The DOL Issues Guidance Regarding Lifetime Income Illustrations

The DOL recently issued an interim final rule (?Ç£IFR?Ç¥) pursuant to the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (the ?Ç£SECURE Act?Ç¥) regarding the information that must be provided on pension benefit statements. ERISA requires plan administrators of defined contribution plans to provide periodic pension benefit statements to participants and certain beneficiaries. The SECURE Act requires plan administrators to provide annual statements illustrating participants?ÇÖ accrued benefits as two lifetime income stream illustrations: (i) a single life annuity, and (ii) a qualified joint and survivor annuity. The IFR describes certain required assumptions plan administrators must use when converting a participant?ÇÖs accrued benefit into lifetime income streams. The lifetime income stream illustrations must be accompanied by clear and understandable explanations of the assumptions underlying the illustrations. To assist plan administrators, the IFR provides model language that may be used to satisfy this explanation requirement. The IFR is effective September 18, 2021, which is one year following the date of its publication in the Federal Register. The IFR is available here.