United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Health, Education, and Human Services Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2000-08-31 monographic deposited born digital 52 p. GA 1.13:HEHS-00-141 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-00-141 P0b002ee180380f95 f:he00141 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-HEHS-00-141 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-HEHS-00-141 HEHS-00-141 Pension plan cost control Tax expenditures Investments Tax law Private sector Retirement pensions Employee retirement plans Keogh Plan Other Written Product HEHS

The federal government has for many years granted tax incentives as a way of encouraging the formation of private pension plans. These pension laws and regulations intended to ensure that workers benefit equitably from their pension plans. The key differences between top-heavy rules and the general rules for nondiscrimination and vesting in contributions and benefits. The most recent data available for GAO analysis on the characteristics of new plans that report being top-heavy, and what is known about the overall effects of top-heavy rules on numbers of plans and participants and on employer costs. New plans reporting top-heavy status tend to be small, defined contribution plans in the service sector of the economy. Little is known about the overall effects of top-heavy rules on plan formation. GAO found no research that has quantified the overall effects of top-heavy rules on the number of pension plans and participants. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-00-141/html/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-00-141.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-00-141/pdf/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-00-141.pdf GAO/HEHS-00-141 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-00-141 Other Written Product GAO/HEHS-00-141; Private Pensions: "Top-Heavy" Rules for Owner-Dominated; Pension plan cost control Tax expenditures Investments Tax law Private sector Retirement pensions Employee retirement plans Keogh Plan Title 26 Section 318 Title 26 Section 416 26 U.S.C. 318 26 U.S.C. 416 Public Law 77-753 Public Law 87-792 Public Law 97-248 Public Law 99-514 Public Law 104-188