The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation hasannounced that it is working to be sure that retirees andbeneficiaries in the areas hit by Hurricane Harvey keep receiving benefitpayments.

The PBGC is also waiving some penalties and extending somedeadlines for plan administrators and contributing sponsors, aswell as other “designated persons.”

The agency has issued guidance about what’s being done in the disaster areaconsisting of Aransas, Bee, Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Fort Bend,Galveston, Goliad, Harris, Jackson, Kleberg, Liberty, Matagorda,Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria and Wharton counties.

Altogether, more than 10,000 payments are transmitted by thePBGC to retirees and beneficiaries in the areas affected, withapproximately 700 of those payments made by mail.

As a result, PBGC is monitoring service disruption alerts issuedby the U.S. Postal Service to track potential problems withretirees and beneficiaries receiving checks.

Retirees and beneficiaries can sign up for direct deposit orcontact the PBGC to change an address or request a replacementcheck at MyPBA (My Pension Benefit Account), by phone at800-400-7242 or by e-mail at [email protected].

The agency points out that the IRS has already issued its ownguidance, in the form of TX-2017-09, and provided relief in filingextensions for Form 5500 series returns as well as in overcomingimpediments to obtain information or other assistance needed tomeet the deadline “from a service provider, bank, or other personwhose operations are directly affected by the severe storms andflooding from Hurricane Harvey.”

Pension professionals, the agency says, should check Disaster Relief Announcement 17-09, but if they findtheir situation is not covered by the announcement they shouldcontact the PBGC directly as soon as possible.

Deadline relief is available for premium filings,single-employer plan terminations, distress terminations, filing ofreportable event notices, annual employer reporting, requests forreconsideration or appeals and multiemployer plan deadlines.

In addition, there are procedures in place for claiming disasterrelief and relief may be granted on a case-by-case basis for eventsnot covered by the announcement.