American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

Where We Are Now: Special Financial Assistance Under the American Rescue Plan Act

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS
 

From capital market return expectations to the rules that cover the program, a lot has changed in the two years since the American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law and created the Special Financial Assistance (SFA) program for struggling multiemployer pension […]

Five Key Points to Know About PBGC Special Financial Assistance

Five Key Points to Know About PBGC Special Financial Assistance

Jenny Gartman, CEBS
 

During a webcast on August 10, 2021 titled Financial Assistance Program Overview for Financially Troubled Multiemployer Pension Plans, speakers shared insights on the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) special financial assistance (SFA) program for financially troubled multiemployer plans under the American Rescue […]

Special Financial Assistance: Filing and Application Tips From PBGC Staff

Special Financial Assistance: Filing and Application Tips From PBGC Staff

Jenny Gartman, CEBS
 

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) and Treasury officials have delivered a new briefing on the special financial assistance (SFA) program for financially troubled multiemployer plans under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). During the briefing on July 22, 2021, […]

PBGC Implements Special Financial Assistance Program for Financially Troubled Multiemployer Pension Plans

PBGC Implements Special Financial Assistance Program for Financially Troubled Multiemployer Pension Plans

Jenny Gartman, CEBS
 

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) has released an interim final rule that focuses on special financial assistance (SFA) applications and related restrictions and conditions pursuant to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). Read more about ARPA’s provisions to transfer […]

How Do Multiemployer Plans Claim COBRA Premium Assistance Credit?

How Do Multiemployer Plans Claim COBRA Premium Assistance Credit?

Jenny Gartman, CEBS
 

​The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued Notice 2021-31 which provides guidance for multiemployer plans and plan administrators regarding the new credit available to them for providing continuation health coverage to certain individuals under COBRA. We summarized the COBRA changes under American […]

Three Key Takeaways: What ARPA Means for Green Zone Pension Plans

Three Key Takeaways: What ARPA Means for Green Zone Pension Plans

Jenny Gartman, CEBS
 

It was big news back in March when the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) was enacted to provide grants, called “special financial assistance,” to boost the solvency of eligible critical and declining status or insolvent plans under the Pension Benefit […]

DOL Releases Model Notices for COBRA Subsidy Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

DOL Releases Model Notices for COBRA Subsidy Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA)

Jenny Gartman, CEBS
 

​Thirty-five years ago this month, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) was signed into law. COBRA provides a way for workers and their families to temporarily maintain their employer-provided health insurance during situations such as job loss or a […]

Changes to Single Employer Pension Plan Funding With the American Rescue Plan Act

Changes to Single Employer Pension Plan Funding With the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS
 

Provisions in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) have the potential to help many single employer pension plan sponsors weather the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic while providing time to consider how to integrate their business and pension funding strategies, suggests […]

Important FFCRA Leave Updates for Employers in the American Rescue Plan Act

Important FFCRA Leave Updates for Employers in the American Rescue Plan Act

Amanda Wilke, CEBS
 

Here we go again: yet another new relief bill sends employers heads spinning. On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) was signed into law. Among the many changes, ARPA extends the timeframe for employers to receive tax […]