§ 4022.81 General rules.

(a) Recoupment of benefit overpayments. If at any time the PBGC determines that net benefits paid with respect to any participant in a PBGC-trusteed plan exceed the total amount to which the participant (and any beneficiary) is entitled up to that time under title IV of ERISA, and the participant (or beneficiary) is, as of the termination date, entitled to receive future benefit payments, the PBGC will recoup the net overpayment in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section and § 4022.82. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, the PBGC may, in its discretion, recover overpayments by methods other than recouping in accordance with the rules in this subpart. The PBGC will not normally do so unless net benefits paid after the termination date exceed those to which a participant (and any beneficiary) is entitled under the terms of the plan before any reductions under subpart D.

(b) Reimbursement of benefit underpayments. If at any time the PBGC determines that net benefits paid with respect to a participant in a PBGC-trusteed plan are less than the amount to which the participant (and any beneficiary) is entitled up to that time under title IV of ERISA, the PBGC will reimburse the participant or beneficiary for the net underpayment in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section and § 4022.83.

(c) Amount to be recouped or reimbursed. In order to determine the amount to be recouped from, or reimbursed to, a participant (or beneficiary), the PBGC will calculate a monthly account balance for each month ending after the termination date. The PBGC will start with a balance of zero as of the end of the calendar month ending immediately prior to the termination date and determine the account balance as of the end of each month thereafter as follows:

(1) Debit for overpayments. The PBGC will subtract from the account balance the amount of overpayments made in that month. Only overpayments made on or after the latest of the proposed termination date, the termination date, or, if no notice of intent to terminate was issued, the date on which proceedings to terminate the plan are instituted pursuant to section 4042 of ERISA will be included.

(2) Credit for underpayments. The PBGC will add to the account balance the amount of underpayments made in that month. Only underpayments made on or after the termination date will be included.

(3) PPA 2006 bankruptcy termination. The provisions of paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section regarding the overpayments and underpayments that will be included in the account balance apply regardless of whether the termination is a PPA 2006 bankruptcy termination.

(4) Credit for interest on net underpayments. If at the end of a month there is a positive account balance (a net underpayment), the PBGC will add to the account balance interest thereon for that month using—

(i) For months after May 1998, the applicable federal mid-term rate (as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to section 1274(d)(1)(C)(ii) of the Code) for that month (or, where the rate for a month is not available at the time the PBGC calculates the amount to be recouped or reimbursed, the most recent month for which the rate is available) based on monthly compounding; and

(ii) For May 1998 and earlier months, the immediate annuity rate established for lump sum valuations as set forth in Table II of appendix B of part 4044 of this chapter.

(5) No interest on net overpayments. If at the end of a month, there is a negative account balance (a net overpayment), there will be no interest adjustment for that month.

(d) Death of participant —

(1) Benefit overpayments. If the PBGC determines that, at the time of a participant's death, there was a net overpayment to the participant—

(i) Future annuity payments. If the participant was entitled to future annuity payments as of the plan's termination date, the PBGC will (except as provided in paragraph (a) of this section) recoup the overpayment from the person (if any) who is receiving survivor benefits under the annuity.

(ii) No future annuity payments. If the participant was not entitled to future annuity benefits as of the plan's termination date, the PBGC may seek repayment of the overpayment from the participant's estate.

(2) Benefit underpayments. If the PBGC determines that, at the time of a participant's death, there was a net underpayment to the participant—

(i) Future annuity payments. If the benefit is in the form of a joint-and-survivor or other annuity under which payments may continue after the participant's death, the PBGC will pay the underpayment to the person who is receiving survivor benefits; for this purpose, if the person receiving survivor benefits is an alternate payee under a qualified domestic relations order, the PBGC will treat the benefit as if payments do not continue after the participant's death (see paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section).

(ii) No future annuity payments. If the benefit is not in the form of a joint-and-survivor or other annuity (e.g., a certain-and-continuous annuity) under which payments may continue after the participant's death or although the benefit is in such a form payments do not continue after the participant's death (i.e., in the case of a joint-and-survivor annuity, the person designated to receive survivor benefits predeceased the participant or, in the case of another annuity under which payments may continue after the participant's death the participant died with no payments owed for future periods), the PBGC will pay the underpayment to the person determined under the rules in §§ 4022.91 through 4022.95.

[63 FR 29354, May 29, 1998, as amended at 67 FR 16956, Apr. 8, 2002; 76 FR 34604, June 14, 2011]