[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 4, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6067-6068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2468]
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PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY CORPORATION
Submission of Information Collection for OMB Review; Comment
Request; Survey of Nonparticipating Single Premium Group Annuity Rates
AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
ACTION: Notice of request for extension of OMB approval.
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SUMMARY: The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (``PBGC'') is
requesting that the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') extend
approval, under the Paperwork Reduction Act, of a collection of
information (OMB control number 1212-0030; expires March 31, 2009).
This voluntary collection of information is a quarterly survey of
insurance company rates for pricing annuity contracts. The survey is
conducted by the American Council of Life Insurers for PBGC. This
notice informs the public of PBGC's request and solicits public comment
on the collection of information.
DATES: Comments should be submitted by March 6, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk
Officer for Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, via electronic mail
at
[[Page 6068]]
[email protected] or by fax to (202) 395-6974.
Copies of the collection of information may also be obtained
without charge by writing to the Disclosure Division of the Office of
the General Counsel of PBGC at the above address or by visiting the
Disclosure Division or calling 202-326-4040 during normal business
hours. (TTY and TDD users may call the Federal relay service toll-free
at 1-800-877-8339 and ask to be connected to 202-326-4040.) The
Disclosure Division will e-mail, fax, or mail the requested information
to you, as you request.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas H. Gabriel, Attorney, or
Catherine B. Klion, Manager, Regulatory and Policy Division,
Legislative and Regulatory Department, Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation, 1200 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005-4026, 202-326-
4024. (For TTY/TDD users, call the Federal relay service toll-free at
1-800-877-8339 and ask to be connected to 202-326-4024.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PBGC's regulations prescribe actuarial
valuation methods and assumptions (including interest rate assumptions)
to be used in determining the actuarial present value of benefits under
single-employer plans that terminate (29 CFR part 4044) and under
multiemployer plans that undergo a mass withdrawal of contributing
employers (29 CFR part 4281). Each month PBGC publishes the interest
rates to be used under those regulations for plans terminating or
undergoing mass withdrawal during the next month.
The interest rates are intended to reflect current conditions in
the investment and annuity markets. To determine these interest rates,
PBGC gathers pricing data from insurance companies that are providing
annuity contracts to terminating pension plans through a quarterly
``Survey of Nonparticipating Single Premium Group Annuity Rates.'' The
survey is distributed by the American Council of Life Insurers and
provides PBGC with ``blind'' data (i.e., is conducted in such a way
that PBGC is unable to match responses with the companies that
submitted them). The information from the survey is also used by PBGC
in determining the interest rates it uses to value benefits payable to
participants and beneficiaries in PBGC-trusteed plans for purposes of
PBGC's financial statements.
The survey is directed at insurance companies that have volunteered
to participate, most or all of which are members of the American
Council of Life Insurers. The survey is conducted quarterly and will be
sent to approximately 22 insurance companies. Based on experience under
the current approval, PBGC estimates that 6 insurance companies will
complete and return the survey. PBGC further estimates that the average
annual burden of this collection of information is 26 hours and $138.
The collection of information has been approved by OMB under
control number 1212-0030 through March 31, 2009. PBGC is requesting
that OMB extend its approval for another three years. An agency may not
conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number.
Issued in Washington, DC, this 29th day of January, 2009.
John H. Hanley,
Director, Legislative and Regulatory Department, Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation.
[FR Doc. E9-2468 Filed 2-3-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7709-01-P