IRS Updates Comprehensive Employee Plan Correction Guidance.

.01 Purpose. This revenue procedure updates the comprehensive system of correction programs for sponsors of retirement plans that are intended to satisfy the requirements of § 401(a), 403(a), 403(b), 408(k), or 408(p) of the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code"), but that have not met these requirements for a period of time. This system, the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System ("EPCRS"), permits Plan Sponsors to correct these failures and thereby continue to provide their employees with retirement benefits on a tax-favored basis. The components of EPCRS are the Self-Correction Program ("SCP"), the Voluntary Correction Program ("VCP"), and the Audit Closing Agreement Program ("Audit CAP").

.02 General principles underlying EPCRS. EPCRS is based on the following general principles:

• Sponsors and other administrators of eligible plans should be encouraged to establish administrative practices and procedures that ensure that these plans are operated properly in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Code.

• Sponsors and other administrators of eligible plans should satisfy the applicable plan document requirements of the Code.

• Sponsors and other administrators should make voluntary and timely correction of any plan failures, whether involving discrimination in favor of highly compensated employees, plan operations, the terms of the plan document, or adoption of a plan by an ineligible employer. Timely and efficient correction protects participating employees by providing them with their expected retirement benefits, including favorable tax treatment.

• Voluntary compliance is promoted by providing for limited fees for voluntary corrections approved by the Service, thereby reducing employers' uncertainty regarding their potential tax liability and participants' potential tax liability.

• Fees and sanctions should be graduated in a series of steps so that there is always an incentive to correct promptly.

• Sanctions for plan failures identified on audit should be reasonable in light of the nature, extent, and severity of the violation.

• Administration of EPCRS should be consistent and uniform.

• Sponsors should be able to rely on the availability of EPCRS in taking corrective actions to maintain the tax-favored status of their plans.

• Self-correction (SCP). A Plan Sponsor that has established compliance practices and procedures may, at any time without paying any fee or sanction, correct insignificant Operational Failures under a Qualified Plan, a 403(b) Plan, a SEP, or a SIMPLE IRA Plan, provided the SEP or SIMPLE IRA Plan is established and maintained on a document approved by the Service. In addition, in the case of a Qualified Plan that is the subject of a favorable determination letter from the Service or in the case of a 403(b) Plan, the Plan Sponsor generally may correct even significant Operational Failures without payment of any fee or sanction.

• Voluntary correction with Service approval (VCP). A Plan Sponsor, at any time before audit, may pay a limited fee and receive the Service's approval for correction of a Qualified Plan, 403(b) Plan, SEP, or SIMPLE IRA Plan. Under VCP, there are special procedures for anonymous submissions and group submissions.

• Correction on audit (Audit CAP). If a failure (other than a failure corrected through SCP or VCP) is identified on audit, the Plan Sponsor may correct the failure and pay a sanction. The sanction imposed will bear a reasonable relationship to the nature, extent, and severity of the failure, taking into account the extent to which correction occurred before audit.

.01 Effect on programs. This revenue procedure modifies and supersedes Rev. Proc. 2006-27, 2006-1 C.B. 945 (as modified by Rev. Proc. 2007-49, 2007-30 I.R.B. 141), which was the prior consolidated statement of the correction programs under EPCRS. The modifications to Rev. Proc. 2006-27 that are reflected in this revenue procedure include:

• Expanding the definition of plan loan failure to include violations of § 72(p)(2), regardless of whether the plan contains language relating to § 72(p). (sections 4.01 and 6.07)

• Clarifying that in particular cases the Service may decline to make available one or more correction programs under EPCRS in the interest of sound tax administration. (section 4.01(5))

• Expanding the scope of the SCP by: (i) liberalizing the requirements for determining whether there was substantial completion of correction as of the first date the plan or Plan Sponsor is considered to be Under Examination and (ii) expanding the failures for which sample correction methods are provided. (sections 4.05(2) and 9.04, Appendix A .05, and Appendix B 2.02)

• Expanding the correction method with respect to elective deferrals to include catch-up contributions under § 414(v) and plans that provide the opportunity for an employee to designate all or a portion of elective deferrals as designated Roth contributions. (Appendix A .05, and Appendix B 2.02)

• Expanding the correction method for a failure to include an eligible employee in a § 401(k) plan to include a situation in which elective deferral and after-tax employee contribution elections are not implemented by the employer or are implemented in a manner inconsistent with the plan's terms. (Appendix A .05 and Appendix B 2.02)

• Revising the requirements for submitting a determination letter application when correcting certain Qualification Failures by plan amendment. (sections 6.05, 10.08, and 11.01)

• Clarifying the scope of a compliance statement issued when correcting certain Qualification Failures by plan amendment. (sections 6.05 and 10.08)

• Updating the definition of Excess Amounts and providing corrections for Excess Amounts failures, including those resulting from the failure to satisfy the requirements of § 415. This update includes correction rules largely similar to the corrections that were at § 1.415-6(b)(6)(iii) of the Income Tax Regulations (as it appeared in the April 1, 2007 edition of 26 CFR part 1) prior to amendments made by the recently finalized regulations under § 415, but with the amount placed in an unallocated account to be reallocated in lieu of employer contributions other than elective deferrals. (sections 5.01(3) and 6.06, and Appendix A .08)

• Updating the definition of Favorable Letter. (section 5.01(4))

• Adding a factor to be considered in the determination of whether a correction method is reasonable and appropriate. The factor requires consideration of corrections of violations that are similar to the failure being addressed by other government agencies. In appropriate cases, for a failure that results from either the employer having ceased to exist, the employer no longer maintaining the plan, or similar reasons, the permitted correction would be to terminate the plan and distribute plan assets to participants and beneficiaries in accordance with standards and procedures substantially similar to those set forth in section 2578.1 of the Department of Labor Regulations (relating to abandoned plans). (section 6.02(2)(e)(ii) and Appendix A .09)

• Clarifying that the earnings adjustment for corrective contributions or distributions is calculated from the date when the qualification failure occurred without regard to any extensions provided under the Code. (section 6.02(4)(e))

• Clarifying that the earnings rate derived from the Department of Labor's VFCP Online calculator may be used to determine the earnings adjustment applied to corrective contributions, distributions, allocations, and reallocations if it is not feasible to make a reasonable estimate of what the actual investment results would have been. (section 6.02(5)(a))

• Providing that if the total corrective distribution due a participant or beneficiary is $75 or less, the Plan Sponsor is not required to make the corrective distribution if the reasonable direct costs of processing and delivering the distribution to the participant or beneficiary would exceed the amount of the distribution. (section 6.02(5)(b))

• Providing that if the Plan Sponsor attempts the IRS' Letter Forwarding Program to locate participants and the Service declines to implement the letter forwarding request, then the Plan Sponsor will use alternate means to locate missing participants. (section 6.02(5)(d))

• Clarifying that if a Plan Sponsor either (i) wants a participant's deemed distribution to be reported on Form 1099-R for the year of correction (instead of the year of the failure) or (ii) wants relief from reporting a participant's loan as a deemed distribution on Form 1099-R, then it must specifically request such relief. (sections 6.07(1) and 6.07(2)(a))

• Clarifying the treatment of amounts improperly distributed to participants and beneficiaries under the plan which are rolled over to IRAs, with respect to the excise tax under § 4973. (sections 6.03(4) and 6.09(5))

• Clarifying the circumstances under which a waiver of the excise tax under § 4974 would be considered under Audit CAP. (section 6.09(2))

• Expanding income and excise taxes that the Service may exercise discretion to not pursue. (sections 6.09(5) and 6.09(6))

• Clarifying the scope of a compliance statement issued with respect to certain nonamender failures. (sections 6.05 and 10.08)

• Providing for new and expanded streamlined application procedures for interim nonamenders and the failure to implement optional law changes timely and other nonamenders, certain SEP, SARSEP and SIMPLE IRA failures, certain plan loan failures, Employer Eligibility Failures, § 402(g) failures, § 401(a)(9) failures, and failures that involve plan amendment in accordance with Appendix B 2.07. (section 11.02, Appendix F)

• Reducing the compliance fee under certain circumstances for a plan where the sole failure is the failure of participant loans to comply with the requirements of § 72(p)(2). (section 12.02(3))

• Clarifying that, in the case of a Qualification Failure that is intentional, the compliance fee under VCP will be determined in accordance with section 12.06. (section 12.06)

• Providing that Audit CAP provisions apply if the Service identifies a participant loan that did not comply with the requirements of § 72(p)(2) (other than a loan failure that is corrected in accordance with SCP or VCP) upon an Employee Plans or Exempt Organizations examination of a Qualified Plan or 403(b) Plan. (sections 13.01 and 14.01)

• Providing a sample application form for VCP filings. (revised Appendix D)

(3) Designated Roth contributions. Comments are also specifically requested on special issues relating to designated Roth contributions. For example, comments are requested on whether, if a plan failed to implement a participant's election to have a designated Roth contribution made on his or her behalf, but instead a pre-tax elective deferral was made for the participant with the participant's compensation reduced accordingly, would it be an appropriate correction for the failure for the employer to ask the participant whether correction should be made by a transfer of the contribution (with earnings) to a Roth account and inclusion of the amount so transferred in the participant's compensation in the year of the transfer (instead of either (i) a similar transfer with a corrected W-2 for the year of the failure and the participant having to complete an amended return for the year of the failure or (ii) a similar transfer and inclusion of the amount so transferred in the participant's compensation in the year of the transfer, but with the employer to make a grossup payment to the participant to make the participant whole for the resulting income tax). Comments are also requested regarding cases in which a plan fails to notify an employee of his or her right to elect designated Roth contributions, such as whether the correction for the failure described in the preceding sentence should also be applied in this case or whether some additional corrective contribution should be required to reflect the possibility that a participant's decision to make an elective deferral might be affected by the availability of designated Roth contributions. See also section .05(3) of Appendix A and Example 3 of Appendix B, section 2.02(1)(b), for an illustration of correction for exclusion of otherwise eligible employees from being able to make elective deferrals, which applies without regard to whether the plan only permits pre-tax elective deferrals or whether the plan also permits designated Roth elective deferrals.

(4) Section 1101 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006. (a) Section 1101 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA '06), Public Law 109-280 (120 Stat. 780), grants the Secretary of the Treasury the full authority to establish and implement EPCRS and, among other things, instructs the Secretary to continue to update and improve EPCRS, giving special attention to the following: (1) increasing the awareness and knowledge of small employers concerning the availability and use of the program; (2) taking into account special concerns and circumstances that small employers face with respect to compliance and correction of compliance failures; (3) extending the duration of the self-correction period under SCP for significant compliance failures; (4) expanding the availability to correct insignificant compliance failures under SCP during audit; and (5) assuring that any tax, penalty, or sanction that is imposed by reason of a compliance failure is not excessive and bears a reasonable relationship to the nature, extent, and severity of the failure.

PCRS has historically been structured to achieve the general principles that are described in section 1.02 of this revenue procedure. This revenue procedure, like the many predecessor revenue procedures¹ that addressed correction of qualification failures, continues to include modifications that are designed to make the EPCRS programs more accessible, particularly with respect to small employers. For example, Appendix F has been substantially expanded to add additional failures that commonly occur in plans maintained by small employers, and significantly reduces the burden and cost to an employer of submitting under the VCP. Various other changes have been made that will provide assurance to small employers and other Plan Sponsors, including expansion of the standard corrections in Appendices A and B (such as correction for abandoned plans and orphan contracts and further expansion of standard correction for qualification failures involving the operational failure to extend elective deferrals to eligible employees). In addition, eligibility under SCP has been expanded with respect to employers who discover failures in their plans and have begun the correction process. See section 2.01 for a more thorough list of changes made in this revenue procedure.

PART II. PROGRAM EFFECT AND ELIGIBILITY

SECTION 3. EFFECT OF EPCRS; RELIANCE

.01 Effect of EPCRS on retirement plans. For a Qualified Plan, a 403(b) Plan, a SEP, or a SIMPLE IRA Plan, if the eligibility requirements of section 4 are satisfied and the Plan Sponsor corrects a failure in accordance with the applicable requirements of SCP in section 7, VCP in sections 10 and 11, or Audit CAP in section 13, the Service will not treat the plan as failing to meet § 401(a), § 403(b), § 408(k), or § 408(p), as applicable. Thus, for example, if the Plan Sponsor corrects a failure in accordance with the requirements of this revenue procedure, the plan will not thereby be treated as failing to satisfy § 401(a), § 403(b), § 408(k), or § 408(p), as applicable, for purposes of applying § 3121(a)(5) (FICA taxes) and § 3306(b)(5) (FUTA taxes).

.02 Compliance statement. If a Plan Sponsor or Eligible Organization receives a compliance statement under VCP, the compliance statement is binding upon the Service and the Plan Sponsor or Eligible Organization as provided in section 10.09.

.03 Other taxes and penalties. See section 6.09 for rules relating to other taxes and penalties.

.04 Reliance. Taxpayers may rely on this revenue procedure, including the relief described in section 3.01.

SECTION 4. PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

.01 EPCRS Programs. (1) SCP. SCP is available only for Operational Failures. Qualified Plans and 403(b) Plans are eligible for SCP with respect to significant and insignificant Operational Failures. SEPs and SIMPLE IRA Plans are eligible for SCP only with respect to insignificant Operational Failures.

(2) VCP. Qualified Plans, 403(b) Plans, SEPs, and SIMPLE IRA Plans are eligible for VCP. VCP provides general procedures for correction of all Qualification Failures: Operational, Plan Document, Demographic, and Employer Eligibility. VCP also provides general procedures for the correction of participant loans that did not comply with the requirements of § 72(p)(2).

(3) Audit CAP. Unless otherwise provided, Audit CAP is available for Qualified Plans, 403(b) Plans, SEPs, and SIMPLE IRA Plans for correction of all failures found on examination that have not been corrected in accordance with SCP or VCP. Audit CAPalso provides general procedures for the correction of participant loans that did not comply with the requirements of § 72(p)(2).

(4) Eligibility for other arrangements. The Service may extend EPCRS to other arrangements.

(5) Appropriate use of programs. In a particular case, the Service may decline to make available one or more correction programs under EPCRS in the interest of sound tax administration.

.02 Effect of examination. If the plan or Plan Sponsor is Under Examination, VCP is not available and SCP is only available as follows: while the plan or Plan Sponsor is Under Examination, insignificant Operational Failures can be corrected under SCP; and, if correction of significant operational failures has been completed or substantially completed (as described in section 9.04) before the plan or Plan Sponsor is Under Examination, correction of those failures can be completed under SCP.

.03 Favorable Letter requirement. The provisions of SCP relating to significant Operational Failures (see section 9) are available for a Qualified Plan only if the plan is the subject of a Favorable Letter. The provisions of SCP relating to insignificant Operational Failures (see section 8) are available for a SEP but only if the plan document consists of either (i) a valid Model Form 5305-SEP or 5305A-SEP adopted by an employer in accordance with the instructions on the applicable form (see Rev. Proc. 2002-10, 2002-1 C.B. 401) or (ii) a prototype SEP that has a current favorable opinion letter which has been amended in accordance with the procedures set forth in Rev. Proc. 2002-10. The provisions of SCP relating to insignificant Operational Failures (see section 8) are available for a SIMPLE IRA Plan but only if the plan document consists of either (i) a valid Model Form 5305-SIMPLE or 5304-SIMPLE adopted by an employer in accordance with the instructions on the applicable form (see Rev. Proc. 2002-10) or (ii) a current favorable opinion letter for a Plan Sponsor that has adopted a prototype SIMPLE IRA Plan which has been amended in accordance with the procedures set forth in Rev. Proc. 2002-10.

.04 Established practices and procedures. In order to be eligible for SCP, the Plan Sponsor or administrator of a plan must have established practices and procedures (formal or informal) reasonably designed to promote and facilitate overall compliance with applicable Code requirements. For example, the plan administrator of a Qualified Plan that may be top-heavy under § 416 may include in its plan operating manual a specific annual step to determine whether the plan is top-heavy and, if so, to ensure that the minimum contribution requirements of the top-heavy rules are satisfied. A plan document alone does not constitute evidence of established procedures. In order for a Plan Sponsor or administrator to use SCP, these established procedures must have been in place and routinely followed, and an Operational Failure must have occurred through an oversight or mistake in applying them. In addition, SCP may also be used in situations where the Operational Failure occurred because the procedures that were in place, while reasonable, were not sufficient to prevent the occurrence of the failure. In the case of a failure that relates to Transferred Assets or to a plan assumed in connection with a corporate merger, acquisition, or other similar employer transaction between the Plan Sponsor and sponsor of the transferor plan or the prior Plan Sponsor of an assumed plan, the plan is considered to have established practices and procedures for the Transferred Assets if such practices and procedures are in effect for the Transferred Assets by the end of the first plan year that begins after the corporate merger, acquisition, or other similar transaction.

.05 Correction by plan amendment. (1) Availability of correction by plan amendment in VCP and Audit CAP. A Plan Sponsor may use VCP and Audit CAP for a Qualified Plan to correct Plan Document, Demographic, and Operational Failures by a plan amendment, including correcting an Operational Failure by plan amendment to conform the terms of the plan to the plan's prior operations, provided that the amendment complies with the requirements of § 401(a), including the requirements of §§ 401(a)(4), 410(b), and 411(d)(6). In addition, a Plan Sponsor may adopt a plan amendment to reflect the corrective action. For example, if the plan failed to satisfy the actual deferral percentage (ADP) test required under § 401(k)(3) and the Plan Sponsor must make qualified nonelective contributions not already provided for under the plan, the plan may be amended to provide for qualified nonelective contributions. Except as provided in section 6.05, the issuance of a compliance statement does not constitute a determination as to the effect of any plan amendment on the qualification of the plan.

(2) Availability of correction by plan amendment in SCP. A Plan Sponsor may use SCP for a Qualified Plan to correct an Operational Failure by a plan amendment in order to conform the terms of the plan to the plan's prior operations only to correct Operational Failures listed in section 2.07 of Appendix B. These failures must be corrected in accordance with the correction methods set forth in section 2.07 of Appendix B. Any plan amendment must comply with the requirements of § 401(a), including the requirements of §§ 401(a)(4), 410(b), and 411(d)(6). If a Plan Sponsor corrects an Operational Failure in accordance with the approved correction methods under Appendix A or Appendix B, it may amend the plan to reflect the corrective action. For example, if the plan failed to satisfy the actual deferral percentage (ADP) test required under § 401(k)(3) and the Plan Sponsor makes qualified nonelective contributions not already provided for under the plan, the plan may be amended to provide for qualified nonelective contributions. SCP is not otherwise available for a Plan Sponsor to correct an Operational Failure by a plan amendment.

.06 Availability of correction of Employer Eligibility Failure. SCP is not available for a Plan Sponsor to correct an Employer Eligibility Failure.

.07 Availability of correction of a terminated plan. Correction of Qualification Failures in a terminated plan may be made under VCP and Audit CAP, whether or not the plan trust is still in existence.

.08 Availability of correction of an Orphan Plan. An Orphan Plan that is terminating may be corrected under VCP and Audit CAP, provided that the party acting on behalf of the plan is an Eligible Party, as defined in section 5.03(2). See section 6.02(2)(e)(ii).

.09 Availability of correction of § 457 plans. Submissions relating to § 457(b) eligible governmental plans will be accepted by the Service on a provisional basis outside of EPCRS through standards that are similar to EPCRS.

.10 Submission for a determination letter. In any case in which correction of a Qualification Failure includes correction of a Plan Document Failure, Demographic Failure, or Operational Failure by plan amendment, a determination letter application may be required. See section 6.05.

.11 Egregious failures. SCP is not available to correct Operational Failures that are egregious. Egregious failures include: (a) a plan that has consistently and improperly covered only highly compensated employees; (b) a plan that provides more favorable benefits for an owner of the employer based on a purported collective bargaining agreement where there has in fact been no good faith bargaining between bona fide employee representatives and the employer (see Notice 2003-24, 2003-1 C.B. 853, with respect to welfare benefit funds); or (c) a defined contribution plan where a contribution is made on behalf of a highly compensated employee that is several times greater than the dollar limit set forth in § 415(c). VCP is available to correct egregious failures. However, egregious failures are subject to the VCP fees described in section 12.06 and, for purposes of section 12.06, an egregious failure would include any case in which the IRS concludes that the parties controlling the plan recognized that the action taken would constitute a Qualification Failure and the failure either involves a substantial number of participants or beneficiaries or involves participants who are predominantly highly compensated employees. Audit CAP also is available to correct egregious failures.

.12 Diversion or misuse of plan assets. SCP, VCP, and Audit CAP are not available to correct failures relating to the diversion or misuse of plan assets.

.13 Abusive tax avoidance transactions. (1) Effect on Programs. (a) SCP. With respect to SCP, in the event that the plan or the Plan Sponsor has been a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction (as defined in section 4.13(2)), SCP is not available to correct any Operational Failure that is directly or indirectly related to the abusive tax avoidance transaction.

(b) VCP. With respect to VCP, if the Service determines that a plan or Plan Sponsor was, or may have been, a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction (as defined in section 4.13(2)), then the matter will be referred to the Internal Revenue Service's Employee Plans' Tax Shelter Coordinator. Upon receiving a response from the Tax Shelter Coordinator, the Service may determine that the plan or the Plan Sponsor has been a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction, and that the failures addressed in the VCP submission are related to that transaction. In those situations, the Service will conclude the review of the submission without issuing a compliance statement and will refer the case for examination. However, if the Tax Shelter Coordinator determines that the plan failures are unrelated to the abusive tax avoidance transaction or that no abusive tax avoidance transaction occurred, then the Service will continue to address the failures identified in the VCP submission, and may issue a compliance statement with respect to those failures. In no event may a compliance statement be relied on for the purpose of concluding that the plan or Plan Sponsor was not a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction. In addition, even if it is concluded that the failures can be addressed pursuant to a VCP submission, the Service reserves the right to make a referral of the abusive tax avoidance transaction matter for examination.

(c) Audit CAP and SCP (for plans Under Examination). For plans Under Examination, if the Service determines that the plan or Plan Sponsor was, or may have been, a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction, the matter may be referred to the Internal Revenue Service's Employee Plans' Tax Shelter Coordinator. With respect to plans Under Examination, an abusive tax avoidance transaction includes a transaction described in section 4.13(2) and any other transaction that the Service determines was designed to facilitate the impermissible avoidance of tax. Upon receiving a response from the Tax Shelter Coordinator, (i) if the Service determines that a failure is related to the abusive tax avoidance transaction, the Service reserves the right to conclude that neither Audit CAP nor SCP is available for that failure and (ii) if the Service determines that satisfactory corrective actions have not been taken with regard to the transaction, the Service reserves the right to conclude that neither Audit CAP nor SCP is available to the plan.

(2) Abusive tax avoidance transaction defined. For purposes of section 4.13(1) (except to the extent otherwise provided in section 4.13(1)(c)), an abusive tax avoidance transaction means any listed transaction under § 1.6011-4(b)(2) and any other transaction identified as an abusive transaction in the IRS web site entitled "EP Abusive Tax Transactions."

PART III. DEFINITIONS, CORRECTION PRINCIPLES, AND RULES OF GENERAL APPLICABILITY

SECTION 5. DEFINITIONS

The following definitions apply for purposes of this revenue procedure:

.01 Definitions for Qualified Plans. The definitions in this section 5.01 apply to Qualified Plans.

(1) Qualified Plan. The term "Qualified Plan" means a plan intended to satisfy the requirements of § 401(a) or § 403(a).

(2) Qualification Failure. The term "Qualification Failure" means any failure that adversely affects the qualification of a plan. There are four types of Qualification Failures: (a) Plan Document Failures; (b) Operational Failures; (c) Demographic Failures; and (d) Employer Eligibility Failures.

(a) Plan Document Failure. The term "Plan Document Failure" means a plan provision (or the absence of a plan provision) that, on its face, violates the requirements of § 401(a) or § 403(a). Thus, for example, the failure of a plan to be amended to reflect a new qualification requirement within the plan's applicable remedial amendment period under § 401(b) is a Plan Document Failure. In addition, if a plan has not been timely or properly amended during an applicable remedial amendment period for adopting good faith or interim amendments with respect to disqualifying provisions, as described in § 1.401(b)-1(b)(1) of the Income Tax Regulations, the plan has a Plan Document Failure. For purposes of this revenue procedure, a Plan Document Failure includes any Qualification Failure that is a violation of the requirements of § 401(a) or § 403(a) and that is not an Operational Failure, Demographic Failure, or Employer Eligibility Failure.

(b) Operational Failure. The term "Operational Failure" means a Qualification Failure (other than an Employer Eligibility Failure) that arises solely from the failure to follow plan provisions. A failure to follow the terms of the plan providing for the satisfaction of the requirements of § 401(k) and § 401(m) is considered to be an Operational Failure. A plan does not have an Operational Failure to the extent the plan is permitted to be amended retroactively to reflect the plan's operations (e.g., pursuant to § 401(b)). In the situation where a Plan Sponsor timely adopted a good faith or interim amendment which is not a disqualifying provision as described in § 1.401(b)-1(b)(1), and the plan was not operated in accordance with the terms of such amendment, the plan is considered to have an Operational Failure.

(c) Demographic Failure. The term "Demographic Failure" means a failure to satisfy the requirements of § 401(a)(4), 401(a)(26), or 410(b) that is not an Operational Failure or an Employer Eligibility Failure. The correction of a Demographic Failure generally requires a corrective amendment to the plan adding more benefits or increasing existing benefits (cf. § 1.401(a)(4)-11(g)).

(d) Employer Eligibility Failure. The term "Employer Eligibility Failure" means the adoption of a plan intended to include a qualified cash or deferred arrangement under § 401(k) by an employer that fails to meet the employer eligibility requirements to establish a § 401(k) plan. An Employer Eligibility Failure is not a Plan Document, Operational, or Demographic Failure.

(3) Excess Amount; Excess Allocations; Overpayment. (a) Excess Amount. The term "Excess Amount" means a Qualification Failure due to a contribution, allocation, or similar credit that is made on behalf of a participant or beneficiary to a plan in excess of the maximum amount permitted to be contributed, allocated, or credited on behalf of the participant or beneficiary under the terms of the plan or that exceeds a limitation on contributions or allocations provided in the Code or regulations. Excess Amounts include: (i) an elective deferral or after-tax employee contribution that is in excess of the maximum contribution under the plan; (ii) an elective deferral or after-tax employee contribution made in excess of the limitation under § 415; (iii) an elective deferral in excess of the limitation of § 402(g); (iv) an excess contribution or excess aggregate contribution under § 401(k) or § 401(m); (v) an elective deferral or after-tax employee contribution that is made with respect to compensation in excess of the limitation of § 401(a)(17); and (vi) any other employer contribution that exceeds a limitation under § 401(a)(17), § 401(m) (but only with respect to the forfeiture of nonvested matching contributions that are excess aggregate contributions), § 411(a)(3)(G), or § 415. However, an Excess Amount does not include a contribution, allocation, or other credit that is made pursuant to a correction method provided under this revenue procedure for a different Qualification Failure. Excess Amounts are limited to contributions, allocations, or annual additions under a defined contribution plan, after-tax employee contributions to a defined benefit plan, and contributions or allocations that are to be made to a separate account (with actual earnings) under a defined benefit plan. See generally section 6.06 for the treatment and correction of certain Excess Amounts.

(b) Excess Allocation. The term "Excess Allocation" means an Excess Amount for which the Code or regulations do not provide any corrective mechanism. Excess Allocations include Excess Amounts as defined in section 5.01(3)(a) (i), (ii), (v), and (vi) (except with respect to § 401(m) or § 411(a)(3)(G) violations). Excess Allocations must be corrected in accordance with section 6.06(2).

(c) Overpayment. The term "Overpayment" means a Qualification Failure due to a payment being made to a participant or beneficiary that exceeds the amount payable to the participant or beneficiary under the terms of the plan or that exceeds a limitation provided in the Code or regulations. Overpayments include both payments from a defined benefit plan and payments from a defined contribution plan (either not made from the participant's or beneficiary's account under the plan or not permitted to be paid either under the terms of the plan or under the Code or regulations). However, an Overpayment does not include a payment that is made pursuant to a correction method provided under this revenue procedure for a different Qualification Failure. Overpayments must be corrected in accordance with section 6.06(3).

(4) Favorable Letter. The term "Favorable Letter" means, in the case of a Qualified Plan, a current favorable determination letter for an individually designed plan (including a volume submitter plan that is not identical to an approved volume submitter plan), a current favorable opinion letter for a Plan Sponsor that has adopted a master or prototype plan, (standardized or nonstandardized), or a current favorable advisory letter and certification that the Plan Sponsor has adopted a plan that is identical to an approved volume submitter plan. A plan has a current favorable determination letter, opinion letter, or advisory letter if (a), (b), (c), or (d) below is satisfied:

(a) The plan has a favorable determination letter, opinion letter, or advisory letter that considers the law changes incorporated in the Plan Sponsor's most recently expired remedial amendment cycle determined under the provisions of Rev. Proc. 2007-44.

(b) For plans with respect to whom the initial remedial amendment cycle under Rev. Proc. 2007-44 has not expired, the favorable determination letter, opinion letter, or advisory letter that considers GUST.²

(c) The plan is initially adopted or effective after December 31, 2001, and the Plan Sponsor timely submits an application for a determination letter or adopts an approved master or prototype plan or volume submitter plan within the plan's remedial amendment period under § 401(b).

(d) The plan is terminated prior to the expiration of the plan's applicable remedial amendment cycle, determined under the provisions of Rev. Proc. 2007-44 and the plan was amended to reflect the provisions of any legislation that was in effect when the plan was terminated.

(5) Maximum Payment Amount. The term "Maximum Payment Amount" means a monetary amount that is approximately equal to the tax the Service could collect upon plan disqualification and is the sum for the open taxable years of the:

(a) tax on the trust (Form 1041) (and any interest or penalties applicable to the trust return),

(b) additional income tax resulting from the loss of employer deductions for plan contributions (and any interest or penalties applicable to the Plan Sponsor's return),

(c) additional income tax resulting from income inclusion for participants in the plan (Form 1040), including the tax on plan distributions that have been rolled over to other qualified trusts (as defined in § 402(c)(8)(A)) or eligible retirement plans (as defined in § 402(c)(8)(B)) and any interest or penalties applicable to the participants' returns, and

(d) any other tax that results from a Qualification Failure that would apply but for correction under this revenue procedure.

(6) Plan Sponsor; Employer. The terms "Plan Sponsor" and "Employer" mean the employer that establishes or maintains a Qualified Plan for its employees.

(7) Transferred Assets. The term "Transferred Assets" means plan assets that were received, in connection with a corporate merger, acquisition, or other similar employer transaction, by the plan in a transfer (including a merger or consolidation of plan assets) under § 414(l) from a plan sponsored by an employer that was not a member of the same controlled group as the Plan Sponsor immediately prior to the corporate merger, acquisition, or other similar employer transaction. If a transfer of plan assets related to the same employer transaction is accomplished through several transfers, then the date of the transfer is the date of the first transfer.

.02 Definitions for 403(b) Plans. The definitions in this section 5.02 apply to 403(b) Plans.

(1) 403(b) Plan. The term "403(b) Plan" means a plan or program intended to satisfy the requirements of § 403(b).

(2) 403(b) Failure. The term "403(b) Failure" means any Operational, Demographic, or Employer Eligibility Failure as defined below.

(a) Operational Failure. The term "Operational Failure" means any of the following:

(i) A failure to satisfy the requirements of § 403(b)(12)(A)(ii) (relating to the availability of salary reduction contributions);

(ii) A failure to satisfy the requirements of § 401(m) (as applied to 403(b) Plans pursuant to § 403(b)(12)(A)(i));

(iii) A failure to satisfy the requirements of § 401(a)(17) (as applied to 403(b) Plans pursuant to § 403(b)(12)(A)(i));

(iv) A failure to satisfy the distribution restrictions of § 403(b)(7) or § 403(b)(11);

(v) A failure to satisfy the incidental death benefit rules of § 403(b)(10);

(vi) A failure to pay minimum required distributions under § 403(b)(10);

(vii) A failure to give employees the right to elect a direct rollover under § 403(b)(10), including the failure to give meaningful notice of such right;

(viii) A failure of the annuity contract or custodial agreement to provide participants with a right to elect a direct rollover under §§ 403(b)(10) and 401(a)(31);

(ix) A failure to satisfy the limit on elective deferrals under § 403(b)(1)(E);

(x) A failure of the annuity contract or custodial agreement to provide the limit on elective deferrals under §§ 403(b)(1)(E) and 401(a)(30);

(xi) A failure involving contributions or allocations of Excess Amounts; or

(xii) Any other failure to satisfy applicable requirements under § 403(b) that (A) results in the loss of § 403(b) status for the plan or the loss of § 403(b) status for one or more custodial account(s) or annuity contract(s) under the plan and (B) is not a Demographic Failure, an Employer Eligibility Failure, or a failure related to contributions on behalf of individuals who are not employees of the employer.

(b) Demographic Failure. The term "Demographic Failure" means a failure to satisfy the requirements of § 401(a)(4), § 401(a)(26), or § 410(b) (as applied to 403(b) Plans pursuant to § 403(b)(12)(A)(i)).

(c) Employer Eligibility Failure. The term "Employer Eligibility Failure" means any of the following:

(i) The adoption of a plan intended to satisfy the requirements of § 403(b) by a Plan Sponsor that is not a tax-exempt organization described in § 501(c)(3) or a public educational organization described in § 170(b)(1)(A)(ii);

(ii) A failure to satisfy the nontransferability requirement of § 401(g);

(iii) A failure to initially establish or maintain a custodial account as required by § 403(b)(7); or

(iv) A failure to purchase (initially or subsequently) either an annuity contract from an insurance company (unless grandfathered under Rev. Rul. 82-102, 1982-1 C.B. 62) or a custodial account from a regulated investment company utilizing a bank or an approved non-bank trustee/custodian.

(3) Excess Amount. The term "Excess Amount" means any amount returned to ensure that the plan satisfies the requirements of § 401(a)(30), 415, or 403(b)(2) (for plan years prior to January 1, 2002). In addition, the term "Excess Amount" includes (for all plan years) any distributions required to ensure that the plan complies with the applicable requirements of § 403(b).

(4) Maximum Payment Amount. The term "Maximum Payment Amount" means a monetary amount that is approximately equal to the tax the Service could collect as a result of the 403(b) Failure and is the sum for the open taxable years of the:

(a) additional income tax resulting from income inclusion for employees or other participants (Form 1040), including the tax on distributions that have been rolled over to other qualified trusts (as defined in § 402(c)(8)(A)) or eligible retirement plans (as defined in § 402(c)(8)(B)) and any interest or penalties applicable to the participants' returns, and

(b) any other tax that results from a 403(b) Failure that would apply but for correction under this revenue procedure.

(5) Plan Sponsor; Employer. The terms "Plan Sponsor" and "Employer" mean the employer that offers a 403(b) Plan to its employees.

.03 Definitions for Orphan Plans. (1) Orphan Plan. With respect to VCP and Audit CAP, the term "Orphan Plan" means any Qualified Plan or other plan with respect to which an "Eligible Party" (defined in section 5.03(2)) has determined that the Plan Sponsor (a) no longer exists, (b) cannot be located, or (c) is unable to maintain the plan. However, the term "Orphan Plan" does not include any plan which is subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA") terminated pursuant to section 2578.1 of the Department of Labor regulations governing the termination of abandoned individual account plans.

(2) Eligible Party. The term "Eligible Party" means:

(a) A court appointed representative with authority to terminate the plan and dispose of the plan's assets;

(b) In the case of an Orphan Plan under investigation by the Department of Labor, a person or entity who the Department of Labor determined has accepted responsibility for terminating the plan and distributing the plan's assets; or

(c) In the case of a Qualified Plan to which Title I of ERISA has never applied, a surviving spouse who is the sole beneficiary of a plan that provided benefits to a participant who was (i) the sole owner of the business that sponsored the plan and (ii) the only participant in the plan.

.04 References to Rev. Proc. 2007-44. References in sections 5.01(4), 6.05, 10.05, and 10.08 of this revenue procedure to Rev. Proc. 2007-44, 2007-28 I.R.B. 54, include any successor revenue procedure (and references to any section thereof if such references refer to the successor section in any successor revenue procedure).

.05 SEP. The term "SEP" means a plan intended to satisfy the requirements of § 408(k). For purposes of this revenue procedure, the term SEP also includes a salary reduction SEP ("SARSEP") described in § 408(k)(6), if applicable.

.06 SIMPLE IRA Plan. The term "SIMPLE IRA Plan" means a plan intended to satisfy the requirements of § 408(p).

.07 Under Examination. (1) The term "Under Examination" means: (a) a plan that is under an Employee Plans examination (that is, an examination of a Form 5500 series or other Employee Plans examination); (b) a Plan Sponsor that is under an Exempt Organizations examination (that is, an examination of a Form 990 series or other Exempt Organizations examination); or (c) a plan that is under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service.

(2) A plan that is under an Employee Plans examination includes any plan for which the Plan Sponsor, or a representative, has received verbal or written notification from Employee Plans of an impending Employee Plans examination, or of an impending referral for an Employee Plans examination, and also includes any plan that has been under an Employee Plans examination and is now in Appeals or in litigation for issues raised in an Employee Plans examination. A plan is considered to be Under Examination if it is aggregated for purposes of satisfying the nondiscrimination requirements of § 401(a)(4), the minimum participation requirements of § 401(a)(26), the minimum coverage requirements of § 410(b), or the requirements of § 403(b)(12), with any plan that is Under Examination. In addition, a plan is considered to be Under Examination with respect to a failure of a qualification requirement (other than those described in the preceding sentence) if the plan is aggregated with another plan for purposes of satisfying that qualification requirement (for example, § 401(a)(30), § 415, or § 416) and that other plan is Under Examination. For example, assume Plan A has a § 415 failure, Plan A is aggregated with Plan B only for purposes of § 415, and Plan B is Under Examination. In this case, Plan A is considered to be Under Examination with respect to the § 415 failure. However, if Plan A has a failure relating to the spousal consent rules under § 417 or the vesting rules of § 411, Plan A is not considered to be Under Examination with respect to the § 417 or § 411 failure. For purposes of this revenue procedure, the term aggregation does not include consideration of benefits provided by various plans for purposes of the average benefits test set forth in § 410(b)(2).

(3) An Employee Plans examination also includes a case in which a Plan Sponsor has submitted any Form 5300, 5307 or 5310 and the Employee Plans agent notifies the Plan Sponsor, or a representative, of possible Qualification Failures, whether or not the Plan Sponsor is officially notified of an "examination." This would include a case where, for example, a Plan Sponsor has applied for a determination letter on plan termination, and an Employee Plans agent notifies the Plan Sponsor that there are partial termination concerns. In addition, if, during the review process, the agent requests additional information that indicates the existence of a Qualification Failure(s) not previously identified by the Plan Sponsor, the plan is considered to be under an Employee Plans examination. If, in such a case, the determination letter request under review is subsequently withdrawn, the plan is nevertheless considered to be under an Employee Plans examination for purposes of eligibility under SCP and VCP with respect to those issues raised by the agent reviewing the determination letter application. The fact that a Plan Sponsor voluntarily submits a determination letter application does not constitute a voluntary identification of Qualification Failures to the Service. In order to be eligible to perfect a determination letter application into a VCP submission, the Plan Sponsor (or the authorized representative) must identify each Qualification Failure, in writing, to the reviewing agent before the agent recognizes the existence of the Qualification Failure(s) or addresses the Qualification Failure(s) in communications with the Plan Sponsor (or the authorized representative).

(4) A Plan Sponsor that is under an Exempt Organizations examination includes any Plan Sponsor that has received (or whose representative has received) verbal or written notification from Exempt Organizations of an impending Exempt Organizations examination or of an impending referral for an Exempt Organizations examination and also includes any Plan Sponsor that has been under an Exempt Organizations examination and is now in Appeals or in litigation for issues raised in an Exempt Organizations examination.

SECTION 6. CORRECTION PRINCIPLES AND RULES OF GENERAL APPLICABILITY

.01 Correction principles; rules of general applicability. The general correction principles in section 6.02 and rules of general applicability in sections 6.03 through 6.11 apply for purposes of this revenue procedure.

.02 Correction principles. Generally, a failure is not corrected unless full correction is made with respect to all participants and beneficiaries, and for all taxable years (whether or not the taxable year is closed). Even if correction is made for a closed taxable year, the tax liability associated with that year will not be redetermined because of the correction. Correction is determined taking into account the terms of the plan at the time of the failure. Correction should be accomplished taking into account the following principles:

(1) Restoration of benefits. The correction method should restore the plan to the position it would have been in had the failure not occurred, including restoration of current and former participants and beneficiaries to the benefits and rights they would have had if the failure had not occurred.

(2) Reasonable and appropriate correction. The correction should be reasonable and appropriate for the failure. Depending on the nature of the failure, there may be more than one reasonable and appropriate correction for the failure. For Qualified Plans, any correction method permitted under Appendix A or Appendix B is deemed to be a reasonable and appropriate method of correcting the related Qualification Failure. Any correction method permitted under Appendix A or Appendix B applicable to a 403(b) Plan, a SEP, or a SIMPLE IRA Plan is similarly deemed to be a reasonable and appropriate method of correcting the related failure. If a plan has a different but analogous failure to one set forth in Appendix A or B (such as the failure to provide a matching contribution by a governmental plan that is not subject to § 401(m)), then the analogous correction method under Appendix A or B is generally available to correct any failure. Whether any other particular correction method is reasonable and appropriate is determined taking into account the applicable facts and circumstances and the following principles:

(a) The correction method should, to the extent possible, resemble one already provided for in the Code, regulations thereunder, or other guidance of general applicability. For example, for Qualified Plans and 403(b) Plans, the correction method set forth in § 1.402(g)-1(e)(2) would be the typical means of correcting a failure under § 402(g).

(b) The correction method should keep plan assets in the plan, except to the extent the Code, regulations, or other guidance of general applicability provide for correction by distribution to participants or beneficiaries or return of assets to the Employer. For example, if an excess allocation (not in excess of the § 415 limits) made under a Qualified Plan was made for a participant under a plan (other than a § 401(k) plan), the excess should be reallocated to other participants or, depending on the facts and circumstances, used to reduce future employer contributions.

(c) The correction method for failures relating to nondiscrimination should provide benefits for nonhighly compensated employees. For example, for Qualified Plans, the correction method set forth in § 1.401(a)(4)-11(g) (rather than methods making use of the special testing provisions set forth in § 1.401(a)(4)-8 or § 1.401(a)(4)-9), would be the typical means of correcting a failure to satisfy nondiscrimination requirements. Similarly, the correction of a failure to satisfy the requirements of § 401(k)(3), § 401(m)(2), or § 401(m)(9) (relating to nondiscrimination), solely by distributing excess amounts to highly compensated employees would not be the typical means of correcting such a failure.

(d) The correction method should not violate another applicable specific requirement of § 401(a) or § 403(b) (for example, § 401(a)(4), § 411(d)(6), or § 403(b)(12), as applicable), § 408(k) for SEPs, or § 408(p) for SIMPLE IRA Plans, or a parallel requirement in Part 2 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA (for plans that are subject to Part 2 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA). If an additional failure is nevertheless created as a result of the use of a correction method in this revenue procedure, then that failure also must be corrected in conjunction with the use of that correction method and in accordance with the requirements of this revenue procedure.

(e)(i) If a correction method is one which another government agency has authorized with respect to a violation of legal requirements within its interpretive authority and that correction relates to a violation for which there is a failure to which this revenue procedure applies, then the Service may take the correction method of the other governmental agency into account for purposes of this revenue procedure.

(ii) Thus, if the plan is subject to ERISA, for a failure that results from either the employer having ceased to exist, the employer no longer maintaining the plan, or similar reasons, the permitted correction is to terminate the plan and distribute plan assets to participants and beneficiaries in accordance with standards and procedures substantially similar to those set forth in section 2578.1 of the Department of Labor Regulations (relating to abandoned plans). This correction must satisfy four conditions. First, the correction must comply with standards and procedures substantially similar to those set forth in section 2578.1 of the Department of Labor Regulations (relating to abandoned plans). Second, the qualified termination administrator, based on plan records located and updated in accordance with the Department of Labor Regulations, must have reasonably determined whether, and to what extent, the survivor annuity requirements of §§ 401(a)(11) and 417 apply to any benefit payable under the plan and takes reasonable steps to comply with those requirements (if applicable). Third, each participant and beneficiary must have been provided a nonforfeitable right to his or her accrued benefits as of the date of deemed termination under the Department of Labor Regulations, subject to income, expenses, gains, and losses between that date and the date of distribution. Fourth, participants and beneficiaries must receive notification of their rights under § 402(f). In addition, notwithstanding correction under this revenue procedure, the Service reserves the right to pursue appropriate remedies under the Internal Revenue Code against any party who is responsible for the plan, such as the Plan Sponsor, plan administrator, or owner of the business, even in its capacity as a participant or beneficiary under the plan. See, also, section .09(1) of Appendix A for parallel rules for plans that are not subject to ERISA.

(iii) Similarly, in the case of a violation of the fiduciary standards imposed by Part 4 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA, correction under the Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program established by the Department of Labor (at 71 FR 20262) for a fiduciary violation for which there is a similar failure under this revenue procedure would generally be taken into account as correction under this revenue procedure. (See also section 7.3(b) of the Department of Labor's Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program under which correction of a defaulted participant loan that provides for repayment in accordance with § 72(p)(2) requires only submission of the correction under VCP and inclusion of the VCP compliance statement (with proof of any required corrective payment).)

(3) Consistency requirement. Generally, where more than one correction method is available to correct a type of Operational Failure for a plan year (or where there are alternative ways to apply a correction method), the correction method (or one of the alternative ways to apply the correction method) should be applied consistently in correcting all Operational Failures of that type for that plan year. Similarly, earnings adjustment methods generally should be applied consistently with respect to corrective contributions or allocations for a particular type of Operational Failure for a plan year. In the case of a Group Submission, the consistency requirement applies on a plan by plan basis.

(4) Principles regarding corrective allocations and corrective distributions. The following principles apply where an appropriate correction method includes the use of corrective allocations or corrective distributions:

(a) Corrective allocations under a defined contribution plan should be based upon the terms of the plan and other applicable information at the time of the failure (including the compensation that would have been used under the plan for the period with respect to which a corrective allocation is being made) and should be adjusted for earnings (including losses) and forfeitures that would have been allocated to the participant's account if the failure had not occurred. However, a corrective allocation is not required to be adjusted for losses. See section 3 of Appendix B for additional information on calculation of earnings for corrective allocations.

(b) A corrective allocation to a participant's account because of a failure to make a required allocation in a prior limitation year is not considered an annual addition with respect to the participant for the limitation year in which the correction is made, but is considered an annual addition for the limitation year to which the corrective allocation relates. However, the normal rules of § 404, regarding deductions, apply.

(c) Corrective allocations should come only from employer nonelective contributions (including forfeitures if the plan permits their use to reduce employer contributions).

(d) In the case of a defined benefit plan, a corrective distribution for an individual should be increased to take into account the delayed payment, consistent with the plan's actuarial adjustments.

(e) In the case of a defined contribution plan, a corrective contribution or distribution should be adjusted for earnings (including losses) from the date of the failure (determined without regard to any Code provision which permits a corrective contribution or distribution to be made at a later date).

(5) Special exceptions to full correction. In general, a failure must be fully corrected. Although the mere fact that correction is inconvenient or burdensome is not enough to relieve a Plan Sponsor of the need to make full correction, full correction may not be required in certain situations because it is unreasonable or not feasible. Even in these situations, the correction method adopted must be one that does not have significant adverse effects on participants and beneficiaries or the plan, and that does not discriminate significantly in favor of highly compensated employees. The exceptions described below specify those situations in which full correction is not required.

(a) Reasonable estimates. If either (i) it is possible to make a precise calculation but the probable difference between the approximate and the precise restoration of a participant's benefits is insignificant and the administrative cost of determining precise restoration would significantly exceed the probable difference or (ii) it is not possible to make a precise calculation (for example, where it is impossible to provide plan data), reasonable estimates may be used in calculating appropriate correction. If it is not feasible to make a reasonable estimate of what the actual investment results would have been, a reasonable interest rate may be used. For this purpose, the interest rate used by the Department of Labor's Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program Online Calculator ("VFCP Online Calculator") is deemed to be a reasonable interest rate. The VFCP Online Calculator can be found on the web at http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/calculator.

(b) Delivery of small benefits. If the total corrective distribution due a participant or beneficiary is $75 or less, the Plan Sponsor is not required to make the corrective distribution if the reasonable direct costs of processing and delivering the distribution to the participant or beneficiary would exceed the amount of the distribution. This section 6.02(5)(b) does not apply to corrective contributions.

(c) Recovery of small Overpayments. Generally, if the total amount of an Overpayment to a participant or beneficiary is $100 or less, the Plan Sponsor is not required to seek the return of the Overpayment from the participant or beneficiary. The Plan Sponsor is not required to notify the participant or beneficiary that the Overpayment is not eligible for favorable tax treatment accorded to distributions from Qualified Plans (and, specifically, is not eligible for tax-free rollover).

(d) Locating lost participants. Reasonable actions must be taken to find all current and former participants and beneficiaries to whom additional benefits are due, but who have not been located after a mailing to the last known address. In general, such actions include use of the Internal Revenue Service Letter Forwarding Program (see Rev. Proc. 94-22, 1994-1 C.B. 608) or the Social Security Administration Employer Reporting Service. A plan will not be considered to have failed to correct a failure due to the inability to locate an individual if either of these programs is used; provided that, if the individual is later located, the additional benefits are provided to the individual at that time. The Internal Revenue Service Letter Forwarding Program may not be used to locate participants in order to collect amounts owed to the plan. On occasion, the Internal Revenue Service may decline to perform the letter forwarding request, even if additional benefits are due to participants. In such a situation, it is expected that the Plan Sponsor will take other reasonable actions to locate participants to whom additional benefits are due.

(e) Small Excess Amounts. Generally, if the total amount of an Excess Amount with respect to the benefit of a participant or beneficiary is $100 or less, the Plan Sponsor is not required to distribute or forfeit such Excess Amount. However, if the Excess Amount exceeds a statutory limit, the participant or beneficiary must be notified that the Excess Amount, including earnings, is not eligible for favorable tax treatment accorded to distributions from Qualified Plans (and, specifically, is not eligible for tax-free rollover). See section 6.06(1) for such notice requirements.

(f) Orphan Plans. The Service retains the discretion to determine under VCP and Audit CAP whether full correction will be required in a terminating Orphan Plan.

(6) Correction principle for loan failures. In the case of a loan failure corrected in accordance with section 6.07(2)(b) or (c) and section 6.07(3), the participant is generally responsible for paying the corrective payment. However, with respect to the failure listed in section 6.07(3), the employer should pay a portion of the correction payment on behalf of the participant equal to the interest that accumulates as a result of such failure -- generally determined at a rate equal to the greater of the plan loan interest rate or the rate of return under the plan.

(7) Correction for exclusion of employees for elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions. If a Qualified Plan has an Operational Failure that consists of excluding an employee that should have been eligible to make an elective deferral under a cash or deferred arrangement or an after-tax employee contribution, the employer should contribute to the plan on behalf of the excluded employee an amount that makes up for the value of the lost opportunity to the employee to have a portion of his or her compensation contributed to the plan accumulated with earnings tax free in the future. This correction principle applies solely to this limited circumstance. It does not, for example, extend to the correction of a failure to satisfy a nondiscrimination test, e.g., the ADP test pursuant to § 401(k)(3) and the ACP test pursuant to § 401(m)(2). Specific methods and examples to correct this failure are provided in Appendix A .05 and Appendix B 2.02. Similarly, the methods and examples provided for correcting this failure do not extend to other failures. Thus, the correction methods and the examples in Appendix A .05 and Appendix B 2.02 cannot, for example, be used to correct ADP/ACP failures.

(8) Reporting. Any corrective distributions from the plan should be properly reported.

.03 Correction of an Employer Eligibility Failure. (1) The permitted correction of an Employer Eligibility Failure is the cessation of all contributions (including elective deferrals and after-tax employee contributions) beginning no later than the date the application under VCP is filed. Pursuant to VCP correction, the assets in such a plan are to remain in the trust, annuity contract, or custodial account and are to be distributed no earlier than the occurrence of one of the applicable distribution events, e.g., for 403(b) Plans, an event described in § 403(b)(7) (to the extent the assets are held in custodial accounts) or § 403(b)(11) (for those assets invested in annuity contracts that would be subject to § 403(b)(11) restrictions if the employer were eligible).

(2) Cessation of contributions is not required if continuation of contributions would not be an Employer Eligibility Failure (for example, with respect to a tax-exempt employer that may maintain a § 401(k) plan after 1996).

(3) A plan that is corrected through VCP is treated as subject to all of the requirements and provisions of § 401(a) for a Qualified Plan, § 403(b) for a 403(b) Plan, § 408(k) for a SEP, and § 408(p) for a SIMPLE IRA Plan (including Code provisions relating to rollovers). Therefore, the Plan Sponsor must also correct all other failures in accordance with this revenue procedure.

(4) If correction is accomplished under VCP in accordance with the requirements of this section 6.03, then any rollovers made from the plan pursuant to a distributable event are deemed to have been made from a qualified trust for the purpose of determining whether the amounts qualify as an eligible rollover distribution under § 402(c) or an annuity contract that satisfies the requirements of § 403(b)(1) for the purpose of determining whether the amounts qualify as an eligible rollover amount under § 403(b)(8), including the determination of excess contributions that are subject to the § 4973 excise tax.

.04 Correction of a failure to obtain spousal consent. (1) Normally, the correction method under VCP for a failure to obtain spousal consent for a distribution that is subject to the spousal consent rules under §§ 401(a)(11) and 417 is similar to the correction method described in Appendix A .07. The Plan Sponsor must notify the affected participant and spouse (to whom the participant was married at the time of the distribution), so that the spouse can provide spousal consent to the distribution actually made or the participant may repay the distribution and receive a qualified joint and survivor annuity.

(2)(a) As alternatives to the correction method in section 6.04(1), correction for a failure to obtain spousal consent may be made under either section 6.04(2)(b) or section 6.04(2)(c).

(b) In the event that spousal consent to the prior distribution is not obtained (e.g., because the spouse chooses not to consent, the spouse does not respond to the notice, or the spouse cannot be located), the spouse is entitled to a benefit under the plan equal to the portion of the qualified joint and survivor annuity that would have been payable to the spouse upon the death of the participant had a qualified joint and survivor annuity been provided to the participant under the plan at the annuity starting date for the prior distribution. Such spousal benefit must be provided if a claim is made by the spouse.

(c) In the event that spousal consent to the prior distribution is not obtained, the plan may offer the spouse the choice between (i) the survivor annuity benefit described in section 6.04(2)(b) or (ii) a single-sum payment equal to the actuarial present value of that survivor annuity benefit (calculated using the applicable interest rate and mortality table under § 417(e)(3)). Any such single-sum payment is treated in the same manner as a distribution under § 402(c)(9) for purposes of rolling over the payment to an IRA or other eligible retirement plan.

.05 Submission of a determination letter application. (1) In general. This section 6.05 sets forth the situations in which a determination letter application is required to be submitted as part of the correction of a Qualification Failure if the correction includes a plan amendment. If a determination letter is required under this section 6.05, then, unless otherwise specified in this revenue procedure, the provisions of Rev. Proc. 2007-44 will apply. Thus, for example, in the case of an ongoing individually designed plan, a determination letter application will be reviewed with respect to all items of the Cumulative List (as defined in Rev. Proc. 2007-44) that would apply to the remedial amendment cycle during which the determination letter is filed. Notwithstanding any other part of this section 6.05, a determination letter is not required if the correction by plan amendment is achieved through the adoption of an amendment that is designated as a model amendment by the Service or the adoption of a prototype or volume submitter plan with an opinion or advisory letter as provided in Rev. Proc. 2008-6, 2008-1 I.R.B. 192, on which the Plan Sponsor has reliance.

(2) Determination letter application required. (a) VCP and Audit CAP. (i) A determination letter application is required for a determination of whether the plan document, including the corrective amendment, complies with the qualification requirements of § 401(a) if the Plan Sponsor submits the failure under VCP or corrects the failure under Audit CAP during an on-cycle year or in connection with a plan termination. An "on-cycle year" means the last 12 months of the plan's remedial amendment cycle set forth in Rev. Proc. 2007-44.

(ii) A determination letter application is required to correct a nonamender failure under VCP or Audit CAP, whether or not the plan is submitted under VCP or corrected under Audit CAP during an on-cycle year. For this purpose, the term "nonamender failure" means a failure to amend the plan to correct a disqualifying provision, described in § 1.401(b)-1(b) within the applicable remedial amendment period. In general, a disqualifying provision includes a provision in the plan document that violates a qualification requirement of the Code or the absence of a provision that causes the plan to fail to satisfy a qualification requirement of the Code. A disqualifying provision also includes any provision designated by the Commissioner as a disqualifying provision under § 1.401(b)-1(b)(3).

(b) SCP. In the case of any correction of an Operational Failure through plan amendment under SCP that is permitted under section 4.05(2) of this revenue procedure, a Plan Sponsor must submit a determination letter application for the plan, including the corrective plan amendment, by the end of the plan's next on-cycle year, or if earlier, in connection with the plan's termination. The determination letter application should be mailed to the address provided in the instructions of the applicable Form 5300, 5307 or 5310. As part of the determination letter submission, the cover letter must identify the amendment as a corrective amendment under SCP. In addition, the Plan Sponsor must include in the cover letter to the application: (1) a statement that neither the plan nor the Plan Sponsor has been a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction (as defined in section 4.13(2) of this revenue procedure); or (2) a brief identification of any abusive tax avoidance transaction to which the plan or the Plan Sponsor has been a party.

(3) Determination Letter application not required. (a) Failure to adopt timely interim amendments or amendments required to implement optional law changes. If on any date that is prior to or after the plan's on cycle year (i.e., during an "off-cycle "year), a Plan Sponsor submits a failure under VCP or corrects a failure under Audit CAP to adopt timely interim amendments or timely amendments to the plan to implement optional law changes, then a determination letter application is not required and should not be submitted with the VCP submission or as part of the correction of the failure under Audit CAP. For purposes of this revenue procedure, interim amendments are interim amendments within the meaning of section 5.01 of Rev. Proc. 2007-44. For purposes of this revenue procedure, an optional law change refers to a law change implemented at the Plan Sponsor's discretion. An example of an optional law provision is § 414(v) of the Code, which sets forth the provisions relating to catch-up contributions. The issuance of a compliance statement or closing agreement results in the corrective amendments being treated as if they had been adopted timely for the purpose of determining the availability of the extended remedial amendment period described in Rev. Proc. 2007-44. However, the issuance of such a compliance statement or closing agreement does not constitute a determination as to whether the plan amendment complies with the change in qualification requirement. Thus, in order to ensure that the corrective amendment adopted for this failure complies with the change in qualification requirement, the Plan Sponsor should include the corrective amendment along with the compliance statement or closing agreement, with its application for a determination letter during the plan's on-cycle year or if earlier, in connection with the plan's termination. The provisions of this section 6.05(3)(a) are applicable only if the VCP application setting forth the interim or optional law change failure is submitted, or the Audit CAP correction is made, prior to the plan's first on-cycle year following the date by which the amendment for the interim or optional law change should have been adopted pursuant to section 5.05 of Rev. Proc. 2007-44.

(b) Operational or Demographic Failures corrected through plan amendment under VCP and Audit CAP. If, during an off-cycle year, a Plan Sponsor submits an Operational or Demographic Failure under VCP or corrects such a failure under Audit CAP, then a determination letter application is not required and should not be submitted with the VCP submission or as part of the correction of the failure under Audit CAP. If the plan amendment is accepted as a proper correction for either an Operational Failure or a Demographic Failure, the compliance statement under VCP or closing agreement issued under Audit CAP constitutes a determination on the effect of the plan amendment on the qualification of the plan; however, the compliance statement issued under VCP is subject to the condition that the amendment be submitted as part of a separate determination letter submission during the plan's next on-cycle year, or if earlier, in connection with the plan's termination, and that a favorable determination letter be issued with respect to the plan. The determination letter application should be mailed to the address listed in the instructions of the applicable Form 5300, 5307 or 5310 and should include a copy of the related compliance statement or closing agreement. A Plan Sponsor that corrects an Operational Failure or Demographic Failure through a plan amendment under Audit CAP during an off-cycle year should also include a copy of the closing agreement when submitting a determination letter application during the plan's next on-cycle year, or if earlier, in connection with the plan's termination.

(4) Determination letter applications optional under EPCRS. A Plan Sponsor may submit a determination letter application with respect to the correction of failures through plan amendment prior to the plan's on-cycle year if the plan would be given the same priority as an on-cycle filing pursuant to sections 14.02 and 14.03 of Rev. Proc. 2007-44, relating to certain new plans, terminating plans, and off-cycle applications submitted in accordance with published guidance issued by the Service specifying such submission, and in the case of urgent business need. Determination letter requests submitted pursuant to this section 6.05(4) must contain a written justification as to the eligibility of the plan under section 14.02 or 14.03 of Rev. Proc. 2007-44 and this section 6.05(4). In the case of urgent business need, the Service will consider such requests based on the facts and circumstances.

(5) Internal Revenue Service discretion. Notwithstanding any other provision of section 6.05 of this revenue procedure, the Service reserves the right to require the submission of a determination letter application with respect to any amendment proposed or adopted to correct any Qualification Failure under VCP or Audit CAP.

.06 Special rules relating to Excess Amounts. (1) Treatment of Excess Amounts. Except as otherwise provided in section 6.02(5)(c), a distribution of an Excess Amount is not eligible for the favorable tax treatment accorded to distributions from Qualified Plans (such as eligibility for tax-free rollover). Thus, for example, if such a distribution was contributed to an individual retirement arrangement (IRA), the contribution is not a valid rollover contribution for purposes of determining the amount of excess contributions (within the meaning of § 4973) to the individual's IRA. A distribution of an Excess Amount is generally treated in the manner described in section 3 of Rev. Proc. 92-93, 1992-2 C.B. 505, relating to the corrective disbursement of elective deferrals. The distribution must be reported on Form 1099-R for the year of distribution with respect to each participant or beneficiary receiving such a distribution. Except as otherwise provided in section 6.02(5)(c), where an Excess Amount has been or is being distributed, the Plan Sponsor must notify the recipient that (a) an Excess Amount has been or will be distributed and (b) an Excess Amount is not eligible for favorable tax treatment accorded to distributions from Qualified Plans (and, specifically, is not eligible for rollover).

(2) Correction of Excess Allocations. In general, an Excess Allocation, as defined in section 5.01(3)(a) of this revenue procedure, is corrected in accordance with the Reduction of Account Balance Correction Method set forth in this paragraph. Under this method, the account balance of an employee who received an Excess Allocation is reduced by the Excess Allocation (adjusted for earnings). If the Excess Allocation would have been allocated to other employees in the year of the failure had the failure not occurred, then that amount (adjusted for earnings) is reallocated to those employees in accordance with the plan's allocation formula. If the improperly allocated amount would not have been allocated to other employees absent the failure, that amount (adjusted for earnings) is placed in a separate account that is not allocated on behalf of any participant or beneficiary (an unallocated account) established for the purpose of holding Excess Allocations, adjusted for earnings, to be used to reduce employer contributions (other than elective deferrals) in the current year or succeeding year(s). While such amounts remain in the unallocated account, the employer is not permitted to make contributions to the plan other than elective deferrals. Excess Allocations that are attributable to elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions, (along with earnings attributable thereto) must be distributed to the participant. For qualification purposes, an Excess Allocation that is corrected pursuant to this paragraph is disregarded for purposes of § 402(g), § 415, the actual deferral percentage test of § 401(k)(3), and the actual contribution percentage test of § 401(m)(2). If an Excess Allocation resulting from a violation of § 415 consists of annual additions attributable to both employer contributions and elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions, then the correction of the Excess Allocation is completed by first distributing the unmatched employee's after-tax contributions (adjusted for earnings) and then the unmatched employee's elective deferrals (adjusted for earnings). If any excess remains, and is attributable to either elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions that are matched, the excess is apportioned first to after-tax employee contributions with the associated matching employer contributions and then to elective deferrals with the associated matching employer contributions. Any matching contribution or nonelective employer contribution (adjusted for earnings) which constitutes an Excess Allocation is then forfeited and placed in an unallocated account established for the purpose of holding Excess Allocations to be used to reduce employer contributions in the current year and succeeding year(s). Such unallocated account is adjusted for earnings. While such amounts remain in the unallocated account, the employer is not permitted to make contributions (other than elective deferrals) to the plan.

(3) Correction of Overpayment failures. An Overpayment from a defined benefit plan is corrected in accordance with the rules in section 2.04(1) of Appendix B. An Overpayment from a defined contribution plan is corrected in accordance with the Return of Overpayment method set forth in this paragraph. Under this method, the employer takes reasonable steps to have the Overpayment, plus appropriate interest from the date of the distribution to the date of the repayment, returned by the participant or beneficiary to the plan. To the extent the amount returned to a defined contribution plan is less than the Overpayment adjusted for earnings at the plan's earnings rate, then the employer or another person must contribute the difference to the plan. The Overpayment, adjusted for earnings at the plan's earnings rate to the date of the repayment, is to be placed in an unallocated account, as described in section 6.06(2), to be used to reduce employer contributions (other than elective deferrals) in the current year and succeeding year(s) (or if the amount would have been allocated to other eligible employees who were in the plan for the year of the failure if the failure had not occurred, then that amount is reallocated to the other eligible employees in accordance with the plan's allocation formula). In addition, the employer must notify the employee that the Overpayment was not eligible for favorable tax treatment accorded to distributions from Qualified Plans (and, specifically, was not eligible for tax-free rollover).

.07 Rules relating to reporting plan loan failures. (1) General rule for loans. Unless correction is made in accordance with this section 6.07(2) or (3), a deemed distribution under § 72(p)(1) in connection with a failure relating to a loan to a participant made from a plan must be reported on Form 1099-R with respect to the affected participant and any applicable income tax withholding amount that was required to be paid in connection with the failure (see § 1.72(p)-1, Q&A-15) must be paid by the employer. As part of VCP, the deemed distribution may be reported on Form 1099-R with respect to the affected participant for the year of correction (instead of the year of the failure. The relief from reporting the participant's loan as a deemed distribution on Form 1099-R in the year of correction, as described in the preceding sentence, applies only if the Plan Sponsor specifically requests such relief.

(2) Special rules for loans. (a) In general. The correction methods set forth in section 6.07(2) (b) and (c) and section 6.07(3) are available for plan loans that do not comply with one or more requirements of § 72(p)(2) and are corrected through VCP. The correction methods described in section 6.07(2)(b) and (c) and section 6.07(3) are not available if the maximum period for repayment of the loan pursuant to § 72(p)(2)(B) has expired. The Service reserves the right to limit the use of the correction methods listed in section 6.07(2)(b) and (c) and section 6.07(3) to situations that it considers appropriate; for example, where the loan failure is caused by employer action. A deemed distribution corrected under section 6.07(2)(b) or (c) or under section 6.07(3) is not required to be reported on Form 1099-R and repayments made by correction under sections 6.07(2) and 6.07(3) do not result in the affected participant having additional basis in the plan for purposes of determining the tax treatment of subsequent distributions from the plan to the affected participant. The relief from reporting the participant's loan as a deemed distribution on Form 1099-R, as described in the preceding sentence, applies only if the Plan Sponsor specifically requests such relief and provides an explanation supporting the request.

(b) Loans in excess of § 72(p)(2)(A). A failure to comply with plan provisions requiring that loans comply with § 72(p)(2)(A) may be corrected by a corrective repayment to the plan based on the excess of the loan amount over the maximum loan amount under § 72(p)(2)(A). In the event that loan repayments were made in accordance with the amortization schedule for the loan before correction, such prior repayments may be applied (i) solely to reduce the portion of the loan that did not exceed the maximum loan amount under § 72(p)(2)(A) (so that the corrective repayment would equal the original loan excess plus interest thereon), (ii) to reduce the loan excess to the extent of the interest thereon, with the remainder of the repayments applied to reduce the portion of the loan that did not exceed the maximum loan amount under § 72(p)(2)(A) (so that the corrective repayment would equal the original loan excess), or (iii) pro rata against the loan excess and the maximum loan amount under § 72(p)(2)(A) (so that the corrective repayment would equal the outstanding balance remaining on the original loan excess on the date that corrective repayment is made). After the corrective payment is made, the loan may be reformed to amortize the remaining principal balance as of the date of repayment over the remaining period of the original loan. This is permissible as long as the recalculated payments over the remaining period would not cause the loan to violate the maximum duration permitted under § 72(p)(2)(B). The maximum duration is determined from the date the original loan was made. In addition, the amortization payments determined for the remaining period must comply with the level amortization requirements of § 72(p)(2)(C).

(c) Loan terms that do not satisfy § 72(p)(2)(B) or (C). For a failure of loan repayment terms to provide for a repayment schedule that complies with § 72(p)(2)(B) or (C), the failure may be corrected by a reamortization of the loan balance in accordance with § 72(p)(2)(C) over the remaining period that is the maximum period that complies with § 72(p)(2)(B) measured from the original date of the loan.

(d) No requirement for plan provisions. This section 6.07 also applies even if the plan does not require loans to satisfy the requirements of § 72(p)(2). However, to correct the ERISA fiduciary violations associated with the failures described in section 6.07(2)(b), (c) and section 6.07(3) under the Department of Labor's Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program, the plan must contain plan provisions requiring that loans comply with § 72(p)(2)(A), (B) and (C).

(3) Defaulted loans. A failure to repay the loan in accordance with the loan terms where the terms satisfy § 72(p)(2) may be corrected by (i) a lump sum repayment equal to the additional repayments that the affected participant would have made to the plan if there had been no failure to repay the plan, plus interest accrued on the missed repayments, (ii) reamortizing the outstanding balance of the loan, including accrued interest, over the remaining payment schedule of the original term of the loan or the period remaining had the loan been amortized over the maximum period that complies with § 72(p)(2)(B), measured from the original date of the loan, or (iii) any combination of (i) or (ii).

.08 Correction under statute or regulations. Generally, none of the correction programs are available to correct failures that can be corrected under the Code and related regulations. For example, as a general rule, a Plan Document Failure that is a disqualifying provision for which the remedial amendment period under § 401(b) has not expired can be corrected under provisions of the Code through retroactive remedial amendment.

.09 Matters subject to excise taxes or other penalties. (1) Except as provided in this revenue procedure, the correction programs are not available for events for which the Code provides tax consequences other than plan disqualification (such as the imposition of an excise tax or additional income tax). For example, funding deficiencies (failures to make the required contributions to a plan subject to § 412), prohibited transactions, and failures to file the Form 5500 series cannot be corrected under this revenue procedure.

(2) As part of VCP and Audit CAP, if a failure involves the failure to satisfy the minimum required distribution requirements of § 401(a)(9), in appropriate cases, the Service will waive the excise tax under § 4974 applicable to plan participants. The waiver will be included in the compliance statement or in the closing agreement in the case of Audit CAP. Under VCP, the Plan Sponsor, as part of the submission, must request the waiver and, in cases where the participant subject to the excise tax is either an owner-employee as defined in § 401(c)(3) or a 10% owner of a corporation, the Plan Sponsor must also provide an explanation supporting the request. See section 12.02(2) relating to the applicable compliance fee for certain § 401(a)(9) failures. Under Audit CAP, the Plan Sponsor must make a specific request for waiver of the excise tax under § 4974. The Plan Sponsor should also provide an explanation supporting the request for a waiver. Upon reviewing the request, the reasons for the failure, and other facts or circumstances of the case under examination, the Service will determine whether it is appropriate to approve the waiver of the excise tax as part of the closing agreement negotiated under Audit CAP.

(3) As part of VCP, if the failure involves a correction that requires the Plan Sponsor to make a plan contribution that is not deductible, in appropriate cases, the Service will not pursue the excise tax under § 4972 on such nondeductible contributions. The Plan Sponsor, as part of the submission must request the relief and provide an explanation supporting the request.

(4) As part of VCP, if a failure results in excess contributions as defined in § 4979(c) or excess aggregate contributions as defined in § 4979(d) under a plan, the Service will not pursue the excise tax under § 4979 in appropriate cases, e.g., where correction is made for any case in which the ADP test was timely performed but, due to reliance on inaccurate data, resulted in an insufficient amount of excess elective deferrals having been distributed to HCEs. The Plan Sponsor, as part of the submission, must request the relief and provide an explanation supporting the request.

(5) Subject to section 6.03(4), as part of VCP, in appropriate cases, the Service will not pursue the excise tax under § 4973 relating to excess contributions made to IRA (including either an individual retirement account (as defined in § 408(a)) or an individual retirement annuity (as defined in § 408(b)) under any of the following circumstances:

(a) As part of the proposed correction for Overpayments, the participant or beneficiary ("recipient") removes the Overpayment (plus earnings) from the recipient's IRA and returns that amount to the plan;

(b) As part of the proposed correction for Excess Amounts, the recipient removes the Excess Amount (plus earnings) from the recipient's IRA and reports that amount (reduced by any applicable after-tax employee contribution) as a taxable distribution for the year in which the Excess Amount (plus earnings) is removed from the recipient's IRA. The amount removed will generally be taxed in a manner that is similar to the manner in which the corrective disbursement of elective deferrals is taxed, as described in section 3 of Rev. Proc. 92-93; or

(c) In the case of an Overpayment that was not made pursuant to a distributable event, the Plan Sponsor, as part of the submission, must request relief from the § 4973 excise tax and provide an explanation supporting the request.

(6) As part of VCP, in the appropriate cases, the Service will not pursue the 10% additional income tax under § 72(t) (or will pursue only a portion thereof) if, as part of the proposed correction for Overpayments that were not made pursuant to a distributable event, the participant or beneficiary ("recipient") removes the amount improperly distributed and rolled over (plus earnings) from the recipient's IRA and returns that amount to the plan. In appropriate cases, as a condition for not pursuing all or a portion of the additional tax, the Service may require the Plan Sponsor to pay an additional fee under VCP not in excess of the 10% additional income tax under § 72(t). The Plan Sponsor, as part of the submission, must request the relief and provide an explanation supporting the request.

.10 Correction for SEPs and SIMPLE IRA Plans. (1) Correction for SEPs and SIMPLE IRA Plans generally. Generally, the correction for a SEP or a SIMPLE IRA Plan is expected to be similar to the correction required for a Qualified Plan with a similar Qualification Failure (i.e., Plan Document Failure, Operational Failure, Demographic Failure and Employer Eligibility Failure).

(2) Special correction for SEPs and SIMPLE IRA Plans. In any case in which correction under section 6.10(1) is not feasible for a SEP or SIMPLE IRA Plan or in any other case determined by the Service in its discretion (including failures relating to §§ 402(g), 415, and 401(a)(17), failures relating to deferral percentages, discontinuance of contributions to a SARSEP or SIMPLE IRA Plan, and retention of Excess Amounts for cases in which there has been no violation of a statutory limitation with respect to a SEP or SIMPLE IRA Plan), the Service may provide for a different correction. See section 12.05(2) for a special fee that may apply in such a case.

(3) Correction of failure to satisfy deferral percentage test. If the failure involves a violation of the deferral percentage test under § 408(k)(6)(A)(iii) applicable to a SARSEP, the failure may be corrected in either one of the following ways:

(a) The Plan Sponsor may make contributions that are 100% vested to all eligible nonhighly compensated employees (to the extent permitted by § 415) necessary to raise the deferral percentage needed to pass the test. This amount may be calculated as the same percentage of compensation (regardless of the terms of the SEP).

(b) The Plan Sponsor may effect distribution of excess contributions, adjusted for earnings through the date of correction, to highly compensated employees to correct the failure. The Plan Sponsor must also contribute to the SEP an amount equal to the total amount distributed. This amount must be allocated to (i) current employees who were nonhighly compensated employees in the year of the failure, (ii) current nonhighly compensated employees who were nonhighly compensated employees in the year of the failure, or (iii) employees (both current and former) who were nonhighly compensated employees in the year of the failure.

(4) Treatment of undercontributions to a SEP or a SIMPLE IRA Plan. (a) Make-up contributions; earnings. The Plan Sponsor should correct undercontributions to a SEP or a SIMPLE IRA Plan by contributing make-up amounts that are fully vested, adjusted for earnings from the date of the failure to the date of correction.

(b) Earnings adjustment methods. Insofar as SEP and SIMPLE IRA Plan assets are held in IRAs, there is no earnings rate under the SEP or SIMPLE IRA Plan as a whole. If it is not feasible to make a reasonable estimate of what the actual investment results would have been, a reasonable interest rate may be used.

(5) Treatment of Excess Amounts under a SEP or a SIMPLE IRA Plan. (a) Distribution of Excess Amounts. For purposes of section 6.10, an Excess Amount is an amount contributed on behalf of an employee that is in excess of an employee's benefit under the plan, or an elective deferral in excess of the limitations of §§ 402(g) or 408(k)(6)(A)(iii). If an Excess Amount is attributable to elective deferrals, the Plan Sponsor may effect distribution of the Excess Amount, adjusted for earnings through the date of correction, to the affected participant. The amount distributed to the affected participant is includible in gross income in the year of distribution. The distribution is reported on Form 1099-R for the year of distribution with respect to each participant receiving the distribution. In addition, the Plan Sponsor must inform affected participants that the distribution of an Excess Amount is not eligible for favorable tax treatment accorded to distributions from a SEP or a SIMPLE IRA Plan (and, specifically, is not eligible for tax-free rollover). If the Excess Amount is attributable to employer contributions, the Plan Sponsor may effect distribution of the employer Excess Amount, adjusted for earnings through the date of correction, to the Plan Sponsor. The amount distributed to the Plan Sponsor is not includible in the gross income of the affected participant. The Plan Sponsor is not entitled to a deduction for such employer Excess Amount. The distribution is reported on Form 1099-R issued to the participant indicating the taxable amount as zero.

(b) Retention of Excess Amounts. If an Excess Amount is retained in the SEP or SIMPLE IRA Plan under section 6.10(5), a special fee, in addition to the VCP submission fee, will apply. See section 12.05(2) for the special fee. The Plan Sponsor is not entitled to a deduction for an Excess Amount retained in the SEP or SIMPLE IRA Plan. In the case of an Excess Amount retained in a SEP that is attributable to a § 415 failure, the Excess Amount, adjusted for earnings through the date of correction, must reduce affected participants' applicable § 415 limit for the year following the year of correction (or for the year of correction if the Plan Sponsor so chooses), and subsequent years, until the excess is eliminated.

(c) De minimis Excess Amounts. If the total Excess Amount in a SEP or SIMPLE IRA Plan, whether attributable to elective deferrals or employer contributions, is $100 or less, the Plan Sponsor is not required to distribute the Excess Amount and the special fee described in section 12.05(2) does not apply.

.11 Confidentiality and disclosure. Because each correction program relates directly to the enforcement of the Code qualification requirements, the information received or generated by the Service under the program is subject to the confidentiality requirements of § 6103 and is not a written determination within the meaning of § 6110.

.12 No effect on other law. Correction under these programs has no effect on the rights of any party under any other law, including Title I of ERISA. The Department of Labor maintains a Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program under which certain ERISA fiduciary violations may be corrected. The Department of Labor also maintains a Delinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance Program under which certain failures to comply with the annual reporting requirements (Form 5500 series) under ERISA may be corrected.

PART IV. SELF-CORRECTION (SCP)

SECTION 7. IN GENERAL

The requirements of this section 7 are satisfied with respect to an Operational Failure if the Plan Sponsor of a Qualified Plan, a 403(b) Plan, a SEP, or a SIMPLE IRA Plan satisfies the requirements of section 8 (relating to insignificant Operational Failures) or, in the case of a Qualified Plan or a 403(b) Plan, section 9 (relating to significant Operational Failures).

SECTION 8. SELF-CORRECTION OF INSIGNIFICANT OPERATIONAL FAILURES

.01 Requirements. The requirements of this section 8 are satisfied with respect to an Operational Failure if the Operational Failure is corrected and, given all the facts and circumstances, the Operational Failure is insignificant. This section 8 is available for correcting an insignificant Operational Failure even if the plan or Plan Sponsor is Under Examination and even if the Operational Failure is discovered on examination.

.02 Factors. The factors to be considered in determining whether or not an Operational Failure under a plan is insignificant include, but are not limited to: (1) whether other failures occurred during the period being examined (for this purpose, a failure is not considered to have occurred more than once merely because more than one participant is affected by the failure); (2) the percentage of plan assets and contributions involved in the failure; (3) the number of years the failure occurred; (4) the number of participants affected relative to the total number of participants in the plan; (5) the number of participants affected as a result of the failure relative to the number of participants who could have been affected by the failure; (6) whether correction was made within a reasonable time after discovery of the failure; and (7) the reason for the failure (for example, data errors such as errors in the transcription of data, the transposition of numbers, or minor arithmetic errors). No single factor is determinative. Additionally, factors (2), (4), and (5) should not be interpreted to exclude small businesses.

.03 Multiple failures. In the case of a plan with more than one Operational Failure in a single year, or Operational Failures that occur in more than one year, the Operational Failures are eligible for correction under this section 8 only if all of the Operational Failures are insignificant in the aggregate. Operational Failures that have been corrected under SCP in section 9 and VCP in sections 10 and 11 are not taken into account for purposes of determining if Operational Failures are insignificant in the aggregate.

.04 Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of this section 8. It is assumed, in each example, that the eligibility requirements of section 4 relating to SCP (for example, the requirements of section 4.04 relating to established practices and procedures) have been satisfied and that no Operational Failures occurred other than the Operational Failures identified below.

Example 1: In 1991, Employer X established Plan A, a profit-sharing plan that satisfies the requirements of § 401(a) in form. In 2005, the benefits of 50 of the 250 participants in Plan A were limited by § 415(c). However, when the Service examined Plan A in 2008, it discovered that, during the 2005 limitation year, the annual additions allocated to the accounts of 3 of these employees exceeded the maximum limitations under § 415(c). Employer X contributed $3,500,000 to the plan for the plan year. The amount of the excesses totaled $4,550. Under these facts, because the number of participants affected by the failure relative to the total number of participants who could have been affected by the failure, and the monetary amount of the failure relative to the total employer contribution to the plan for the 2005 plan year, are insignificant, the § 415(c) failure in Plan A that occurred in 2005 would be eligible for correction under this section 8.

Example 2: The facts are the same as in Example 1, except that the failure to satisfy § 415 occurred during each of the 2005 and 2007 limitation years. In addition, the three participants affected by the § 415 failure were not identical each year. The fact that the § 415 failures occurred during more than one limitation year did not cause the failures to be significant; accordingly, the failures are still eligible for correction under this section 8.

Example 3: The facts are the same as in Example 1, except that the annual additions of 18 of the 50 employees whose benefits were limited by § 415(c) nevertheless exceeded the maximum limitations under § 415(c) during the 2005 limitation year, and the amount of the excesses ranged from $1,000 to $9,000, and totaled $150,000. Under these facts, taking into account the number of participants affected by the failure relative to the total number of participants who could have been affected by the failure for the 2005 limitation year (and the monetary amount of the failure relative to the total employer contribution), the failure is significant. Accordingly, the § 415(c) failure in Plan A that occurred in 2005 is ineligible for correction under this section 8 as an insignificant failure.

Example 4: Employer J maintains Plan C, a money purchase pension plan established in 1992. The plan document satisfies the requirements of § 401(a). The formula under the plan provides for an employer contribution equal to 10% of compensation, as defined in the plan. During its examination of the plan for the 2005 plan year, the Service discovered that the employee responsible for entering data into the employer's computer made minor arithmetic errors in transcribing the compensation data with respect to 6 of the plan's 40 participants, resulting in excess allocations to those 6 participants' accounts. Under these facts, the number of participants affected by the failure relative to the number of participants that could have been affected is insignificant, and the failure is due to minor data errors. Thus, the failure occurring in 2005 would be insignificant and therefore eligible for correction under this section 8.

Example 5: Public School maintains for its 200 employees a salary reduction 403(b) Plan (the "Plan") that satisfies the requirements of § 403(b). The business manager has primary responsibility for administering the Plan, in addition to other administrative functions within Public School. During the 2005 plan year, a former employee should have received an additional minimum required distribution of $278 under § 403(b)(10). Another participant received an impermissible hardship withdrawal of $2,500. Another participant made elective deferrals of which $1,000 was in excess of the § 402(g) limit. Under these facts, even though multiple failures occurred in a single plan year, the failures will be eligible for correction under this section 8 because in the aggregate the failures are insignificant.

SECTION 9. SELF-CORRECTION OF SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONAL FAILURES

.01 Requirements. The requirements of this section 9 are satisfied with respect to an Operational Failure (even if significant) if the Operational Failure is corrected and the correction is either completed or substantially completed (in accordance with section 9.04) by the last day of the correction period described in section 9.02.

.02 Correction period. (1) End of correction period. The last day of the correction period for an Operational Failure is the last day of the second plan year following the plan year for which the failure occurred. However, in the case of a failure to satisfy the requirements of §§ 401(k)(3), 401(m)(2), or 401(m)(9), the correction period does not end until the last day of the second plan year following the plan year that includes the last day of the additional period for correction permitted under §§ 401(k)(8) or 401(m)(6). If a 403(b) Plan does not have a designated plan year, the plan year is deemed to be the calendar year for purposes of this section 9.02.

(2) Extension of correction period for Transferred Assets. In the case of an Operational Failure that relates only to Transferred Assets, or to a plan assumed in connection with a corporate merger, acquisition or other similar employer transaction, the correction period does not end until the last day of the first plan year that begins after the corporate merger, acquisition, or other similar employer transaction between the Plan Sponsor and the sponsor of the transferor plan or the prior sponsor of an assumed plan.

(3) Effect of examination. The correction period for an Operational Failure that occurs for any plan year ends, in any event, on the first date the plan or Plan Sponsor is Under Examination for that plan year (determined without regard to the second sentence of section 9.02). (But see section 9.04 for special rules permitting completion of correction after the end of the correction period.)

.03 Correction by plan amendment. In order to complete correction by plan amendment (as permitted under section 4.05), the appropriate determination letter application must be submitted before the end of the plan's applicable remedial amendment period described in Rev. Proc. 2007-44.

.04 Substantial completion of correction. Correction of an Operational Failure is substantially completed by the last day of the correction period only if the requirements of either paragraph (1) or (2) are satisfied.

(1) The requirements of this paragraph (1) are satisfied if:

(a) during the correction period, the Plan Sponsor is reasonably prompt in identifying the Operational Failure, formulating a correction method, and initiating correction in a manner that demonstrates a commitment to completing correction of the Operational Failure as expeditiously as practicable, and

(b) within 120 days after the last day of the correction period, the Plan Sponsor completes correction of the Operational Failure.

(2) The requirements of this paragraph (2) are satisfied if:

(a) during the correction period, correction is completed with respect to 65% of all participants affected by the Operational Failure, and

(b) thereafter, the Plan Sponsor completes correction of the Operational Failure with respect to the remaining affected participants in a diligent manner.

.05 Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of this section 9. It is assumed, in each example, that the eligibility requirements of section 4 relating to SCP have been met.

Example 1: Employer Z established a qualified defined contribution plan in 2003 and received a favorable determination letter. During 2007, while doing a self-audit of the operation of the plan for the 2006 plan year, the plan administrator discovered that, despite the practices and procedures established by Employer Z with respect to the plan, several employees eligible to participate in the plan were excluded from participation. The administrator also found that for 2006 Operational Failures occurred because the elective deferrals of additional employees exceeded the § 402(g) limit and Employer Z failed to make the required top-heavy minimum contribution. In addition, during the review of the administration for the 2006 year, it was found that the plan administrator intended to implement correction for the failure to satisfy the ADP test (as described in § 401(k)(3)) for the 2005 plan year. During the 2008 plan year, the Plan Sponsor made QNECs on behalf of the excluded employees, distributed the excess deferrals to the affected participants, and made a top-heavy minimum contribution to all participants entitled to that contribution for the 2006 plan year. Each corrective contribution and distribution was credited with earnings at a rate appropriate for the plan from the date the corrective contribution or distribution should have been made to the date of correction. The failed ADP test for 2005 was corrected by making corrective contributions, adjusted for earnings, on behalf of nonhighly compensated employees using the method described in Appendix A .03 of this revenue procedure. Under these facts, the Plan Sponsor has corrected the ADP test failure for the 2005 plan year and the Operational Failures for the 2006 plan year within the correction period and thus satisfied the requirements of this section 9.

Example 2: Employer A established a qualified defined contribution plan, Plan A, in 1993 and has received a favorable determination letter for the applicable law changes. In April 2007, Employer A purchased all of the stock of Employer B, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Employer C. Employees of Employer B participated in Plan C, a qualified defined contribution plan sponsored by Employer C. Following Employer A's review of Plan C, Employer A and Employer C agreed that Plan A would accept a transfer of plan assets from Plan C attributable to the account balances of the employees of Employer B who had participated in Plan C. As part of this agreement, Employer C represented to Employer A that Plan C is tax qualified. Employers A and C also agreed that such transfer would be in accordance with § 414(l) and § 1.414(l)-1 and addressed issues related to costs associated with the transfer. Following the transaction, the employees of Employer B began participation in Plan A. Effective July 1, 2007, Plan A accepted the transfer of plan assets from Plan C. After the transfer, Employer A determined that all the participants in one division of Employer B had been incorrectly excluded from allocation of the profit sharing contributions for the 2002 and 2003 plan years. During 2008, Employer A made corrective contributions on behalf of the affected participants. The corrective contributions were credited with earnings at a rate appropriate for the plan from the date the corrective contribution should have been made to the date of correction and Employer A otherwise complied with the requirements of SCP. Under these facts, Employer A has, within the correction period, corrected the Operational Failures for the 2002 and 2003 plan years with respect to the assets transferred to Plan A, and thus satisfied the requirements of this section 9.

PART V. VOLUNTARY CORRECTION PROGRAM WITH SERVICE APPROVAL (VCP)

SECTION 10. VCP PROCEDURES

.01 VCP requirements. The requirements of this section 10 are satisfied with respect to failures submitted in accordance with the requirements of this section 10 if the Plan Sponsor pays the compliance fee required under section 12 and implements the corrective actions and satisfies any other conditions in the compliance statement described in section 10.08.

.02 Identification of failures. VCP is not based upon an examination of the plan by the Service. Only the failures raised by the Plan Sponsor or failures identified by the Service in processing the application are addressed under VCP, and only those failures are covered by a VCP compliance statement. The Service will not make any investigation or finding under VCP concerning whether there are failures.

.03 Effect of VCP submission on examination. Because VCP does not arise out of an examination, consideration under VCP does not preclude or impede (under § 7605(b) or any administrative provisions adopted by the Service) a subsequent examination of the Plan Sponsor or the plan by the Service with respect to the taxable year (or years) involved with respect to matters that are outside the compliance statement. However, a Plan Sponsor's statements describing failures are made only for purposes of VCP and will not be regarded by the Service as an admission of a failure for purposes of any subsequent examination. See section 5.07 for the definition of Under Examination.

.04 No concurrent examination activity. Except in unusual circumstances, a plan that has been properly submitted under VCP will not be examined while the submission is pending. Notwithstanding the above, a plan that is eligible for a Group Submission under section 10.11 may be examined while the Group Submission is pending with respect to issues not identified in the Group Submission at the time such plan comes Under Examination. In addition, if it is determined that either the plan or the Plan Sponsor was, or may have been a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction (as defined under section 4.13(2)), the Service may authorize the examination of the plan, even if a submission pursuant to VCP is pending. This practice regarding concurrent examinations does not extend to other plans of the Plan Sponsor. Thus, any plan of the Plan Sponsor that is not pending under VCP could be subject to examination.

.05 Determination letter application for plan amendments related to a VCP submission. In any case in which a determination letter may be submitted pursuant to section 6.05, the Plan Sponsor must submit a copy of the amendment, the appropriate determination letter application form (i.e., Form 5300, 5307 or 5310) , and the appropriate user fee concurrently and to the same address as the VCP submission. Pursuant to section 12.03 of Rev. Proc. 2007-44, in the case of individually designed plans, a restated plan generally will be required. The user fee for the determination letter application and the fee for the VCP submission must be submitted on separate checks made payable to the U.S. Treasury. See section 11.13 for the VCP mailing address.

.06 Determination letter applications not related to a VCP submission. (1) The Service may process a determination letter application submitted under the determination letter program (including an application requested on Form 5310) concurrently with a VCP submission for the same plan. However, issuance of the determination letter in response to an application made on a Form 5310 will be suspended pending the closure of the VCP submission.

(2) A submission of a plan under the determination letter program does not constitute a submission under VCP. If the Plan Sponsor discovers a Qualification Failure, the Qualification Failure may not be corrected as part of the determination letter process. The Plan Sponsor may use SCP and VCP instead, as applicable. If the Service in connection with a determination letter application discovers a Qualification Failure, the Service may issue a closing agreement with respect to the failures identified or, if appropriate, refer the case to Employee Plans Examinations. In either case, the fee structure in section 12 relating to VCP, will not apply. Except as provided in section 10.06(3), the sanction in section 14.01 relating to Audit CAP will apply. See section 5.07(3) for a description of when a plan submitted for a determination letter is considered to be Under Examination.

(3) If the Service in connection with a determination letter application discovers the plan has not been amended timely for tax legislation changes, the fee structure in section14.04 will apply.

.07 Processing of submission. (1) Screening of submission. Upon receipt of a submission under VCP, the Service will review whether the eligibility requirements of section 4 and the submission requirements of section 11 are satisfied.

(2) Eligibility of submission. If, at any stage of the review process, the Service determines that a VCP submission is seriously deficient or that the application of VCP would be inappropriate or impracticable, the Service reserves the right to return the submission without contacting the Plan Sponsor. If no substantive processing of the case has occurred, the Service will refund the compliance fee submitted with the request.

(3) Review of submission. Once the Service determines that the submission is complete under VCP, the Service will contact the Plan Sponsor or the Plan Sponsor's representative to discuss the proposed corrections and the plan's administrative procedures.

(4) Additional information required. If additional information is required, a Service representative will generally contact the Plan Sponsor or the Plan Sponsor's representative and explain what is needed to complete the submission. The Plan Sponsor will have 21 calendar days from the date of this contact to provide the requested information. If the information is not received within 21 days, the matter will be closed, the compliance fee will not be returned, and the case may be referred to Employee Plans Examinations. Any request for an extension of the 21-day time period must be made in writing within the 21-day time period and must be approved by the Service (by the applicable group manager).

(5) Additional failures discovered after initial submission. (a) A Plan Sponsor that discovers additional unrelated Qualification or 403(b) Failures after its initial submission may request that such failures be added to its submission. However, the Service retains the discretion to reject the inclusion of such failures if the request is not timely (for example, if the Plan Sponsor makes its request when processing of the submission is substantially complete) or the application of VCP would be inappropriate or impracticable.

(b) If the Service discovers an unrelated Qualification or 403(b) Failure while the request is pending, the failure generally will be added to the failures under consideration. However, the Service retains the discretion to determine that a failure is outside the scope of the voluntary request for consideration because the Plan Sponsor did not voluntarily bring it forward. In this case, if the additional failure is significant, all aspects of the plan may be examined and the rules pertaining to Audit CAP will apply.

(6) Conference right. If the Service initially determines that it cannot issue a compliance statement because the parties cannot agree upon correction or a change in administrative procedures, the Plan Sponsor (generally through the Plan Sponsor's representative) will be contacted by the Service representative and offered a conference with the Service. The conference can be held either in person or by telephone and must be held within 21 calendar days of the date of contact. The Plan Sponsor will have 21 calendar days after the date of the conference to submit additional information in support of the submission. Any request for an extension of the 21-day time period must be made in writing within the 21-day time period and must be approved by the Service (by the applicable group manager). Additional conferences may be held at the discretion of the Service.

(7) Failure to reach resolution. If the Service and the Plan Sponsor cannot reach agreement with respect to the submission, the matter will be closed, the compliance fee will not be returned, and the case may be referred to Employee Plans Examinations. In the case of an Anonymous Submission that fails to reach resolution under this revenue procedure, the Service will refund 50% of the applicable VCP fee. See section 12 for the VCP fee.

(8) Issuance of compliance statement. If agreement is reached, the Service will send to the Plan Sponsor a compliance statement specifying the corrective action required. If the original submission is subsequently materially modified, then, unless the Plan Sponsor has submitted a penalty of perjury statement with respect to such subsequent modifications, the Plan Sponsor will be required to sign the compliance statement. In such case, the Service will send to the Plan Sponsor an unsigned compliance statement specifying the corrective action required. Within 30 calendar days of the date the compliance statement is sent, a Plan Sponsor must sign the compliance statement and return it and any compliance fee required to be paid at the time that the compliance statement is signed (see section 11.05). The Service will then issue a signed copy of the compliance statement to the Plan Sponsor. If the Plan Sponsor does not sign the compliance statement and send it to the Service (with a compliance fee, if applicable) within 30 calendar days, the plan may be referred to Employee Plans Examinations.

(9) Timing of correction. The Plan Sponsor must implement the specific corrections and administrative changes set forth in the compliance statement within 150 days of the date of the compliance statement. Any request for an extension of this time period must be made prior to the expiration of the correction period in writing and must be approved by the Service. Correction of the failure to adopt timely interim amendments or amendments relating to the implementation of optional law changes, as described in section 6.05(3)(a), must be made by the date of the submission. That is, the application should include the executed amendments that would correct this failure.

(10) Modification of compliance statement. Once the compliance statement has been issued (based on the information provided), the Plan Sponsor cannot request a modification of the compliance terms except by a new request for a compliance statement. However, if the requested modification is minor and is postmarked within the correction period provided for in the compliance statement, the compliance fee will be equal to the lesser of one-half of the original compliance fee or $1,500. The request should be sent to the VCP mailing address provided for in section 11.13. The request should include a letter explaining the modification, a copy of the original compliance statement, a copy of the original application and if applicable any other pertinent correspondence relating to the issuance of the original compliance statement, and a check for the compliance fee payable to the U.S. Treasury.

(11) Verification. Once the compliance statement has been issued, the Service may require verification that the correction methods have been complied with and that any plan administrative procedures required by the compliance statement have been implemented. This verification does not constitute an examination of the books and records of the employer or the plan (within the meaning of § 7605(b)). If the Service determines that the Plan Sponsor did not implement the corrections and procedures within the stated time period, the plan may be referred to Employee Plans Examinations.

.08 Compliance statement. (1) General description of compliance statement. The compliance statement issued for a VCP submission addresses the failures identified, the terms of correction, including any revision of administrative procedures, and the time period within which proposed corrections must be implemented, including any changes in administrative procedures. The compliance statement also provides that the Service will not treat the plan as failing to satisfy the applicable requirements of the Code on account of the failures described in the compliance statement if the conditions of the compliance statement are satisfied. With respect to a failure to amend a plan timely for interim amendments, or optional law changes, as described in section 6.05(3) of this revenue procedure, the issuance of a compliance statement will result in the corrective amendments being treated as if they had been adopted timely for the purpose of determining the availability of the extended remedial amendment period currently described in Rev. Proc. 2007-44. However, the issuance of such a compliance statement does not constitute a determination as to whether the interim amendment or other corrective amendment to reflect the implementation of optional law changes, as drafted, complies with the change in qualification requirement. The compliance statement will not make any determination on whether the corrective amendment conforms the terms of the plan to the plan's prior operations, and whether the amendment complies with the requirements of § 401(a), including the requirements of §§ 401(a)(4), 410(b), and 411(d)(6). Where current procedures are inadequate for operating the plan in conformance with the applicable requirements of the Code, the compliance statement will be conditioned upon the implementation of stated administrative procedures. The Service may prescribe appropriate administrative procedures in the compliance statement.

(2) Compliance statement conditioned upon timely correction. The compliance statement is conditioned on (i) there being no misstatement or omission of material facts in connection with the submission and (ii) the implementation of the specific corrections and satisfaction of any other conditions in the compliance statement.

(3) Authority delegated. Compliance statements (including relief from any excise tax or other penalty as provided under section 6.09) are authorized to be signed by managers within Employee Plans Rulings and Agreements, under the Tax Exempt and Government Entities Operating Division of the Service.

.09 Effect of compliance statement on examination. The compliance statement is binding upon both the Service and the Plan Sponsor or Eligible Organization (as defined in section 10.11(2)) with respect to the specific tax matters identified therein for the periods specified, but does not preclude or impede an examination of the plan by the Service relating to matters outside the compliance statement, even with respect to the same taxable year or years to which the compliance statement relates.

.10 Special rules relating to Anonymous (John Doe) Submissions. (1) The Anonymous Submission procedure in this section 10.10 permits submission of Qualified Plans, 403(b) Plans, SEPs, and SIMPLE IRA Plans under VCP without initially identifying the applicable plan(s), the Plan Sponsor(s), or the Eligible Organization. The requirements of this revenue procedure relating to VCP, including sections 10, 11, and 12, apply to these submissions. However, information identifying the plan or the Plan Sponsor may be redacted (and the power of attorney statement and the penalty of perjury statement need not be included with the initial submission). In addition, if a determination letter application will be requested as part of the submission, the determination letter application should not be submitted until the time all identifying information is provided to the Service. For purposes of processing the submission, the state of the Plan Sponsor must be identified in the initial submission. All anonymous submissions must be numbered or labeled on the first page of the VCP submission by the Plan Sponsor or its representative to facilitate identification and tracking of the submission. The identification number should be unique to the submission and should not be used with respect to any other anonymous submission of the Plan Sponsor or representative. Once the Service and the plan representative reach agreement with respect to the submission, the Service will contact the plan representative in writing indicating the terms of the agreement. The Plan Sponsor will have 21 calendar days from the date of the letter of agreement to identify the plan and Plan Sponsor. If the Plan Sponsor does not submit the identifying material (including the power of attorney statement and the penalty of perjury statement) within 21 calendar days of the letter of agreement, the matter will be closed and the compliance fee will not be returned.

(2) Notwithstanding section 10.04, until the plan(s) and Plan Sponsor(s) are identified to the Service, a submission under this subsection does not preclude or impede an examination of the Plan Sponsor or its plan(s). Thus, a plan submitted under the Anonymous Submission procedure that comes Under Examination prior to the date the plan(s) and Plan Sponsor(s) identifying materials are received by the Service will no longer be eligible under VCP.

.11 Special rules relating to Group Submissions. (1) General rules. An Eligible Organization may submit a VCP request for a Qualified Plan, a 403(b) Plan, a SEP, or a SIMPLE IRA Plan under a Group Submission for Plan Document, Operational and Employer Eligibility Failures. If a sponsor of a master or prototype plan submits failures with respect to more than one master or prototype plan, each plan will be treated as a separate submission and a separate fee must be submitted for each prototype plan. Similarly, if a Volume Submitter practitioner submits failures with respect to more than one Volume Submitter plan, each plan will be treated as a separate submission and a separate fee must be submitted for each specimen plan.

(2) Eligible Organizations. For purposes of a Group Submission, the term "Eligible Organization" means either (a) a Sponsor (as that term is defined in section 4.07 of Rev. Proc. 2005-16, 2005-10 I.R.B. 674) of a master or prototype plan, (b) a Volume Submitter practitioner, as that term is defined in section 13.04 of Rev. Proc. 2005-16, (c) an insurance company or other entity that has issued annuity contracts or provides services with respect to assets for 403(b) Plans, or (d) an entity that provides its clients with administrative services with respect to Qualified Plans, 403(b) Plans, SEPs, or SIMPLE IRA Plans. An Eligible Organization is not eligible to make a Group Submission unless the failures in their submission result from a systemic error involving the Eligible Organization that affects at least 20 plans and that result in at least 20 plans implementing correction. If, at any time before the Service issues the compliance statement, the number of plans falls below 20, the Eligible Organization must notify the Service that it is no longer eligible to make a Group Submission (and the compliance fee may be retained).

(3) Special Group Submission procedures. (a) In general, a Group Submission is subject to the same procedures as any VCP submission in accordance with sections 10 and 11, except that the Eligible Organization is responsible for performing the procedural obligations imposed on the Plan Sponsor under sections 10 and 11. See section 11.02(15) for a special submission requirement with respect to Group Submissions.

(b) The Eligible Organization must provide notice to all Plan Sponsors of the plans included in the Group Submission. The notice must be provided at least 90 days before the Eligible Organization provides the Service with the information required in section 10.11(3)(c). The purpose of the notice is to provide each Plan Sponsor with information relating to the Group Submission request. The notice should explain the reason for the Group Submission and inform the Plan Sponsor that the Plan Sponsor's plan will be included in the Group Submission unless the Plan Sponsor responds within the 90-day period to exclude the Plan Sponsor's plan from the Group Submission.

(c) When an Eligible Organization receives an unsigned compliance statement on the proposed correction and agrees to the terms of the compliance statement, the Eligible Organization must return to the Service within 120 calendar days not only the signed compliance statement and any additional compliance fee under section 12.05, but also a list containing (i) the employers' tax identification numbers for the Plan Sponsors of the plans to which the compliance statement may be applicable, (ii) the plans by name, plan number, type of plan, and number of plan participants, (iii) a certification that each Plan Sponsor received notice of the Group Submission, and (iv) a certification that each Plan Sponsor timely filed the Form 5500 series return for each plan. This list can be submitted at any stage of the submission process provided that the requirements of section 10.11(3)(b) have been satisfied. Applicants are encouraged to submit the list on a computer disk in Microsoft Word. Only those plans for which correction is actually made within 240 calendar days of the date of the signed compliance statement (or within such longer period as may be agreed to by the Service at the request of the Eligible Organization) will be covered by the compliance statement.

(d) Notwithstanding section 4.02, if a Plan Sponsor of a plan that is eligible to be included in the Group Submission and has not elected to be excluded from the Group Submission pursuant to section 10.11(3)(b) is notified of an impending Employee Plans examination after the Eligible Organization filed the Group Submission application, the Plan Sponsor's plan will be included in the Group Submission. However, with respect to such plan, the Group Submission will not preclude or impede an examination of the plan with respect to any failures not identified in the Group Submission application at the time the plan comes Under Examination.

.12 Multiemployer and multiple employer plans. (1) In the case of a multiemployer or multiple employer plan, the plan administrator (rather than any contributing or adopting employer) must request consideration of the plan under VCP. The request must be with respect to the plan, rather than a portion of the plan affecting any particular employer.

(2) If a VCP submission for a multiemployer or multiple employer plan has failures that apply to fewer than all of the employers under the plan, the plan administrator may choose to have the compliance fee (in section 12) or sanction (in section 14) calculated separately for each employer based on the assets attributable to that employer, rather than being attributable to the assets of the entire plan. Thus, the plan administrator may choose to apply the provisions of this paragraph where the failure is attributable in whole or in part to data, information, actions, or inactions that are within the control of the employers rather than the multiemployer or multiple employer plan (such as attribution in whole or in part to the failure of a employer to provide the plan administrator with full and complete information).

SECTION 11. APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR VCP

.01 General rules. The requirements of this section 11 are satisfied if the request for a compliance statement from the Service under VCP satisfies the informational and other requirements of this section 11. In general, a request under VCP consists of a letter from the Plan Sponsor (which may be a letter from the Plan Sponsor's representative) or Eligible Organization (or representative) to the Service that contains a description of the failures, a description of the proposed methods of correction, and other procedural items set forth in this section 11. Appendix D and Appendix F of this revenue procedure are provided to assist the applicant in satisfying these requirements. Applicants are encouraged to use Appendix D or Appendix F, as applicable. If the Streamlined Application procedures described in section 11.02 are used, the applicant should use Appendix F and related schedules; otherwise, the application should be made in accordance with the provisions of section 11.03, using the format outlined in Appendix D.

The Appendix D and Appendix F formats for the application should not be modified. Also, since the application may form part of a document that is executed by the Service, the application itself (as distinguished from any cover letter or other supplemental letters that the applicant may provide) should not be submitted under the letterhead of the Plan Sponsor or the Plan Sponsor's authorized representative. The application also contains an Enforcement Resolution section (Part VII of Appendix D and Part IV of Appendix F). The applicant should complete only Parts I through VI, and Parts I through III, of Appendix D and Appendix F, respectively. The Enforcement Resolution (Part VII of Appendix D and Part IV of Appendix F) may only be completed by the Service. The application must include the Enforcement Resolution section. If the application is acceptable as submitted, the Service may execute the Enforcement Resolution page to indicate its approval of the submission. In such a situation, the executed Enforcement Resolution will constitute the compliance statement for the submission.

.02 Streamlined Application procedures. (1) If all of the Qualification Failures the Plan Sponsor proposes to correct through VCP are described in section 11.02(3) and the Plan Sponsor proposes to correct such failures using a correction method provided in the Appendix F schedules, then the submission should be made pursuant to these streamlined procedures. A Streamlined Application pursuant to this section consists of the Appendix F, the appropriate schedule(s) for the failure(s) (as described in section 11.02(3)), and all other documents required as indicated on the applicable schedule. The Service reserves the right to request additional information in connection with its processing of the Streamlined Application. The failure to provide the information required in the format provided in Appendix F may result in a delay in the processing of the submission. If only certain failures contained in the submission are described in section 11.02(3) (or one or more of the proposed corrections is not a method set forth in the Appendix F schedules), then the submission may be made pursuant to the Streamlined Application Procedures, to the extent applicable, and using the general rules of this section 11 to the extent the Streamlined Application procedures are not applicable.

(2) The Streamlined Application procedure in Appendix F should not be used if any of its provisions (including the failure, correction of the failure, or the Plan Sponsor's representation) do not apply to the Plan or Plan Sponsor. In such circumstance, a VCP submission should be made in accordance with the provisions of section 11.03 and Appendix D of this revenue procedure.

(3) The failures eligible for the Streamlined Application procedure and the applicable Appendix F schedules are described as follows:

.03 Submission requirements. If the application includes failures and corrections that are not addressed in Appendix F, then the submission should be made in accordance with the format provided in Appendix D. The application should include the following:

(1) Identifying information for the applicant. This would include, the name and Employer Identification Number (EIN) of the applicant. (Note: Social Security Numbers are not acceptable. An applicant can obtain an EIN by calling (800)829-4933. An application for an EIN can also be made online by accessing www.irs.gov and typing "How to Apply for an EIN" in its search engine.

(2) Identifying information for the Plan. A statement identifying the type of plan submitted (e.g., Qualified Plan, 403(b) Plan, SEP, or SIMPLE IRA Plan). In addition, if the submission involves a Qualified Plan, the statement should also identify the type of Qualified Plan being submitted (e.g., Defined Benefit, Money Purchase, Profit Sharing, or Stock Bonus, and 401(k) or ESOP).

(3) Plan Data. Information relating to the number of plan participants determined in accordance with section 12.07 and the total amount of plan assets as of the most recent 5500 filing (or, if not filed, the most recent data available to the Plan Sponsor) prior to the filing of this VCP submission.

(4) Type of Submission. Where applicable, the application should identify whether the submission is a Group Submission, an Anonymous Submission, a nonamender submission, a multiemployer or multiple employer plan submission, or an Orphan Plan submission.

(5) Identification of Failures. A complete description of the failures, the years in which the failures occurred, including closed years (that is, years for which the statutory period has expired), and the number of employees affected by each failure.

(6) Explanation. An explanation of how and why the failures arose, including a description of the administrative procedures applicable to the failures in effect at the time the failures occurred.

(7) Proposed Method of Correction. A detailed description of the method for correcting the failures that the Plan Sponsor has implemented or proposes to implement. Each step of the correction method must be described in narrative form. The description must include the specific information needed to support the suggested correction method. This information includes, for example, the number of employees affected and the expected cost of correction (both of which may be approximated if the exact number cannot be determined at the time of the request), the years involved, and calculations or assumptions the Plan Sponsor used to determine the amounts needed for correction.

(8) Earnings or actuarial adjustments. A description of the methodology that will be used to calculate earnings or actuarial adjustments on any corrective contributions or distributions (indicating the computation periods and the basis for determining earnings or actuarial adjustments, in accordance with section 6.02(4)).

(9) Computations. Specific calculations for each affected employee or a representative sample of affected employees. The sample calculations must be sufficient to demonstrate each aspect of the correction method proposed. For example, if a Plan Sponsor requests a compliance statement with respect to a failure to satisfy the contribution limits of § 415(c) and proposes a correction method that involves elective deferrals (whether matched or unmatched) and matching contributions, the Plan Sponsor must submit calculations illustrating the correction method proposed with respect to each type of contribution. As another example, with respect to a failure to satisfy the ADP test in § 401(k)(3), the Plan Sponsor must submit the ADP test results both before the correction and after the correction.

(10) Former employees or beneficiaries. The method that will be used to locate and notify former employees and beneficiaries, or an affirmative statement that no former employees or beneficiaries were affected by the failures or will be affected by the correction.

(11) Change in administrative procedures. A description of the measures that have been or will be implemented to ensure that the same failures will not recur.

(12) Request for excise relief (§§ 4972, 4973, 4974 or 4979) or income tax relief under § 72(t). If relief is sought, a specific request for relief should be included in the submission, along with explanations, where applicable, supporting such request.

(13) Loan failures and income tax reporting relief. A specific request for relief needs to be made if the applicant either wants relief from reporting a corrected participant loan as a deemed distribution or wants to report the loan as a deemed distribution in the year of correction instead of the year in which the deemed distribution occurred.

(14) Under Examination statement. A statement that, to the best of the Plan Sponsor's knowledge, neither the plan nor the Plan Sponsor is Under Examination.

(15) Abusive tax avoidance transaction statement. A statement that neither the plan nor the Plan Sponsor has been a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction (as defined in section 4.13(2)) or a brief identification of any abusive tax avoidance transaction to which the plan or the Plan Sponsor has been a party.

(16) Transferred Assets. If a submission includes a failure that relates to Transferred Assets and the failure occurred prior to the transfer, a description of the transaction (including the dates of the employer change and the plan transfer).

(17) Unrelated determination letter application requests. A statement (if applicable) that the plan is currently being considered in a determination letter application that is not related to the VCP application. If the request for a determination letter is made while a request for consideration under VCP is pending, the Plan Sponsor must update the VCP request to add this information.

(18) 403(b) Plans only. In the case of a 403(b) Plan submission, a statement that the Plan Sponsor has contacted all other entities involved with the plan and has been assured of cooperation in implementing the applicable correction, to the extent necessary. For example, if the plan's failure is the failure to satisfy the requirements of § 403(b)(1)(E) on elective deferrals, the Plan Sponsor must, prior to making the VCP application, contact the insurance company or custodian with control over the plan's assets to assure cooperation in effecting a distribution of the excess deferrals and the earnings thereon. An application under VCP must also contain a statement as to the type of employer (e.g., a tax-exempt organization described in § 501(c)(3)) submitting the VCP application.

(19) Group Submissions only. A Group Submission must be signed by the Eligible Organization or the Eligible Organization's authorized representative and accompanied by a copy of the relevant portions of the plan document(s). In addition, a Group Submission must include a separate page for each affected Plan Sponsor that provides the Plan Sponsor's name, EIN, plan name, and failure(s).

(20) Orphan Plans only. If the plan is an Orphan Plan, whether relief from the VCP application fee or correction is being requested, and the supporting rationale for such relief.

.04 Required documents. A VCP submission must be accompanied by the following documents:

(1) Plan document. A copy of the entire plan document or the relevant portions of the plan document. For example, in a case involving an improper exclusion of eligible employees from a profit-sharing plan with a cash or deferred arrangement, relevant portions of the plan document include the eligibility, allocation, and cash or deferred arrangement provisions of the basic plan document (and the adoption agreement, if applicable), along with applicable definitions in the plan. If the plan is a 403(b) Plan and a plan document is not available, a written description of the plan should be submitted, with sample salary reduction agreements if relevant. In the case of a SEP and a SIMPLE IRA Plan, the entire plan document should be submitted.

(2) Determination letter application. In any case in which correction of a Qualification Failure is made by plan amendment, as permitted under section 4.05, other than the adoption of an amendment designated by the Service as a model amendment or the adoption of a prototype or volume submitter plan for which the Plan Sponsor has reliance on the plan's opinion or advisory letter as provided in Rev. Proc. 2008-6, 2008-1 I.R.B. 192, and the Plan Sponsor is submitting a determination letter request as permitted under section 6.05, the Plan Sponsor must submit a copy of the plan document in restated form, the appropriate application form (i.e., Form 5300, 5307 or 5310 ), the appropriate user fee concurrently and to the same address as the VCP submission, and the most recent version of the From 8717, User Fee for Employee Plan Determination, Opinion and Advisory Letter Request. Pursuant to section 12.04 of Rev. Proc. 2007-44, effective as of July 9, 2007, Form 6406, Short Form Application for Determination for Minor Amendment of Employee Benefit Plan, may not be used to apply for a determination letter. An application submitted with this form will no longer be accepted by the Service. The user fee for the determination letter application and the fee for the VCP submission must be submitted on separate checks made payable to the U.S. Treasury. See section 11.13 for the VCP mailing address.

.05 Date fee due generally. Except as provided in sections 11.06 and 12.02(4), the VCP fee under section 12 and, if applicable, the determination letter user fee must be included with the submission. The VCP fee and the determination letter user fee must be submitted on separate checks made payable to the U.S. Treasury. If the appropriate fees are not included in the submission, the submission will be returned.

.06 Additional fee due for SEPs, SIMPLE IRA Plans, and Group Submissions. In the case of a SEP, a SIMPLE IRA Plan, or a Group Submission, the initial fee described in section 12.02, 12.04, or 12.05 must be included in the submission and any additional fee is due at the time the compliance statement is signed by the Plan Sponsor and returned to the Service, or when agreement has been reached between the Service and the Plan Sponsor regarding correction of the failure(s).

.07 Signed submission. The submission must be signed by the Plan Sponsor or the Plan Sponsor's authorized representative.

.08 Power of attorney requirements. To sign the submission or to appear before the Service in connection with the submission, the Plan Sponsor's representative must comply with the requirements of section 9.02(11) and (12) of Rev. Proc. 2008-4, 2008-1 I.R.B. 121, and submit Form 2848 Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative. A Form 2848 that designates a representative not qualified to sign Part II of the Form 2848, e.g., an unenrolled return preparer, will not be accepted. A Plan Sponsor may authorize an individual, such as an unenrolled return preparer, to inspect or receive confidential information using Form 8821 Tax Information Authorization (See Form 8821 and Instructions.) However, see section 10.10 for special rules relating to Anonymous Submissions.

.09 Penalty of perjury statement. The following declaration must accompany a request and any factual information or change in the submission at a later time: "Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this submission, including accompanying documents, and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the facts presented in support of this submission are true, correct, and complete." The declaration must be signed by the Plan Sponsor, not the Plan Sponsor's representative.

.10 Checklist. The Service will be able to respond more quickly to a VCP request if the request is carefully prepared and complete. The checklist in Appendix C is designed to assist Plan Sponsors and their representatives in preparing a submission that contains the information and documents required under this revenue procedure. The checklist in Appendix C must be completed, signed, and dated by the Plan Sponsor or the Plan Sponsor's representative. A photocopy of this checklist may be used.

.11 Designation. The letter to the Service should indicate in the upper right hand corner of the letter the type of plan submitted under VCP, a Qualified Plan, 403(b) Plan, SEP, or SIMPLE IRA Plan. In addition, if the submission is a Group Submission, an Anonymous Submission, a nonamender submission, a multiemployer or multiple employer plan submission, or an Orphan Plan submission, the letter should so indicate.

.12 Acknowledgement letter. The Service will acknowledge receipt of a VCP submission if the Plan Sponsor or the Plan Sponsor's representative completes the Acknowledgement Form in Appendix E and includes it in the submission. A separate Appendix E Acknowledgement Form should be included for each plan submitted. A photocopy of Appendix E may be used.

.13 VCP mailing address. All VCP submissions and accompanying determination applications, if applicable, should be mailed to:

.15 Assembling the submission. The Service will be able to process a submission more quickly if the submission package contains all of the items required by the Appendix C check list and is assembled in the following order:

•  

  1. If applicable, Form 8717 User Fee for Employee Plan Determination Letter Request and the check for the determination letter user fee made payable to the U.S. Treasury.

  2. Determination letter application (i.e., Form 5300, 5307, or 5310) , if applicable

  3. Completed and signed Appendix C checklist

  4. A submission signed by the Plan Sponsor or Plan Sponsor's authorized representative, with a check for the VCP fee made payable to the U.S. Treasury attached to the front of the submission letter. The submission should include the following information (see section 11.15, paragraph 5, for instructions relating to applications submitted in the Appendix D or Appendix F format):

• Type of plan (or group of plans) being submitted.

• Description of the failures (if the failures relate to Transferred Assets, include a description of the related employer transaction).

• An explanation of how and why the failures arose.

• Description of the method for correcting failures, including earnings methodology (if applicable) and supporting computations (if applicable)

• Description of the method used to locate or notify former employees or beneficiaries affected by the failures or corrections. If no former employees or beneficiaries are affected by the failures or corrections, then the letter should affirmatively state that position when addressing this issue.

• Description of the administrative procedures that have been or will be implemented to ensure that the failures do not recur.

• Whether a request is being made in order for participant loans corrected under this revenue procedure to not be treated as deemed distributions under § 72(p) and the supporting rationale for such request. Alternatively, whether a request is being made for participant loans corrected under this revenue procedure to be treated as deemed distributions under § 72(p) in the year of correction.

• Whether relief is being requested from imposition of the excise taxes under §§ 4972, 4973, 4974, or 4979, or the 10% additional income tax under § 72(t), and the supporting rationale for such relief.

• If the plan is an Orphan Plan, whether relief from the VCP application fee is being requested, and the supporting rationale for such relief.

• A statement on whether the plan is being considered in an unrelated determination letter application (if applicable).

• A statement that the plan is not Under Examination.

• A statement that the Plan Sponsor is not under an Exempt Organizations examination.

• A statement that neither the plan nor the Plan Sponsor has been a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction (as defined in section 4.13(2)) or a brief identification of any abusive tax avoidance transaction to which the plan or the Plan Sponsor has been a party.

• Penalty of perjury statement.

6. Appendix E acknowledgement letter.

7. Power of attorney (Form 2848) or Tax Information Authorization (Form 8821), if applicable.

8. Copy of opinion or determination letter (if applicable).

9. Relevant plan document language or plan document (if applicable).

10. Any other items that may be relevant to the submission.

SECTION 12. VCP FEES

.01 VCP fees. The compliance fees for all submissions under VCP are determined under this section 12. All fees must be submitted by check made payable to the U.S. Treasury and, except for the special fees described in sections 12.04 and 12.05(2), must be included with the initial submission.

.02 VCP fee for Qualified Plans and 403(b) Plans. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section 12, the compliance fee for a submission under VCP for Qualified Plans and 403(b) Plans (including Anonymous Submissions) is determined in accordance with the following chart.

 Number of Participants                       Fee

(3) If (a) a VCP submission involves the failure of participant loans to comply with the requirements of § 72(p)(2), (b) the failure does not affect more than 25% of the Plan Sponsor's participants in any of the year(s) in which the failure occurred, and (c) the failure is the only failure of the submission, the applicable fee for a VCP submission determined under the provisions of section 12.02(1) is reduced by 50%.

(4) At the discretion of the Service, the VCP fee may be waived in the case of a terminating Orphan Plan. In such cases, the submission must include a request for a waiver of the VCP fee.

.03 VCP fee for nonamender failures. In general, the compliance fee for plans with a nonamender failure, as described in section 6.05, is determined in accordance with the chart in section 12.02(1). The applicable fee for a VCP submission that contains only nonamender failures is reduced by 50% if it is submitted within a one-year period following the expiration of the plan's remedial amendment period for complying with such changes. Notwithstanding the above, the compliance fee for a submission that contains only a failure to adopt timely interim amendments or amendments required to implement optional law changes, as described in section 6.05(3)(a), is $375.

.04 VCP fee for Group Submission. The compliance fee for a Group Submission is based on the number of plans affected by the failure as described in the compliance statement. With respect to pre-approved plans, the fee is determined based on the number of basic plan documents submitted, irrespective of the number of accompanying adoption agreements. The initial fee for the first 20 plans is $10,000. An additional fee is due equal to the product of the number of plans in excess of 20 multiplied by $250. The maximum compliance fee for a Group Submission is $50,000. If additional plans are added following the Group Submission, the additional fee is paid subject to the $50,000 maximum compliance fee. If more than one master or prototype plan is submitted as a Group Submission, each master or prototype plan is considered a separate Group Submission for purposes of the compliance fee.

.05 VCP fee for SEPs and SIMPLE IRA Plans. (1) In general, the compliance fee for a SEP or a SIMPLE IRA Plan submission (including an Anonymous Submission) is $250. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Service reserves the right to impose the fee schedule under section 12.02 or section 12.06 in appropriate circumstances.

(2) In any case in which a SEP or SIMPLE IRA Plan correction is not similar to a correction for a similar Qualification Failure (as provided under section 6.10(1)), the Service may impose an additional fee. If the failure involves an Excess Amount to a SEP or a SIMPLE IRA Plan and the Plan Sponsor retains the Excess Amount in the SEP or SIMPLE IRA Plan, a fee equal to at least 10% of the Excess Amount excluding earnings will be imposed. This is in addition to the SEP or SIMPLE IRA Plan compliance fee set forth in section 12.05(1).

.06 VCP fee for egregious or intentional failures. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this section 12, in cases involving failures that are egregious (as described in section 4.11) or where the failure is not inadvertent (i.e., is not a result of an oversight or mistake), the compliance fee for Qualified Plans, 403(b) Plans, SEPs and SIMPLE IRA Plans is the greater of (1) the fee that would be determined under the preceding provisions of this section 12, or (2) an amount equal to a negotiated percentage of the Maximum Payment Amount, with such percentage not to exceed 40%.

.07 Establishing the number of plan participants. Compliance fees under this section 12 are determined based on the total number of plan participants. For a description of participant, see the Instructions for Form 5500, lines 6 and 7. For new plans and ongoing plans, the number of plan participants is determined from the most recently filed Form 5500 series. Thus, with respect to the 2006 Form 5500, the Plan Sponsor would use the number shown in item 7f (or the equivalent item on the Form 5500 C/R or EZ) to establish the total number of plan participants. In the case of a terminated plan, the Form 5500 used to determine the number of plan participants must be the one filed for the plan year prior to the plan year for which the Final Form 5500 return was filed. If the submission involves a plan with Transferred Assets and no new incidents of the failure occurred after the end of the second plan year that begins after the corporate merger, acquisition, or other similar employer transaction, the Plan Sponsor may calculate the number of plan participants based on the Form 5500 information that would have been filed by the Plan Sponsor for the plan year that includes the employer transaction if the Transferred Assets were maintained as a separate plan.

PART VI. CORRECTION ON AUDIT (AUDIT CAP)

SECTION 13. DESCRIPTION OF AUDIT CAP

.01 Audit CAP requirements. If the Service identifies a Qualification or 403(b) Failure (other than a failure that has been corrected in accordance with SCP or VCP) upon an Employee Plans or Exempt Organizations examination of a Qualified Plan, 403(b) Plan, SEP, or SIMPLE IRA Plan, the requirements of this section 13 are satisfied with respect to the failure if the Plan Sponsor corrects the failure, pays a sanction in accordance with section 14, satisfies any additional requirements of section 13.03, and enters into a closing agreement with the Service. This section 13 also applies if the Service identifies a participant loan that did not comply with the requirements of § 72(p)(2) (other than a loan failure that is corrected in accordance with SCP or VCP) upon an Employee Plans or Exempt Organizations examination of a Qualified Plan or 403(b) Plan.

.02 Payment of sanction. Payment of the sanction under section 14 generally is required at the time the closing agreement is signed. All sanction amounts should be submitted by certified check or cashier's check made payable to the U.S. Treasury.

.03 Additional requirements. Depending on the nature of the failure, the Service will discuss the appropriateness of the plan's existing administrative procedures with the Plan Sponsor. If existing administrative procedures are inadequate for operating the plan in conformance with the applicable requirements of the Code, the closing agreement may be conditioned upon the implementation of stated procedures. In addition, for Qualified Plans, pursuant to section 6.05, the Plan Sponsor may be required to obtain a Favorable Letter before the closing agreement is signed. If a Favorable Letter is required, the Plan Sponsor is required to pay the applicable user fee for obtaining the letter.

.04 Failure to reach resolution. If the Service and the Plan Sponsor cannot reach an agreement with respect to the correction of the failure(s) or the amount of the sanction, the plan will be disqualified or, in the case of a 403(b) Plan, SEP, or SIMPLE IRA Plan will not have reliance on this revenue procedure.

.05 Effect of closing agreement. A closing agreement constitutes an agreement between the Service and the Plan Sponsor that is binding with respect to the tax matters identified therein for the periods specified.

.06 Other procedural rules. The procedural rules for Audit CAP are set forth in Internal Revenue Manual ("IRM") 7.2.2, EPCRS.

SECTION 14. AUDIT CAP SANCTION

.01 Determination of sanction. Except as otherwise provided in section 14.04, the sanction under Audit CAP is a negotiated percentage of the Maximum Payment Amount. Sanctions will not be excessive and will bear a reasonable relationship to the nature, extent, and severity of the failures, based on the factors below. In the case of any participant loan that did not comply with the requirements of § 72(p)(2), the Maximum Payment Amount will include the tax the Service could collect as a result of the loan not being excluded from gross income under § 72(p)(2).

.02 Factors considered. Factors include: (1) the steps taken by the Plan Sponsor to ensure that the plan had no failures; (2) the steps taken to identify failures that may have occurred; (3) the extent to which correction had progressed before the examination was initiated, including full correction; (4) the number and type of employees affected by the failure; (5) the number of nonhighly compensated employees who would be adversely affected if the plan were not treated as qualified or as satisfying the requirements of § 403(b), § 408(k) or § 408(p); (6) whether the failure is a failure to satisfy the requirements of § 401(a)(4), § 401(a)(26), or § 410(b), either directly or through § 403(b)(12); (7) whether the failure is solely an Employer Eligibility Failure; (8) the period over which the failure(s) occurred (for example, the time that has elapsed since the end of the applicable remedial amendment period under § 401(b) for a Plan Document Failure); and (9) the reason for the failure(s) (for example, data errors such as errors in transcription of data, the transposition of numbers, or minor arithmetic errors). Factors relating only to Qualified Plans also include: (1) whether the plan is the subject of a Favorable Letter; and (2) whether the failure(s) were discovered during the determination letter process. If one of the failures discovered during an Employee Plans examination includes the failure to amend the plan timely for relevant legislation, it is expected that the sanction will be greater than the applicable fee described in section 14.04. An additional factor taken into account with respect to a participant loan that did not comply with the requirements of § 72(p)(2) is the extent to which the failure is a result solely of action (or inaction) of the employer or its agents (or to the extent to which the failure is a result of the employee's or beneficiary's actions or inaction).

.03 Transferred Assets. If the examination involves a plan with Transferred Assets and the Service determines that no new incidents of the failures that relate to the Transferred Assets occur after the end of the second plan year that begins after the corporate merger, acquisition, or other similar employer transaction, the sanction under Audit CAP will not exceed the sanction that would apply if the Transferred Assets were maintained as a separate plan.

.04 Fee for nonamenders discovered during the determination letter application process not related to a VCP submission. (1) The compliance fee for nonamenders (as defined in section 6.05(2)(a)(ii)) not voluntarily identified by the Plan Sponsor, but instead discovered by the Service in connection with the determination letter application process as described in section 5.03(3) is determined in accordance with the chart below. This fee schedule applies if the only failure in the submission is the nonamender failure.

(2) The acronyms listed in the chart refer to the following laws:

SECTION 15. EFFECT ON OTHER DOCUMENTS

.01 Rev. Proc. 2006-27 modified and superseded. Rev. Proc. 2006-27 is modified and superseded by this revenue procedure.

.02 Section 3 of Rev. Proc. 2007-49 modified and superseded. Section 3 of Rev. Proc. 2007-49, 2007-30 I.R.B. 141, is modified and superseded by this revenue procedure.

SECTION 16. EFFECTIVE DATE

This revenue procedure is generally effective January 1, 2009. However, Plan Sponsors are permitted, at their option, to apply the provisions of this revenue procedure on or after September 2, 2008.

SECTION 17. PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT

The collection of information contained in this revenue procedure has been reviewed and approved by the Office of Management and Budget in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3507) under control number 1545-1673.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a valid OMB control number.

The collection of information in this revenue procedure is in sections 4.05, 6.02(5)(d), 6.05, 6.09(5), 6.09(6), 10.01, 10.02, 10.05-.07, 10.10-10.12, 11.02-11.05, 11.07-11.15, 13.01, section 2.01-2.07 of Appendix B, Appendix C, Appendix D, Appendix E, and Appendix F. This information is required to enable the Commissioner, Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division of the Internal Revenue Service to make determinations regarding the issuance of various types of closing agreements and compliance statements. This information will be used to issue closing agreements and compliance statements to allow individual plans to continue to maintain their tax qualified and tax-deferred status. As a result, favorable tax treatment of the benefits of the eligible employees is retained. The likely respondents are individuals, state or local governments, businesses or other for-profit institutions, nonprofit institutions, and small businesses or organizations.

The estimated total annual reporting or recordkeeping burden is 76,222 hours.

The estimated annual burden per respondent/recordkeeper varies from .5 to 45.5 hours, depending on individual circumstances, with an estimated average of 20.4 hours. The estimated number of respondents or recordkeepers is 3,745.

The estimated frequency of responses is occasional.

Books or records relating to a collection of information must be retained as long as their contents may become material in the administration of any internal revenue law. Generally tax returns and tax return information are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. § 6103.

DRAFTING INFORMATION

The principal authors of this revenue procedure are Avaneesh Bhagat and Maxine Terry of the Employee Plans, Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division. For further information regarding this revenue procedure, please contact the Employee Plans' taxpayer assistance telephone service at 877-829-5500 (a toll-free number) between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. Alternatively, you can direct your questions to either Mr. Bhagat or Ms. Terry by sending a question via electronic mail to RetirementPlanQuestions@irs.gov.

² GUST is an acronym for the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (GATT), the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 (SBJPA), the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (TRA '97), the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (RRA '98), and the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (CRA).

.02 Failure to properly provide the minimum top-heavy benefit under § 416 to non-key employees. In a defined contribution plan, the permitted correction method is to properly contribute and allocate the required top-heavy minimums to the plan in the manner provided for in the plan on behalf of the non-key employees (and any other employees required to receive top-heavy allocations under the plan). In a defined benefit plan, the minimum required benefit must be accrued in the manner provided in the plan.

.03 Failure to satisfy the ADP test set forth in § 401(k)(3), the ACP test set forth in § 401(m)(2), or, for plan years beginning on or before December 31, 2001, the multiple use test of § 401(m)(9). The permitted correction method is to make qualified nonelective contributions (QNECs) (as defined in § 1.401(k)-6) on behalf of the nonhighly compensated employees to the extent necessary to raise the actual deferral percentage or actual contribution percentage of the nonhighly compensated employees to the percentage needed to pass the test or tests. The contributions must be made on behalf of all eligible nonhighly compensated employees (to the extent permitted under § 415) and must be the same percentage of compensation. QNECs contributed to satisfy the ADP test need not be taken into account for determining additional contributions (e.g., a matching contribution), if any. For purposes of this section .03, employees who would have received a matching contribution had they made elective deferrals must be counted as eligible employees for the ACP test, and the plan must satisfy the ACP test. Under this correction method, a plan may not be treated as two separate plans, one covering otherwise excludable employees and the other covering all other employees (as permitted in § 1.410(b)-6(b)(3)), in order to reduce the number of employees eligible to receive QNECs. Likewise, under this correction method, the plan may not be restructured into component plans in order to reduce the number of employees eligible to receive QNECs.

.04 Failure to distribute elective deferrals in excess of the § 402(g) limit (in contravention of § 401(a)(30)). The permitted correction method is to distribute the excess deferral to the employee and to report the amount as taxable in the year of deferral and in the year distributed. The inclusion of the deferral and the distribution (for both the excess deferral and earnings) in gross income applies whether or not any portion of the excess deferral is attributable to a designated Roth contribution (see § 402A(d)(3)). In accordance with § 1.402(g)-1(e)(1)(ii), a distribution to a highly compensated employee is included in the ADP test; and a distribution to a nonhighly compensated employee is not included in the ADP test.

.05 Exclusion of an eligible employee from all contributions or accruals under the plan for one or more plan years. (1) Improperly excluded employees: employer provided contributions or benefits. For plans with employer provided contributions or benefits (which are neither elective deferrals under a qualified cash or deferred arrangement under § 401(k) nor matching or after-tax employee contributions that are subject to § 401(m)), the permitted correction method is to make a contribution to the plan on behalf of the employees excluded from a defined contribution plan or to provide benefit accruals for the employees excluded from a defined benefit plan.

(2) Improperly excluded employees: contributions subject to § 401(k) or § 401(m). (a) For plans providing benefits subject to § 401(k) or § 401(m), the corrective contribution for an improperly excluded employee is described in the following paragraphs of this section .05(2). (See Examples 3 through 12 of Appendix B.)

(b) If the employee was not provided the opportunity to elect and make elective deferrals (other than designated Roth contributions) to a § 401(k) plan that does not satisfy § 401(k)(3) by applying the safe harbor contribution requirements of § 401(k)(12) or § 401(k)(13), the employer must make a QNEC to the plan on behalf of the employee that replaces the "missed deferral opportunity." The missed deferral opportunity is equal to 50% of the employee's "missed deferral." The missed deferral is determined by multiplying the actual deferral percentage for the year of exclusion (whether or not the plan is using current or prior year testing) for the employee's group in the plan (either highly compensated or nonhighly compensated) by the employee's compensation for that year. The employee's missed deferral amount is reduced further to the extent necessary to ensure that the missed deferral does not exceed applicable plan limits, including the annual deferral limit under § 402(g) for the calendar year in which the failure occurred. Under this correction method, a plan may not be treated as two separate plans, one covering otherwise excludable employees and the other covering all other employees (as permitted in § 1.410(b)-6(b)(3)) in order to reduce the applicable ADP, the corresponding missed deferral, and the required QNEC. Likewise, restructuring the plan into component plans is not permitted in order to reduce the applicable ADP, the corresponding missed deferral, and the required QNEC. The QNEC required for the employee for the missed deferral opportunity for the year of exclusion is adjusted for earnings to the date the corrective QNEC is made on behalf of the affected employee.

(c) If the employee should have been eligible for but did not receive an allocation of employer matching contributions under a non-safe harbor plan because he or she was not given the opportunity to make elective deferrals, the employer should make a QNEC on behalf of the affected employee. The QNEC is equal to the matching contribution the employee would have received had the employee made a deferral equal to the missed deferral determined under section .05(2)(b). The QNEC must be adjusted for earnings to the date the corrective QNEC is made on behalf of the affected employee.

(d) If the employee was not provided the opportunity to elect and make elective deferrals (other than designated Roth contributions) to a safe harbor § 401(k) plan that uses a rate of matching contributions to satisfy the safe harbor requirements of § 401(k)(12), then the missed deferral is deemed equal to the greater of 3% of compensation or the maximum deferral percentage for which the employer provides a matching contribution rate that is at least as favorable as 100% of the elective deferral made by the employee. This estimate of the missed deferral replaces the estimate based on the ADP test in a traditional § 401(k) plan. The required QNEC on behalf of the excluded employee is equal to (i) the missed deferral opportunity, which is an amount equal to 50% of the missed deferral, plus (ii) the matching contribution that would apply based on the missed deferral. If an employee was not provided the opportunity to elect and make elective deferrals to a safe harbor § 401(k) plan that uses nonelective contributions to satisfy the safe harbor requirements of § 401(k)(12), then the missed deferral is deemed equal to 3% of compensation. The required QNEC on behalf of the excluded employee is equal to (i) 50% of the missed deferral, plus (ii) the nonelective contribution required to be made on behalf of the employee. The QNEC required to replace the employee's missed deferral opportunity and the corresponding matching or nonelective contribution is adjusted for earnings to the date the corrective QNEC is made on behalf of the affected employee.

(e) If the employee should have been eligible to elect and make after-tax employee contributions (other than designated Roth contributions), the employer must make a QNEC to the plan on behalf of the employee that is equal to the "missed opportunity for making after-tax employee contributions." The missed opportunity for making after-tax employee contributions is equal to 40% of the employee's "missed after-tax contributions." The employee's missed after-tax contributions are equal to the actual contribution percentage (ACP) for the employee's group (either highly compensated or nonhighly compensated) times the employee's compensation, but with the resulting amount not to exceed applicable plan limits. If the ACP consists of both matching and after-tax employee contributions, then, in lieu of basing the employee's missed after-tax employee contributions on the ACP for the employee's group, the employer is permitted to determine separately the portion of the ACP that is attributable to after-tax employee contributions for the employee's group (either highly compensated or nonhighly compensated), multiplied by the employee's compensation for the year of exclusion. The QNEC must be adjusted for earnings to the date the corrective QNEC is made on behalf of the affected employee.

(f) If the employee was improperly excluded from an allocation of employer matching contributions because he or she was not given the opportunity to make after-tax employee contributions (other than designated Roth contributions), the employer must make a QNEC on behalf of the affected employee. The QNEC is equal to the matching contribution the employee would have received had the employee made an after-tax employee contribution equal to the missed after-tax employee contribution determined under section .05(2)(e). The QNEC must be adjusted for earnings to the date the corrective QNEC is made on behalf of the affected employee.

(g) The methods for correcting the failures described in this section .05(2) do not apply until after the correction of other qualification failures. Thus, for example, if, in addition to the failure of excluding an eligible employee, the plan also failed the ADP or ACP test, the correction methods described in section .05(2)(b) through (f) cannot be used until after correction of the ADP or ACP test failures. For purposes of this section .05(2), in order to determine whether the plan passed the ADP or ACP test, the plan may rely on a test performed with respect to those eligible employees who were provided with the opportunity to make elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions and receive an allocation of employer matching contributions, in accordance with the terms of the plan and may disregard the employees who were improperly excluded.

(3) Improperly excluded employees: designated Roth contributions. For employees who were improperly excluded from plans that (i) are subject to § 401(k) (as described in section .05(2)) and (ii) provide for the optional treatment of elective deferrals as designated Roth contributions, the correction is the same as described under section .05(2). Thus, for example, the corrective employer contribution required to replace the missed deferral opportunity is made in accordance with the method described in section .05(2)(b) in the case of a § 401(k) plan that is not a safe harbor § 401(k) plan or .05(2)(d) in the case of a safe harbor § 401(k) plan. However, none of the corrective contributions made by the employer may be treated as designated Roth contributions (and may not be included in an employee's gross income) and thus may not be contributed or allocated to a designated Roth account (as described in § 402A(b)(2)). The corrective contribution must be allocated to an account established for receiving a QNEC or any other employer contribution in which the employee is fully vested and subject to the withdrawal restrictions that apply to elective deferrals.

(4) Improperly excluded employees: catch-up contributions only. (a) Correction for missed catch-up contributions. If an eligible employee was not provided the opportunity to elect and make catch-up contributions to a § 401(k) plan, the employer must make a QNEC to the plan on behalf of the employee that replaces the "missed deferral opportunity" attributable to the failure to permit an eligible employee to make a catch-up contribution pursuant to § 414(v). The missed deferral opportunity for catch-up contributions is equal to 50% of the employee's missed deferral attributable to catch-up contributions. For this purpose, the missed deferral attributable to catch-up contributions is one half of the applicable catch-up contribution limit for the year in which the employee was improperly excluded. Thus, for example if an eligible employee was improperly precluded from electing and making catch-up contributions in 2006, the missed deferral attributable to catch-up contributions is $2,500, which is one half of $5,000, the 2006 catch-up contribution limit for a § 401(k) plan. The eligible employee's missed deferral opportunity is $1,250 (i.e., 50% of the missed deferral attributable to catch-up contributions of $2,500). The QNEC required to replace the missed deferral opportunity for the year of exclusion is adjusted for earnings to the date the corrective QNEC is made on behalf of the affected employee. For purposes of this correction, an eligible employee, pursuant to § 414(v)(5), refers to any participant who (i) would have attained age 50 by the end of the plan's taxable year and (ii) in the absence of the plan's catch-up provision, could not make additional elective deferrals on account of the plan or statutory limitations described in § 414(v)(3) and § 1.414(v)-1(b)(1).

(b) Correction for missed matching contributions. If an employee was precluded from making catch-up contributions under this section .05(4), the Plan Sponsor should ascertain whether the affected employee would have been entitled to an additional matching contribution on account of the missed deferral. If the employee would have been entitled to an additional matching contribution, then the employer must make a QNEC for the matching contribution on behalf of the affected employee. The QNEC is equal to the additional matching contribution the employee would have received had the employee made a deferral equal to the missed deferral determined under paragraph (a) of this section .05(4). The QNEC must be adjusted for earnings to the date the corrective QNEC is made on behalf of the affected employee. If in addition to the failure to provide matching contributions under this section .05(4)(b) , the plan also failed the ACP test, the correction methods described in this section cannot be used until after correction of the ACP test failure. For purposes of this section, in order to determine whether the plan passed the ACP test the plan may rely on a test performed with respect to those eligible employees who were provided with the opportunity to make elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions and receive an allocation of employer matching contributions, in accordance with the terms of the plan and may disregard any employer matching contribution that was not made on account of the plan's failure to provide an eligible employee with the opportunity to make a catch up contribution.

(5) Failure to implement an employee election. (a) Missed opportunity for elective deferrals. For eligible employees who filed elections to make elective deferrals under the Plan which the Plan Sponsor failed to implement on a timely basis, the Plan Sponsor must make a QNEC to the plan on behalf of the employee to replace the "missed deferral opportunity." The missed deferral opportunity is equal to 50% of the employee's "missed deferral." The missed deferral is determined by multiplying the employee's elected deferral percentage by the employee's compensation. If the employee elected a dollar amount for an elective deferral, the missed deferral would be the specified dollar amount. The employee's missed deferral amount is reduced further to the extent necessary to ensure that the missed deferral does not exceed applicable plan limits, including the annual deferral limit under § 402(g) for the calendar year in which the failure occurred.

(b) Missed opportunity for after-tax employee contributions. For eligible employees who filed elections to make after-tax employee contributions under the Plan which the Plan Sponsor failed to implement on a timely basis, the Plan Sponsor must make a QNEC to the plan on behalf of the employee to replace the employee's missed opportunity for after-tax employee contributions. The missed opportunity for making after-tax employee contributions is equal to 40% of the employee's "missed after-tax contributions." The missed after-tax employee contribution is determined by multiplying the employee's elected after-tax employee contribution percentage by the employee's compensation.

(c) Missed opportunity affecting matching contributions. In the event of failure described in section (a) or (b) of this section .05(5), if the employee would have been entitled to an additional matching contribution had either the missed deferral or after-tax employee contribution been made, then the employer must make a QNEC for the matching contribution on behalf of the affected employee. The QNEC is equal to the matching contribution the employee would have received had the employee made a deferral equal to the missed deferral determined under this paragraph. The QNEC must be adjusted for earnings to the date the corrective QNEC is made on behalf of the affected employee.

(d) Coordination with correction of other Qualification Failures. The method for correcting the failures described in this section .05(5) does not apply until after the correction of other qualification failures. Thus, for example, if in addition to the failure to implement an employee's election, the plan also failed the ADP test or ACP test, the correction methods described in section .05(5)(a), (b) or (c) cannot be used until after correction of the ADP or ACP test failures. For purposes of this section .05(5), in order to determine whether the plan passed the ADP or ACP test the plan may rely on a test performed with respect to those eligible employees who were not impacted by the Plan Sponsor's failure to implement employee elections and received allocations of employer matching contributions, in accordance with the terms of the plan and may disregard employees whose elections were not properly implemented.

.06 Failure to timely pay the minimum distribution required under § 401(a)(9). In a defined contribution plan, the permitted correction method is to distribute the required minimum distributions (with earnings from the date of the failure to the date of the distribution). The amount required to be distributed for each year in which the initial failure occurred should be determined by dividing the adjusted account balance on the applicable valuation date by the applicable distribution period. For this purpose, adjusted account balance means the actual account balance, determined in accordance with § 1.401(a)(9)-5 Q&A-3, reduced by the amount of the total missed minimum distributions for prior years. In a defined benefit plan, the permitted correction method is to distribute the required minimum distributions, plus an interest payment representing the loss of use of such amounts.

.07 Failure to obtain participant or spousal consent for a distribution subject to the participant and spousal consent rules under §§ 401(a)(11), 411(a)(11), and 417. (1) The permitted correction method is to give each affected participant a choice between providing informed consent for the distribution actually made or receiving a qualified joint and survivor annuity. In the event that participant or spousal consent is required but cannot be obtained, the participant must receive a qualified joint and survivor annuity based on the monthly amount that would have been provided under the plan at his or her retirement date. This annuity may be actuarially reduced to take into account distributions already received by the participant. However, the portion of the qualified joint and survivor annuity payable to the spouse upon the death of the participant may not be actuarially reduced to take into account prior distributions to the participant. Thus, for example, if, in accordance with the automatic qualified joint and survivor annuity option under a plan, a married participant who retired would have received a qualified joint and survivor annuity of $600 per month payable for life with $300 per month payable to the spouse for the spouse's life beginning upon the participant's death, but instead received a single-sum distribution equal to the actuarial present value of the participant's accrued benefit under the plan, then the $600 monthly annuity payable during the participant's lifetime may be actuarially reduced to take the single-sum distribution into account. However, the spouse must be entitled to receive an annuity of $300 per month payable for life beginning at the participant's death.

(2) An alternative permitted correction method is to give each affected participant a choice between (i) providing informed consent for the distribution actually made, (ii) receiving a qualified joint and survivor annuity (both (i) and (ii) of this section .07(2) are described in section .07(1) of this Appendix A), or (iii) a single-sum payment to the participant's spouse equal to the actuarial present value of that survivor annuity benefit (calculated using the applicable interest rate and mortality table under § 417(e)(3)). For example, assuming the actuarial present value of a $300 per month annuity payable to the spouse for the spouse's life beginning upon the participant's death were $7,837 (calculated using the applicable interest rate and applicable mortality table under § 417(e)(3)), the single-sum payment to the spouse under clause (iii) of this section .07(2) is equal to $7,837. If the single-sum payment is made to the spouse, then the payment is treated in the same manner as a distribution under § 402(c)(9) for purposes of rolling over the payment to an IRA or other eligible retirement plan.

.08 Failure to satisfy the § 415 limits in a defined contribution plan. For limitation years beginning before January 1, 2009, the permitted correction for failure to limit annual additions (other than elective deferrals and after-tax employee contributions) allocated to participants in a defined contribution plan as required in § 415 (even if the excess did not result from the allocation of forfeitures or from a reasonable error in estimating compensation) is to place the excess annual additions into an unallocated account, similar to the suspense account described in § 1.415-6(b)(6)(iii) (as it appeared in the April 1, 2007 edition of 26 CFR part 1) prior to amendments made by the recently finalized regulations under § 415, to be used as an employer contribution, other than elective deferrals, in the succeeding year(s). While such amounts remain in the unallocated account, the employer is not permitted to make additional contributions to the plan. The permitted correction for failure to limit annual additions that are elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions (even if the excess did not result from a reasonable error in determining compensation, the amount of elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions that could be made with respect to an individual under the § 415 limits) is to distribute the elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions using a method similar to that described under § 1.415-6(b)(6)(iv) (as it appeared in the April 1, 2007 edition of 26 CFR part 1) prior to amendments made by the recently finalized regulations under § 415. Elective deferrals and after-tax employee contributions that are matched may be returned to the employee, provided that the matching contributions relating to such contributions are forfeited (which will also reduce excess annual additions for the affected individuals). The forfeited matching contributions are to be placed into an unallocated account to be used as an employer contribution, other than elective deferrals, in succeeding periods. For limitation years beginning on or after January 1, 2009, the failure to limit annual additions allocated to participants in a defined contribution plan as required in § 415 is corrected in accordance with section 6.06(2) and (3).

.09 Abandoned Orphan Plans; orphan contracts and other abandoned plan assets. (1) Abandoned plans. If (a) a plan has one or more failures (whether a Qualification Failure or a 403(b) Failure) that result from either the employer having ceased to exist, the employer no longer maintaining the plan, or similar reasons and (b) the plan is an Orphan Plan, as defined in section 5.03 (i.e., is not a plan to which ERISA applies), the permitted correction is to terminate the plan and distribute plan assets to participants and beneficiaries. This correction must satisfy four conditions. First, the correction must comply with conditions, standards, and procedures substantially similar to those set forth in section 2578.1 of the Department of Labor Regulations (relating to abandoned plans). Second, the qualified termination administrator, based on plan records located and updated in accordance with the Department of Labor Regulations, must have reasonably determined whether, and to what extent, the survivor annuity requirements of §§ 401(a)(11) and 417 apply to any benefit payable under the plan and takes reasonable steps to comply with those requirements (if applicable). Third, each participant and beneficiary must have been provided a nonforfeitable right to his or her accrued benefits as of the date of deemed termination under the Department of Labor Regulations, subject to income, expenses, gains, and losses between that date and the date of distribution. Fourth, participants and beneficiaries must receive notification of their rights under § 402(f). In addition, notwithstanding correction under this revenue procedure, the Service reserves the right to pursue appropriate remedies under the Internal Revenue Code against any party who is responsible for the plan, such as the Plan Sponsor, plan administrator, or owner of the business, even in its capacity as a participant or beneficiary under the plan. However, with respect to the first through third conditions above, notice need not be furnished to the Department of Labor, and notices furnished to the Plan Sponsor, participants, or beneficiaries need not indicate that the procedures followed or notices furnished actually comply with, or are required under, Department of Labor regulations.

(2) Orphan contracts or other assets. In any case in which a 403(b) Failure results from the employer having ceased involvement with respect to specific assets (including an insurance annuity contract) held under a defined contribution plan on behalf of a participant who is a former employee or on behalf of a beneficiary, a permitted correction is to distribute those plan assets to the participant or beneficiary. Compliance with the distribution rules of section 2578.1(d)(2)(vii) of the Department of Labor Regulations satisfies this paragraph .09(2).

.01 Purpose. (1) This appendix sets forth correction methods relating to Operational Failures under Qualified Plans. This appendix also sets forth earnings adjustment methods. In each case, the method described corrects the Operational Failure identified in the headings below. Corrective allocations and distributions should reflect earnings and actuarial adjustments in accordance with section 6.02(4) of this revenue procedure. The correction methods in this appendix are acceptable to correct Qualification Failures under VCP, and to correct Qualification Failures under SCP that occurred notwithstanding that the plan has established practices and procedures reasonably designed to promote and facilitate overall compliance with the Code, as provided in section 4.04 of this revenue procedure. .

(2) To the extent a failure listed in this appendix could occur under a 403(b) Plan, SEP, or a SIMPLE IRA Plan, the correction method listed for such failure may similarly be used to correct the failure.

.02 Assumptions for Examples. Unless otherwise specified, for ease of presentation, the examples assume that:

.04 Section references. References to section 2 and section 3 are references to the section 2 and 3 in this appendix.

SECTION 2. CORRECTION METHODS AND EXAMPLES

(b) One-to-One Correction Method. (i) General. In addition to the correction method in Appendix A, a failure to satisfy the ADP test, ACP test, or, for plan years beginning on or before December 31, 2001, the multiple use test may be corrected by using the one-to-one correction method set forth in this section 2.01(1)(b). Under the one-to-one correction method, an excess contribution amount is determined and assigned to highly compensated employees as provided in paragraph (1)(b)(ii) below. That excess contribution amount (adjusted for earnings) is either distributed to the highly compensated employees or forfeited from the highly compensated employees' accounts as provided in paragraph (1)(b)(iii) below. That same dollar amount (i.e., the excess contribution amount, adjusted for earnings) is contributed to the plan and allocated to nonhighly compensated employees as provided in paragraph (1)(b)(iv) below. Under this correction method, a plan may not be treated as two separate plans, one covering otherwise excludable employees and the other covering all other employees (as permitted in § 1.410(b)-6(b)(3)). Likewise, restructuring the plan into component plans is not permitted.

(ii) Determination of the Excess Contribution Amount. The excess contribution amount for the year is equal to the excess of (A) the sum of the excess contributions (as defined in § 401(k)(8)(B)), the excess aggregate contributions (as defined in § 401(m)(6)(B)), and for plan years beginning on or before December 31, 2001 the amount treated as excess contributions or excess aggregate contributions under the multiple use test for the year, as assigned to each highly compensated employee in accordance with § 401(k)(8)(C) and § 401(m)(6)(C), over (B) previous corrections that complied with § 401(k)(8), § 401(m)(6), and, for plan years beginning on or before December 31, 2001, the multiple use test.

(iii) Distributions and Forfeitures of the Excess Contribution Amount. (A) The portion of the excess contribution amount assigned to a particular highly compensated employee under paragraph (1)(b)(ii) is adjusted for earnings from the end of the plan year of the year of the failure through the date of correction. The amount assigned to a particular highly compensated employee, as adjusted, is distributed or, to the extent the amount was forfeitable as of the close of the plan year of the failure, is forfeited. If the amount is forfeited, it is used in accordance with the plan provisions relating to forfeitures that were in effect for the year of the failure. If the amount so assigned to a particular highly compensated employee has been previously distributed, the amount is an Excess Amount within the meaning of section 5.01(3) of this revenue procedure. Thus, pursuant to section 6.06 of this revenue procedure, the employer must notify the employee that the Excess Amount is not eligible for favorable tax treatment accorded to distributions from qualified plans (and, specifically, is not eligible for tax-free rollover).

(B) If any matching contributions (adjusted for earnings) are forfeited in accordance with § 411(a)(3)(G), the forfeited amount is used in accordance with the plan provisions relating to forfeitures that were in effect for the year of the failure.

(C) If a payment was made to an employee and that payment is a forfeitable match described in either paragraph (1)(b)(iii)(A) or (B), then it is an Overpayment defined in section 5.01(6) of this revenue procedure that must be corrected (see sections 2.04 and 2.05 below).

(iv) Contribution and Allocation of Equivalent Amount. (A) The employer makes a contribution to the plan that is equal to the aggregate amounts distributed and forfeited under paragraph (1)(b)(iii)(A) (i.e., the excess contribution amount adjusted for earnings, as provided in paragraph (1)(b)(iii)(A), which does not include any matching contributions forfeited in accordance with § 411(a)(3)(G) as provided in paragraph (1)(b)(iii)(B)). The contribution must satisfy the vesting requirements and distribution limitations of § 401(k)(2)(B) and (C).

(B)(1) This paragraph (1)(b)(iv)(B)(1) applies to a plan that uses the current year testing method described in § 1.401(k)-2(a)(2), § 1.401(m)-2(a)(2) and, for periods prior to the effective date of those regulations, Notice 98-1, 1998-1 C.B. 327. The contribution made under paragraph (1)(b)(iv)(A) is allocated to the account balances of those individuals who were either (I) the eligible employees for the year of the failure who were nonhighly compensated employees for that year or (II) the eligible employees for the year of the failure who were nonhighly compensated employees for that year and who also are nonhighly compensated employees for the year of correction. Alternatively, the contribution is allocated to account balances of eligible employees described in (I) or (II) of the preceding sentence, except that the allocation is made only to the account balances of those employees who are employees on a date during the year of the correction that is no later than the date of correction. Regardless of which of these four options (described in the two preceding sentences) the employer selects, eligible employees must receive a uniform allocation (as a percentage of compensation) of the contribution. (See Examples 1 and 2.) Under the one-to-one correction method, the amount allocated to the account balance of an employee (i.e., the employee's share of the total amount contributed under paragraph (1)(b)(iv)(A)) is not further adjusted for earnings and is treated as an annual addition under § 415 for the year of the failure for the employee for whom it is allocated.

(2) This paragraph (1)(b)(iv)(B)(2) applies to a plan that uses the prior year testing method described in § 1.401(k)-2(a)(2) and § 1.401(m)-2(a)(2) and, for periods prior to the effective date of those regulations, Notice 98-1. Paragraph (1)(b)(iv)(B)(1) is applied by substituting "the year prior to the year of the failure" for "the year of the failure".

(2) Examples.

Example 1:

(1) Exclusion of Eligible Employees in a 401(k) or (m) Plan. (a) Correction Method. (i) Appendix A Correction Method for Full Year Exclusion. Appendix A section .05(2) sets forth the correction method for the exclusion of an eligible employee from electing and making elective deferrals (other than designated Roth contributions) and after-tax employee contributions to a plan that provides benefits that are subject to the requirements of § 401(k) or § 401(m) for one or more full plan years. (See Example 3.) Appendix A section .05(2) also specifies the method for determining missed elective deferrals and the corrective contributions for employees who were improperly excluded from electing and making elective deferrals to a safe harbor § 401(k) plan for one or more full plan years. (See Examples 8, 9 and 10.) Appendix A section .05(3) sets forth the correction method for the exclusion of an eligible employee from electing and making elective deferrals in a plan that (i) is subject to § 401(k) and (ii) provides employees with the opportunity to make designated Roth contributions. Appendix A section .05(4) sets forth the correction method for the situation where an eligible employee was permitted to make an elective deferral, but was not provided with the opportunity to make catch-up contributions under the terms of the plan and § 414(v), and correction is being made by making a QNEC on behalf of the excluded employee. (See Example 11.) Appendix A section .05(5) sets forth the correction method for the failure by a plan to implement an employee's election with respect to elective deferrals (including designated Roth contributions) or after-tax employee contributions. (See Example 12.) In section 2.02(1)(a)(ii) below, the correction methods for (I) the exclusion of an eligible employee from all contributions (including designated Roth contributions) under a 401(k) or (m) plan for a full year, as described in Appendix A sections .05(2) and .05(3), (II) the exclusion of an eligible employee who was permitted to make elective deferrals, but was not permitted to make catch-up contributions for a full plan year as described in Appendix A section .05(4), and (III) the exclusion of an eligible employee on account of the failure to implement an employee's election to make elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions to the plan as described in Appendix A section .05(5) are expanded to include correction for the exclusion from these contributions (including designated Roth contributions) under a 401(k) or (m) plan for a partial plan year. This correction for a partial year exclusion may be used in conjunction with the correction for a full year exclusion.

(ii) Expansion of Correction Method to Partial Year Exclusion. (A) In General. The correction method in Appendix A, section .05 is expanded to cover an employee who was improperly excluded from electing and making elective deferrals (including designated Roth contributions) or after-tax employee contributions for a portion of a plan year or from receiving matching contributions (on either elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions) for a portion of a plan year. In such case, a permitted correction method for the failure is for the Employer to satisfy this section 2.02(1)(a)(ii). The Employer makes a QNEC on behalf of the excluded employee. The method and examples described to correct the failure to include otherwise eligible employees do not apply until after correction of other qualification failures. Thus, for example, in the case of a § 401(k) plan that does not apply the safe harbor contribution requirements of § 401(k)(12) or § 401(k)(13) the correction for improperly excluding an employee from making elective deferrals, as described in the narrative and the examples in this section cannot be used until after correction of the ADP test failure. (See Appendix A .05(2)(g).)

(B) Elective Deferral Failures. (1) The appropriate QNEC for the failure to allow an employee to elect and make elective deferrals (including designated Roth contributions) for a portion of the plan year is equal to the missed deferral opportunity which is an amount equal to 50% of the employee's missed deferral. The employee's missed deferral is determined by multiplying the ADP of the employee's group (either highly or nonhighly compensated), determined prior to correction under this section 2.02(1)(a)(ii), by the employee's plan compensation for the portion of the year during which the employee was improperly excluded. In a safe harbor § 401(k) plan, the employee's missed deferral is determined by multiplying 3% (or, if greater, whatever percentage of the participant's compensation which, if contributed as an elective deferral, would have been matched at a rate of 100% or more) by the employee's plan compensation for the portion of the year during which the employee was improperly excluded. The missed deferral for the portion of the plan year during which the employee was improperly excluded from being eligible to make elective deferrals is reduced to the extent that (i) the sum of the missed deferral (as determined in the preceding two sentences of this paragraph) and any elective deferrals actually made by the employee for that year would exceed (ii) the maximum elective deferrals permitted under the plan for the employee for that plan year (including the § 402(g) limit). The corrective contribution is adjusted for earnings. For purposes of correcting other failures under this revenue procedure (including determination of any required matching contribution) after correction has occurred under this section 2.02(1)(a)(ii)(B), the employee is treated as having made pre-tax elective deferrals equal to the employee's missed deferral for the portion of the year during which the employee was improperly excluded. (See Examples 4 and 5.)

(2) The appropriate corrective contribution for the plan's failure to implement an employee's election with respect to elective deferrals is equal to the missed deferral opportunity which is an amount equal to 50% of the employee's missed deferral. Corrective contributions are adjusted for earnings. The missed deferral is determined by multiplying the employee's deferral percentage by the employee's plan compensation for the portion of the year during which the employee was improperly excluded. If the employee elected a fixed dollar amount that can be attributed to the period of exclusion, then the flat dollar amount for the period of exclusion may be used for this purpose. If the employee elected a fixed dollar amount to be deferred for the entire plan year, then that dollar amount is multiplied by a fraction. The fraction is equal to the number of months, including partial months where applicable, during which the eligible employee was excluded from making catch-up contributions divided by 12. The missed deferral for the portion of the plan year during which the eligible employee was improperly excluded from making elective deferrals is reduced to the extent that (i) the sum of the missed deferral (as determined in the preceding three sentences) and any elective deferrals actually made by the employee for that year would exceed (ii) the maximum elective deferrals permitted under the plan for the employee for that plan year (including the § 402(g) limit). The corrective contribution is adjusted for earnings. The requirements relating to the passage of the ADP test before this correction method can be used, as described in Appendix A section .05(5)(d) still apply.

(C) After-tax Employee Contribution Failures. (1) The appropriate corrective contribution for the failure to allow employees to elect and make after-tax employee contributions for a portion of the plan year is equal to the missed after-tax employee contributions opportunity, which is an amount equal to 40% of the employee's missed after-tax employee contributions. The employee's missed after-tax employee contributions is determined by multiplying the ACP of the employee's group (either highly or nonhighly compensated), determined prior to correction under this section 2.02(1)(a)(ii)(C), by the employee's plan compensation for the portion of the year during which the employee was improperly excluded. If the ACP consists of both matching and after-tax employee contributions, then for purposes of the preceding sentence, in lieu of basing the missed after-tax employee contributions on the ACP for the employee's group (either highly compensated or nonhighly compensated), the Employer is permitted to determine separately the portions of the ACP that are attributable to matching contributions and after-tax employee contributions and base the missed after-tax employee contributions on the portion of the ACP that is attributable to after-tax employee contributions. The missed after-tax employee contribution is reduced to the extent that (i) the sum of that contribution and the actual total after-tax employee contributions made by the employee for the plan year would exceed (ii) the sum of the maximum after-tax employee contributions permitted under the plan for the employee for the plan year. The corrective contribution is adjusted for earnings. The requirements relating to the passage of the ACP test before this correction method can be used, as described in Appendix A section .05(2)(g) still apply.

(2) The appropriate corrective contribution for the plan's failure to implement an employee's election with respect to after-tax employee contributions for a portion of the plan year is equal to the missed after-tax employee contributions opportunity, which is an amount equal to 40% of the employee's missed after-tax employee contributions. Corrective contributions are adjusted for earnings. The missed after-tax employee contribution is determined by multiplying the employee's elected after-tax employee contribution percentage by the employee's plan compensation for the portion of the year during which the employee was improperly excluded. If the employee elected a flat dollar amount that can be attributed to the period of exclusion, then the flat dollar amount for the period of exclusion may be used for this purpose. If the employee elected a flat dollar amount to be contributed for the entire plan year, then that dollar amount is multiplied by a fraction. The fraction is equal to the number of months, including partial months where applicable, during which the eligible employee was excluded from making after-tax employee contributions divided by 12. The missed after-tax employee contribution is reduced to the extent that (i) the sum of that contribution and the actual total after-tax employee contributions made by the employee for the plan year would exceed (ii) the sum of the maximum after-tax employee contributions permitted under the plan for the employee for the plan year. The requirements relating to the passage of the ACP test before this correction method can be used, as described in Appendix A section .05(5)(d) still apply.

(D) Matching Contribution Failures. (1) The appropriate corrective contribution for the failure to make matching contributions for an employee because the employee was precluded from making elective deferrals (including designated Roth contributions) or after-tax employee contributions for a portion of the plan year is equal to the matching contribution that would have been made for the employee if (1) the employee's elective deferrals for that portion of the plan year had equaled the employee's missed deferrals (determined under section 2.02(1)(a)(i)(B)) or (2) the employee's after-tax contribution for that portion of the plan year had equaled the employee's missed after-tax employee contribution (determined under section 2.02(1)(a)(ii)(C)). This matching contribution is reduced to the extent that (i) the sum of this contribution and other matching contributions actually made on behalf of the employee for the plan year would exceed (ii) the maximum matching contribution permitted if the employee had made the maximum matchable contributions permitted under the plan for the plan year. The corrective contribution is adjusted for earnings. The requirements relating to the passage of the ACP test before this correction method can be used, as described in Appendix A section .05(2)(g) still apply.

(2) The appropriate corrective contribution for the failure to make matching contributions for an employee because of the failure by the plan to implement an employee's election with respect to elective deferrals (including designated Roth contributions) or, where applicable, after-tax employee contributions for a portion of the plan year is equal to the matching contribution that would have been made for the employee if the employee made the elective deferral as determined under section 2.02(1)(a)(ii)(B)(2), or where applicable, the after-tax employee contribution determined under section 2.02(1)(a)(ii)(C)(2). This matching contribution is reduced to the extent that (i) the sum of this contribution and other matching contributions actually made on behalf of the employee for the plan year would exceed (ii) the maximum matching contribution permitted if the employee had made the maximum matchable contributions permitted under the plan for the plan year. The corrective contribution is adjusted for earnings. The requirements relating to the passage of the ACP test before this correction method can be used, as described in Appendix A section .05(5)(d), still apply.

(E) Use of Prorated Compensation. For purposes of this paragraph (1)(a)(ii), for administrative convenience, in lieu of using the employee's actual plan compensation for the portion of the year during which the employee was improperly excluded, a pro rata portion of the employee's plan compensation that would have been taken into account for the plan year, if the employee had not been improperly excluded, may be used.

(F) Special Rule for Brief Exclusion from Elective Deferrals and After-Tax Employee Contributions. An employer is not required to make a corrective contribution with respect to elective deferrals (including designated Roth contributions) or after-tax employee contributions, as provided in sections 2.02(1)(a)(ii)(B) and (C), but is required to make a corrective contribution with respect to any matching contributions, as provided in section 2.02(1)(a)(ii)(D) for an employee for a plan year if the employee has been provided the opportunity to make elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions under the plan for a period of at least the last 9 months in that plan year and during that period the employee had the opportunity to make elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions in an amount not less than the maximum amount that would have been permitted if no failure had occurred. (See Examples 6 and 7.)

(b) Examples.

Example 3:

           Compensation   Elective deferral   Match     After-Tax Employee

Employer B uses the correction method for a full year exclusion, described in Appendix A section .05(2), to correct the failure to include Employee V in the plan for the full plan year beginning January 1, 2006. Employer B calculates the corrective QNEC to be made on behalf of Employee V as follows:

Elective deferrals: Employee V was eligible to, but was not provided with the opportunity to, elect and make elective deferrals in 2006. Thus, Employer B must make a QNEC to the plan on behalf of Employee V equal to the missed deferral opportunity for Employee V, which is 50% of Employee V's missed deferral. The QNEC is adjusted for earnings. The missed deferral for Employee V is determined by using the ADP for NHCEs for 2006 and multiplying that percentage by Employee V's compensation for 2006. Accordingly, the missed deferral for Employee V on account of the employee's improper exclusion from the plan is $2,400 (8% x $30,000). The missed deferral opportunity is $1,200 (i.e., 50% x $2,400). Thus, the required corrective contribution for the failure to provide Employee V with the opportunity to make elective deferrals to the plan is $1,200 (plus earnings). The corrective contribution is made to a pre-tax QNEC account for Employee V (not to a designated Roth contributions account even if the plan offers designated Roth contributions, as provided in section .05(3) of Appendix A).

Matching contributions: Employee V should have been eligible for, but did not receive, an allocation of employer matching contributions because Employee V was not provided the opportunity to make elective deferrals in 2006. Thus, Employer B must make a QNEC to the plan on behalf of Employee V that is equal to the matching contribution Employee V would have received had the missed deferral been made. The QNEC is adjusted for earnings. Under the terms of the plan, if Employee V had made an elective deferral of $2,400 or 8% of compensation ($30,000), the employee would have been entitled to a matching contribution equal to 100% of first 3% of Employee V's compensation ($30,000) or $900. Accordingly, the contribution required to replace the missed employer matching contribution is $900 (plus earnings).

After-tax employee contributions: Employee V was eligible to, but was not provided with the opportunity to, elect and make after-tax employee contributions in 2006. Employer B must make a QNEC to the plan equal to the missed opportunity for making after-tax employee contributions for Employee V, which is 40% of Employee V's missed after-tax employee contribution. The QNEC is adjusted for earnings. The missed after-tax employee contribution for Employee V is estimated by using the ACP for NHCEs (to the extent that the ACP is attributable to after-tax employee contributions) for 2006 and multiplying that percentage by Employee V's compensation for 2006. Accordingly, the missed after-tax employee contribution for Employee V, on account of the employee's improper exclusion from the plan is $189 (0.63% x $30,000). The missed opportunity to make after-tax employee contributions to the plan is $76 (40% x $189). Thus, the required corrective contribution for the failure to provide Employee V with the opportunity to make the $189 after-tax employee contribution to the plan is $76 (plus earnings).

The total required corrective QNEC, before adjustments for earnings, on behalf of Employee V is $2,176 ($1,200 for the missed deferral opportunity plus $900 for the missed matching contribution plus $76 for the missed opportunity to make after-tax employee contributions). The required corrective QNEC is further adjusted for earnings.

Example 4:

(a) Correction Methods. (i) Appendix A Correction Method. Appendix A, section .05 sets forth the correction method for correcting the failure to make a contribution on behalf of the employees improperly excluded from a defined contribution plan or to provide benefit accruals for the employees improperly excluded from a defined benefit plan. In the case of a defined contribution plan, the correction method is to make a contribution on behalf of the excluded employee. Section 2.02(2)(a)(ii) of this Appendix B clarifies the correction method in the case of a profit-sharing or stock bonus plan that provides for nonelective contributions (within the meaning of § 1.401(k)-6).

(ii) Additional Requirements for Appendix A Correction Method as applied to Profit-Sharing Plans. To correct for the exclusion of an eligible employee from nonelective contributions in a profit-sharing or stock bonus plan under the Appendix A correction method, an allocation amount is determined for each excluded employee on the same basis as the allocation amounts were determined for the other employees under the plan's allocation formula (e.g., the same ratio of allocation to compensation), taking into account all of the employee's relevant factors (e.g., compensation) under that formula for that year. The Employer makes a corrective contribution on behalf of the excluded employee that is equal to the allocation amount for the excluded employee. The corrective contribution is adjusted for earnings. If, as a result of excluding an employee, an amount was improperly allocated to the account balance of an eligible employee who shared in the original allocation of the nonelective contribution, no reduction is made to the account balance of the employee who shared in the original allocation on account of the improper allocation. (See Example 15.)

(iii) Reallocation Correction Method. (A) In General. Subject to the limitations set forth in section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(F) below, in addition to the Appendix A correction method, the exclusion of an eligible employee for a plan year from a profit-sharing or stock bonus plan that provides for nonelective contributions may be corrected using the reallocation correction method set forth in this section 2.02(2)(a)(iii). Under the reallocation correction method, the account balance of the excluded employee is increased as provided in paragraph (2)(a)(iii)(B) below, the account balances of other employees are reduced as provided in paragraph (2)(a)(iii)(C) below, and the increases and reductions are reconciled, as necessary, as provided in paragraph (2)(a)(iii)(D) below. (See Examples 16 and 17.)

(B) Increase in Account Balance of Excluded Employee. The account balance of the excluded employee is increased by an amount that is equal to the allocation the employee would have received had the employee shared in the allocation of the nonelective contribution. The amount is adjusted for earnings.

(C) Reduction in Account Balances of Other Employees. (1) The account balance of each employee who was an eligible employee who shared in the original allocation of the nonelective contribution is reduced by the excess, if any, of (I) the employee's allocation of that contribution over (II) the amount that would have been allocated to that employee's account had the failure not occurred. This amount is adjusted for earnings taking into account the rules set forth in section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(C)(2) and (3) below. The amount after adjustment for earnings is limited in accordance with section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(C)(4) below.

(2) This paragraph (2)(a)(iii)(C)(2) applies if most of the employees with account balances that are being reduced are nonhighly compensated employees. If there has been an overall gain for the period from the date of the original allocation of the contribution through the date of correction, no adjustment for earnings is required to the amount determined under section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(C)(1) for the employee. If the amount for the employee is being adjusted for earnings and the plan permits investment of account balances in more than one investment fund, for administrative convenience, the reduction to the employee's account balance may be adjusted by the lowest earnings rate of any fund for the period from the date of the original allocation of the contribution through the date of correction.

(3) If an employee's account balance is reduced and the original allocation was made to more than one investment fund or there was a subsequent distribution or transfer from the fund receiving the original allocation, then reasonable, consistent assumptions are used to determine the earnings adjustment.

(4) The amount determined in section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(C)(1) for an employee after the application of section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(C)(2) and (3) may not exceed the account balance of the employee on the date of correction, and the employee is permitted to retain any distribution made prior to the date of correction.

(D) Reconciliation of Increases and Reductions. If the aggregate amount of the increases under section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(B) exceeds the aggregate amount of the reductions under section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(C), the Employer makes a corrective contribution to the plan for the amount of the excess. If the aggregate amount of the reductions under section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(C) exceeds the aggregate amount of the increases under section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(B), then the amount by which each employee's account balance is reduced under section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(C) is decreased on a pro rata basis.

(E) Reductions Among Multiple Investment Funds. If an employee's account balance is reduced and the employee's account balance is invested in more than one investment fund, then the reduction may be made from the investment funds selected in any reasonable manner.

(F) Limitations on Use of Reallocation Correction Method. If any employee would be permitted to retain any distribution pursuant to section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(C)(4), then the reallocation correction method may not be used unless most of the employees who would be permitted to retain a distribution are nonhighly compensated employees.

(b) Examples.

Example 13:

(1) Correction Methods. (a) Contribution Correction Method. A failure in a defined contribution plan to apply the proper vesting percentage to an employee's account balance that results in forfeiture of too large a portion of the employee's account balance may be corrected using the contribution correction method set forth in this paragraph. The Employer makes a corrective contribution on behalf of the employee whose account balance was improperly forfeited in an amount equal to the improper forfeiture. The corrective contribution is adjusted for earnings. If, as a result of the improper forfeiture, an amount was improperly allocated to the account balance of another employee, no reduction is made to the account balance of that employee. (See Example 16.)

(b) Reallocation Correction Method. In lieu of the contribution correction method, in a defined contribution plan under which forfeitures of account balances are reallocated among the account balances of the other eligible employees in the plan, a failure to apply the proper vesting percentage to an employee's account balance which results in forfeiture of too large a portion of the employee's account balance may be corrected under the reallocation correction method set forth in this paragraph. A corrective reallocation is made in accordance with the reallocation correction method set forth in section 2.02(2)(a)(iii), subject to the limitations set forth in section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(F). In applying section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(B), the account balance of the employee who incurred the improper forfeiture is increased by an amount equal to the amount of the improper forfeiture and the amount is adjusted for earnings. In applying section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(C)(1), the account balance of each employee who shared in the allocation of the improper forfeiture is reduced by the amount of the improper forfeiture that was allocated to that employee's account. The earnings adjustments for the account balances that are being reduced are determined in accordance with sections 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(C)(2) and (3) and the reductions after adjustments for earnings are limited in accordance with section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(C)(4). In accordance with section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(D), if the aggregate amount of the increases exceeds the aggregate amount of the reductions, the Employer makes a corrective contribution to the plan for the amount of the excess. In accordance with section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(D), if the aggregate amount of the reductions exceeds the aggregate amount of the increases, then the amount by which each employee's account balance is reduced is decreased on a pro rata basis. (See Example 17.)

(2) Examples.

Example 16:

(1) Failures Relating to a § 415(b) Excess.

(a) Correction Methods. (i) Return of Overpayment Correction Method. Overpayments as a result of amounts being paid in excess of the limits of § 415(b) may be corrected using the return of Overpayment correction method set forth in this paragraph (1)(a)(i). The Employer takes reasonable steps to have the Overpayment (with appropriate interest) returned by the recipient to the plan and reduces future benefit payments (if any) due to the employee to reflect § 415(b). To the extent the amount returned by the recipient is less than the Overpayment, adjusted for earnings at the plan's earnings rate, then the Employer or another person contributes the difference to the plan. In addition, in accordance with section 6.05 of this revenue procedure, the Employer must notify the recipient that the Overpayment was not eligible for favorable tax treatment accorded to distributions from qualified plans (and, specifically, was not eligible for tax-free rollover). (See Examples 20 and 21.)

(ii) Adjustment of Future Payments Correction Method. (A) In General. In addition to the return of overpayment correction method, in the case of plan benefits that are being distributed in the form of periodic payments, Overpayments as a result of amounts being paid in excess of the limits in § 415(b) may be corrected by using the adjustment of future payments correction method set forth in this paragraph (1)(a)(ii). Future payments to the recipient are reduced so that they do not exceed the § 415(b) maximum limit and an additional reduction is made to recoup the Overpayment (over a period not longer than the remaining payment period) so that the actuarial present value of the additional reduction is equal to the Overpayment plus interest at the interest rate used by the plan to determine actuarial equivalence. (See Examples 18 and 19.)

(B) Joint and Survivor Annuity Payments. If the employee is receiving payments in the form of a joint and survivor annuity, with the employee's spouse to receive a life annuity upon the employee's death equal to a percentage (e.g., 75%) of the amount being paid to the employee, the reduction of future annuity payments to reflect § 415(b) reduces the amount of benefits payable during the lives of both the employee and spouse, but any reduction to recoup Overpayments made to the employee does not reduce the amount of the spouse's survivor benefit. Thus, the spouse's benefit will be based on the previous specified percentage (e.g., 75%) of the maximum permitted under § 415(b), instead of the reduced annual periodic amount payable to the employee.

(C) Overpayment Not Treated as an Excess Amount. An Overpayment corrected under this adjustment of future payment correction method is not treated as an Excess Amount as defined in section 5.01(3) of this revenue procedure.

(b) Examples.

Example 18:

(a) Correction Methods. (i) Appendix A Correction Method. Appendix A, section .08 sets forth the correction method for correcting the failure to satisfy the § 415(c) limits on annual additions.

(ii) Forfeiture Correction Method. In addition to the Appendix A correction method, the failure to satisfy § 415(c) with respect to a nonhighly compensated employee (A) who in the limitation year of the failure had annual additions consisting of both (I) either elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions or both and (II) either matching or nonelective contributions or both, (B) for whom the matching and nonelective contributions equal or exceed the portion of the employee's annual addition that exceeds the limits under § 415(c) ("§ 415(c) excess") for the limitation year, and (C) who has terminated with no vested interest in the matching and nonelective contributions (and has not been reemployed at the time of the correction), may be corrected by using the forfeiture correction method set forth in this paragraph. The § 415(c) excess is deemed to consist solely of the matching and nonelective contributions. If the employee's § 415(c) excess (adjusted for earnings) has previously been forfeited, the § 415(c) failure is deemed to be corrected. If the § 415(c) excess (adjusted for earnings) has not been forfeited, that amount is placed in an unallocated account, as described in section 6.06(2) of this revenue procedure, to be used to reduce employer nonelective contributions in succeeding year(s) (or if the amount would have been allocated to other employees who were in the plan for the year of the failure if the failure had not occurred, then that amount is reallocated to the other employees in accordance with the plan's allocation formula). Note that while this correction method will permit more favorable tax treatment of elective deferrals for the employee than the Appendix A correction method, this correction method could be less favorable to the employee in certain cases, for example, if the employee is subsequently reemployed and becomes vested. (See Examples 22 and 23.)

(iii) Return of Overpayment Correction Method. A failure to satisfy § 415(c) that includes a distribution of the § 415(c) excess attributable to nonelective contributions and matching contributions may be corrected using the return of Overpayment correction method set forth in section 6.06(3) of this revenue procedure.

(b) Examples.

Example 22:

An Overpayment, other than one described in section 2.04(1) (relating to a § 415(b) excess) or section 2.04(2) (relating to a § 415(c) excess), may be corrected in accordance with this section 2.05. An Overpayment from a defined benefit plan is corrected in accordance with the rules in section 2.04(1). An Overpayment from a defined contribution plan is corrected in accordance with the rules in section 2.04(2)(a)(iii).

.06 § 401(a)(17) Failures.

(1) Reduction of Account Balance Correction Method. The allocation of contributions or forfeitures under a defined contribution plan for a plan year on the basis of compensation in excess of the limit under § 401(a)(17) for the plan year may be corrected using the reduction of account balance correction method set forth in section 6.06(2) of this revenue procedure.

(2) Example.

Example 24:

(1) § 401(a)(17) Failures. (a) Contribution Correction Method. In addition to the reduction of account balance correction method under section 6.06(2) of this revenue procedure, an employer may correct a § 401(a)(17) failure for a plan year under a defined contribution plan by using the contribution correction method set forth in this paragraph. The Employer contributes an additional amount on behalf of each of the other employees (excluding each employee for whom there was a § 401(a)(17) failure) who received an allocation for the year of the failure, amending the plan (as necessary) to provide for the additional allocation. The amount contributed for an employee is equal to the employee's plan compensation for the year of the failure multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the improperly allocated amount made on behalf of the employee with the largest improperly allocated amount, and the denominator of which is the limit under § 401(a)(17) applicable to the year of the failure. The resulting additional amount for each of the other employees is adjusted for earnings. (See Example 25.)

(b) Examples.

Example 25:

(b) Example.

Example 26:

(b) Example

Example 27:

.01 Earnings Adjustment Methods. (1) In general. (a) Under section 6.02(4)(a) of this revenue procedure, whenever the appropriate correction method for an Operational Failure in a defined contribution plan includes a corrective contribution or allocation that increases one or more employees' account balances (now or in the future), the contribution or allocation is adjusted for earnings and forfeitures. This section 3 provides earnings adjustment methods (but not forfeiture adjustment methods) that may be used by an employer to adjust a corrective contribution or allocation for earnings in a defined contribution plan. Consequently, these earnings adjustment methods may be used to determine the earnings adjustments for corrective contributions or allocations made under the correction methods in section 2 and under the correction methods in Appendix A. If an earnings adjustment method in this section 3 is used to adjust a corrective contribution or allocation, that adjustment is treated as satisfying the earnings adjustment requirement of section 6.02(4)(a) of this revenue procedure. Other earnings adjustment methods, different from those illustrated in this section 3, may also be appropriate for adjusting corrective contributions or allocations to reflect earnings.

(b) Under the earnings adjustment methods of this section 3, a corrective contribution or allocation that increases an employee's account balance is adjusted to reflect an "earnings amount" that is based on the earnings rate(s) (determined under section 3.01(3)) for the period of the failure (determined under section 3.01(2)). The earnings amount is allocated in accordance with section 3.01(4).

(c) The rule in section 6.02(5)(a) of this revenue procedure permitting reasonable estimates in certain circumstances applies for purposes of this section 3. For this purpose, a determination of earnings made in accordance with the rules of administrative convenience set forth in this section 3 is treated as a precise determination of earnings. Thus, if the probable difference between an approximate determination of earnings and a determination of earnings under this section 3 is insignificant and the administrative cost of a precise determination would significantly exceed the probable difference, reasonable estimates may be used in calculating the appropriate earnings.

(d) This section 3 does not apply to corrective distributions or corrective reductions in account balances. Thus, for example, while this section 3 applies in increasing the account balance of an improperly excluded employee to correct the exclusion of the employee under the reallocation correction method described in section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(B), this section 3 does not apply in reducing the account balances of other employees under the reallocation correction method. (See section 2.02(2)(a)(iii)(C) for rules that apply to the earnings adjustments for such reductions.) In addition, this section 3 does not apply in determining earnings adjustments under the one-to-one correction method described in section 2.01(1)(b)(iii).

(2) Period of the Failure. (a) General Rule. For purposes of this section 3, the "period of the failure" is the period from the date that the failure began through the date of correction. For example, in the case of an improper forfeiture of an employee's account balance, the beginning of the period of the failure is the date as of which the account balance was improperly reduced. See section 6.02(4)(e) of this revenue procedure.

(b) Rules for Beginning Date for Exclusion of Eligible Employees from Plan. (i) General Rule. In the case of an exclusion of an eligible employee from a plan contribution, the beginning of the period of the failure is the date on which contributions of the same type (e.g., elective deferrals, matching contributions, or discretionary nonelective employer contributions) were made for other employees for the year of the failure. In the case of an exclusion of an eligible employee from an allocation of a forfeiture, the beginning of the period of the failure is the date on which forfeitures were allocated to other employees for the year of the failure.

(ii) Exclusion from a 401(k) or (m) Plan. For administrative convenience, for purposes of calculating the earnings rate for corrective contributions for a plan year (or the portion of the plan year) during which an employee was improperly excluded from making periodic elective deferrals or after-tax employee contributions, or from receiving periodic matching contributions, the Employer may treat the date on which the contributions would have been made as the midpoint of the plan year (or the midpoint of the portion of the plan year) for which the failure occurred. Alternatively, in this case, the Employer may treat the date on which the contributions would have been made as the first date of the plan year (or the portion of the plan year) during which an employee was excluded, provided that the earnings rate used is one half of the earnings rate applicable under section 3.01(3) for the plan year (or the portion of the plan year) for which the failure occurred.

(3) Earnings Rate. (a) General Rule. For purposes of this section 3, the earnings rate generally is based on the investment results that would have applied to the corrective contribution or allocation if the failure had not occurred.

(b) Multiple Investment Funds. If a plan permits employees to direct the investment of account balances into more than one investment fund, the earnings rate is based on the rate applicable to the employee's investment choices for the period of the failure. For administrative convenience, if most of the employees for whom the corrective contribution or allocation is made are nonhighly compensated employees, the rate of return of the fund with the highest earnings rate under the plan for the period of the failure may be used to determine the earnings rate for all corrective contributions or allocations. If the employee had not made any applicable investment choices, the earnings rate may be based on the earnings rate under the plan as a whole (i.e., the average of the rates earned by all of the funds in the valuation periods during the period of the failure weighted by the portion of the plan assets invested in the various funds during the period of the failure).

(c) Other Simplifying Assumptions. For administrative convenience, the earnings rate applicable to the corrective contribution or allocation for a valuation period with respect to any investment fund may be assumed to be the actual earnings rate for the plan's investments in that fund during that valuation period. For example, the earnings rate may be determined without regard to any special investment provisions that vary according to the size of the fund. Further, the earnings rate applicable to the corrective contribution or allocation for a portion of a valuation period may be a pro rata portion of the earnings rate for the entire valuation period, unless the application of this rule would result in either a significant understatement or overstatement of the actual earnings during that portion of the valuation period.

(4) Allocation Methods. (a) In General. For purposes of this section 3, the earnings amount generally may be allocated in accordance with any of the methods set forth in this paragraph (4). The methods under paragraph (4)(c), (d), and (e) are intended to be particularly helpful where corrective contributions are made at dates between the plan's valuation dates.

(b) Plan Allocation Method. Under the plan allocation method, the earnings amount is allocated to account balances under the plan in accordance with the plan's method for allocating earnings as if the failure had not occurred. (See, Example 28.)

(c) Specific Employee Allocation Method. Under the specific employee allocation method, the entire earnings amount is allocated solely to the account balance of the employee on whose behalf the corrective contribution or allocation is made (regardless of whether the plan's allocation method would have allocated the earnings solely to that employee). In determining the allocation of plan earnings for the valuation period during which the corrective contribution or allocation is made, the corrective contribution or allocation (including the earnings amount) is treated in the same manner as any other contribution under the plan on behalf of the employee during that valuation period. Alternatively, where the plan's allocation method does not allocate plan earnings for a valuation period to a contribution made during that valuation period, plan earnings for the valuation period during which the corrective contribution or allocation is made may be allocated as if that employee's account balance had been increased as of the last day of the prior valuation period by the corrective contribution or allocation, including only that portion of the earnings amount attributable to earnings through the last day of the prior valuation period. The employee's account balance is then further increased as of the last day of the valuation period during which the corrective contribution or allocation is made by that portion of the earnings amount attributable to earnings after the last day of the prior valuation period. (See Example 29.)

(d) Bifurcated Allocation Method. Under the bifurcated allocation method, the entire earnings amount for the valuation periods ending before the date the corrective contribution or allocation is made is allocated solely to the account balance of the employee on whose behalf the corrective contribution or allocation is made. The earnings amount for the valuation period during which the corrective contribution or allocation is made is allocated in accordance with the plan's method for allocating other earnings for that valuation period in accordance with section 3.01(4)(b). (See Example 30.)

(e) Current Period Allocation Method. Under the current period allocation method, the portion of the earnings amount attributable to the valuation period during which the period of the failure begins ("first partial valuation period") is allocated in the same manner as earnings for the valuation period during which the corrective contribution or allocation is made in accordance section 3.01(4)(b). The earnings for the subsequent full valuation periods ending before the beginning of the valuation period during which the corrective contribution or allocation is made are allocated solely to the employee for whom the required contribution should have been made. The earnings amount for the valuation period during which the corrective contribution or allocation is made ("second partial valuation period") is allocated in accordance with the plan's method for allocating other earnings for that valuation period in accordance with section 3.01(4)(b). (See Example 31.)

.02 Examples.

Example 28:

INSTRUCTIONS

NOTE: If you are submitting a Streamlined Application under VCP using Appendix F in accordance with section 11.02 of this revenue procedure, this Appendix C does not need to be completed. If you are submitting a VCP submission using Appendix D, then Part I of this Appendix C does not need to be completed.

The Service will be able to respond more quickly to your VCP request if it is carefully prepared and complete. To ensure that your request is in order, use this checklist. Sign and date the checklist (as plan sponsor or authorized representative) and include it in the submission as provided in section 11.10 of Rev. Proc. 2008-50. (Hereafter, all section references are to Rev. Proc. 2008-50)

You must submit a completed copy of this checklist with your request. If a completed checklist is not submitted with your request, substantive consideration of your submission will be deferred until a completed checklist is received.

PART I -- PLAN INFORMATION

1. APPLICANT'S NAME ______

2. APPLICANT'S ADDRESS

_____

_____

3. APPLICANT'S TELEPHONE NO. _____

7. PLAN NAME _____

8. TYPE OF SUBMISSION

__ REGULAR SUBMISSION

__ 01 PROFIT SHARING

11. NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLAN AS PROVIDED ON THE MOST RECENTLY FILED FORM 5500 SERIES (See Rev. Proc. 2008-50, section 12.07.): _____

12. ASSETS IN THE PLAN AS PROVIDED ON THE MOST RECENTLY FILED FORM 5500 SERIES (ROUND TO NEAREST DOLLAR): $ ____

See Rev. Proc. 2008-50, section 12.07.

If the Applicant is being represented by someone in connection with this matter or wishes to authorize someone to receive information from us in connection with this matter, submit a completed Form 2848 or Form 8821 and complete items 13 through 18.

13. NAME OF APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE _____

14. NAME OF REPRESENTATIVE'S FIRM (if applicable) _____

15. REPRESENTATIVE'S ADDRESS _____

16. REPRESENTATIVE'S PHONE NO. ____

17. FAX NO. ____

18. REPRESENTATIVE'S E-MAIL ADDRESS ____________________________________

(optional)

PART II - SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Answer each question by answering "Yes" or "N/A" as appropriate

 Yes   N/A                     Question                         Reference

 1. APPLICANT'S

11. NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLAN AS PROVIDED ON THE MOST RECENTLY FILED FORM 5500 SERIES (See Rev. Proc. 2008-50, section 12.07.): ________________

12. ASSETS IN THE PLAN AS PROVIDED ON THE MOST RECENTLY FILED FORM 5500 SERIES (ROUND TO NEAREST DOLLAR): $ ____________________________

See Rev. Proc. 2008-50, section 12.07.

If the Applicant is being represented by someone in connection with this matter or wishes to authorize someone to receive information from us in connection with this matter, submit a completed Form 2848 or Form 8821, and complete items 13 through 18.

13. NAME OF APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE ______________________________

14. NAME OF REPRESENTATIVE'S FIRM ___________________________________

15. REPRESENTATIVE'S ADDRESS:

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

16. REPRESENTATIVE'S PHONE NO. ______________17. FAX NO. ____________

18. REPRESENTATIVE'S E-MAIL ADDRESS _____________________ (optional)

PART II. APPLICANT'S DESCRIPTION OF FAILURES

Attach additional pages, as needed. Label attachment "PART II. APPLICAN'TS DESCRIPTION OF FAILURES." List and number each failure separately. Please include the plan name, the plan sponsor's EIN, and the plan number on each page.

PART III. APPLICANT'S DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED METHOD OF CORRECTION

Attach additional pages, as needed. Label attachment "PART III. APPLICAN'TS DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED METHOD OF CORRECTION." Describe the correction method applicable to each failure listed in Part II. Please include the plan name, the plan sponsor's EIN, and the plan number on each page.

PART IV. APPLICANT'S PROPOSED REVISION TO ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

Attach additional pages, as needed. Label attachment "PART IV. APPLICAN'TS PROPOSED REVISION TO ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES." Please include the plan name, the plan sponsor's EIN, and the plan number on each page.

PART V. REQUESTS RELATED TO EXCISE TAXES, ADDITIONAL TAX, AND TAX REPORTING

__ The Applicant requests that the Service not pursue the following taxes under the Internal Revenue Code (attach supporting rationale as required by Section 6.09), labeled "PART V. REQUESTS RELATED TO EXCISE TAX, ADDITIONAL TAX, AND TAX REPORTING.")

__ Excise tax under § 4972 with respect to failure(s) #_____.

__ Excise tax under § 4973 with respect to failure(s) #_____.

__ Excise tax under § 4974 with respect to failure(s) #_____.

__ Excise tax under § 4979 with respect to failure(s) #_____.

__ Imposition of additional tax under § 72(t) with respect to failure(s) #_____.

The Applicant requests that the Service grant the following with respect to plan loan failures as described in section 6.07 of Rev. Proc.2008-50:

__ With respect to failure(s) #_____, that a deemed distribution corrected pursuant to this VCP submission not be required to be reported on Form 1099-R and that repayments made by such correction not result in the affected participant having additional basis in the plan for purposes of determining the tax treatment of subsequent distributions from the plan.

__ With respect to failure(s) #_____, that a deemed distribution be reported on Form 1099-R with respect to affected participant(s) for the year of correction instead of the year of the failure.

PART VI. APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIONS

(Note: Since the representations include the penalty of perjury statement, the representations under Part VI of this Appendix D must be signed by the Plan Sponsor, not the plan representative.)

A. Under Examination

To the best of my knowledge:

1) The subject plan is not currently under examination of either an Employee Plans Form 5500 series return or other Employee Plans examination,

2) The Plan Sponsor is not under an Exempt Organizations examination (that is, an examination of a Form 990 series return or other Exempt Organizations examination),

3) Neither the Plan Sponsor nor any of its representatives has received verbal or written notification from the Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division of the Internal Revenue Service of an impending examination or of any impending referral for such examination, nor is the plan in Appeals or litigation for any issues raised in such an examination, and

4) The subject plan is not currently under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service.

B. Abusive tax avoidance transaction

(check box that applies)

__ Neither the plan nor the Plan Sponsor has been a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction as defined in section 4.13(2) of Rev. Proc. 2008-50.

__ The plan or the Plan Sponsor has been a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction. Details of the transaction(s) are provided in a separate statement which has been included with the submission.

C. Compliance Fee

The Applicant will neither attempt to amortize, deduct, or recover from the Internal Revenue Service any compliance fee paid in connection with this compliance statement nor receive any Federal tax benefit on account of payment of such compliance fee.

D. Penalties of Perjury

Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this submission, including accompanying documents and representations. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the facts and information presented in support of this submission are true, correct, and complete.

Signed: _________________________________ Date: ____________________

Name (printed): ____________________________ Title: ________________

PART VII. ENFORCEMENT RESOLUTION (to be completed by IRS only)

The Service will not pursue the sanction of revoking the tax-favored status of the plan under §§ 401(a), 403(b), 408(k) or 408(p) on account of the failure(s) described in this submission. This compliance statement considers only the acceptability of the correction method(s) and the revision(s) of administrative procedures described in the submission and does not express an opinion as to the accuracy or acceptability of any calculations or other material submitted with the application. In no event may this compliance statement be relied on for the purpose of concluding that the plan or Plan Sponsor (as defined in Rev. Proc. 2008-50) was not a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction. The compliance statement should not be construed as affecting the rights of any party under any other law, including Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

This compliance statement is conditioned on (1) there being no misstatement or omission of material facts in connection with the submission and (2) the completion of all corrections described within one hundred fifty (150) days of the date of the compliance statement.

__ The Service will treat the failure to adopt interim amendments or amendments for optional law changes, as described in section 6.05(3)(a) of Rev. Proc. 2008-50 as if they had been adopted timely for the purpose of making available the extended remedial amendment period currently set forth in Revenue Procedure 2007-44, 2007-28 I.R.B. 54, or its successors. However, this compliance statement does not constitute a determination as to whether any such plan amendments, as drafted, comply with the applicable changes in qualification requirements.

__ The Service will not pursue the following on account of the qualification failure(s) described in this submission:

__ Excise tax under § 4972.

__ Excise tax under § 4973.

__ Excise tax under § 4974.

__ Excise tax under § 4979.

__ With respect to the loan failure(s) described in this submission:

__ The Service will not require deemed distributions under § 72(p) to be reported on Forms 1099-R with respect to the participant(s) affected by the failure(s), and repayments made pursuant to the correction of such loan(s) will not result in an affected participant having additional basis in the plan for the purpose of determining the tax treatment of subsequent distributions from the plan to such participant(s).

__ The Service willrequire deemed distributions under § 72(p) to be reported on Form 1099-R with respect to the participant(s) affected by the failure(s). However, the plan will be permitted to report deemed distributions on Form 1099-R in the year of correction, instead of the year of the failure.

__ With respect to the Overpayment failures described in this submission that were corrected by removing improper distributions from the IRA(s) of the affected participant(s) and returning those distributions to the plan, the Service will not pursue ______ % of the 10% additional income tax under § 72(t).

Approved:

Applicant's Name: ____________________________________

Plan Name: _____________________________________ [insert plan name]

Plan No. ____________________ [insert plan number]

Control No.: ______________________________ (to be completed by IRS)

Received Date: ____________________________ (to be completed by IRS)

The Internal Revenue Service, Employee Plans Voluntary Compliance, has received your VCP submission for the above-captioned plan. Your request has been assigned the control number listed above. This number should be referred to in any communication to us concerning your submission.

You will be contacted when the case is assigned to an agent. If you need to inquire about the status of your case prior to that date, please call (626) 312-4921 (not a toll-free number). Please leave a message with the name of the plan, the Control Number, your name, and a phone number where you can be reached.

Thank you.

1. APPLICANT'S NAME ___________________________________________

2. APPLICANT'S ADDRESS _______________________________________

______________________________________________________________

3. APPLICANT'S TELEPHONE NO. ___________ (optional)

4. FAX NO. ____________ (optional)

5. APPLICANT'S EIN ________________________ 6. PLAN NO. ________

7. PLAN NAME__________________________________________________

8. TYPE OF SUBMISSION

__ REGULAR SUBMISSION

__ REGULAR SUBMISSION -- ANONYMOUS

__ REGULAR SUBMISSION -- MULTI-EMPLOYER PLAN

__ REGULAR SUBMISSION -- MULTIPLE EMPLOYER PLAN

__ GROUP SUBMISSION

9. TYPE OF PLAN (CHECK ONE ONLY):

__ 01 PROFIT SHARING

__ 02 401(k)

__ 03 MONEY PURCHASE

__ 04 DEFINED BENEFIT

__ 05 ESOP

__ 06 TARGET BENEFIT

__ 07 403(b)

__ 08 457

__ 09 CASH BALANCE

__ 10 GOVERNMENTAL PLAN (§ 414(d))

__ 11 SEP

__ 12 SARSEP

__ 13 SIMPLE

__ 14 STOCK BONUS

__ 15 KSOP

__ 15 OTHER (specify):

__ 16 OTHER (specify):

10. DATE (month and day) ON WHICH PLAN YEAR ENDS____________________

11. NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLAN AS PROVIDED ON THE MOST RECENTLY FILED FORM 5500 SERIES (See Rev. Proc. 2008-50, section 12.07.): ________________

12. ASSETS IN THE PLAN AS PROVIDED ON THE MOST RECENTLY FILED FORM 5500 SERIES (ROUND TO NEAREST DOLLAR): $ ___________________________

See Rev. Proc. 2008-50, section 12.07.

If the Applicant is being represented by someone in connection with this matter or wishes to authorize someone to receive information from us in connection with this matter, submit a completed Form 2848 or Form 8821 and complete items 13 through 18.

13. NAME OF APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE ______________________________

14. NAME OF REPRESENTATIVE'S FIRM NAME ______________________________

15. REPRESENTATIVE'S ADDRESS:________________________________________

16. REPRESENTATIVE'S PHONE NO. _________________ 17. FAX NO. ________

18. REPRESENTATIVE'S E-MAIL ADDRESS ______________________ (optional)

PART II. APPLICANT'S ENCLOSURES

The Applicant encloses the following documents with this submission:

__ VCP fee of $______ made payable to the U.S. Treasury (required). (If the fee is determined on the basis of treating Transferred Assets as a separate plan, pursuant to section 12.07 of Rev. Proc. 2008-50, please enclose a description of the related employer transaction, including the date of the employer transaction and the date the assets were transferred to the plan.)

__ A written request if the application is made for a terminating Orphan Plan and the Applicant is applying for a waiver of the VCP fee.

__ Power of Attorney (Form 2848) or Tax Information Authorization (Form 8821), if applicable.

__ If the plan is being considered for an unrelated determination letter application, a statement to that effect.

__ Appendix E (optional)

__ Completed Appendix F schedule(s). (Check the schedules that apply)

PART III. APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIONS

A. Under Examination

To the best of my knowledge:

1) The subject plan is not currently under examination of either an Employee Plans Form 5500 series return or other Employee Plans examination,

2) The Plan Sponsor is not under an Exempt Organizations examination (that is, an examination of a Form 990 series return or other Exempt Organizations examination),

3) Neither the Plan Sponsor nor any of its representatives has received verbal or written notification from the Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division of the Internal Revenue Service ("Service") of an impending examination or of any impending referral for such examination nor is the plan in Appeals or litigation for any issues raised in such an examination, and

4) The subject plan is not currently under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service.

B. Abusive tax avoidance transaction (check box that applies)

__ Neither the plan nor the Plan Sponsor has been a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction as defined in section 4.13(2) of Rev. Proc. 2008-50.

__ The plan or the Plan Sponsor has been a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction. Details of the transaction(s) are provided in a separate statement which has been included with the submission.

C. Compliance Fee

The Applicant will neither attempt to amortize, deduct, or recover from the Internal Revenue Service any compliance fee paid in connection with this compliance statement nor receive any Federal tax benefit on account of payment of such compliance fee.

D. Penalties of Perjury

Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this submission, including accompanying documents and representations. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the facts and information presented in support of this submission are true, correct, and complete.

Signed: _________________________________ Date: ____________________

Name (printed): _________________________________

Title: __________________________________________

The Internal Revenue Service will not pursue the sanction of revoking the tax-favored status of the plan under §§ 401(a), 403(b), 408(k), or 408(p) of the Internal Revenue Code on account of the failure(s) described in the schedules submitted pursuant to this Appendix F. This compliance statement considers only the acceptability of the correction method(s) and the revision(s) of administrative procedures described in the schedules submitted pursuant to this Appendix F submission and does not express an opinion as to the accuracy or acceptability of any calculations or other material submitted with the application. In no event may this compliance statement be relied on for the purpose of concluding that the plan or Plan Sponsor (as defined in Rev. Proc. 2008-50) was not a party to an abusive tax avoidance transaction. The compliance statement should not be construed as affecting the rights of any party under any other law, including Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

This compliance statement is conditioned on (1) there being no misstatement or omission of material facts in connection with the submission and (2) the completion of all corrections described in the applicable schedule(s) to this Appendix F submission within one hundred fifty (150) days of the date of the compliance statement.

In addition:

(paragraph applies only if checked by the Service)

__ For failure(s) described in Schedule 1 of Appendix F, the Service will treat the amendments as if they had been adopted timely for the purpose of making available the extended remedial amendment period set forth in Revenue Procedure 2007-44, 2007-28 I.R.B. 54, or its successors. However, this compliance statement does not constitute a determination as to whether any such plan amendment, as drafted, complies with the applicable change in qualification requirements.

__ For failure(s) described in Schedule 3 of Appendix F, the Service will not pursue the following:

__ For loan failure(s) described in section _____ of Schedule 5 of Appendix F, the Service will not require the deemed distributions to be reported on Form 1099-R with respect to the participant(s) affected by the failure(s). The repayments made pursuant to the correction of such loan(s) will not result in an affected participant having additional basis in the plan for the purpose of determining the tax treatment of subsequent distributions from the plan to such participant(s).

__ For loan failure(s) described in section _____ of Schedule 5 of Appendix F, the Service will require the deemed distributions to be reported on Form 1099-R with respect to the participant(s) affected by the failure(s). However, the plan will be permitted to report deemed distributions on Form 1099-R in the year of correction instead of the year of the failure.

__ For minimum distribution failure(s) described in Schedule 8 of Appendix F, the Service will waive the excise tax under § 4974.

Approved:

PART I. IDENTIFICATION OF FAILURES

A. Interim Amendments

The plan identified above was not amended timely for (check all failures that apply)

__ Good faith amendments under the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 ("EGTRRA") required under Notice 2001-42 (for details see Notice 2001-57). If the Plan Sponsor failed to timely one or more good faith amendments required for the plan to comply with EGTRRA, then check the box on the left and check the applicable amendments below:

__ The final and temporary regulations under § 401(a)(9) (interim amendment required for defined contribution plans; defined benefit plans have until the end of the extended EGTRRA remedial amendment period to amend. See Rev. Procs. 2002-29 and 2003-10.)

__ Guidance relating to the prescribed mortality table under § 415(b)(2)(E)(v) or the applicable mortality table under § 417(e)(3)(A)(ii)(I), as described in Rev. Rul. 2001-62 (applies to defined benefit plans.)

__ Interim amendments, as described in Rev. Proc. 2007-44 or its successors. If the plan failed to adopt one or more amendments required for the plan to comply with a law change, then check the box on the left and check the applicable amendments below:

__ Final regulations under § 415

__ Other (i.e., any other interim amendment that complies with the requirements in Rev. Proc. 2007-44 or its successors). Please list:

* * *

B. Implementation of Applicable Optional Law Changes (defined in section 6.05(3) of Rev. Proc. 2008-50)

The plan identified above was not amended timely for (check all failures that apply)

__ Optional good faith EGTRRA amendments under Notice 2001-42 (for details, see Notice 2001-57). If the Plan Sponsor implemented any of the optional law changes and failed to adopt good faith amendments timely to conform the plan to its operation, then check the box on the left and check the applicable amendments below:

__ Permitting participants to designate elective deferrals as Roth contributions pursuant to § 402A

__ Permitting deemed individual retirement accounts pursuant to § 408(q)

__ Final regulations under § 409(p) regarding ESOPs holding S-Corp stock.

__ Other amendments relating to implementation of optional law changes. Please list

* * *

PART II. DESCRIPTION OF METHOD OF CORRECTION

The Plan Sponsor has adopted amendments that satisfy the requirements of all of the items checked in Part I of this Appendix F, Schedule 1 retroactively to the effective dates of the specific provisions contained in the amendments. The executed amendments have been enclosed with this submission.

PART III. CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

The Applicant has taken the following step(s) to ensure that the failure(s) will not recur:

* * *

PART IV. ENCLOSURES

In addition to the applicable enclosures listed on Appendix F, the Plan Sponsor encloses copies of the signed and dated amendments used to correct the failure(s) identified in Part I of this Appendix F, Schedule 1.

PART I. IDENTIFICATION OF FAILURES

The plan identified above was not amended to comply with the applicable provisions of the following legislative and regulatory requirements by the applicable deadlines in accordance with § 401(b) and the regulations thereunder:

__ The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)

__ The Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA)

__ The Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 (DEFRA)

__ The Retirement Equity Act of 1984 (REA)

__ The Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA '86)

__ The Unemployment Compensation Amendments of 1992 (UCA)

__ The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (OBRA)

__ GUST (includes The Uruguay Round Agreements Act, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996, the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, and the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000)

__ The changes required by the 2005 Cumulative List (Notice 2005-101, 2005-2 C.B. 1219)

__ The changes required by the 2006 Cumulative List (Notice 2007-3, 2007-1 C.B. 255)

__ The changes required by the 2007 Cumulative List (Notice 2007-94, 2007-2 C.B. 1179)

__ Other (specify the legal requirement and applicable Cumulative List):

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

PART II. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED METHOD OF CORRECTION

The Plan Sponsor has adopted (or will adopt) amendments that satisfy the requirements of all of the items checked in Part I of this Appendix F, Schedule 2 retroactively to the effective dates of the specific provisions contained in the amendments. The amendments and restated plan documents (where applicable) are enclosed with this submission.

PART III. CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

The Plan Sponsor has taken the following step(s) to ensure that the failure(s) will not recur:

PART IV. ENCLOSURES

In addition to the applicable enclosures listed on Appendix F, the Plan Sponsor encloses the following with this submission:

• Copies of all amendments used to correct the failure(s), either as adopted or in proposed form,

• A copy of the plan document in effect prior to any of the amendments used to correct the failure(s),

• A copy of the most recent determination letter issued with respect to the plan (if applicable), and

• A determination letter application (Form 5300, 5307, or 5310 along with Form 8717 and the applicable user fee payment made payable to the U.S. Treasury).

PART I. IDENTIFICATION OF FAILURE(S) AND PROPOSED METHOD(S) OF CORRECTION

The following failure(s) occurred with respect to the plan identified above. Check the failure(s) that apply. Within each failure, check applicable boxes, and provide the information requested:

__ A. Employer Eligibility Failure (SARSEPs only)

__ The Plan Sponsor was not eligible to sponsor a SARSEP because the plan was established on ________. (Plan Sponsors were not permitted to establish SARSEPs after December 31, 1996.)

__ The plan was adopted by a Plan Sponsor who was (or subsequently became) ineligible to sponsor a SARSEP under the requirements of § 408(k)(6) because the Plan Sponsor (and, if applicable its related controlled group or affiliated service group employers) had more than 25 employees (including leased employees, if applicable) during the following plan year(s): __________________________________________________

__ The plan was adopted by a Plan Sponsor that became ineligible to sponsor a SARSEP under the requirements of § 408(k)(6) because, in one or more plan year(s), fewer than 50% of the employees eligible to participate in the plan elected to make salary reduction contributions. The failure occurred during the following plan year(s): _________________________________________________

Description of Proposed Method of Correction

All contributions ceased as of ____________ (insert date beginning no later than the date this application is filed under VCP). The Plan Sponsor will not permit any new salary reduction contributions to the plan.

__ B. Failure to satisfy the deferral percentage test (SARSEPs only)

At least one highly compensated employee ("HCE") deferred an amount which, as a percentage of compensation, was more than 125% of the average deferral percentage ("ADP") for all nonhighly compensated employees ("NHCEs") eligible to participate in the plan (§ 408(k)(6)(A)(iii)).

The failure occurred for the following plan year(s):

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

The total excess deferrals for each affected plan year were as follows:

      Year                Excess Deferrals

The Plan Sponsor has made (or will make) nonforfeitable contributions on behalf of all eligible NHCEs. Each eligible NHCE will receive a contribution equal to a uniform percentage of compensation. The uniform percentage is equal to the difference between the (1) ADP that would have been required for a HCE's deferral percentage to have passed the nondiscrimination test and (2) the actual ADP for NHCEs. (Example: In a particular plan year, an HCE defers 10% of compensation. The ADP for NHCEs for the same plan year is 5% of compensation. However, in order for the plan to pass the nondiscrimination test, the ADP should have been 8% of compensation. The corrective contribution on behalf of each eligible NHCE will be equal to 3% of compensation.) The corrective contribution made on behalf of each NHCE will also be adjusted for earnings. Earnings will be calculated from the last day of the plan year for which the failure occurred through the date of the corrective contribution. The corrective contribution (adjusted for earnings) will be made to each affected NHCE's SARSEP IRA account. If an affected employee does not have a SARSEP IRA account, a SARSEP IRA account will be established for that employee. Earnings will be calculated for an affected NHCE's account on the basis of one of the following methods (check one):

__ Actual investment results of the affected NHCE's SARSEP IRA account.

__ The interest rate incorporated in the Department of Labor's Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program Online Calculator ("VFCP Online Calculator") (http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/calculator/main.html), since the actual earnings of the affected NHCE's SARSEP IRA account cannot be ascertained

__ Actual investment results for years in which data is available, or the rate incorporated in the VFCP Online Calculator for years in which the actual earnings of the affected NHCE's SARSEP IRA account cannot be ascertained. The VFCP Online Calculator was or will be used for the following years

___________________________________________________

The total corrective contribution (before adjusting for earnings) on behalf of the affected NHCEs for each plan year is as follows:

      Year                Corrective contribution

__ There are no former employees affected by the failure.

__ Affected former employees will be contacted, and corrective contributions will be made to their SARSEP IRA accounts. To the extent that an affected former employee cannot be located following a mailing to the employee's last known address, the Plan Sponsor will take reasonable actions to locate that employee. Such actions include the use of the Internal Revenue Service Letter Forwarding Program (see Rev. Proc. 94-22, 1994-1 C.B. 608) or the Social Security Administration Employer Reporting Service. After such actions are taken, if an affected employee is not found but is subsequently located on a later date, the Plan Sponsor will make corrective contributions to the affected employee's SARSEP IRA account at that time.

__ C. Failure to Make Required Employer Contributions (SEPs or SARSEPs)

The Plan Sponsor failed to make employer contributions on behalf of eligible employees as required under the terms of the plan.

__ The failure occurred on account of the erroneous exclusion of eligible employees.

__ Other (describe): ___________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

The failure occurred for the following plan years: _______________.

Description of the Proposed Method of Correction

The Plan Sponsor has contributed (or will contribute) additional amounts to the plan on behalf of each affected employee. For each affected employee, the corrective contribution will be determined by calculating the contribution the employee would have been entitled to under the terms of the plan and subtracting any contributions already made on behalf of the participant for the plan year. The required contribution made on behalf of an affected participant will be adjusted for earnings. Earnings will be calculated from the last day of the plan year for which the failure occurred through the date of the corrective contribution. The corrective contribution (adjusted for earnings) will be made to each affected employee's SEP (or SARSEP, if applicable) IRA account. If an affected employee does not have a SEP (or SARSEP, if applicable) IRA account, a SEP (or SARSEP, if applicable) account will be established for that employee.

The total corrective contribution (before adjusting for Aearnings) for each year is:

      Year                Corrective Contribution

__ Actual investment results of the affected employee's SEP or SARSEP IRA account.

__ The interest rate incorporated in the VFCP Online Calculator, since the actual earnings of the affected employee's IRA account cannot be ascertained.

__ There are no former employees affected by the failure.

__ Affected former employees will be contacted, and corrective contributions will be made to their SEP or SARSEP IRA accounts. To the extent that an affected former employee cannot be located following a mailing to the employee's last known address, the Plan Sponsor will take reasonable actions to locate that employee. Such actions include the use of the Internal Revenue Service Letter Forwarding Program (see Rev. Proc. 94-22, 1994-1 C.B. 608) or the Social Security Administration Employer Reporting Service. After such actions are taken, if an affected employee is not found but is subsequently located on a later date, the Plan Sponsor will make corrective contributions to the affected employee's SEP or SARSEP IRA account at that time.

__ D. Failure to provide eligible employees with the opportunity to make elective deferrals (SARSEPs only)

The plan did not provide employee(s) who satisfied the applicable eligibility requirements with the opportunity to make elective deferrals to the SARSEP. The failure occurred for the following plan years: ______________________________________________________________

Description of the Proposed Method of Correction

The Plan Sponsor has contributed (or will contribute) additional amounts to the plan on behalf of each affected employee. The corrective contribution will be made to compensate the affected employee(s) for the missed deferral opportunity. The corrective contribution on behalf of each affected employee is equal to 50% of what the employee's deferral might have been had he or she been provided with the opportunity to make elective deferrals to the plan. Since the employee's deferral decision is not known, the deferral amount is estimated by determining the average of the deferral percentages for the employee's group (highly compensated or nonhighly compensated). (Example: N, an NHCE, was erroneously excluded from the plan. During the year of exclusion, N made $10,000 in compensation. The average of the deferral percentages for other NHCEs who were provided with the opportunity to make elective deferrals was 5%. N's missed deferral is estimated to be: 5% times $10,000 or $500. The required corrective contribution on behalf of N, before adjusting for earnings, is 50% of $500 or $250.)

The total corrective contribution (before adjusting for earnings) on behalf of the affected NHCEs for each plan year is as follows:

      Year                Corrective contribution

__ Actual investment results of the affected employee's SARSEP IRA account.

__ The interest rate incorporated in the VFCP Online Calculator, since the actual earnings of the affected employee's IRA account cannot be ascertained.

__ Actual investment results for years in which data is available, or the rate incorporated in the VFCP Online Calculator for years in which the actual earnings of the affected employee's IRA account cannot be ascertained. The VFCP Online Calculator was or will be used for the following years _____________________________________________

Former employees affected by the failure (check one):

__ There are no former employees affected by the failure.

__ Affected former employees will be contacted, and corrective contributions will be made to their SARSEP IRA accounts. To the extent that an affected former employee cannot be located following a mailing to the employee's last known address, the Plan Sponsor will take reasonable actions to locate that employee. Such actions include the use of the Internal Revenue Service Letter Forwarding Program (see Rev. Proc. 94-22, 1994-1 C.B. 608) or the Social Security Administration Employer Reporting Service. After such actions are taken, if an affected employee is not found but is subsequently located on a later date, the Plan Sponsor will make corrective contributions to the affected employee's SEP or SARSEP IRA account at that time.

__ E. Excess Amounts Contributed

__ The Plan Sponsor contributed Excess Amounts to the Plan on behalf of participants as follows:

(check boxes that apply)

__ Amounts were contributed in excess of the benefit the participants were entitled to under the plan.

__ SARSEP only: Elective deferrals were contributed to the SARSEP in excess of the limitation under the terms of the SARSEP (e.g., the lesser of 25% of compensation or the applicable limit under § 402(g)).

The total of the Excess Amounts for each affected plan year was as follows:

     Year           Excess Amounts       Number of Participants Affected

(check all correction methods that apply)

__ Distribution of Excess Elective Deferrals (SARSEPs only)

The Plan Sponsor has effected (or will effect) a corrective distribution of the Excess Amounts, adjusted for earnings through the date of correction, to the affected participant(s). The earnings adjustment will be based on the actual rates of return of the participant's SARSEP IRA account from the date(s) that the excess deferrals were made through the date of correction.

Affected participants were (or will be) informed that the corrective distribution of an Excess Amount is not eligible for favorable tax treatment accorded to distributions from a SARSEP and, specifically, is not eligible for tax-free rollover.

The total corrective distribution (before adjusting for earnings) for each affected year is as follows:

     Year       Corrective Distribution    Number of Participants Affected

The Plan Sponsor has effected (or will effect) the return of excess employer contributions, adjusted for earnings through the date of correction, to the Plan Sponsor. The earnings adjustment will be based on the actual rates of return of the SEP or SARSEP from the date(s) that the excess employer contributions were made through the date of correction. The amount returned to the Plan Sponsor is not includible in the gross income of the affected participant(s). The Plan Sponsor is not entitled to a deduction for such excess employer contributions. The amount returned is reported on Form 1099-R as a distribution issued to the affected participant(s), indicating the taxable amount as zero.

The amount to be returned to the Plan Sponsor (before adjusting for earnings) for each affected year is as follows:

                   Return of Excess

Note: If this correction method is selected, an additional VCP fee is required. (See section 12.05(2) of Rev. Proc. 2008-50.)

__ The Excess Amounts (including earnings) were retained in the SARSEP or SEP IRA accounts of the affected participants as follows:

                    Excess Amounts

__ Excess Amounts of $100 or less (See section 6.02(5)(e) of Rev. Proc. 2008-50.)

For one or more participants, the total Excess Amount (employer contributions and/or elective deferrals before adjusting for earnings) is $100 or less. The Excess Amount will not be distributed.

PART II. CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

The Plan Sponsor has taken the following step(s) to ensure that the failure(s) will not recur:

* * *

PART III. REQUEST(S) FOR EXCISE TAX RELIEF

(check applicable boxes)

__ Excise tax pursuant to § 4979. The Applicant requests that the Service not pursue the excise tax under § 4979. (This applies only to failures to satisfy the nondiscrimination test for elective deferrals. See section 6.09(4) of Rev. Proc. 2008-50 for an example of a situation where a request for relief under § 4979 would be considered. Please enclose a written explanation in support of your request for relief from this excise tax.)

__ Excise tax pursuant to § 4972. The Applicant requests that the Service not pursue the excise tax under § 4972 (This applies to situations where corrective contributions made in accordance with this submission would be nondeductible contributions for the year of correction and thus would be subject to the excise tax under § 4972. See section 6.09(3) of Rev. Proc. 2008-50. Please enclose a written explanation in support of your request for relief from this excise tax. )

PART IV. ENCLOSURES

In addition to the applicable enclosures listed on Appendix F, the Plan Sponsor encloses the following with this submission:

• The applicable plan document. (This could be an IRS form document, such as a Form 5305-SEP or 5305A-SEP, or a prototype plan document developed by a financial institution. If a prototype plan document is used, please send a copy of the most recent favorable opinion letter issued for such plan document).

• A written explanation of how and why the failure(s) described in this submission occurred, including a description of the administrative procedures applicable to the failure(s) in effect at the time the failure(s) occurred.

• For failures that involve corrective contributions or corrective distributions, a description of assumptions and supporting calculations used to determine the amounts needed for correction:

•  

  1) For failures to satisfy the nondiscrimination test for elective deferrals, Computations in support of the proposed correction, including:

   

  a) The determination of HCEs and NHCEs,

  b) The deferral percentages of individual employees and the applicable ADP calculations,

  c) The determination of corrective contributions on behalf of NHCEs to correct the ADP test, and,

  d) Calculations showing how the earnings adjustment and the ultimate corrective contribution on behalf of affected employees will be determined. (Please use estimates, including an estimated correction date, if corrective distributions have not been made yet.)

   

  2) For failures to make required employer contributions and for failures to provide eligible employees with the opportunity to make elective deferrals:

   

  a) Computations in support of the corrective contribution amounts attributable to each participant. In the case of a failure to provide eligible employees with the opportunity to make elective deferrals, please include computations showing how the average deferral percentage, missed deferral, and corrective contribution amount was determined.,

  b) Calculations showing how the earnings adjustment and the ultimate corrective contribution on behalf of affected employees will be determined.

   

  3) For failures involving the contribution of Excess Amounts:

   

  a) Computations in support of the excess contribution amounts attributable to each participant;

  b) Calculations showing how the earnings adjustment and the ultimate corrective distribution amounts are determined. (Please use estimates, including an estimated correction date, if corrective distributions have not been made yet.)

• Explanations in support of requests for excise tax relief.

• Any other information that would be useful for the purpose of understanding the proposals made under the submission.

PART I. IDENTIFICATION OF FAILURE(S) AND CORRECTION METHODS

The following failure(s) occurred with respect to the SIMPLE IRA Plan identified above: (Check failure(s) that apply. Within each failure, check applicable boxes, and provide the information requested.)

__ A. Employer Eligibility Failure

__ The plan was adopted by a Plan Sponsor who was (or subsequently became) ineligible to sponsor a SIMPLE IRA Plan under the requirements of § 408(p) because the Plan Sponsor (and, if applicable, its related controlled group or affiliated service group employers) had more than 100 employees (including leased employees, if applicable) who earned $5,000 or more in compensation during the following plan year(s):

_____________________________________________________________

__ The plan was adopted by a Plan Sponsor who was not eligible to sponsor a SIMPLE IRA Plan under the requirements of § 408(p) because the Plan Sponsor established or maintained a Qualified Plan with respect to which contributions were made (or under which benefits were accrued) during any plan year of the SIMPLE IRA Plan. The failure occurred during the following plan year(s):

_____________________________________________________________

Description of the Proposed Method of Correction

All contributions to the plan ceased as of _____________ (insert a date no later than the date this application is filed under VCP). The Plan Sponsor will not permit any new employer or salary reduction contributions to be made to the plan.

__ B. Failure to Make Required Employer Contributions

The Plan Sponsor failed to make employer contributions on behalf of eligible employees as required under the terms of the plan.

__ The failure occurred on account of the erroneous exclusion of eligible employees

__ Other (describe): ___________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

The failure occurred for the following plan years: _____________

_____________________________________________________________

For the applicable plan years, the provisions of the plan document required the Plan Sponsor to make employer contributions based on the following formula:

__ 2% nonelective contribution on behalf of each eligible employee who earned at least $5,000 in compensation for the year.

__ Matching contribution on behalf of each eligible employee equal to deferrals up to 3% of compensation.

__ Grace period applied. The plan provided for a matching contribution on behalf of each eligible employee equal to deferrals up to ____% of compensation.

(Note: If the failure occurred for multiple plan years and different employer contribution criteria applied during those years, check the applicable box, and indicate the plan years for which the formula applied).

Description of the Proposed Method of Correction

The Plan Sponsor has contributed (or will contribute) additional amounts to the plan on behalf of each affected employee. For each affected employee, the corrective contribution will be determined by calculating the contribution the employee would have been entitled to receive under the terms of the plan and subtracting any contributions already made on behalf of the employee for the plan year. The corrective contribution made on behalf of an affected employee will be adjusted for earnings. Earnings will be calculated from the last day of the plan year for which the failure occurred through the date of the corrective contribution. The corrective contribution (adjusted for earnings) will be made to each affected employee's SIMPLE IRA account. If an affected employee does not have a SIMPLE IRA account, an account will be established for that employee.

If the plan did not provide eligible employees with the opportunity to make elective deferrals and the plan provides for matching contributions, the corrective matching contribution will be based on the assumption that the eligible employee would have made an elective deferral equal to 3% of compensation.

The total corrective contribution (before adjusting for earnings) for each plan year is:

      Year                Corrective Contribution

__ Actual investment results of the affected employee's SIMPLE IRA account.

__ The interest rate incorporated in the Department of Labor's Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program Online Calculator ("VFCP Online Calculator") (http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/calculator/main.html), since the actual earnings of the affected employee's IRA account cannot be ascertained.

__ Actual investment results for years in which data is available, or the rate incorporated in the VFCP Online Calculator for years in which the actual earnings of the affected employee's IRA account cannot be ascertained. The VFCP Online Calculator was or will be used for the following years

___________________________________________________

Former employees affected by the failure (check one):

__ There are no former employees affected by the failure.

__ Affected former employees will be contacted, and corrective contributions will be made to their SIMPLE IRA accounts. To the extent that an affected former employee cannot be located following a mailing to the employee's last known address, the Plan Sponsor will take reasonable actions to locate that employee. Such actions include the use of the Internal Revenue Service Letter Forwarding Program (see Rev. Proc. 94-22, 1994-1 C.B. 608) or the Social Security Administration Employer Reporting Service. After such actions are taken, if an affected employee is not found but is subsequently located on a later date, the Plan Sponsor will make corrective contributions to the affected employee's SIMPLE IRA account at that time.

__ C. Failure to provide eligible employees with the opportunity to make elective deferrals

The plan did not provide employee(s) who satisfied the applicable eligibility requirements with the opportunity to make elective deferrals to the SIMPLE IRA plan. The failure occurred for the following plan years:

____________________________________________________________.

Description of the Proposed Method of Correction

The Plan Sponsor has contributed (or will contribute) additional amounts to the plan on behalf of each affected employee. The corrective contribution will be made to compensate the affected employee(s) for the missed deferral opportunity. The corrective contribution on behalf of each affected employee is equal to 50% of what the employee's deferral might have been had he or she been provided with the opportunity to make elective deferrals to the plan. Since the employee's deferral decision is not known, the deferral amount is estimated by assuming that the excluded employee would have made an elective deferral equal to 3% of his or her compensation. (Example: N, a nonhighly compensated employee was erroneously excluded from the plan. During the year of exclusion, N made $10,000 in compensation. N's missed deferral is estimated to be: 3% times $10,000 or $300. The required corrective contribution on behalf of N, before adjusting for earnings, is 50% of $300 or $150). Thus, the required corrective contribution for an employee who was erroneously excluded from making elective deferrals from a SIMPLE IRA Plan is equal to 1.5% of compensation (adjusted for earnings).

The total corrective contribution (before adjusting for earnings) on behalf of the affected employees for each plan year is as follows:

      Year                Corrective Contribution

__ Actual investment results of the affected employee's SIMPLE IRA account.

__ The interest rate incorporated in the VFCP Online Calculator, since the actual earnings of the affected employee's IRA account cannot be ascertained.

__ Actual investment results for years in which data is available, or the rate incorporated in the VFCP Online Calculator for years in which the actual earnings of the affected employee's IRA account cannot be ascertained. The VFCP Online Calculator was or will be used for the following years

___________________________________________________

Former employees affected by the failure (check one):

__ There are no former employees affected by the failure.

__ Affected former employees will be contacted, and corrective contributions will be made to their SIMPLE IRA accounts. To the extent that an affected former employee cannot be located following a mailing to the employee's last known address, the Plan Sponsor will take reasonable actions to locate that employee. Such actions include the use of the Internal Revenue Service Letter Forwarding Program (see Rev. Proc. 94-22, 1994-1 C.B. 608) or the Social Security Administration Employer Reporting Service. After such actions are taken, if an affected employee is not found but is subsequently located on a later date, the Plan Sponsor will make a corrective contribution to the affected employee's SIMPLE IRA account at that time.

__ D. Excess Amounts Contributed

The Plan Sponsor contributed Excess Amounts to the plan on behalf of participants as follows:

(check boxes that apply)

__ Amounts were contributed in excess of the benefit the participants were entitled to under the plan.

__ Elective deferrals were made to the SIMPLE IRA in excess of the limitation under the terms of the SIMPLE IRA (e.g., the applicable limit under § 408(p)(2)(E)).

The total of the Excess Amounts for each affected plan year was as follows:

     Year           Excess Amounts       Number of Participants Affected

(check all correction methods that apply)

__ Distribution of Excess Elective Deferrals

The Plan Sponsor has effected (or will effect) a distribution of the Excess Amounts, adjusted for earnings through the date of correction, to the affected participant(s). The earnings adjustment will be based on the actual rates of return of the participant's SARSEP IRA account from the date(s) that the excess deferrals were made through the date of correction.

Affected participants were (or will be) informed that the distribution of an Excess Amount is not eligible for favorable tax treatment accorded to distributions from a SIMPLE IRA and, specifically, is not eligible for tax-free rollover.

The total corrective distribution (before adjusting for earnings) for each affected plan year is as follows:

     Year      Corrective Distribution   Number of Participants Affected

The Plan Sponsor has effected (or will effect) the return of excess employer contributions, adjusted for earnings through the date of correction, to the Plan Sponsor. The earnings adjustment will be based on the actual rates of return on the affected participants' SIMPLE IRA accounts from the date(s) that the excess employer contributions were made through the date of correction. The amount returned to the Plan Sponsor is not includible in the gross income of the affected participant(s). The Plan Sponsor is not entitled to a deduction for such excess employer contributions. The amount returned is reported on Form 1099-R as a distribution issued to the affected participant(s), indicating the taxable amount as zero.

The return of the excess employer contributions (before adjusting for earnings) for each affected plan year is as follows:

                   Return of Excess

Note: If this correction method is selected, an additional VCP fee is required. (See section 12.05(2) of Rev. Proc. 2008-50.)

__ The Excess Amounts (including earnings) were retained in the SIMPLE IRA accounts of the affected participants as follows.

     Year      Excess Amounts Retained   Number of Participants Affected

__ Excess Amounts of $100 or less (See section 6.02(5)(e) of Rev. Proc. 2008-50.)

For one or more participants, the total Excess Amount (employer contributions and/or elective deferrals before adjusting for earnings) is $100 or less. The Excess Amount will not be distributed.

Former employees affected by the Excess Amounts failure (check one):

__ There are no former employees affected by the failure.

__ Affected former employees will be contacted, and corrective contributions will be made to their SIMPLE IRA accounts. To the extent that an affected former employee cannot be located following a mailing to the employee's last known address, the Plan Sponsor will take reasonable actions to locate that employee. Such actions include the use of the Internal Revenue Service Letter Forwarding Program (see Rev. Proc. 94-22, 1994-1 C.B. 608) or the Social Security Administration Employer Reporting Service. After such actions are taken, if an affected employee is not found but is subsequently located on a later date, the Plan Sponsor will make corrective contributions to the affected employee's SIMPLE IRA account at that time.

PART II. CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

The Plan Sponsor has taken the following step(s) to ensure that the failure(s) will not recur:

* * *

PART III. REQUEST(S) FOR EXCISE TAX RELIEF

(check applicable boxes)

__ Excise tax pursuant to § 4972. The Plan Sponsor requests that the Service not pursue the excise tax under § 4972. (This applies to situations where corrective contributions made in accordance with this submission would be nondeductible contributions for the year of correction and subject to the excise tax under § 4972. See section 6.09(3) of Rev. Proc. 2008-50. Please enclose a written explanation in support of your request for relief from this excise tax.)

PART IV. ENCLOSURES

In addition to the applicable enclosures listed on Appendix F, the Plan Sponsor encloses the following with this submission:

• The applicable plan document. (This could be an IRS form document, such as a 5305-SIMPLE or 5304-SIMPLE, or a prototype document developed by a financial institution. If a prototype plan document is used, please send a copy of the most recent opinion letter issued with respect to such plan document.)

• A written explanation of how and why the failure(s) described in this submission occurred, including a description of the administrative procedures applicable to the failure(s) in effect at the time the failure(s) occurred.

• For failures that involve corrective contributions or corrective distributions, a description of assumptions and supporting calculations used to determine the amount needed for correction:

•  

  1) For failures to make required Employer Contributions and for failures to provide eligible employees with the opportunity to make elective deferrals:

   

  a) Computations in support of the corrective contribution amounts attributable to each participant. In the case of a failure to provide eligible employees with the opportunity to make elective deferrals, please include computations showing how the average deferral percentage, missed deferral, and corrective contribution amount was determined. ,

  b) Calculations showing how the earnings adjustment and the ultimate corrective contribution on behalf of affected employees will be determined. (Please use estimates, including an estimated correction date, if corrective contributions have not been made yet.)

   

  2) For failures involving the contribution of Excess Amounts:

   

  a) Computations in support of the excess contribution amounts attributable to each participant.

  b) Calculations showing how the earnings adjustment and the ultimate corrective distribution amounts are determined. (Please use estimates, including an estimated correction date, if corrective distributions have not been made yet.)

• Explanations in support of requests for excise tax relief.

• Any other information that would be useful for the purpose of understanding the proposals made under the submission.

PART I. IDENTIFICATION OF FAILURE

The plan identified above did not comply with the requirements of § 72(p)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code. (Note: The conditions of § 72(p)(2) must be satisfied for a participant loan to be exempt from being treated as a distribution to the participant under § 72(p)(1).) The failure occurred for the following reason(s) (check applicable boxes and provide the information requested):

__ A. The loan(s) exceeded the limit under § 72(p)(2)(A)

                      Number of             Total number of

                      Number of             Total number of

                      Number of             Total number of

                      Number of

   Yes   No

* * *

PART IV. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED METHOD OF CORRECTION

If the Plan Sponsor is requesting relief from reporting loans as deemed distributions, then complete Parts IV A, B, or C, as applicable.

If the Plan Sponsor is only requesting postponement of reporting loans as deemed distributions on Form 1099-R, then proceed directly to Part IV D.

A. Correction for Loans in Excess of § 72(p)(2)(A)

Any participant affected by this failure will make a corrective repayment to the plan. After repaying the excess of the loan amount over the maximum loan amount under § 72(p)(2)(A) (the "excess loan amount"), the remaining balance of the loan will be paid over the remaining period of the original loan (not beyond the period permitted under § 72(p)(2)(B), determined from the original date of the loan) in a manner that complies with the frequency and level payment requirements of § 72(p)(2)(C). The excess loan amount that will be repaid by the participant is determined based on how previously made payments have been applied to the loan. The previous loan payments were applied as follows (check applicable box, and complete necessary information)

__ Prior loan payments were made in accordance with an amortization schedule that complied with the requirements of § 72(p)(2)(B) relating to the terms of the loan and § 72(p)(2)(C) relating to frequency, and level loan payments. For the purpose of determining the excess loan amount and the remaining outstanding amount of the loan to be repaid over the remaining period of the loan, the previously made loan payments will be applied as follows

(check box that applies)

__ 1. Solely to reduce the portion of the loan that did not exceed the maximum loan amount under § 72(p)(2)(A) of the Code. Result: The corrective repayment would equal the excess loan amount plus interest thereon.

__ 2. To reduce the excess loan amount to the extent of the interest thereon, with the remainder of the repayments applied to reduce the portion of the loan that did not exceed the maximum loan amount under § 72(p)(2)(A). Result: The corrective repayment would equal the excess loan amount.

__ 3. Pro rata against the excess loan amount and the maximum loan amount under § 72(p)(2)(A). Result: The corrective repayment would equal the outstanding balance remaining on the excess loan amount on the date that corrective repayment is made.

__ Prior loan payments were not made in accordance with an amortization schedule that complied with the requirements of § 72(p)(2)(B) or (C):

Methodology for determining the excess loan amount that will be repaid and the remaining outstanding balance of the loan that will be amortized over the remaining period of the loan:

* * *

After the corrective repayment is made:

(Check one of the two options listed below)

__ Option 1: The remaining loan balance will be repaid according to the original amortization schedule. (This option is available only if the original amortization schedule would result in the loan being paid within the maximum period permitted under § 72(p)(2)(B) determined from the original date of the loan.)

__ Option 2: The loan will be reformed to amortize the remaining principal balance as of the date of repayment over the remaining period of the original loan, provided that the recalculated payments over the remaining period comply with the requirements of § 72(p)(2)(B) determined from the original date of the loan.

B. Correction for loans with terms that: (i) provided for a repayment period that exceeded the period permitted under § 72(p)(2)(B) and/or (ii) provided for payments that did not provide for substantially level amortization with payments not less frequently than quarterly, as provided under § 72(p)(2)(C).

__ 1. The loan balance will be reamortized with payments made on a substantially level basis (per § 72(p)(2)(C)), made at least quarterly.

__ 2, The reamortized loan balance will be paid over a remaining period that does not extend beyond five years from the date of the original loan (per § 72(p)(2)(B)).

C. Correction for defaulted loans with terms that complied with the requirements of § 72(p)(2)(A), (B), and (C): (check the box that applies)

__ 1. A lump sum repayment will be made to the plan in an amount equal to the additional repayments that the affected participant would have made to the plan if there had been no failure to repay the plan, plus interest accrued on the missed repayments.

__ 2. The outstanding balance of the loan, including accrued interest, will be reamortized over a remaining period that does not extend beyond five years from the date of the original loan.

__ 3. The Applicant will use a combination of the methods described in #1 and #2 above, as follows:

* * *

Determination of Interest Accrued on Missed Repayments: (check the box that applies)

__ Plan loan rate [insert rate]

__ Rate of return of investments under plan [insert rate]

Note: This option may only be used if the rate of investment return under the plan equals or exceeds the plan loan rate.

Actual Interest Rate used _________

The interest rate for missed payments was determined as follows:

* * *

The additional unpaid interest determined above will be 0 has been 0 paid by the:

__ Plan Sponsor

__ Affected participants

(Note: Irrespective of the Plan Sponsor's election to have the affected participants pay the unpaid interest, in accordance with section 6.02(6) of Rev. Proc. 2008-50, the Service may, based on the facts and circumstances, determine that the Plan Sponsor should pay all or a portion of the additional unpaid interest. If the Service makes this determination, the Plan Sponsor will be requested to revise this submission.)

D. Correction for Deemed Distributions (check if applicable)

__ The Plan Sponsor is not eligible to or will not correct in accordance with Parts IV A through IV C of this Appendix F, Schedule 5. The Plan Sponsor proposes that the loans be reported as deemed distributions (using Form 1099 R) for the year of correction instead of the year of the failure. The Plan Sponsor shall pay any applicable income tax withholding amount that was required to be paid in connection with the failure. (See Income Tax Regulations § 1.72(p)-1, Q&A-15.)

PART V. DESCRIPTION OF STEPS TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT THE FAILURE DOES NOT RECUR

* * *

PART VI. REQUEST FOR RELIEF

 Yes   No

In addition to the applicable enclosures listed on Appendix F, the Plan Sponsor encloses the following with this submission:

• Loan amortization schedules for affected participants (A sample representation may be provided if there are multiple participants affected.)

• Specific calculations for each affected employee or a representative sample of affected employees (The sample calculations must be sufficient to demonstrate each aspect of the correction method proposed (e.g., for a failure with respect to a loan that exceeds the maximum amount permitted by § 72(p)(2)(A), the calculations must include the amounts of the excess loan amounts that will be repaid to the plan, determination of the outstanding loan balance, and the proposed method of repayment of the outstanding loan balance; for the correction of a defaulted loan, the enclosure should set forth the periods of such loan defaults.))

PART I. IDENTIFICATION OF FAILURE

The following failure occurred with respect to the plan identified above (check failure that applies)

__ 403(b) Plans

The plan was intended to satisfy the requirements of § 403(b) but was adopted by a Plan Sponsor that was not a tax-exempt organization described in § 501(c)(3) or a public educational organization described in § 170(b)(1)(A)(ii). The type of organization sponsoring the Plan during the period of the failure was: ____________________________________________________________________.

The failure occurred during the following plan years: ______________________________.

__ Section 401(k) Plans

The plan intended to include a qualified cash or deferred arrangement and satisfy the requirements of §§ 401(a) and 401(k) but was adopted by an employer that failed to meet the eligibility requirements to establish a § 401(k) Plan.

Describe why the employer was ineligible to maintain the 401(k) plan:

PART II. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED METHOD OF CORRECTION

__ Section 403(b) Plans

1. All contributions under the plan ceased as of_________________. (Insert date beginning no later than the date the application under VCP was filed.)

2. No new employee or employer contributions will be permitted in the future.

3. The assets in the plan will remain in the trust, annuity contract, or custodial account and will be distributed no earlier than the occurrence of one of the permitted events under § 403(b)(7) or § 403(b)(11).

__ Section 401(k) Plans

1. All contributions under the plan ceased as of_________________. (Insert date beginning no later than the date the application under VCP was filed.)

2. No new employee or employer contributions will be permitted in the future.

3. The assets in the plan will remain in the trust, annuity contract, or custodial account and will be distributed no earlier than the occurrence of one of the permitted events under § 401(k).

PART III. CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

The Applicant has taken the following step(s) to ensure that the failure(s) will not recur:

* * *

PART I. IDENTIFICATION OF FAILURE

                                                  Amount of Excess Deferrals

The plan will distribute the excess deferral to the employee(s) and report the amount as taxable in the year of deferral and in the year distributed. In accordance with Income Tax Regulations § 1.402(g)-1(e)(1)(ii), a distribution to a highly compensated employee is included in the Average Deferral Percentage (ADP) test; however, a distribution to a nonhighly compensated employee is not included in the ADP test.

For any distributions attributable to elective deferrals designated as Roth Contributions, all distributions will be reported as taxable in the year distributed. Designated Roth contributions will have already been included in income in the year of deferral.

The excess deferral to be distributed will also be adjusted for earnings. Earnings will be determined from the end of the year in which the failure occurred through the year of correction. Earnings will be included in the distribution amount that is to be reported as taxable in the year of distribution.

PART III. CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

The Applicant has taken the following step(s) to ensure that the failure(s) will not recur:

* * *

PART IV. ENCLOSURES

In addition to the applicable enclosures listed on Appendix F, the Plan Sponsor encloses the following with this submission:

• Specific calculations for each affected employee or a representative sample of affected employees (The sample calculations must be sufficient to demonstrate each aspect of the correction method proposed.)

PART I. IDENTIFICATION OF FAILURE

                   Number of Affected    Total Amount of Missed Required

__ Defined Contribution plan only - The plan will distribute the required minimum distributions to affected participants. For each affected participant, the amount to be distributed for each year in which the failure occurred will be determined by dividing the adjusted account balance on the applicable valuation date by the applicable distribution period. For this purpose, adjusted account balance means the actual account balance, determined in accordance with § 1.401(a)(9)-5 Q&A-3 of the Income Tax Regulations, reduced by the amount of the total missed minimum distributions for prior years.

__ Defined Benefit plan only - The plan will distribute the required minimum distributions plus an interest payment representing the loss of use of such amounts. The interest adjustment is determined as follows:

* * *

PART III. REQUEST FOR RELIEF

A. __ The Applicant requests relief with regard to excise taxes under § 4974

 Yes   No

* * *

PART IV. CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

The Applicant has taken the following step(s) to ensure that the failure(s) will not recur:

* * *

PART V. ENCLOSURES

In addition to the applicable enclosures listed on Appendix F, the Plan Sponsor encloses the following with this submission:

• Specific calculations for each affected employee or a representative sample of affected employees (The sample calculations must be sufficient to demonstrate each aspect of the correction method proposed. For a defined benefit plan, these specific calculations must illustrate the interest rate used to represent the loss of the use of the missed required minimum distributions.) *

PART I. IDENTIFICATION OF FAILURE(S) AND CORRECTION METHOD(S) AS SET FORTH IN REV. PROC. 2008-50, APPENDIX B, SECTION .07

The following failure(s) occurred with respect to the plan identified above (check failure(s) that apply)

__ A. § 401(a)(17) Failure in a Defined Contribution Plan

(check as applicable)

__ Contributions

__ Forfeitures

were allocated on the basis of compensation in excess of the limit under § 401(a)(17) as provided below:

(Enter the plan years in which the failure occurred, the amount of the allocations in excess of § 401(a)(17) made for each plan year (including earnings), and the number of participants affected by the failure for each plan year:)

              Amounts Allocated in

An additional amount has been (or will be) contributed to the plan on behalf of each of the employees who received an allocation for the year of the failure (excluding each employee for whom there was a § 401(a)(17) failure). The amount contributed for an employee is equal to the employee's plan compensation for the year of the failure multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the improperly allocated amount made on behalf of the employee with the largest improperly allocated amount, and the denominator of which is the limit under § 401(a)(17) applicable to the year of the failure. In addition, the plan will be retroactively amended to reflect the increased contribution and allocation percentages for the plan's participants.

(Enter the plan years in which the failure occurred, the fraction used to determine the additional amount allocated to employees other than those for whom there was a § 401(a)(17) failure, and the total required contribution (before adjusting for earnings) for each plan year in which the failure occurred:)

                                                   Allocated

* * *

Former employees affected by the failure (check one)

__ There are no former employees affected by the failure.

__ Affected former employees will be contacted and contributions will be made to the plan on their behalf. To the extent that an affected former employee cannot be located following a mailing to the employee's last known address, the Plan Sponsor will take reasonable actions to locate that employee.

Such actions include the use of the Internal Revenue Service Letter Forwarding Program (see Rev. Proc. 94-22, 1994-1 C.B. 608) or the Social Security Administration Employer Reporting Service. After such actions are taken, if an affected employee is not found but is subsequently located on a later date, the Plan Sponsor will make corrective contributions on behalf of the affected employee at that time.

__ o B. Hardship Distribution Failure

Hardship distributions were made to participants under the plan. All plan participants were entitled to request hardship distributions, and all requests were evaluated in accordance with uniform eligibility standards, as described below:

* * *

(Enter the plan years in which the failure occurred, the number of hardship distributions made for each plan year, and the number and amount of distributions made to highly compensated employees (HCEs) and nonhighly compensated employees (NHCEs) respectively, affected by the failure for each plan year.)

         Number of

The failure was (or will be) corrected by retroactively amending the plan to provide for the hardship distributions that were made available. The effective date of the corrective amendment is: ________________________.

__ C. Plan Loan Failure

Plan loans were made to participants under the plan. All plan participants were entitled to request plan loans under uniform standards of eligibility, and all plan loans made satisfied the requirements of § 72(p).

(Enter the plan years in which the failure occurred, the number of participant plan loans made for each plan year, and the number and amount of plan loans made to highly compensated employees (HCEs) and nonhighly compensated employees (NHCEs) respectively, affected by the failure for each plan year.)

       Number of Plan

The failure was (or will be) corrected by retroactively amending the plan to provide for the plan loans that were made available. The effective date of the corrective amendment is: ________________________.

__ D. Early Inclusion of Otherwise Eligible Employee Failure

Employees:

(check the applicable box(es))

__ Who had not satisfied the plan's minimum age or service requirements were treated as eligible participants on a date prior to their being eligible under the plan and were entitled to the same benefits under the plan to which they would have been entitled had they completed the minimum age or service requirements of the plan.

__ Who had completed the plan's minimum age or service requirements were treated as eligible participants prior to the applicable plan entry date and were entitled to the same benefits under the plan to which they would have been entitled had they entered the plan timely.

The plan's minimum age or service requirements and plan entry date, as applicable, for the years of the failure were as follows:

* * *

(Enter the plan years in which the failure occurred and the number of participants affected by the failure, broken down by type of employee (highly compensated employee (HCE) or nonhighly compensated employees (NHCE) respectively, for each plan year.)

                         Number of

The failure was (or will be) corrected by retroactively amending the plan to provide for the inclusion of the ineligible employees. The effective date of the corrective amendment is: ________________________.

PART II. CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

The Applicant has taken the following step(s) to ensure that the failure(s) will not recur:

* * *

PART III. ENCLOSURES

In addition to the applicable enclosures listed on Appendix F, the Plan Sponsor encloses the following with this submission:

• Copies of all amendments used to correct the failure(s), either as adopted or in proposed form (required)

• A copy of the plan document in effect prior to any of the amendments used to correct the failure(s) (required)

• For a § 401(a)(17) failure in a defined contribution plan, specific calculations for each affected employee or a representative sample of affected employees. (The sample calculations must be sufficient to demonstrate each aspect of the correction method proposed. For example, the determination of the fraction used to determine the additional amount to be allocated to each employee (other than those for whom there was a § 401(a)(17) failure) must be demonstrated.)