Tag Archives: sfa

10.13.25
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ARPA Update as of October 10, 2025

By: Russ Kamp, CEO, Ryan ALM, Inc.

Welcome to Columbus and Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Bond markets are closed and the equity markets remain open. Columbus Day remains a federal holiday, but with most federal employees already furloughed, it will not be a day to celebrate for many.

Regarding ARPA and the PBGC’s activity implementing this critical legislation, last week proved a busy one as there were three new applications received, two approved, and one withdrawn. There was also a plan added to the burgeoning waitlist. Happy to report that there were no applications denied or required to rebate a portion of the SFA as a result of census errors.

Now for the details. Ironworkers’ Local 340 Retirement Income Plan, Operative Plasterers & Cement Masons Local No. 109 Pension Plan, and Dairy Employees Union Local #17 Pension Plan, each a non-priority group member, filed their initial applications seeking a combined $60.4 million in SFA for nearly 3k plan participants. The PBGC has 120-days to act on these applications.

Pleased to report that two plans, Local 734 Pension Fund and the Retirement Plan of the Millmen’s Retirement Trust of Washington received approval for their initial applications, and they will receive $89.5 and $7.2 million, respectively for their combined 2,597 members. The PBGC has now awarded $74.3 billion in SFA grants to support the pensions for 1.828 million workers.

In other ARPA news, Pension Plan of the Pension Fund for Hospital and Health Care Employees – Philadelphia and Vicinity has withdrawn its initial application seeking $229.8 million in SFA that would support 11,084 members. Finally, the Buffalo Carpenters Pension Fund has added their name to the waitlist. They immediately secured the valuation date as July 31, 2025. Good luck to them as there are 67 plans currently on the waitlist that have yet to submit an application.

I’ve mentioned on several occasions the approaching deadline to file an initial application seeking SFA approval. I do hope that an extension of the filing deadline is approved. There are a lot of American workers who should be provided the full benefits that they have been promised and could secure through the ARPA legislation. This should be a bi-partisan effort.

10.06.25
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ARPA Update as of October 3, 2025

By: Russ Kamp, CEO, Ryan ALM, Inc.

Welcome to the first update in October. Autumn has been an extension of the summer weather in NJ – dry and hot! I’m writing this post from cloudy Florida (FPPTA) where it is humid and hot! When will I finally get those crisp, clear days that autumn promises?

Regarding ARPA news, we are quickly closing in on the end of 2025, and the PBGC still has a significant list of initial applications (73) that have not been submitted for review. As far as I can tell, only those applications that have been submitted by December 31, 2025, can continue to be reviewed until the end of 2026. It should prove to be an interesting time.

So, what did the week of 9/29/25 provide? Access to the PBGC’s eFiling portal is currently defined as “limited” to those funds at the top of the waitlist. They did allow for three funds, Asbestos Workers Local No. 8 Retirement Trust Plan, Iron Workers Local No. 12 Pension Fund, and Bricklayers Local No. 55 Pension Plan to submit initial applications seeking SFA support. The three non-Priority Group plans are seeking modest SFA grants totaling $55.5 million for their combined 1,593 participants. As per the legislation, the PBGC has 120-days to act on these applications.

In other ARPA news, the PBGC did approve the SFA for Retail Food Employers and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 711 Pension Plan, which will receive $77.6 million for their 25,306 members. Also, Building Trades Pension Fund of Western Pennsylvania, a non-Priority Group member, is asking for $55.5 million in SFA for their nearly 4k plan participants.

Finally, there were no non-Priority Group pension plans asking to be added to the waitlist during the past week, but there were three funds currently on the list that have chosen to lock-in their valuation date. Greater St. Louis Service Employees Pension Plan, Twin Cities & Vicinity Conference Board Pension Plan, and Oregon Printing Industry Pension Trust each chose June 30, 2025, for that purpose.

Despite the recent cut in the Fed Funds Rate, yields on longer-dated U.S. Treasuries have risen. As a result, the yield curve has steepened providing plan sponsors and their advisors an opportunity to secure the SFA assets at a time when additional cost savings may be achievable. Furthermore, the greater the cost reduction the longer the coverage period. Please don’t let this opportunity pass you by.

09.22.25
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ARPA Update as of 9/19/25

By: Russ Kamp, CEO, Ryan ALM, Inc.

Good morning and welcome to the first full day of Fall. Autumn has always been my favorite season. How about you?

Regarding the implementation of ARPA’s pension legislation by the PBGC, we are now about 3 1/2 months away from the deadline to have all initial applications seeking Special Financial Assistance (SFA) submitted. Unfortunately, there are still dozens of multiemployer pension plans sitting on the PBGC’s waitlist.

Last week witnessed a slower pace of activity, as the PBGC is only reporting the submission of three applications and the repayment of excess SFA by one fund. There were no applications approved, denied, or withdrawn during the previous week. Furthermore, there were no pension funds seeking to be added to the waitlist and none of the plans currently sitting on that list locked-in the valuation date. We may not see any new plans being added to the list given the rapidly approaching deadline for initial application submission. As a reminder, those plans that submit an application before 12/31/25 can submit a revised application until 12/31/26 – the legislation’s deadline.

Pleased to report that Pension Trust Fund Agreement of St. Louis Motion Picture Machine Operators, Teamsters Local 837 Pension Plan, and Iron Workers’ Pension Trust Fund for Colorado each submitted an initial application seeking SFA. These non-Priority Group members are hoping to secure >$30 million for the nearly 3,200 plan participants. As a reminder, the PBGC has 120-days to act on these applications.

Finally, there was one plan asked to rebate a portion of the SFA based on a census error. Western Pennsylvania Teamsters and Employers Pension Fund, a recipient of $994.6 million has agreed to rebate $8.8 million or 0.89% of the grant. To date, 61 multiemployer pension funds have repaid $260.7 million in excess SFA on grants totaling $53.4 billion or 0.49%.

We hope that you have a great week. Check back in next Monday for the next ARPA legislation update.

09.15.25
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ARPA Update as of September 12, 2025

By: Russ Kamp, CEO, Ryan ALM, Inc.

Welcome to FOMC week. I wouldn’t ordinarily mention the Federal Reserve in the ARPA update, but we could see an interest rate cut, and perhaps one that is larger than currently anticipated. The implications from falling interest rates are potential large, as it raises the costs to defease pension liabilities (benefits and expenses) that would be secured through the SFA grant by reducing the coverage period. This impact could be potentially diminished if the yield curve were to steepen given recent inflationary news.

Enough about rates and the Fed. The PBGC is still plugging away on the plethora of applications before them and those yet to be accepted. Currently, there are 20 applications under review. Teamsters Industrial Employees Pension Plan is the latest fund to submit an application seeking SFA. They are hoping to secure $27.4 million for the 1,888 participants. The PBGC has 6-7 applications that must be finalized in each of the next 3 months.

Happy to report that both Alaska Teamster – Employer Pension Plan and Hollow Metal Pension Plan received approval for their applications. The two non-priority pension funds will receive a combined $240.1 million for >13k members.

In other ARPA news, Bakery Drivers Local 550 and Industry Pension Fund, a Priority Group 2 member, whose initial application was originally denied because they were deemed ineligible, has had their revised application denied because of “completeness”. Will three times be the charm? In their latest application they were seeking $125.8 million to support 1,122 plan participants.

Lastly, Greater Cleveland Moving Picture Projector Operators Pension Fund, became the most recent fund added to the waitlist. They are the 167th fund on the waitlist of non-priority members, with 74 still to submit an application. According to the PBGC’s website, their e-Filing portal is limited at this time.

We’ll keep you updated on the activity of the U.S. Federal Reserve and the potential implications from their interest rate decision. Hopefully, concerns related to inflation will offset the current trends related to employment providing future SFA recipients with an environment conducive to defeasing the promised benefits at higher yields and thus, lower costs.

09.02.25
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ARPA Update as of August 29, 2025

By: Russ Kamp, CEO, Ryan ALM, Inc.

We are pleased to share with you the last update for August 2025. Welcome to the final third of the calendar year. We wish for you and your children heading back to school a great year! Always an exciting time of year despite some understandable anxiousness. I still have a daughter heading off to her last year of grad school and six of our 11 grandkids going to grammar school.

The PBGC certainly ramped up activity during the prior week. They absolutely earned their Labor Day break. We’ll provide more detail, but in summary there was one revised application received, five applications approved, two applications withdrawn, and two waitlisted plans decided to lock-in their valuation date.

Alaska United Food and Commercial Workers Pension Fund and Local 73 Retirement Plan, both non-Priority Group members withdrew initial applications. However, Alaska United resubmitted a revised application three days later. They are seeking $95.3 million in SFA for 6,106 plan participants. The PBGC has until December 27, 2025, to act on this submission.

I’m not sure that I remember a week in which the PBGC approved five applications, but as we’ve been saying, with 105 applications yet to be approved and in many cases, even submitted, the PBGC’s pace of approval is bound to speed up. Pension funds receiving approval included Local 1102 Retirement Trust, IBEW Eastern States Pension Plan, Local 1922 Pension Plan, Local 888 Pension Fund (Elmwood Park, NJ), and Local 807 Labor-Management Pension Fund. They are seeking a combined $349.6 million for 13,441 members. The PBGC has now approved the SFA application for 137 funds.

Lastly, two plans, Employee Pension Benefit Plan of Local 640 IATSE and Southern Council of Industrial Workers United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America AFL-CIO Pension Plan have locked in their valuation date as of May 31, 2025. Given the number of funds still on the waitlist, there should be some doubt as to whether these initial applications will even be submitted before the December 31, 2025 deadline for initial applications.

08.25.25
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ARPA Update as of August 22, 2025

By: Russ Kamp, CEO, Ryan ALM, Inc.

Welcome to the last week of “summer”. I don’t know about you, but I can believe that Labor Day is next weekend. I suspect that the PBGC is feeling the same way as they continue to work their way through an imposing list of applicants with a December 31, 2025, deadline for initial applications to be reviewed. As the chart below highlights, they have their work cut out for them.

Regarding last week’s activity, the PBGC did not accept any new applications as the e-Filing portal remains temporarily closed. However, they did approve the revised applications for two funds. Laborers’ Local No. 91 Pension Plan (Niagra Falls) and the Pension Plan of the Asbestos Workers Philadelphia Pension Fund have been awarded a total of $96.2 million in SFA and interest that will support 2,057. This brings the total of approved applications to 132 and total SFA to $73.5 billion – wow!

In other ARPA news, I’m pleased to announce that there were no applications denied or withdrawn during the previous week, but there were two more funds that were asked to repay a portion of the SFA received due to census errors. Sixty-four funds have been reviewed for potential census errors, with 60 having to rebate a small portion of their grants, while four funds did not have any issues. In total, $251.7 million has been repaid from a pool of $52.3 billion in SFA received or 0.48% of the grants awarded. The $251.7 relative to the $73.5 billion in total SFA grants would be only 0.34% of the total awards.

Lastly, three more funds have been added to the waitlist. There have been 165 non-Priority Group members on the waitlist including 56 that have received SFA awards, while another 26 are currently being reviewed. That means that 82 funds must still file an application reviewed and approved in a short period of time.

As stated above, pension funds sitting on the waitlist must have the initial application reviewed by the PBGC by 12/31/25. Any fund residing on the waitlist after that date loses the ability to seek SFA support. Applications that have been reviewed prior to 12/31/25 may still get approval from the PBGC provided the approval arrives before 12/31/26. I don’t see them getting through the remaining 74 waitlist funds by the end of 2025.

08.18.25
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ARPA Update as of August 15, 2025

By: Russ Kamp, CEO, Ryan ALM, Inc.

Hard to believe that we are nearly 2/3rds of the way through 2025. I suspect that the PBGC is having a hard time with that reality given the workload that remains with 119 multiemployer plans still seeking a successful review of their SFA application. Seventy-one applications have yet to be submitted through the PBGC’s e-Filing portal.

As for last week, there were no applications approved and none have been since July 29, when Laborers’ Local No. 130 Pension Fund received $33.3 million in SFA to support its 641 plan participants. However, there were 3 applications submitted for review. These applications were from none-priority group members submitting revised applications. There are currently 30 applications before the PBGC, which has 120-days to act on each or they are automatically approved.

I’m pleased to report that no applications were denied or withdrawn during the previous week. There were also no pension funds required to repay a portion of the SFA deemed excessive due to census errors. It has been since August 1, 2025, that we’ve had a fund repay a portion of the SFA. There was one new fund added to the waitlist, which now stands at 162 members. Chicago Foundry Workers Pension Plan added its name to the list on August 11th. As reported above, there are still 71 multiemployer plans that have not submitted applications at this time.

As you may recall, when the Butch Lewis Act was first contemplated, the folks at Cheiron initially defined the potential universe of SFA recipients as 114 funds. Today there are 249 funds seeking SFA support, of which 130 have already been approved. As a reminder, eligible plans must apply for SFA by December 31, 2025. Those filing revised applications have until December 31, 2026. Any distribution of SFA must be completed by September 30, 2030, due to legislative sunset rules.

The PBGC is averaging about 6-7 submissions per month. Based on that pace, it doesn’t seem possible that many of the 71 members on the waitlist that haven’t submitted applications will be able to meet that 2025 deadline. More to come.

08.04.25
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ARPA Update as of August 1, 2025

By: Russ Kamp, CEO, Ryan ALM, Inc.

Talk about jumping out of the frying pan into the fire! I left New Jersey’s wonderful heat and humidity only to find myself in El Paso, TX, where the high temperature is testing the limits of a normal thermometer. Happy to be speaking at the TexPERS conference this week, but perhaps they can do an offsite in Bermuda the next time.

Regarding the ARPA legislation and the PBGC’s implementation of this critical pension program, we continue to see the PBGC ramp up its activity level. This past week witnessed five multiemployer plans submitting applications of which four were initial filings and the fifth was a revised offering. Another plan received approval, while one fund added its name to the waitlist. Finally, two funds have locked-in the measurement dates (valuation purposes).

Now the specifics: The four funds submitting initial applications were Colorado Cement Masons Pension Trust Fund, Iron Workers-Laborers Pension Plan of Cumberland, Maryland, Cumberland, Maryland Teamsters Construction and Miscellaneous Pension Plan, and Exhibition Employees Local 829 Pension Fund that collectively seek $50.8 million in SFA for their 1,260 plan participants. This week’s big fish, UFCW – Northern California Employers Joint Pension Plan, a Priority Group 6 member, is seeking $2.3 billion for its 138.5k members.

The plan receiving approval of its application for SFA is Laborers’ Local No. 130 Pension Fund, which will receive $33.3 million in SFA and interest for its 641 participants. In an interesting twist, Laborers’ Local No. 130 Pension Fund, has added the fund to a growing list of waitlist candidates. If the Laborers name seems to resemble the name of the recipient of the latest SFA grant you wouldn’t be wrong. I was as confused as you are/were until I realized that these entities have different that there are two different EIN #s.

Happy to report that there were no applications withdrawn, none denied, and no SFA recipients were asked to return a portion of the proceeds due to incorrect census information. However, there are still 119 funds going through the process. There is a tremendous amount of work left to be done at this time. This comes on the heels of 131 funds being approved for a total of $73.4 billion in SFA and interest supporting the retirements for 1.77 million American workers/retirees. What an incredible accomplishment!

07.21.25
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ARPA Update as of July 18, 2025

By: Russ Kamp, CEO, Ryan ALM, Inc.

I have the pleasure of drafting this post from beautiful Newport, RI, where I’m attending and speaking at the Opal Public Fund Forum East. The West forum’s location wasn’t too shabby either as it took place in Scottsdale last January! Business travel isn’t as glamorous as those who don’t travel think, but there are some nice perks, too. As they say in real estate: location, location, location!

With regard to ARPA, since you likely didn’t decide to open post this to find Waldo or Russ, the PBGC was fairly busy during the previous week, as there was one new application, one approved application, two new additions to the waitlist and two funds that locked-in their measurement date. Now the details.

I’m pleased to report that the Roofers Local 88 Pension Plan, a Canton OH-based fund, has filed a revised application seeking $9 million for their 484 participants. As usual, the PBGC has 120-days to act on the application or it is automatically approved. In addition, Union de Tronquistas de Puerto Rico Local 901 Pension Plan, a San Juan, PR-based fund, a Priority Group One member will receive $49 million in SFA and interest for the 3,397 members.

In other news, Local 400 Food Terminal Employees Pension Trust Fund and the Textile Processors Service Trades Health Care Professional and Technical Employees International Union Local No. 1 Pension Fund (that name is a mouth full) have both added their funds to the PBGC’s waitlist for the submission of an SFA application. Good luck. There were also two funds from the waitlist, Iron Workers Local 473 Pension Plan and Greenville Plumbers and Pipefitters Pension Fund have locked in their measurement date and both chose April 30, 2025.

Lastly, there were no applications denied or withdrawn, and none of the previous SFA recipients were asked to rebate a portion of their proceeds due to census errors. As reported previously, the PBGC has their work cut out for them, as all of the outstanding applications need to be filed by year-end.

07.08.25
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ARPA Update as of July 3, 2025

By: Russ Kamp, CEO, Ryan ALM, Inc.

Welcome to the Summer doldrums. The PBGC’s ARPA activity appears to have been impacted by the holiday-shortened week. We hope that you and your family had a terrific Fourth of July weekend.

There isn’t a whole lot to discuss about last week. There were no applications received as the PBGC’s e-Filing portal remains temporarily closed. No applications were approved or denied, and there were no pension funds looking to be added to a very crowded waiting list.

However, there was one fund, Trucking Employees of North Jersey Welfare Fund, Inc. Pension Plan, that repaid a portion of the Special Financial Assistance (SFA) received earlier. The $7.7 million repayment represents 0.99% of the $774.3 million grant. The Truckers’ fund is the 55th fund to repay a portion of the SFA grant. There are four funds that had no census errors. It was estimated that roughly 60 pension funds had been granted SFA prior to the PBGC’s use of the Social Security Master Death file. In total, $229.4 million has been recouped from $50.9 billion in grants (0.45%).

In other ARPA news, eight funds currently on the waitlist have elected their measurement lock-in date. As a reminder, the measurement date refers to the date on which a plan submits a lock-in application to PBGC. This date is crucial because it sets and permanently establishes the plan’s SFA measurement date and base data for its eventual SFA application, regardless of when the full application is later submitted. Specifically, the lock-in application fixes: 1) the non-SFA and SFA interest rates, 2) the SFA measurement date, and 3) participant census data. Five of the funds chose March 31, 2025, while the other three selected April 30, 2025, as the measurement date for their pension plans.

According to the ARPA legislation, the PBGC is prohibited from accepting initial applications after December 31, 2025. They may receive and review revised applications until December 31, 2026. They currently have about 70 plans on the waitlist, in addition to the 46 that are under review or have been withdrawn. It will take a tremendous effort to process these initial applications prior to the legislation’s deadline.