4007.8—Late payment penalty charges.
(a) Penalty charge.
Subject to the provisions of § 4007.13, if any premium payment due under this part is not paid by the due date under this part, the PBGC will assess a late payment penalty charge as determined under this paragraph (a), except to the extent the charge is waived under paragraphs (b) through (g) of this section. The charge will be no more than 100% of the unpaid premium. The amount determined under this paragraph (a) will be based on the number of months (counting any portion of a month as a whole month) from the due date to the date of payment and is subject to a floor of $25 (or, if less, the amount of the unpaid premium). The penalty rate is—
(1)
1% per month (for all months) on any amount of unpaid premium that is paid on or before the date the PBGC issues a written notice to any person liable for the premium that there is or may be a premium delinquency (e.g., a premium bill, a letter initiating a premium compliance review, or a letter questioning a failure to make a premium filing); or
(b) Hardship waiver.
The PBGC may grant a waiver based upon a showing of substantial hardship as provided in section 4007(b) of ERISA.
(c)
Reasonable cause waivers. PBGC will waive all or part of a late payment penalty charge if PBGC determines that there is reasonable cause for the late payment. Policy guidelines for applying the “reasonable cause” standard are in §§ 22 through 25 of the Appendix to this part.
(d) Other waivers.
PBGC may waive all or part of a late payment penalty charge in other circumstances without regard to whether there is reasonable cause. Policy guidelines for waivers without reasonable cause are in § 21(b)(1), (b)(3), (b)(4), and (b)(5) of the Appendix to this part.
(e) Grace period.
With respect to any PBGC bill for a premium underpayment, the PBGC will waive any late payment penalty charge accruing after the date of the bill, provided the premium underpayment is paid within 30 days after the date of the bill.
(f) Safe-harbor relief for certain large plans.
This waiver applies in the case of a plan for which a reconciliation filing is required under § 4007.11(a)(3)(iii). The PBGC will waive the penalty on any underpayment of the flat-rate premium for the period that ends on the date the reconciliation filing is due if either—
(1)
Fewer than 500 participants are reported for the plan year preceding the premium payment year (determined in accordance with paragraph (h) of this section), or
(2)
The due date for paying the flat-rate premium for the plan year preceding the premium payment year is later than the due date for paying the flat-rate premium for the premium payment year.
(g) Safe-harbor relief for plans that make minimum estimated payment.
This waiver applies in the case of a plan for which a reconciliation filing is required under § 4007.11(a)(2)(iii). The PBGC will waive the penalty on any underpayment of the flat-rate premium for the period that ends on the date the reconciliation filing is due if, by the date the flat-rate premium for the premium payment year is due under § 4007.11(a)(2)(i), the plan administrator pays at least the lesser of—
(2)
100% of the flat-rate premium that would be due for the premium payment year if the number of participants for that year were the lesser of—
(i)
The number of participants for whom premiums were required to be paid for the plan year preceding the premium payment year; or
(ii)
The number of participants reported for the plan year preceding the premium payment year (determined in accordance with paragraph (h) of this section).
(h) Reported participant count.
For purposes of paragraphs (f) and (g)(2)(ii) of this section, the number of participants reported for the plan year preceding the premium payment year is the number of participants last reported under this part to the PBGC (for the plan year preceding the premium payment year) by the date the flat-rate premium for the premium payment year is due under § 4007.11(a)(2)(i).
(i) Safe harbor relief for certain plan amendments prospectively changing plan year.
This waiver applies in the case of a plan for which a reconciliation filing is required under § 4007.11(a)(3)(iii). The PBGC will waive the penalty on any underpayment of the flat-rate premium for the period that ends on the date the reconciliation filing is due if, by the date the flat-rate premium for the premium payment year is due under § 4007.11(a)(2)(i) ,—
(1)
The plan has been amended to change its plan year and the amendment as in effect on that date makes the premium payment year a short year that will end after that date; and
(i)
The amount determined under § 4007.8(g) based on the actual length of the premium payment year, or
(ii)
The amount determined under § 4007.8(g) based on the length that the premium payment year would have if the new plan year cycle began as anticipated by the amendment.
(j) Variable-rate premium penalty relief.
This waiver applies in the case of a plan for which a reconciliation filing is required under § 4007.11(a)(2)(ii) or (a)(3)(iv). PBGC will waive the penalty on any underpayment of the variable-rate premium for the period that ends on the earlier of the date the reconciliation filing is due or the date the reconciliation filing is made if, by the date the variable-rate premium for the premium payment year is due under § 4007.11(a)(2)(i) or (a)(3)(ii) —
(ii)
An estimate of the plan's premium funding target for the premium payment year that is certified by an enrolled actuary to be a reasonable estimate that takes into account the most current data available to the enrolled actuary and that has been determined in accordance with generally accepted actuarial principles and practices; and
(2)
The plan administrator pays at least the amount of variable-rate premium determined from the value of assets and estimated premium funding target so reported.