Definition of Plan AssetsâParticipant Contributions
Extension without change of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
03/14/2025
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
04/30/2025
251
251
12
8
201
1,685
The Department's regulation at 29 CFR 2510.3-102 states that monies that a participant pays to, or has withheld by, an employer for contribution to an employee benefit plan become âplan assetsâ for purposes of Title I of ERISA and the related prohibited transaction provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) as of the earliest date on which such monies can be reasonably segregated from the employer's general assets.
The regulation also establishes specific maximum time limits for contributions becoming plan assets that apply to employee pension benefit plans (with a special rule for SIMPLE IRA plans) and employee welfare benefit plans. The regulation sets a maximum time limit of 15 business days following the end of the month in which the participant contribution amounts are received or withheld by the employer. The regulation includes a procedure through which an employer receiving or withholding participant contributions for an employee pension benefit plan may obtain a 10-business-day extension of the 15-day maximum time period for contributions received or withheld in a single month if certain requirements, including information collection requirements, are met.
The regulation requires, among other things, that the employer provide written notice to plan participants within five business days after the end of the extension period and the employer's transfer of the contributions to the plan, for which the employer elected to take the extension that month. The notice must explain why the employer could not transfer the participant contributions within the maximum time period, state that the participant contributions in question have in fact been transmitted to the plan, and provide the date on which this was done. The employer must also provide a copy of the participant notice to the Secretary, along with a certification that the notice was distributed to participants and that the other requirements under the extension procedure were met, within five business days after the end of the extension period.
US Code:
29 USC 1135
Name of Law: Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
Since the last submission, the wage rates and mailing costs have increased. In addition, the preparation of the notice by an external attorney has been moved from the cost burden to the hour burden. As a result, the hour burden has increased by four hours and the cost burden has decreased by $1,484.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.