§ 4022.4 Entitlement to a benefit.

(a) A participant or his surviving beneficiary is entitled to a benefit if under the provisions of a plan:

(1) The benefit was in pay status on the termination date of the plan.

(2) The benefit is payable in an optional life-annuity form of benefit that the participant or beneficiary elected on or before the termination date of the plan or, if later, the date on which PBGC became statutory trustee of the plan.

(3) Except for a benefit described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, before the termination date (or on or before the termination date, in the case of a requirement that a participant attain a particular age, earn a particular amount of service, become disabled, or die) the participant had satisfied the conditions of the plan necessary to establish the right to receive the benefit prior to such date (prior to or on such date, in the case of a requirement that a participant attain a particular age, earn a particular amount of service, become disabled, or die) other than application for the benefit, satisfaction of a waiting period described in the plan, or retirement; or

(4) Absent an election by the participant, the benefit would be payable upon retirement.

(5) In the case of a benefit that returns all or a portion of a participant's accumulated mandatory employee contributions upon death, the participant (or beneficiary) had satisfied the conditions of the plan necessary to establish the right to the benefit other than death or designation of a beneficiary.

(b) If none of the conditions set forth in paragraph (a) of this section is met, the PBGC will determine whether the participant is entitled to a benefit on the basis of the provisions of the plan and the circumstances of the case.

(c) In a PPA 2006 bankruptcy termination, “bankruptcy filing date” is substituted for “termination date” each place that “termination date” appears in paragraphs (a)(1) and (3) of this section. In making this substitution for purposes of paragraph (a)(3) of this section, the rule in § 4022.3(b)(2) (dealing with the situation where the condition for entitlement was satisfied between the bankruptcy filing date and the termination date) shall apply.

[61 FR 34028, July 1, 1996, as amended at 67 FR 16954, Apr. 8, 2002; 76 FR 34602, June 14, 2011]