[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8004-8005]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2098]


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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.

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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 
(http://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 2006. The interest assumptions for performing multiemployer 
plan valuations following mass withdrawal under part 4281 apply to 
valuation dates occurring in March 2006.

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 should call the Federal relay service by dialing 711 and 
ask for 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. The required interest 
rate is the ``applicable percentage'' (currently 85 percent) of the 
annual yield on 30-year Treasury securities for the month preceding the 
beginning of the plan year for which premiums are being paid (the 
``premium payment year''). (Although the Treasury Department has ceased 
issuing 30-year securities, the Internal Revenue Service announces a 
surrogate yield figure each month--based on the 30-year Treasury bond 
maturing in February 2031--which the PBGC uses to determine the 
required interest rate.) The required interest rate to be used in 
determining variable-rate premiums for

[[Page 8005]]

premium payment years beginning in February 2006 is 3.90 percent (i.e., 
85 percent of the 4.59 percent Treasury Securities Rate for January 
2006).
    The Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 (``PFEA'')--under which the 
required interest rate is 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--applies only for premium payment years beginning in 2004 or 
2005. Congress is considering legislation that would extend the PFEA 
rate for one more year. If legislation that changes the rules for 
determining the required interest rate for plan years beginning in 
February 2006 is adopted, the PBGC will promptly publish a Federal 
Register notice with the new rate.
    The following table lists the required interest rates to be used in 
determining variable-rate premiums for premium payment years beginning 
between March 2005 and February 2006.

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                                                           The required
        For premium payment years beginning in:           interest rate
                                                               is:
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March 2005.............................................             4.56
April 2005.............................................             4.78
May 2005...............................................             4.72
June 2005..............................................             4.60
July 2005..............................................             4.47
August 2005............................................             4.56
September 2005.........................................             4.61
October 2005...........................................             4.62
November 2005..........................................             4.83
December 2005..........................................             4.91
January 2006...........................................             3.95
February 2006..........................................             3.90
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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 2006 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 8th day of February 2006.
Vincent K. Snowbarger,
Deputy Executive Director, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
 [FR Doc. E6-2098 Filed 2-14-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7709-01-P