions necessary to satisfy section 3 of Rev. Rul. 78–223 must be included. All waivers issued pursuant to this alternative will contain a caveat indicating that the ruling is not a ruling as to the effect any plan provision may have on the qualified status of the plan.

.04 The third alternative is a request for a waiver ruling and a determination letter request. Both requests must be submitted by the applicant to EP Technical where it will be treated as if it had been submitted as a request for technical advice from the Determinations Manager. The request must:

(1)satisfy all the procedural requirements of 3.03 of Rev. Proc. 2004–15;

(2) include a completed Form 5300 and all necessary documents, plan amendments and information required by the Form 5300 and Rev. Proc. 2004–15 for approval;

(3) indicate which Area Office has audit jurisdiction over the return; and

2008–1 I.R.B. 213 January 7, 2008

(4) submit the user fee for both requests to EP Technical.

In addition, the procedures for notice and comment by interested parties, contained in sections 17, 18 and 19 of this revenue procedure, and the notice and comment procedures provided in section 2.02 of Rev. Proc. 2004–15 must be satisfied. Comments will be forwarded to the Determinations Office that is considering the determination letter request for the plan amendments.

Handling of the request .05 The waiver request described in section 15.04 above will be handled by EP Technical as follows:

(1) The waiver request and supporting documents will be forwarded to EP Technical, SE:T:EP:RA:T, which will treat the request as a technical advice on the qualification issue with respect to the plan provisions necessary to satisfy section 3 of Rev. Rul. 78–223.

(2) The appropriate Determinations Office will be notified of the request. In order not to delay the processing of the request, all materials relating to the determination letter request will be forwarded by EP Technical to the Determinations Manager for consideration while the technical advice request is completed.

(3) EP Technical will consider both issues. If a waiver is to be granted and if EP Technical believes that qualification of the plan is not adversely affected by the plan amendment, the mandatory technical advice memorandum will be issued to the Determinations Manager. The Determinations Manager must decide within 10 working days from the date of the technical advice memorandum either to furnish the applicant with the technical advice memorandum and with a favorable advance determination letter, or to ask for reconsideration of the technical advice memorandum. This request must be in writing. An initial written notice of intent to make this request may be submitted within 10 working days of the date of the technical advice memorandum and followed by a written request within 30 working days from the date of such written notice. If the Determinations Manager does not ask for reconsideration of the technical advice memorandum within 10 working days, EP Technical will issue the waiver ruling. This ruling will not contain the caveat described in section 3.02 of Rev. Proc. 2004–15.

When waiver request should be submitted