La. Admin. Code tit. 58 § XXI-505

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section XXI-505 - Benefit Limitations

A. Maximum Permissible Benefit. As provided under R.S. 11:1632, the following provisions shall apply for limitation years beginning on or after July 1, 2007.

1. Annual Benefit3/4Maximum Permissible Benefit. The annual benefit, otherwise payable to a participant under the plan, at any time shall not exceed the maximum permissible benefit. If the benefit the participant would otherwise accrue in a limitation year would produce an annual benefit in excess of the maximum permissible benefit, then the benefit shall be limited (or the rate of accrual reduced) to a benefit that does not exceed the maximum permissible benefit.

2. Adjustment if in Two Defined Benefit Plans. If the participant is, or has ever been, a participant in another qualified defined benefit plan (without regard to whether the plan has been terminated) maintained by the employer or a predecessor employer, the sum of the participants annual benefit from all such plans may not exceed the maximum permissible benefit. Where the participants employer-provided benefits under all such defined benefit plans (determined as of the same age) would exceed the maximum permissible benefit applicable at that age, the employer shall limit a participants benefit in accordance with the terms of the plans.

3. Limits Grandfathered prior to July 1, 2007

a. The following sentence in Clause i of this Subparagraph applies only if the provisions of such defined benefit plans that were both adopted and in effect before April 5, 2007 satisfied the applicable requirements of statutory provisions, regulations, and other published guidance relating to IRC §415 in effect as of the end of the last limitation year beginning before July 1, 2007, as described in U.S. Treasury regulations §1. 415(a)-1(g)(4).

i. The application of the provisions of this Part shall not cause the maximum permissible benefit for any participant to be less than the participants accrued benefit under all the defined benefit plans of the employer or a predecessor employer as of the end of the last limitation year beginning before July 1, 2007 under provisions of the plans that were both adopted and in effect before April 5, 2007.

B. Annual Benefit Determination

1. Except as provided below, where a benefit is payable in a form other than a straight life annuity, the benefit shall be adjusted to an actuarially equivalent straight life annuity that begins at the same time as such other form of benefit and is payable on the first day of each month, before applying the limitations of this Part.

2. For a participant who has or will have distributions commencing at more than one annuity starting date, the annual benefit shall be determined as of each such annuity starting date (and shall satisfy the limitations of this Part as of each such date), actuarially adjusting for past and future distributions of benefits commencing at the other annuity starting dates.

a. For this purpose, the determination of whether a new annuity starting date has occurred shall be made:

i. without regard to U.S. Treasury regulations §1. 401(a)-20, Q and A -10(d); and

ii. with regard to U.S. Treasury regulations §1. 415(b)1(b)(1)(iii)(B) and (C).

3. The determination of the annual benefit shall take into account Social Security supplements described in IRC §411(a)(9) and benefits transferred from another defined benefit plan, other than transfers of distributable benefits pursuant to U.S. Treasury regulations §1. 411(d)-4, Q and A-3(c), but shall disregard benefits attributable to employee contributions or rollover contributions.

C. Actuarial Adjustment. No actuarial adjustment to the benefit shall be made for:

1. survivor benefits payable to a surviving spouse under a qualified joint and survivor annuity to the extent such benefits would not be payable if the participants benefit were paid in another form;

2. benefits that are not directly related to retirement benefits (such as a qualified disability benefit, preretirement incidental death benefits, and postretirement medical benefits); or

3. the inclusion in the form of benefit of an automatic benefit increase feature, provided the form of benefit is not subject to IRC §417(e)(3) and would otherwise satisfy the limitations of this Part, and the plan provides that the amount payable under the form of benefit in any limitation year shall not exceed the limits of this Part applicable at the annuity starting date, as increased in subsequent years pursuant to IRC §415(d).

a. For this purpose, an automatic benefit increase feature is included in a form of benefit if the form of benefit provides for automatic, periodic increases to the benefits paid in that form.

D. Actuarial Equivalent3/4Straight Life Annuity

1. Effective for distributions in plan years beginning after December 31, 2003, the determination of actuarial equivalence of forms of benefit other than a straight life annuity shall be made in accordance with Subparagraph a of this Paragraph.

a. The straight life annuity that is actuarially equivalent to the participants form of benefit shall be determined under this Subparagraph if the form of the participants benefit is either:

i. a nondecreasing annuity (other than a straight life annuity) payable for a period of not less than the life of the participant (or, in the case of a qualified pre-retirement survivor annuity, the life of the surviving spouse); or

ii. an annuity that decreases during the life of the participant merely because of:

(a). the death of the survivor annuitant (but only if the reduction is not below 50 percent of the benefit payable before the death of the survivor annuitant); or

(b). the cessation or reduction of Social Security supplements or qualified disability payments (as defined in IRC §401(a)(11)).

2. For limitation years beginning before July 1, 2007, the actuarially equivalent straight life annuity is equal to the annual amount of the straight life annuity commencing at the same annuity starting date that has the same actuarial present value as the participants form of benefit computed using whichever of the following produces the greater annual amount:

a. the interest rate and mortality table (or other tabular factor) specified in the plan for adjusting benefits in the same form; and

b. 5 percent interest rate assumption and the applicable mortality table defined in the plan for that annuity starting date.

3. For limitation years beginning on or after July 1, 2007, the actuarially equivalent straight life annuity is equal to the greater of:

a. the annual amount of the straight life annuity (if any) payable to the participant under the plan commencing at the same annuity starting date as the participants form of benefit; and

b. the annual amount of the straight life annuity commencing at the same annuity starting date that has the same actuarial present value as the participants form of benefit, computed using a 5 percent interest rate assumption and the applicable mortality table defined in the plan for that annuity starting date.

La. Admin. Code tit. 58, § XXI-505

Promulgated by the Board of Trustees of the District Attorneys Retirement System, LR 41:2315 (November 2015).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 11:1588(A) and 11:1632(F).