IRS Extends Transition Relief For Indian Tribal Government Plans.

Notice 2007-67

I. Purpose

The purpose of this notice is to extend the transitional relief provided to plans of Indian tribal governments and certain related entities under Notice 2006-89, 2006-43 I.R.B. 772, to the date that is six months after guidance is issued under § 414(d) of the Code, as amended by section 906 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, on the determination of whether a retirement plan maintained by an Indian tribal government is a governmental plan with the meaning of § 414(d) of the Code.

II. Background

Section 414(d) of the Code provides that a "governmental plan" includes a plan established and maintained for its employees by the Government of the United States, by the government of any State or political subdivision thereof, or by any agency or instrumentality of any of the foregoing. Certain plans of Indian tribal governments (ITGs) are also governmental plans under § 414(d). Specifically, section 906(a)(1) of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA '06) amended § 414(d) with respect to ITG plans to provide that:

Notice 2006-89 provides that the Service and Treasury anticipate issuing guidance on § 414(d) as amended and that, until such guidance is issued, an ITG plan will be treated as satisfying the requirements to be a governmental plan under § 414(d) if it complies with those requirements based on a reasonable and good faith interpretation of the amendment made by section 906(a)(1) of PPA '06. Section III.B. of the notice provides certain approaches that, if taken by September 30, 2007, permit separate plans to be established for commercial ITG employees and for other ITG employees who perform essential governmental functions (governmental ITG employees) under the reasonable and good faith compliance standard. Section III.E. indicated that the relief provided in Section III applied pending the issuance of further guidance relating to § 414(d), including the amendment made by section 906(a)(1) of PPA '06. The notice also invited comments from the public on whether additional transition issues need to be addressed.

III. Extension of Transition Relief under Notice 2006-89

Since the issuance of Notice 2006-89, the Service and Treasury have continued to consult with Indian tribal government representatives. Based on those consultations and the comments received in response to Notice 2006-89, and until future guidance is issued, the transition relief provided under Notice 2006-89 is hereby revised so that the date "September 30, 2007" in Section III.B. of Notice 2006-89 is replaced with "the date that is six months after guidance is issued under § 414(d) of the Code, as amended by section 906 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, on the determination of whether a retirement plan maintained by an ITG is a governmental plan with the meaning of § 414(d)."

This extension is conditioned on the plans involved not being amended, for periods before the extended date, to reduce benefits unless the reduction: (i) does not vary based upon whether the participant is a governmental ITG employee or a commercial ITG employee, or (ii) is made to the plan for commercial ITG employees and is the minimum reduction necessary to satisfy the requirements of the Code. If a reduction occurs that does not meet either of these conditions, the extension provided under this notice ends on the date the reduction goes into effect.

IV. EFFECT ON OTHER DOCUMENTS

Notice 2006-89 is modified.

DRAFTING INFORMATION

The principal author of this notice is Diane S. Bloom of Employee Plans, Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division. For further information regarding this notice, please call the Employee Plans customer assistance service Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern time at (877) 829-5500 (a toll-free number) or email RetirementPlanQuestions@irs.gov.