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RULES PROVIDED ON USER FEES FOR EMPLOYEE PLANS AND EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS.

JAN. 3, 1995

Rev. Proc. 95-8; 1995-1 C.B. 485

DATED JAN. 3, 1995
DOCUMENT ATTRIBUTES
  • Institutional Authors
    Internal Revenue Service
  • Code Sections
  • Subject Areas/Tax Topics
  • Index Terms
    pension plans, qualification
    employee benefit plans, determination letters, user fees
    exempt organizations, determination letters, user fees
    IRS, ruling letter fee schedule
  • Jurisdictions
  • Language
    English
  • Tax Analysts Electronic Citation
    95 TNT 4-16
Citations: Rev. Proc. 95-8; 1995-1 C.B. 485

Superseded by Rev. Proc. 96-8 Modified by Rev. Proc. 95-34 Modified by Rev. Proc. 95-24

Rev. Proc. 95-8

                          TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

SECTION 1. PURPOSE

 

 

SECTION 2. CHANGES

 

 

SECTION 3. BACKGROUND

 

 

     .01 Legislation authorizing user fees

 

     .02 Related Revenue Procedures

 

 

SECTION 4. SCOPE

 

 

     .01 Requests to which a user fee applies

 

     .02 Requests to which a user fee does not apply

 

     .03 Exemptions from the user fee requirements

 

 

SECTION 5. DEFINITIONS

 

 

SECTION 6. FEE SCHEDULE

 

 

     .01 Employee plans letter ruling requests

 

     .02 Requests for certain administrative exemptions

 

     .03 Administrative scrutiny determinations

 

     .04 Opinion letters and advisory letters on master and prototype

 

          plans

 

     .05 Notification letters issued by National Office on mass

 

          submitter regional prototype plans

 

     .06 Opinion letters on prototype individual retirement accounts/

 

          annuities and simplified employee pensions (SEPs),

 

          including salary reduction SEPs (SARSEPS)

 

     .07 Compliance statements

 

     .08 Employee plans determination letters

 

     .09 Advisory letters on volume submitter plans

 

     .10 Notification letters issued by key district offices with

 

          respect to regional prototype plans

 

     .11 Exempt organizations letter rulings

 

     .12 Exempt organizations determination letters and requests for

 

          group exemption letters

 

 

SECTION 7. MAILING ADDRESS FOR REQUESTING LETTER RULINGS, DETERMINATION

 

     LETTERS, ETC.

 

 

     .01 Matters handled by National Office

 

     .02 Matters handled by key district offices

 

 

SECTION 8. REQUESTS INVOLVING MULTIPLE OFFICES, FEE CATEGORIES, ISSUES,

 

     TRANSACTIONS, OR ENTITIES

 

 

     .01 Requests involving several offices

 

     .02 Requests involving several fee categories

 

     .03 Requests involving several issues

 

     .04 Requests involving several unrelated transactions

 

     .05 Requests involving several entities

 

 

SECTION 9. PAYMENT OF FEE

 

 

     .01 Method of payment

 

     .02 Transmittal forms

 

     .03 Effect of nonpayment or payment of incorrect amount

 

 

SECTION 10. REFUNDS

 

 

     .01 General rule

 

     .02 Examples

 

 

SECTION 11. REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF USER FEE

 

 

SECTION 12. EFFECT ON OTHER DOCUMENTS

 

 

SECTION 13. EFFECTIVE DATE

 

 

APPENDIX

 

 

SECTION 1. PURPOSE

This revenue procedure provides guidance for complying with the user fee program of the Internal Revenue Service as it pertains to requests for letter rulings, determination letters, etc. on matters under the jurisdiction of the Assistant Commissioner (Employee Plans and Exempt Organizations); requests for compliance statements under the Voluntary Compliance Resolution program described in Rev. Proc. 94-62, 1994-39 I.R.B. 11; and requests for administrative scrutiny determinations under Rev. Proc. 93-41, 1993-2 C.B. 536. The user fee program as it pertains to requests for letter rulings, etc. on matters under the jurisdiction of the Associate Chief Counsel (Domestic), the Associate Chief Counsel (Employee Benefits and Exempt Organizations), the Associate Chief Counsel (Enforcement Litigation), and the Associate Chief Counsel (International) is set forth separately in Rev. Proc. 95-1, page 9, this Bulletin.

SECTION 2. CHANGES

The fee schedule has been revised by incorporating the user fees applicable to the adoption of a nonmodel amendment for section 401(a)(17) of the Internal Revenue Code pursuant to the alternative amendment procedures described in Rev. Proc. 94-13, 1994-1 C.B. 566, but otherwise has not been changed.

SECTION 3. BACKGROUND

.01 LEGISLATION AUTHORIZING USER FEES. Section 10511 of the Revenue Act of 1987, Public Law 100-203, 101 Stat. 1382, 1446, enacted December 22, 1987, as amended by section 743 of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act, Public Law 103-455, enacted December 8, 1994 (hereafter the two laws are referred to together as the "Act"), provides that the Secretary of the Treasury or delegate (the "Secretary") shall establish a program requiring the payment of user fees for requests to the Service for rulings, opinion letters, determination letters, and similar requests. The fees apply to requests made on or after February 1, 1988 and before October 1, 2000. The fees charged under the program (1) are to vary according to categories (or subcategories) established by the Secretary; (2) they are to be determined after taking into account the average time for, and difficulty of, complying with requests in each category and subcategory; and (3) they are to be payable in advance. The Secretary is to provide for such exemptions and reduced fees under the program as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, but the average fee applicable to each category must not be less than the amount specified in the Act.

.02 RELATED REVENUE PROCEDURES. A list of revenue procedures relating to requests for letter rulings, opinion letters, etc. on matters under the jurisdiction of the Assistant Commissioner (Employee Plans and Exempt Organizations) that require payment of a user fee, requests under the Voluntary Compliance Resolution program and the Standardized VCR Procedure, and requests for administrative scrutiny determinations under Rev. Proc. 93-41, is set forth in the appendix to this revenue procedure.

SECTION 4. SCOPE

.01 REQUESTS TO WHICH A USER FEE APPLIES. In general, user fees apply to all requests for letter rulings, opinion letters, notification letters, determination letters, and advisory letters submitted by or on behalf of taxpayers, sponsoring organizations or other entities as described in this revenue procedure. Voluntary compliance fees applicable to requests under the Voluntary Compliance Resolution program or the Standardized Voluntary Compliance Procedure described in Rev. Proc. 94-62, and administrative scrutiny determination user fees described in Rev. Proc. 93-41, are collected through the user fee program. Requests to which a user fee, a voluntary compliance fee, or an administrative scrutiny determination user fee is applicable must be accompanied by the appropriate fee as determined from the fee schedule set forth in section 6 of this revenue procedure. The fee may be refunded as set forth in section 10 of this revenue procedure.

.02 REQUESTS TO WHICH A USER FEE DOES NOT APPLY. User fees do not apply to:

(1) Submissions with respect to the model amendment described in section 6 of Rev. Proc. 93-12, 1993-1 C.B. 479.

(2) Submissions with respect to the model amendment described in Rev. Proc. 93-47, 1993-2 C.B. 578.

(3) Elections made pursuant to section 4 of Rev. Proc. 92-85, 1992-2 C.B. 490, pertaining to automatic extensions of time under section 301.9100-1.

(4) Form 5305, Individual Retirement Trust Account. This model trust form may be used by an individual who wishes to adopt an individual retirement account under section 408(a). It should not be filed with the Internal Revenue Service.

(5) Form 5305-A, Individual Retirement Custodial Account. This model custodial account form may be used by an individual who wishes to adopt an individual retirement account under section 408(a). It should not be filed with the Internal Revenue Service.

(6) Requests for information letters.

(7) Change in accounting period or method permitted to be made by a published automatic change revenue procedure.

.03 EXEMPTIONS FROM THE USER FEE REQUIREMENTS. The user fee requirements do not apply to:

(1) Departments, agencies, or instrumentalities of the United States that certify that they are seeking a letter ruling, determination letter, opinion letter or similar letter on behalf of a program or activity funded by federal appropriations. The fact that a user fee is not charged does not have any bearing on whether an applicant is treated as an agency or instrumentality of the United States for purposes of any provision of the Code.

(2) Requests as to whether a worker is an employee for federal employment taxes and income tax withholding purposes (chapters 21, 22, 23, and 24 of subtitle C of the Code) submitted on Form SS-8, Information for Use in Determining Whether a Worker is an Employee for Federal Employment Taxes and Income Tax Withholding, or its equivalent. Such a request may be submitted in connection with an application for a determination on the qualification of a plan when it is necessary to determine whether an employer-employee relationship exists. See section 5.11 of Rev. Proc. 95-6, page 153, this Bulletin. In that case, although no user fee applies to the request submitted on Form SS-8, the applicable user fee must be paid in connection with the application for determination on the plan's qualification.

(3) Requests for an opinion letter or a notification letter with respect to an amendment of a previously approved master or prototype plan or a previously approved regional prototype plan, where the plan is being amended only to the extent necessary to meet the requirements of section 3 of Rev. Proc. 93-10, 1993-1 C.B. 476 (relating to nonstandardized safe harbor plans).

SECTION 5. DEFINITIONS

The following terms as used in this revenue procedure have the same meaning as they have in the pertinent revenue procedure referred to below and described in the appendix:

 Administrative scrutiny

 

   determination                    Rev. Proc. 93-41

 

 Adoption agreement                 Rev. Proc. 89-9, Rev. Proc. 89-13

 

 Advisory letter                    Rev. Proc. 89-9, Rev. Proc. 95-6

 

 Basic plan document                Rev. Proc. 89-9, Rev. Proc. 89-13

 

 Compliance statement               Rev. Proc. 94-62

 

 Determination letter               Rev. Proc. 90-27, Rev. Proc. 95-6

 

 Group exemption letter             Rev. Proc. 80-27

 

 Information letter                 Rev. Proc. 95-4

 

 Letter ruling                      Rev. Proc. 95-4

 

 Mass submitter                     Rev. Proc. 89-9, Rev. Proc. 89-13,

 

                                    Rev. Proc. 87-50

 

 Mass submitter plan                Rev. Proc. 89-9

 

 Mass submitter regional

 

   prototype plan                   Rev. Proc. 89-13

 

 Master plan                        Rev. Proc. 89-9

 

 Minor modification                 Rev. Proc. 89-9, Rev. Proc. 87-50

 

 Notification letter                Rev. Proc. 89-13, Rev. Proc. 95-4

 

 Opinion letter                     Rev. Proc. 89-9, Rev. Proc. 95-4

 

 Prototype plan                     Rev. Proc. 89-9

 

 Regional prototype plan            Rev. Proc. 89-13

 

 Sponsor                            Rev. Proc. 89-1

 

 Sponsoring organization            Rev. Proc. 89-9, Rev. Proc. 90-21

 

 Standardized VCR Procedure         Rev. Proc. 94-62

 

 VCR compliance statement           Rev. Proc. 94-62

 

 Volume submitter plan              Rev. Proc. 95-6

 

 Volume submitter specimen plan     Rev. Proc. 95-6

 

 Voluntary Compliance Resolution

 

  Program                           Rev. Proc. 94-62

 

 Word-for-word identical adoption   Rev. Proc. 89-9, Rev. Proc. 87-50

 

 

SECTION 6. FEE SCHEDULE

The amount of the user fee payable with respect to each category or subcategory of submission is as set forth in the following schedule.

                EMPLOYEE PLANS CATEGORY                             FEE

 

 

      .01 EMPLOYEE PLANS LETTER RULINGS REQUESTS.

 

 

      (1) Computation of exclusion for annuitant under

 

 section 72                                                         $50

 

 

      (2) Change in plan year (Form 5308)                          $150

 

 

 NOTE: No user fee is required if the requested change is

 

 permitted to be made pursuant to the procedure for automatic

 

 approval set forth in Rev. Proc. 87-27, 1987-1 C.B. 769.

 

 

      (3) Change in funding method                                 $275

 

 

      (4) Approval to become a nonbank trustee (see section

 

 1.401-12(n) of the Income Tax Regulations)                      $3,000

 

 

      (5) Waiver of minimum funding standard, under section

 

 412(d) of the Code:

 

 

      (a) Waiver of $1,000,000 or more                           $3,000

 

 

      (b) Waiver of less than $1,000,000                         $1,500

 

 

      (6) Letter ruling under Rev. Proc. 90-49, 1990-2

 

 C.B. 620                                                          $100

 

 

      (7) Individually designed simplified employee pension

 

 (SEP)                                                           $1,775

 

 

      (8) All other letter rulings                               $1,775

 

 

      Reduced fees applicable to all other letter rulings:

 

 

      (a) Letter ruling requests by or on behalf of

 

 eligible retirement plans (within the meaning of section

 

 402(c)(8)(B) (with assets of less than $150,000                   $500

 

 

      (b) Letter ruling requests from U.S. citizens and

 

 resident alien individuals, domestic trusts, and domestic

 

 estates whose "total income" as reported on their federal

 

 income tax return (as amended) filed for a full (12 months)

 

 taxable year ending before the date the request is filed,

 

 plus any interest income not subject to tax under section

 

 103 (interest on state and local bonds) for that period, is

 

 less than $150,000                                                $500

 

 

 NOTE: The reduced fee applies to a married individual

 

 if the combined gross income of the applicant and

 

 the applicant's spouse is less than $150,000. The gross

 

 incomes of the applicant and the applicant's spouse are

 

 not combined, however, if the applicant is legally

 

 separated from his or her spouse and the spouses do

 

 not file a joint income tax return with each other.

 

 In the case of a letter ruling request from a

 

 domestic estate or trust that, at the time the request

 

 is filed, has not filed an income tax return for a full

 

 taxable year, the reduced fee will be applicable if the

 

 decedent's or (in the case of an individual grantor) the

 

 grantor's total income as reported on the last return

 

 filed for a full taxable year ending before the date of

 

 death or the date of the transfer, taking into account any

 

 additions required to be made to total income described in

 

 this subparagraph, is less than $150,000.

 

 

      (c) Letter ruling requests from organizations

 

 exempt from income tax under "Subchapter F Exempt

 

 Organizations" with gross receipts of

 

 less than $150,000                                                $500

 

 

 NOTE: An organization exempt from income tax under

 

 Subchapter F of the Code must certify in its request

 

 for a letter ruling that its gross receipts for the

 

 last full taxable year before the request was filed

 

 were less than $150,000.

 

 

      .02 REQUESTS FOR CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE EXEMPTIONS.

 

 

      Requests for administrative exemptions for                $1,775

 

 participant-directed transactions that are in

 

 compliance with the regulations under section 404(c)

 

 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974

 

 (ERISA) but may result in prohibited transactions under

 

 section 4975

 

 

 NOTE: The provisions of Rev. Proc. 75-26, 1975-1 C.B. 722,

 

 are applicable to such requests.

 

 

      .03 ADMINISTRATIVE SCRUTINY DETERMINATIONS.

 

 

      (1) For the first separate line of business for

 

 which a determination is requested                              $2,750

 

 

      (2) For each additional separate line of business for

 

 which a determination is requested                                $875

 

 

.04 OPINION LETTERS AND ADVISORY LETTERS ON MASTER AND PROTOTYPE PLANS.

      (1) Mass submitter M & P plan, per basic plan document

 

 (new or amended, regardless of number of adoption agreements)   $3,000

 

 

      (2) Sponsoring organization's word-for-word identical

 

 adoption of M & P mass submitter's basic plan document

 

 (or an amendment thereof), per adoption agreement

 

 (mass submitters that are sponsoring organizations in

 

 their own right are liable for this fee)                          $100

 

 

 NOTE: If a mass submitter submits, in any 12-month period

 

 ending January 31, more than 300 applications on behalf

 

 of word-for-word adopters with respect to a particular

 

 adoption agreement, only the first 300 such applications

 

 will be subject to the fee; no fee will apply to those

 

 in excess of the first 300 such applications submitted

 

 within the 12-month period.

 

 

      (3) Sponsoring organization's minor modification of

 

 M & P mass submitter's plan document, per adoption

 

 agreement                                                        $400

 

 

      (4) Nonmass submission (new or amended) by M & P

 

 sponsoring organization, per adoption agreement                 $3,000

 

 

      (5) M & P mass submitter's request for an advisory

 

 letter with respect to the addition of optional provisions

 

 following issuance of a favorable opinion letter (see

 

 section 18.031(c) of Rev. Proc. 89-9), per basic document

 

 (regardless of the number of adoption agreements)                 $400

 

 

      (6) M & P mass submitter's addition of new adoption

 

 agreements after the basic plan document and

 

 associated adoption agreements have been approved,

 

 per adoption agreement                                            $400

 

 

      (7) Assumption of sponsorship of an approved M & P plan,

 

 without any amendment to the plan document, by a new

 

 entity, as evidenced by a change of employer identification

 

 number                                                            $400

 

 

      (8) Adoption, by M & P mass submitter or nonmass

 

 submitter, of nonmodel amendment pursuant to the limited

 

 amendment procedure described in Rev. Proc. 93-12,

 

 to comply with section 401(a)(31)                                 $400

 

 

      (9) Adoption, by M & P sponsoring organization or

 

 M & P mass submitter, or nonmodel amendment pursuant

 

 to the section 401(a)(17) amendment procedures described

 

 in Rev. Proc. 94-13                                               $400

 

 

 NOTE: Plans that are amended to reflect section

 

 401(a)(17) as amended by the Omnibus Budget

 

 Reconciliation Act of 1993 ("OBRA '93") pursuant to

 

 the limited amendment procedures for nonmodel amendments

 

 in section E of Part IV of Rev. Proc. 94-13 that are also

 

 amended to include plan language required under section

 

 401(a)(31) pursuant to the limited amendment procedures

 

 contained in sections 7 through 10 of Rev. Proc. 93-12

 

 may be submitted simultaneously. In such a case, only

 

 one application and the user fee for a single amendment

 

 need be submitted.

 

 

      .05 NOTIFICATION LETTERS ISSUED BY NATIONAL OFFICE ON

 

 MASS SUBMITTER REGIONAL PROTOTYPE PLANS.

 

 

      (1) Mass submitter regional prototype plan, per basic

 

 plan document (new or amended, regardless of number of

 

 adoption agreements)                                            $3,000

 

 

 NOTE: Separate notification letters are required for

 

 sponsors utilizing mass submitter regional prototype

 

 plans. Such notification letters are issued by key

 

 district offices. The applicable user fee is set forth

 

 in section 6.10(1) of this revenue procedure.

 

 

      (2) Regional prototype plan mass submitter's addition

 

 of new adoption agreements after the basic plan

 

 document and associated adoption agreements have been

 

 approved, per adoption agreement                                  $400

 

 

      (3) Regional prototype plan mass submitter's adoption

 

 of nonmodel amendment pursuant to the limited amendment

 

 procedure described in Rev. Proc. 93-12,

 

 to comply with section 401(a)(31) (Form 4461 or 4461-A)           $400

 

 

      (4) Adoption by regional prototype plan mass submitter

 

 (other than an identical adopter of an M & P mass

 

 submitter plan) of a nonmodel amendment pursuant to the

 

 section 401(a)(17) amendment procedures described in

 

 Rev. Proc. 94-13                                                  $400

 

 

 NOTE: See note in section 6.04(9) of this revenue procedure.

 

 

      .06 OPINION LETTERS ON PROTOTYPE INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT

 

 ACCOUNTS/ANNUITIES AND SIMPLIFIED EMPLOYEE PENSIONS,

 

 INCLUDING SALARY REDUCTION SEPs (SARSEPS).

 

 

      (1) Mass submitter plan, per plan document, new or

 

 amended                                                         $1,000

 

 

      (2) Sponsoring organization's word-for-word identical

 

 adoption of mass submitter's prototype IRA or SEP, per plan

 

 document or an amendment thereof                                  $100

 

 

      NOTE: If a mass submitter submits, in any 12-month

 

 period ending January 31, more than 300 applications on

 

 behalf of word-for-word adopters with respect to a particular

 

 adoption agreement, only the first 300 such applications will

 

 be subject to the fee; no fee will apply to those in excess

 

 of the first 300 such applications submitted within the

 

 12-month period.

 

 

      (3) Sponsoring organization's minor modification

 

 of mass submitter's prototype IRA or SEP, per plan

 

 document                                                        $400

 

 

      (4) Nonmass submission (new or amended) by

 

 sponsoring organization, per plan document (Form 5306 or

 

 Form 5306-SEP)                                                  $500

 

 

      (5) Amendment of an approved SEP or SARSEP by a mass

 

 submitter, an identical adopter, or other sponsoring

 

 organization solely by the adoption of the Model Amendment

 

 reproduced in the Appendix to Rev. Proc. 91-44, per plan

 

 document                                                        $100

 

 

      (6) Adoption of a nonmodel amendment for section

 

 401(a)(17) by a sponsor of a prototype SEP or a SEP

 

 mass submitter pursuant to the alternative amendment

 

 procedures for nonmodel amendments procedures described

 

 in Rev. Proc. 94-13                                             $400

 

 

      .07 COMPLIANCE STATEMENTS.

 

 

      (1) Request for a compliance statement under

 

 the Voluntary Compliance Resolution program described in

 

 Rev. Proc. 94-62:

 

 

      (a) For a plan with assets of less

 

 than $500,000, and no more than 1,000 plan

 

 participants                                                    $500

 

 

      (b) For a plan with assets of at least

 

 $500,000, and no more than 1,000 plan participants             $1,250

 

 

      (c) For a plan with more than 1,000 plan

 

 participants but less than 10,000 plan

 

 participants                                                   $5,000

 

 

      (d) For a plan with 10,000 or more plan

 

 participants                                                  $10,000

 

 

 NOTE: In establishing the number of plan participants,

 

 the plan sponsor will use the numbers from the most

 

 recently filed Form 5500 series.

 

 

      (2) Request for a compliance statement

 

 under the Standardized VCR Procedure                          $350

 

 

      .08 EMPLOYEE PLANT DETERMINATION LETTERS.

 

 

      (1) If the plan is intended to satisfy a

 

 design-based or nondesign-based safe harbor, or if

 

 the applicant is not electing to receive a

 

 determination with respect to any of the general

 

 tests, and the applicant is not electing to

 

 receive a determination with respect to the

 

 average benefit test:

 

 

      (a) Form 5300                                              $700

 

 

      (b) Form 5303                                              $700

 

 

      (c) Form 5310                                              $225

 

 

      (d) Form 5307                                              $125

 

 

      (e) Form 6406                                              $125

 

 

      (f) Multiple employer plan:

 

 

      (i) 2 to 10 employers                                      $700

 

 

      (ii) 11 to 99 employers                                  $1,400

 

 

      (iii) 100 to 499 employers                               $2,800

 

 

      (iv) Over 499 employers                                  $5,600

 

 

 NOTE: In the case of a multiple employer plan, if

 

 any of the participating employers uses the

 

 average benefit/general test, the fees set forth

 

 in paragraph (2) below would apply to the initial

 

 submission. For each employer adopting the plan

 

 after the initial submission the fee would depend

 

 on whether the adopting employer uses the average

 

 benefit/general test: If the employer does not use

 

 that test, the fee would be $700; if the employer

 

 uses the test, the fee would be $1,250.

 

 

(2) If the applicant is electing to receive a determination with respect to the average benefit test and/or any of the general tests:

      (a) Form 5300 or Form 5303                                $1,250

 

 

      (b) Form 5307                                             $1,000

 

 

      (c) Form 5310                                               $375

 

 

      (d) Multiple employer plan:

 

 

      (i) 2 to 10 employers                                     $1,250

 

 

      (ii) 11 to 99 employers                                   $2,000

 

 

      (iii) 100 to 499 employers                                $3,500

 

 

      (iv) Over 499 employers                                   $6,500

 

 

      (3) Group trusts contemplated by Rev. Rul.

 

 81-100, 1981-1 C.B. 326                                          $750

 

 

      (4) Adoption of nonmodel amendment by

 

 employer maintaining an individually designed

 

 plan, pursuant to the limited amendment procedure

 

 described in Rev. Proc. 93-12 to comply with

 

 section 401(a)(31) of the Code (Form 6406)                       $125

 

 

      (5) Adoption of nonmodel amendment by

 

 employer that has previously adopted a volume

 

 submitter's specimen plan and wishes to utilize

 

 the version of the specimen plan that includes a

 

 nonmodel amendment pursuant to the limited

 

 amendment procedure described in Rev. Proc. 93-12

 

 to comply with section 401(a)(31) (Form 5307)                    $125

 

 

      (6) Adoption of nonmodel amendment by employer

 

 maintaining an individually designed plan, pursuant

 

 to the alternative amendment procedures for nonmodel

 

 amendments described in Rev. Proc. 94-13 for

 

 section 401(a)(17)                                               $125

 

 

      (7) Adoption of nonmodel amendment by employer that

 

 has previously adopted a volume submitter's specimen plan

 

 and wishes to utilize the version of the specimen plan

 

 that includes a nonmodel amendment pursuant to the

 

 alternative amendment procedures described in

 

 Rev. Proc. 94-13 for section 401(a)(17)                          $125

 

 

 NOTE: See note in section 6.04(9) of this revenue procedure.

 

 

      09. ADVISORY LETTERS ON VOLUME SUBMITTER PLANS.

 

 

      (1) Volume submitter specimen plans                       $1,500

 

 

 NOTE: A practitioner that has received approval of

 

 a volume submitter specimen plan in a key district

 

 office must receive separate approval of the plan

 

 from each other key district office in which there

 

 are clients adopting substantially similar plans.

 

 If the practitioner certifies at the time of

 

 filing with the second key district office that

 

 the specimen plan is identical to a specimen plan

 

 approved by another key district office with

 

 respect to that practitioner and attaches a copy

 

 of that office's advisory letter, then the user

 

 fee that would otherwise be charged for the

 

 specimen plan will not be charged.

 

 

      (2) Adoption of nonmodel amendment by sponsor

 

 of volume submitter specimen plan pursuant to the

 

 limited amendment procedure described in Rev.

 

 Proc. 93-12 to comply with section 401(a)(31)                    $400

 

 

      (3) Adoption of nonmodel amendment for

 

 section 401(A)(17) by sponsor of volume submitter

 

 specimen plan pursuant to the alternative amendment

 

 procedures described in Rev. Proc. 94-13                         $400

 

 

 NOTE: See note in section 6.04(9) of this revenue

 

 procedure.

 

 

      10. NOTIFICATION LETTERS ISSUED BY KEY

 

 DISTRICT OFFICES WITH RESPECT TO REGIONAL PROTOTYPE

 

 PLANS.

 

 

      (1) Sponsor's identical adoption of mass

 

 submitter's regional prototype plan basic plan

 

 document, per adoption agreement (mass submitters

 

 that are sponsors in their own right are liable

 

 for this fee) (Form 4461-B)                                     $100

 

 

      (2) Nonmass submission by sponsor of regional

 

 prototype plan, per adoption agreement (Form 4461

 

 or 4461-A)                                                    $1,500

 

 

      (3) Sponsor's adoption of nonmodel amendment

 

 pursuant to the limited amendment procedure

 

 described in Rev. Proc. 93-12, comply with section

 

 401(a)(31) (Form 4461 or 4461-A)                              $400

 

 

      (4) Sponsor's adoption of nonmodel amendment for

 

 section 401(a)(17) pursuant to the alternative

 

 amendment procedures for nonmodel amendments

 

 described in Rev. Proc. 94-13                                 $400

 

 

 NOTE: See note in section 6.04(9) of this revenue procedure.

 

 

           EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS CATEGORY                       FEE

 

 

      11. EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS LETTER RULINGS.

 

 

      (1) Applications with respect to change in

 

 accounting period (Form 1128)                                $150

 

 

 NOTE: No user fee is charged if the procedure

 

 described in Rev. Proc. 85-58, 1985-2 C.B. 740, is

 

 used by timely filing the appropriate information

 

 return, or if the procedure described in Rev.

 

 Proc. 76-10, 1976-1 C.B. 548, for organizations

 

 with group exemptions is followed.

 

 

      (2) Applications with respect to change in accounting

 

 method (Form 3115)                                              $200

 

 

 NOTE: No user fee is charged if the method

 

 described in Rev. Proc. 92-74, 1992-2 C.B. 442, or

 

 that described in Rev. Proc. 92-75, 1992-2 C.B.

 

 448, is used. Taxpayers complying timely with

 

 whichever of those revenue procedures is

 

 applicable will be deemed to have obtained the

 

 consent of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue to

 

 change their method of accounting.

 

 

      (3) Advance approval of scholarship grant-

 

 making procedures of a private foundation that has

 

 an agreement for the administration of the

 

 scholarship program with the National Merit

 

 Scholarship Corp., or similar organization

 

 administering a scholarship program shown to meet

 

 Service requirements                                             $100

 

 

      (4) Request for a letter ruling as to whether

 

 an organization exempt from federal income tax is

 

 required to file an annual return under section

 

 6033                                                             $100

 

 

      (5) Request for a confirmation letter ruling

 

 dealing with private benefit/inurement issues on

 

 the tax-exempt status of the organization arising

 

 from proposed tax-exempt bond financing                          $100

 

 

      (6) All other letter rulings                              $1,775

 

 

      Reduced fees applicable to all other letter rulings:

 

 

      (a) Organizations with gross receipts less

 

 than $150,000                                                    $500

 

 

 NOTE: An exempt organization seeking a

 

 reduced fee must certify in the letter ruling

 

 request that its gross receipts for the last

 

 taxable year before the request is filed were less

 

 than $150,000.

 

 

      (b) Letter ruling requests from U.S. citizens

 

 and resident alien individuals, domestic trusts,

 

 and domestic estates whose "total income" as

 

 reported on their federal income tax return (as

 

 amended) filed for a full (12 months) taxable year

 

 ending before the date the request is filed, plus

 

 any interest income not subject to tax under

 

 section 103 (interest on state and local bonds)

 

 for that period, is less than $150,000                           $500

 

 

 NOTE: The reduced fee applies to a married individual

 

 if the combined gross income of the applicant and the

 

 applicant's spouse is less than $150,000. The gross

 

 incomes of the applicant and the applicant's spouse

 

 are not combined, however, if the applicant is legally

 

 separated from his or her spouse and the spouses do

 

 not file a joint income tax return with each other.

 

 In the case of a letter ruling request from

 

 a domestic estate or trust that, at the time the

 

 request is filed, has not filed an income tax

 

 return for a full taxable year, the reduced fee

 

 will be applicable if the decedent's or (in the

 

 case of an individual grantor) the grantor's total

 

 income as reported on the last return filed for a

 

 full taxable year ending before the date of death

 

 or the date of the transfer, taking into account

 

 any additions required to he made to total income

 

 described in this subparagraph, is less than

 

 $150,000.

 

 

      (c) Letter ruling requests in which a

 

 taxpayer requests substantially identical letter

 

 rulings for multiple entities with a common member

 

 or activity, or multiple members of a common

 

 entity, for each additional letter ruling request

 

 after the $1,775 fee has been paid for the first

 

 letter ruling request                                            $200

 

 

      12. EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS DETERMINATION

 

 LETTERS AND REQUESTS FOR GROUP EXEMPTION LETTERS.

 

 

      (1) Initial application for exemption under

 

 section 501 or section 521 from organizations

 

 (other than pension, profit-sharing, and stock

 

 bonus plans described in section 401) that have

 

 had annual gross receipts averaging not more than

 

 $10,000 during the preceding four years, or new

 

 organizations that anticipate gross receipts

 

 averaging not more than $10,000 during their first

 

 four years                                                       $150

 

 

 NOTE: Organizations seeking this reduced fee

 

 must sign a certification with their application

 

 that the receipts are or will be not more than the

 

 indicated amounts.

 

 

      (2) Initial application for exempt status

 

 from organizations otherwise described in

 

 paragraph (1) of this section 6.12

 

 whose actual or anticipated

 

 gross receipts exceed the $10,000 average annually               $465

 

 

 NOTE: If an organization that is already

 

 recognized as exempt under section 501(c)

 

 seeks reclassification under another

 

 subparagraph of section 501(c), a new user fee

 

 will be charged whether or not a new application

 

 is required. An additional fee applies to

 

 organizations that seek recognition of exemption

 

 under section 501(c)(4) (unless requested at the

 

 time of the section 501(c)(3) application) for a

 

 period for which they do not qualify for exemption

 

 under section 501(c)(3) because their application

 

 was filed late and they do not qualify for relief

 

 under section 301.9100-1.

 

 

      (3) Group exemption letters                                 $500

 

 

SECTION 7. MAILING ADDRESS FOR REQUESTING LETTER RULINGS, DETERMINATION LETTERS, ETC.

.01 MATTERS HANDLED BY NATIONAL OFFICE. Requests should either be mailed to the appropriate address set forth in this section 7.01, or hand delivered to the drop box at the 12th Street Entrance of 1111 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. No dated receipt will be given at the drop box.

(1) Employee plans letter rulings under Rev. Proc. 78-37, Rev. Proc. 79-61, Rev. Proc. 79-62, Rev. Proc. 87-50, Rev. Proc. 90-49, Rev. Proc. 94-41, Rev. Proc. 94-42 or Rev. Proc. 95-4:

     Internal Revenue Service

 

     Attention: CP:E:EP

 

     P.O. Box 14073, Ben Franklin Station

 

     Washington, D.C. 20044

 

 

(2) Employee plans opinion letters, advisory letters, or notification letters (that is, notification letters with respect to mass submitters' regional prototype plans) under Rev. Proc. 89-9, Rev. Proc. 89-13 or Rev. Proc. 95-4:

     Internal Revenue Service

 

     Attention: CP:E:EP:

 

     P.O. Box 14073, Ben Franklin Station

 

     Washington, D.C. 20044

 

 

(3) Employee plans compliance statements under Rev. Proc. 94-62:

     Internal Revenue Service

 

     Attention: CP:E:EP:VCR

 

     P.O. Box 14073

 

     Ben Franklin Station

 

     Washington, D.C. 20044

 

 

(4) Employee plans administrative scrutiny determinations under Rev. Proc. 93-41:

     Internal Revenue Service

 

     Attention: CP:E:EP

 

     ADMINISTRATIVE SCRUTINY

 

     P.O. Box 14073

 

     Ben Franklin Station

 

     Washington, D.C. 20044

 

 

(5) Exempt organizations letter rulings:

     Internal Revenue Service

 

     Attention: CP:E:EO

 

     P.O. Box 120, Ben Franklin Station

 

     Washington, D.C. 20044

 

 

.02 MATTERS HANDLED BY KEY DISTRICT OFFICES. A request for a determination letter submitted pursuant to Rev. Proc. 91-66, Rev. Proc. 92-24, Rev. Proc. 92-60, or Rev. Proc. 95-6, a request for a notification letter submitted pursuant to Rev. Proc. 89-13 (other than with respect to a mass submitter's regional prototype plan), a request for an advisory letter with respect to a volume submitter specimen plan, or an application for recognition of exemption submitted pursuant to Rev. Proc. 90-27 should be sent to the following address:

                      EMPLOYEE PLANS APPLICATIONS

 

 

 If entity is in:                      Send request for determination

 

                                       letter, notification letter, or

 

                                       advisory letter to this address:

 

 

 Connecticut, Maine,                   Internal Revenue Service

 

 Massachusetts, New Hampshire,         EP/EO Division

 

 New York, Rhode Island,               P.O. Box 1680, GPO

 

 Vermont                               Brooklyn, NY 11202

 

 

 Delaware, District of Columbia,       Internal Revenue Service

 

 Maryland, New Jersey,                 EP/EO Division

 

 Pennsylvania, Virginia, any U.S.      P.O. Box 17288

 

 possession or foreign country         Baltimore, MD 21203

 

 

 Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan,          Internal Revenue Service

 

 Ohio, West Virginia                   EP/EO Division

 

                                       P.O. Box 3159

 

                                       Cincinnati, OH 45201

 

 

 Arizona, Colorado, Kansas,            Internal Revenue Service

 

 Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas,          EP/EO Division

 

 Utah, Wyoming                         Mail Code 4950 DAL

 

                                       1100 Commerce Street

 

                                       Dallas, TX 75242

 

 

 Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,           Internal Revenue Service

 

 Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi,      EP/EO Division

 

 North Carolina, South Carolina,       P.O. Box 941

 

 Tennessee                             Atlanta, GA 30370

 

 

 Alaska, California, Hawaii,           Internal Revenue Service

 

 Idaho, Nevada, Oregon,                EP Application

 

 Washington                            EP/EO Division

 

                                       McCaslin Industrial Park

 

                                       2 Cupania Circle

 

                                       Monterey Park, CA 91754-7406

 

 

 Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota,            Internal Revenue Service

 

 Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,          EP/EO Division

 

 North Dakota, South Dakota,           230 S. Dearborn DPN 20-6

 

 Wisconsin                             Chicago, IL 60604

 

 

EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS APPLICATIONS

 If entity is in:                      Send request for determination

 

                                       letter, to this address:

 

 

 Connecticut, Maine,                   Internal Revenue Service

 

 Massachusetts, New Hampshire,         EP/EO Division

 

 New York, Rhode Island,               P.O. Box 1680, GPO

 

 Vermont                               Brooklyn, NY 11202

 

 

 Delaware, District of Columbia,       Internal Revenue Service

 

 Maryland, New Jersey,                 EP/EO Division

 

 Pennsylvania, Virginia, any U.S.      P.O. Box 17010

 

 possession or foreign country         Baltimore, MD 21203

 

 

 Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan,          Internal Revenue Service

 

 Ohio, West Virginia                   EP/EO Division

 

                                       P.O. Box 3159

 

                                       Cincinnati, OH 45201

 

 

 Arizona, Colorado, Kansas,            Internal Revenue Service

 

 Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas,          EP/EO Division

 

 Utah, Wyoming                         Mail Code 4950 DAL

 

                                       1100 Commerce Street

 

                                       Dallas, TX 75242

 

 

 Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,           Internal Revenue Service

 

 Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi,      EP/EO Division

 

 North Carolina, South Carolina,       P.O. Box 941

 

 Tennessee                             Atlanta, GA 30370

 

 

 Alaska, California, Hawaii,           Internal Revenue Service

 

 Idaho, Nevada, Oregon,                EO Application

 

 Washington                            EP/EO Division

 

                                       McCaslin Industrial Park

 

                                       2 Cupania Circle

 

                                       Monterey Park, CA 91754-7406

 

 

 Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota,            Internal Revenue Service

 

 Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,          EP/EO Division

 

 North Dakota, South Dakota,           230 S. Dearborn DPN 20-5

 

 Wisconsin                             Chicago, IL 60604

 

 

SECTION 8. REQUESTS INVOLVING MULTIPLE OFFICES, FEE CATEGORIES, ISSUES, TRANSACTIONS, OR ENTITIES

01. REQUESTS INVOLVING SEVERAL OFFICES. If a request dealing with only one transaction involves more than one of the offices within the National Office of the Service (for example, one issue is under the jurisdiction of the Associate Chief Counsel (Domestic) and another issue is under the jurisdiction of the Assistant Commissioner (Employee Plans and Exempt Organizations)), only one fee applies, namely the highest fee that otherwise would apply to each of the offices involved. See Rev. Proc. 95-1, this Bulletin, for the user fees applicable to issues under the jurisdiction of the Associate Chief Counsel (Domestic), the Associate Chief Counsel (Employee Benefits and Exempt Organizations), the Associate Chief Counsel (Enforcement Litigation), or the Associate Chief Counsel (International).

02. REQUESTS INVOLVING SEVERAL FEE CATEGORIES. If a request dealing with only one transaction involves more than one category, only one fee applies, namely the highest fee that otherwise would apply to each of the categories involved.

03. REQUESTS INVOLVING SEVERAL ISSUES. If a request dealing with only one transaction involves several issues, or a request for a change in accounting method dealing with only one item or sub-method of accounting involves several issues, or a request for a change in accounting period dealing with only one item involves several issues, the request is treated as one request. Therefore, only one fee applies, namely the fee that applies to the particular category or subcategory involved. The addition of a new issue relating to the same transaction will not result in an additional fee, unless the issue places the transaction in a higher fee category.

.04 REQUESTS INVOLVING SEVERAL UNRELATED TRANSACTIONS. If a request involves several unrelated transactions, or a request for a change in accounting method involves several unrelated items or sub- methods of accounting, or a request for a change in accounting period involves several unrelated items, each transaction or item is treated as a separate request. As a result, a separate fee will apply for each unrelated transaction or item. An additional will apply if the request is changed by the addition of an unrelated transaction or item not contained in the initial submission.

.05 REQUESTS INVOLVING SEVERAL ENTITIES. Each entity involved in a transaction (for example, an exempt hospital reorganization) that desires a separate letter ruling in its own name must pay a separate fee regardless of whether the transaction or transactions may be viewed as related. In certain situations, however, a reduced fee may be charged. See section 6.11(6)(c) of this revenue procedure.

SECTION 9. PAYMENT OF FEE

.01. METHOD OF PAYMENT. Each request to the Service for a letter ruling, determination letter, opinion letter, etc. must be accompanied by a check or money order, payable to the Internal Revenue Service, in the appropriate amount. Taxpayers should not send cash.

.02 TRANSMITTAL FORMS. Form 8717, User Fee for Employee Plan Determination Letter Request, and Form 8718, User Fee for Exempt Organization Determination Letter Request, are intended to be used as attachments to determination letter applications. Space is reserved for the attachment of the applicable user fee check or money order. No similar form has been designed to be used in connection with requests for letter rulings, opinion letters, notification letters, advisory letters, compliance statements or administrative scrutiny determinations.

.03 EFFECT OF NONPAYMENT OR PAYMENT OF INCORRECT AMOUNT. It will be the general practice of the Service that:

(1) Except in the case of requests for determination letters or opinion letters as to the qualification of employee plans (see paragraph (2) below), the respective offices within the Service that are responsible for issuing letter rulings, determination letters, etc. will exercise discretion in deciding whether to immediately return submissions that are not accompanied by a properly completed check or money order or that are accompanied by a check or money order for less than the correct amount. In those instances where the submission is not immediately returned, the requester will be contacted and given a reasonable amount of time to submit the proper fee. If the proper fee is not received within a reasonable amount of time, the entire submission will then be returned. However, the respective offices of the Service, in their discretion, may defer substantive consideration of a submission until proper payment has been received.

(2) If a request for a determination letter or opinion letter as to the qualification of an employee plan is not accompanied by a properly completed check or money order or if the request is accompanied by a check or money order for less than the correct amount, the entire submission will be returned to the requester.

(3) An application for a determination letter will not be returned merely because Form 8717 or Form 8718 was not attached.

(4) The return of a submission to the requester may adversely affect substantive rights if the submission is not perfected and resubmitted to the Service within 30 days of the date of the cover letter returning the submission. Examples of this are: (a) where an application for a determination letter is submitted prior to the expiration of the remedial amendment period under section 401(b) and is returned because no user fee was attached, the submission will be timely if it is resubmitted by the expiration of the remedial amendment period or, if later, within 30 days after the application was returned; and (b) where an application for exemption under section 501(c)(3) is submitted before expiration of the period provided by section 1.508-1(a)(2) and is returned because no user fee was attached, the submission will be timely if it is resubmitted before expiration of the period provided by section 1.508-1(a)(2) or within 30 days, whichever is later.

(5) If a check or money order is for more than the correct amount, the submission will be accepted and the amount of the excess payment will be returned to the requester.

SECTION 10. REFUNDS

.01 GENERAL RULE. In general, the fee will not be refunded unless the Service declines to rule on all issues for which a ruling is requested.

.02 EXAMPLES

(1) THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS ARE EXAMPLES OF SITUATIONS IN WHICH THE FEE WILL NOT BE REFUNDED:

(a) The request for a letter ruling, determination letter, etc. is withdrawn at any time subsequent to its receipt by the Service, unless the only reason for withdrawal is that the Service has advised the requester that a higher user fee than was sent with the request is applicable and the requester is unwilling to pay the higher fee.

(b) The request is procedurally deficient, although accompanied by the proper fee or an overpayment and is not timely perfected by the requester. When there is a failure to timely perfect the request, the case will be considered closed and the failure to perfect will be treated as a withdrawal for purposes of this revenue procedure.

(c) A letter ruling, determination letter, etc. is revoked in whole or in part at the initiative of the Service. The fee paid at the time the original letter ruling, determination letter, etc. was requested will not be refunded.

(d) The request contains several issues and the Service rules on some, but not all, of the issues. The highest fee applicable to the issues on which the Service rules will not be refunded.

(e) The requester asserts that a letter ruling the taxpayer received covering a single issue is erroneous or not responsive (other than an issue on which the Service has declined to rule) and requests reconsideration. The Service, upon reconsideration, does not agree that the letter ruling is erroneous or is not responsive. The fee accompanying the request for reconsideration will not be refunded.

(f) The situation is the same as described in subparagraph (e) of this section 10.02(1) except that the letter ruling covered several unrelated transactions. The Service, upon reconsideration, does not agree with the taxpayer that the letter ruling is erroneous or not responsive for all of the transactions, but does agree that it is erroneous as to one transaction. The fee accompanying the request for reconsideration will not be refunded except to the extent applicable to the transaction for which the Service agrees the letter ruling was in error.

(g) The request is for a supplemental letter ruling, determination letter, etc. concerning a change in facts (whether significant or not) relating to the transaction ruled on.

(h) The request is for reconsideration of an adverse or partially adverse letter ruling or a final adverse determination letter, and the requester submits arguments and authorities not submitted before the original letter ruling or determination letter was issued.

(2) THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS ARE EXAMPLES OF SITUATIONS IN WHICH THE FEE WILL BE REFUNDED:

(a) In a situation to which section 10.02(1)(h) of this revenue procedure does not apply, the taxpayer asserts that a letter ruling the taxpayer received covering a single issue is erroneous or not responsive (other than an issue on which the Service declined to rule) and requests reconsideration. The Service agrees, upon reconsideration, that the letter ruling is erroneous or is not responsive. The fee accompanying the taxpayer's request for reconsideration will be refunded.

(b) In a situation to which section 10.02(1)(h) of this revenue procedure does not apply, the requester requests a supplemental letter ruling, determination letter, etc. to correct a mistake that the Service agrees it made in the original letter ruling, determination letter, etc., such as a mistake in the statement of facts or in the citation of a Code section. Once the Service agrees that it made a mistake, the fee accompanying the request for the supplemental letter ruling, determination letter, etc. will be refunded.

(c) The taxpayer requests and is granted relief under section 7805(b) in connection with the revocation in whole or in part, of a previously issued letter ruling, determination letter, etc. The fee accompanying the request for relief will be funded.

SECTION 11. REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF USER FEE

A taxpayer that believes the user fee charged by the Service for its request for a letter ruling, determination letter, etc. is either not applicable or incorrect and wishes to receive a refund of all or part of the amount paid (see section 10 of this revenue procedure) may request reconsideration and, if desired, the opportunity for an oral discussion by sending a letter to the Internal Revenue Service at the applicable Post Office Box or other address given in this section 11. Both the incoming envelope and the letter requesting such reconsideration should be prominently marked "USER FEE RECONSIDERATION REQUEST." No user fee is required for such requests. The request should be marked for the attention of:

 IF THE MATTER INVOLVES PRIMARILY:  MARK FOR THE ATTENTION OF:

 

 

 National Office employee plans

 

 requests:

 

 

 Opinion letter and notification    Director, Employee Plans Division,

 

 letter requests                    CP:E:EP

 

 

 Minimum funding waiver requests,   Director, Employee Plans Division,

 

 requests under Rev. Proc. 90-49,   CP:E:EP

 

 and requests for computation of

 

 the exclusion ratio under section

 

 72

 

 

 All other employee plans letter    Director, Employee Plans Division,

 

 ruling requests                    CP:E:EP

 

 

 Employee plans and/or exempt       Chief, Technical/Review Staff

 

 organizations determination

 

 letter requests

 

 

                                    ____ Key District Office

 

                                    (Add name of key district office

 

                                    handling the request.)

 

 

 Exempt organizations letter        Director, Exempt Organizations

 

 ruling requests                    Division, CP:E:EO

 

 

SECTION 12. EFFECT ON OTHER DOCUMENTS

01. Rev. Proc. 94-8 is superseded.

02. The following revenue procedures, cited in the appendix, are modified by substituting for the references to Rev. Proc. 94-8 that they contain (as the result of their modification by Rev. Proc. 94-8) corresponding references to this revenue procedure: Rev. Proc. 90-21, Rev. Proc. 90-27, Rev. Proc. 90-49, Rev. Proc. 91-22, Rev. Proc. 91-44, Rev. Proc. 92-20, Rev. Proc. 92-38, Rev. Proc. 92-60, and Rev. Proc. 93-12.

SECTION 13. EFFECTIVE DATE

This revenue procedure is effective January 3, 1995.

DRAFTING INFORMATION

The principal author of this revenue procedure is John H. Turner of the Employee Plans Division. For further information regarding this revenue procedure, contact Mr. Turner at (202) 622-6214 (not a toll-free number).

APPENDIX

Following is a list of revenue procedures relating to requests for letter rulings, determination letters, etc. that require payment of a user fee, or to requests under the Voluntary Compliance Resolution Program or the Standardized VCR Procedure:

A. PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO BOTH EMPLOYEE PLANS AND EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS:

Rev. Proc. 95-4, this Bulletin, provides procedures for issuing letter rulings, information letters, etc. on matters relating to matters under the jurisdiction of the Assistant Commissioner (Employee Plans and Exempt Organizations).

B. PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO EMPLOYEE PLANS MATTERS OTHER THAN ACTUARIAL MATTERS:

Rev. Proc. 75-26, 1975-1 C.B. 722, sets forth the general procedures of the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service for the processing of applications for exemption under section 408(a) of ERISA and section 4975(c)(2) of the Code.

Rev. Proc. 87-50, 1987-2 C.B. 647, as modified by Rev. Proc. 91-44 and Rev. Proc. 92-38, sets forth the procedures of the Service relating to the issuance of rulings and opinion letters with respect to the establishment of individual retirement accounts and annuities (IRAs) under section 408, the entitlement to exemption of related trusts or custodial accounts under section 408(e), and the acceptability of the form of prototype simplified employee pension (SEP) agreements under sections 408(k) and 415.

Rev. Proc. 89-9, 1989-1 C.B. 780, as modified by Rev. Proc. 90-21; Rev. Proc. 91-66 (Sections 8.03-8.08); Rev. Proc. 92-41, 1992-1 C.B. 870; Rev. Proc. 93-9, 1993-1 C.B. 474; and Rev. Proc. 93-12; and Rev. Proc. 94-13; and as supplemented by Rev. Proc. 93-10, 1993-1 C.B. 476, sets forth the procedures of the Service pertaining to the issuance of opinion letters relating to master or prototype pension, profit-sharing and annuity plans involving sections 401 and 403(a), as amended by the Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA '86), the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (OBRA '86), the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA '87), and the Technical and Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988 (TAMRA), and the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1993 (OBRA '93) and the status for exemption of related trusts or custodial accounts under section 501(a).

Rev. Proc. 89-13, 1989-1 C.B. 801, as modified by Rev. Proc. 90-21, Rev. Proc. 91-66 (sections 8.03-8.08), Rev. Proc. 92-41, Rev. Proc. 93-9 and Rev. Proc. 93-12, and as supplemented by Rev. Proc. 93-10, sets forth the procedures of the Service for issuing notification letters relating to the qualification, as to form, of certain regional prototype defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans, and provides guidance with respect to the issuance of determination letters to employers adopting such plans as to whether the plans as adopted qualify under sections 401 and 403(a) and as to whether any related trusts or custodial accounts are exempt under section 501(a).

Rev. Proc. 90-21, 1990-1 C.B. 499, modified Rev. Proc. 89-9 and Rev. Proc. 89-13 regarding certain requirements for approval by the Service of master and prototype (M & P) pension, profit-sharing and annuity plans and regional prototype plans.

Rev. Proc. 91-44, 1991-2 C.B. 733, modified Rev. Proc. 87-50 (section 2.10) and Notice 87-62, 1987-2 C.B. 374, to permit a mass submitter or sponsoring organization to obtain an opinion letter for a prototype simplified employee pension (SEP) agreement that provides for contributions pursuant to an employee's election as described in section 408(k)(6). The revenue procedure provides a model amendment that a sponsor may use verbatim to add elective deferral provisions to an existing prototype SEP and also provides two other formats for sponsors to use to add elective deferral provisions to existing prototype SEPs or to use with new prototype SEPs that provide for elective deferrals.

Rev. Proc. 91-66, 1991-2 C.B. 870, which was modified by Rev. Proc. 92-60, Rev. Proc. 93-6 and Rev. Proc. 93-10, set forth temporary procedures relating to the issuance of determination letters on the qualified status of pension, profit-sharing, and annuity plans under sections 401 and 403(a), as amended by the Tax Reform Act of 1986, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, the Technical and Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988, and the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989. Rev. Proc. 91-66 has been superseded by Rev. Proc. 93-39, with the exception of sections 8.03-8.08, relating to M & P and regional prototype plans.

Rev. Proc. 92-24, 1992-1 C.B. 739, provides procedures for requesting determination letters on the effect on a plan's qualified status under section 401(a) of the Code of plan language that permits, pursuant to section 420, the transfer of assets in a defined benefit plan to a health benefits account described in section 401(h).

Rev. Proc. 92-38, 1992-1 C.B. 859, provides notice that individual retirement arrangement trusts, custodial account agreements, and annuity contracts must be amended to provide for the required distribution rules in section 408(a)(6) or (b)(3). In addition, Rev. Proc. 92-38 modifies the guidance in Rev. Proc. 87-50 with regard to opinion letters issued to sponsoring organizations, including mass submitters and sponsors of prototype IRAs.

Rev. Proc. 93-12, as modified by Rev. Proc. 93-39, provides a simplified method for master and prototype plan sponsoring organizations or mass submitters, regional prototype plan sponsors or mass submitters, volume submitter specimen plan sponsors, and sponsors of individually designed plans which have received favorable opinion, notification, advisory, or determination letters to amend their plans to comply with section 401(a)(31) by adopting either a model amendment or a nonmodel amendment for approval by the Service.

Rev. Proc. 93-39, 1993-2 C.B. 513, sets forth procedures for requesting determination letters for pension, profit-sharing, and annuity plans under sections 401(a) and 403(a), as amended, and on the tax exempt status of any related trusts or custodial accounts under section 501(a). These procedures are in addition to the Service's general determination letter procedures contained in Rev. Proc. 95-6.

Rev. Proc. 93-41, 1993-32 C.B. 536, sets forth the procedures of the Service relating to the issuance of an administrative scrutiny determination as to whether a separate line of business satisfies the requirement of administrative scrutiny within the meaning of section 1.414(r)-6.

Rev. Proc. 94-13, 1994-1 C.B. 566, provides guidance for certain sponsors of qualified plans and SEPs on amending their plans to reflect the modifications made by section 13212 of OBRA '93 to section 401(a)(17).

Rev. Proc. 94-62, 1994-39 I.R.B. 11, describes the Voluntary Compliance Resolution (VCR) program and the Standarized VCR Procedure (SVP). The VCR program permits plan sponsors (including employers, plan administrators and trustees) to correct operational plan defects that they have identified. Certain other operational defects may be corrected under the SVP, pursuant to rules set forth in the applicable sections of Rev. Proc. 94-62.

Rev. Proc. 95-6 provides procedures for issuing determination letters on the qualified status of employee plans under sections 401(a), 403(a), 409, and 4975(e)(7).

C. EMPLOYEE PLANS ACTUARIAL MATTERS:

Rev. Proc. 78-37, 1978-2 C.B. 540, sets forth the procedure by which a plan administrator or plan sponsor may obtain approval of the Secretary of the Treasury for a change in funding method as provided by section 412(c)(5) and section 302(c)(5) of ERISA.

Rev. Proc. 79-61, 1979-2 C.B. 575, outlines the procedure by which a plan administrator or plan sponsor may request and obtain approval for an extension of an amortization period in accordance with section 412(e) and section 304(a) of ERISA.

Rev. Proc. 79-62, 1979-2 C.B. 576, outlines the procedure by which a plan sponsor or administrator may request a determination that a plan amendment is reasonable and provides for only de minimis increases in p1an liabilities in accordance with section 412(f)(2)(A) and section 304(b)(2)(A) of ERISA.

Rev. Proc. 90-49, 1990-2 C.B. 620, modifies and replaces Rev. Proc. 89-35, 1989-1 C.B. 917, in order to extend the effective date to contributions made for plan years beginning after December 31, 1989, to change the deadline for requesting rulings under the revenue procedure, to revise the information requirements for a ruling request made under the revenue procedure, to furnish a worksheet for actuarial computations, and to provide a special rule under which certain de minimis nondeductible employer contributions to a qualified defined benefit plan may be returned to the taxpayer without a formal ruling or disallowance from the Service.

Rev. Proc. 94-41, 1994-1 C.B. 711, sets forth procedures for requesting waivers of the minimum funding standard described in section 412(d) and the issuance of such waivers by the Assistant Commissioner (Employee Plans and Exempt Organizations).

Rev. Proc. 94-42, 1994-1 C.B. 717, supersedes Rev. Proc. 79-18, 1979-1 C.B. 525, and Rev. Rul. 79-215, 1979-2 C.B. 190, and sets forth a procedure for obtaining approval of an amendment to a qualified plan that, under section 412(c)(8), reduces the accrued benefits of plan participants.

D. PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS MATTERS ONLY:

Rev. Proc. 80-27, 1980-1 C.B. 677, provides procedures under which recognition of exemption from federal income tax under section 501(c) may be obtained on a group basis for subordinate organizations affiliated with and under the general supervision or control of a central organization. This procedure relieves each of the subordinates covered by a group exemption letter from filing its own application for recognition of exemption.

Rev. Proc. 90-27, 1990-1 C.B. 514, sets forth revised procedures with regard to applications for recognition of exemption from federal income tax under sections 501 and 521 of the Code.

DOCUMENT ATTRIBUTES
  • Institutional Authors
    Internal Revenue Service
  • Code Sections
  • Subject Areas/Tax Topics
  • Index Terms
    pension plans, qualification
    employee benefit plans, determination letters, user fees
    exempt organizations, determination letters, user fees
    IRS, ruling letter fee schedule
  • Jurisdictions
  • Language
    English
  • Tax Analysts Electronic Citation
    95 TNT 4-16
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