Justification of Nonmaterial Change Request_1212-0072 e-Filing Portal.02

Justification for No Material or Nonsubstantive Change to Currently-Approved Collection

 

AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) 

 

TITLE: Request for Coverage Determination (29 U.S.C. 1321)

 

STATUS: OMB control number 1212-0072; expires 06/30/2028 

 

CONTACT: Monica O’Donnell (202-229-5507) 

 

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) is making a change that is not material to the form and corresponding instructions (OMB control number 1212-0072) used to request a coverage determination under section 4021 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Specifically, PBGC is adding a module to its e-Filing Portal to allow for the submission for coverage determination requests.

Under section 4021(a) of ERISA, a pension plan is covered under title IV of ERISA unless it qualifies under one of the enumerated exemptions from coverage listed in section 4021(b). A plan with an unclear coverage status may submit a request for coverage determination, and PBGC will use the information submitted in the request to render a determination of whether the plan is covered under title IV.

 

Currently, a plan must submit its coverage determination request by email. In the currently-approved instructions, there is language about PBGC’s e-Filing Portal becoming available in the future. The e-Filing Portal will be accepting coverage determination filings beginning December 8, 2025. The information collected in the e-Filing Portal is the same as that collected on the PDF forms that are submitted via email.

 

This change in the method of information collection will not increase the hour or cost burden for this information collection.

The following screenshots demonstrate what the coverage determination filing module in PBGC’s e-Filing Portal will look like.