Part I. Plain Language Explanation

This notice is to inform you that the [Insert plan name] is requesting a ruling from the IRS to extend certain amortization period(s).

Why is the pension plan sending you this notice? Pension plans are required by law to send out notices to affected parties when certain events happen, such as when the plan requests a ruling from the IRS for certain purposes.

What the notice does: The notice alerts you to a ruling the pension plan is requesting from the IRS. You are not required to take any action at all. The reason for the notice is to tell you about an action being taken by the pension plan, and to inform you that you have a right to comment on the ruling the plan is requesting from the IRS. If you wish, you may comment to the IRS on the ruling request, in accordance with the terms stated in Technical Provisions, Part II below. Or, if you wish, you may take no action at all. Also, Information about Funded Status of Plan, Part III, explains how you may obtain more information regarding the plan from the plan administrator, or from the Department of Labor.

What kind of ruling is the plan requesting? The plan’s participating employers are required to pay sufficient contributions to the retirement fund, over a specified period of years, to bring the level of funding equal to the plan’s long term obligations. The ruling request is to extend the period of years required to fund the obligations.

What the notice does not do: This notice does not obligate you to do anything. It gives you an opportunity to comment if you wish. This notice does not enable the IRS to explain your benefits, or to adjust them in any way. The IRS does not maintain data about your benefits under the plan. If you wish to obtain information about your benefits, you should ask the plan administrator. The notice does not allow the IRS to give you information about a requested ruling. Disclosure laws prohibit the IRS from giving out such information. However, see Information about Funded Status of Plan, Part III below, for an explanation of your right under § 101(k) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), to request information from the plan administrator that is relevant to the amortization extension application.

What the requested ruling would not do: The ruling the pension plan is requesting would not change your accrued benefit. If the IRS were eventually to decide in favor of the requested ruling, the ruling would neither reduce your accrued benefit nor eliminate the obligation of the contributing employers to continue to fund benefits. If the ruling request is approved by the IRS, your pension plan remains obligated to pay your benefits as determined under the plan documents.