Required Interest Rate Assumption for Determining Variable-Rate Premium; Interest Assumptions for Multiemployer Plan Valuations Following Mass Withdrawal, 7779 [05-2857]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 30 / Tuesday, February 15, 2005 / Notices PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY CORPORATION Required Interest Rate Assumption for Determining Variable-Rate Premium; Interest Assumptions for Multiemployer Plan Valuations Following Mass Withdrawal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. ACTION: Notice of interest rates and assumptions. AGENCY: For premium payment years beginning in: SUMMARY: This notice informs the public of the interest rates and assumptions to be used under certain Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation regulations. These rates and assumptions are published elsewhere (or can be derived from rates published elsewhere), but are collected and published in this notice for the convenience of the public. Interest rates are also published on the PBGC’s Web site (https://www.pbgc.gov). DATES: The required interest rate for determining the variable-rate premium under part 4006 applies to premium payment years beginning in February 2005. The interest assumptions for performing multiemployer plan valuations following mass withdrawal under part 4281 apply to valuation dates occurring in March 2005. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine B. Klion, Attorney, Legislative and Regulatory Department, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, 1200 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005, 202–326–4024. (TTY/TDD users may call the Federal relay service toll-free at 1–800–877–8339 and ask to be connected to 202–326–4024.) SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Variable-Rate Premiums Section 4006(a)(3)(E)(iii)(II) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and § 4006.4(b)(1) of the PBGC’s regulation on Premium Rates (29 CFR part 4006) prescribe use of an assumed interest rate (the ‘‘required interest rate’’) in determining a single-employer plan’s variable-rate premium. Pursuant to the Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004, for premium payment years beginning in 2004 or 2005, the required interest rate is the ‘‘applicable percentage’’ (currently 85 percent) of the annual rate of interest determined by the Secretary of the Treasury on amounts invested conservatively in long-term investment grade corporate bonds for the month preceding the beginning of the plan year for which premiums are being paid. Thus, the required interest rate to be used in determining variable-rate premiums for premium payment years VerDate jul<14>2003 17:50 Feb 14, 2005 Jkt 205001 beginning in February 2005 is 4.66 percent (i.e., 85 percent of the 5.48 percent composite corporate bond rate for January 2005 as determined by the Treasury). The following table lists the required interest rates to be used in determining variable-rate premiums for premium payment years beginning between March 2004 and February 2005. The required interest rate is: March 2004 ............................... April 2004 ................................. May 2004 .................................. June 2004 ................................. July 2004 .................................. August 2004 ............................. September 2004 ....................... October 2004 ............................ November 2004 ........................ December 2004 ........................ January 2005 ............................ February 2005 .......................... 4.79 4.62 4.98 5.26 5.25 5.10 4.95 4.79 4.73 4.75 4.73 4.66 Multiemployer Plan Valuations Following Mass Withdrawal The PBGC’s regulation on Duties of Plan Sponsor Following Mass Withdrawal (29 CFR part 4281) prescribes the use of interest assumptions under the PBGC’s regulation on Allocation of Assets in Single-Employer Plans (29 CFR part 4044). The interest assumptions applicable to valuation dates in March 2005 under part 4044 are contained in an amendment to part 4044 published elsewhere in today’s Federal Register. Tables showing the assumptions applicable to prior periods are codified in appendix B to 29 CFR part 4044. Issued in Washington, DC, on this 9th day of February 2005. Vincent K. Snowbarger, Deputy Executive Director, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. [FR Doc. 05–2857 Filed 2–14–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7708–01–P OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee; Open Committee Meetings According to the provisions of section 10 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463), notice is hereby given that meetings of the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee will be held on—Thursday, March 10, 2005, Thursday, March 17, 2005, Thursday, April 7, 2005, Thursday, April 21, 2005. PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 7779 The meetings will start at 10 a.m. and will be held in Room 5A06A, Office of Personnel Management Building, 1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC. The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee is composed of a Chair, five representatives from labor unions holding exclusive bargaining rights for Federal blue-collar employees, and five representatives from Federal agencies. Entitlement to membership on the Committee is provided for in 5 U.S.C. 5347. The Committee’s primary responsibility is to review the Prevailing Rate System and other matters pertinent to establishing prevailing rates under subchapter IV, chapter 53, 5 U.S.C., as amended, and from time to time advise the Office of Personnel Management. These scheduled meetings will start in open session with both labor and management representatives attending. During the meetings either the labor members or the management members may caucus separately with the Chair to devise strategy and formulate positions. Premature disclosure of the matters discussed in these caucuses would unacceptably impair the ability of the Committee to reach a consensus on the matters being considered and would disrupt substantially the disposition of its business. Therefore, these caucuses will be closed to the public because of a determination made by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management under the provisions of section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463) and 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(9)(B). These caucuses may, depending on the issues involved, constitute a substantial portion of a meeting. Annually, the Chair compiles a report of pay issues discussed and concluded recommendations. These reports are available to the public, upon written request to the Committee’s Secretary. The public is invited to submit material in writing to the Chair on Federal Wage System pay matters felt to be deserving of the Committee’s attention. Additional information on these meetings may be obtained by contacting the Committee’s Secretary, Office of Personnel Management, Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee, Room 5538, 1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20415 (202) 606– 1500. Dated: February 8, 2005. Mary M. Rose, Chairperson, Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee. [FR Doc. 05–2811 Filed 2–14–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6325–49–P E:\FR\FM\15FEN1.SGM 15FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 7779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2857]



[[Page 7779]]

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PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY CORPORATION


Required Interest Rate Assumption for Determining Variable-Rate 
Premium; Interest Assumptions for Multiemployer Plan Valuations 
Following Mass Withdrawal

AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

ACTION: Notice of interest rates and assumptions.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice informs the public of the interest rates and 
assumptions to be used under certain Pension Benefit Guaranty 
Corporation regulations. These rates and assumptions are published 
elsewhere (or can be derived from rates published elsewhere), but are 
collected and published in this notice for the convenience of the 
public. Interest rates are also published on the PBGC's Web site 
(https://www.pbgc.gov).

DATES: The required interest rate for determining the variable-rate 
premium under part 4006 applies to premium payment years beginning in 
February 2005. The interest assumptions for performing multiemployer 
plan valuations following mass withdrawal under part 4281 apply to 
valuation dates occurring in March 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine B. Klion, Attorney, 
Legislative and Regulatory Department, Pension Benefit Guaranty 
Corporation, 1200 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005, 202-326-4024. 
(TTY/TDD users may call the Federal relay service toll-free at 1-800-
877-8339 and ask to be connected to 202-326-4024.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Variable-Rate Premiums

    Section 4006(a)(3)(E)(iii)(II) of the Employee Retirement Income 
Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and Sec.  4006.4(b)(1) of the PBGC's 
regulation on Premium Rates (29 CFR part 4006) prescribe use of an 
assumed interest rate (the ``required interest rate'') in determining a 
single-employer plan's variable-rate premium. Pursuant to the Pension 
Funding Equity Act of 2004, for premium payment years beginning in 2004 
or 2005, the required interest rate is the ``applicable percentage'' 
(currently 85 percent) of the annual rate of interest determined by the 
Secretary of the Treasury on amounts invested conservatively in long-
term investment grade corporate bonds for the month preceding the 
beginning of the plan year for which premiums are being paid. Thus, the 
required interest rate to be used in determining variable-rate premiums 
for premium payment years beginning in February 2005 is 4.66 percent 
(i.e., 85 percent of the 5.48 percent composite corporate bond rate for 
January 2005 as determined by the Treasury).
    The following table lists the required interest rates to be used in 
determining variable-rate premiums for premium payment years beginning 
between March 2004 and February 2005.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 The
                                                               required
          For premium payment years beginning in:              interest
                                                               rate is:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 2004.................................................         4.79
April 2004.................................................         4.62
May 2004...................................................         4.98
June 2004..................................................         5.26
July 2004..................................................         5.25
August 2004................................................         5.10
September 2004.............................................         4.95
October 2004...............................................         4.79
November 2004..............................................         4.73
December 2004..............................................         4.75
January 2005...............................................         4.73
February 2005..............................................         4.66
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Multiemployer Plan Valuations Following Mass Withdrawal

    The PBGC's regulation on Duties of Plan Sponsor Following Mass 
Withdrawal (29 CFR part 4281) prescribes the use of interest 
assumptions under the PBGC's regulation on Allocation of Assets in 
Single-Employer Plans (29 CFR part 4044). The interest assumptions 
applicable to valuation dates in March 2005 under part 4044 are 
contained in an amendment to part 4044 published elsewhere in today's 
Federal Register. Tables showing the assumptions applicable to prior 
periods are codified in appendix B to 29 CFR part 4044.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on this 9th day of February 2005.
Vincent K. Snowbarger,
Deputy Executive Director, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
[FR Doc. 05-2857 Filed 2-14-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7708-01-P
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