#

¶ - Paragraph

§ - Section number. For example, §401(a) means “section 401(a).”

401(a) - The general tax code reference to the rules prescribed for “qualified plans”

401(a) plan - A plan that satisfies the requirements of IRC §401(a)

401(a)(9) - Tax code section that imposed minimum distribution requirements after age 70-1/2

401(k) - Tax code section that permits section 401(k) arrangements under qualified plans, so employees can elect to defer income for retirement

401(k) plan - A plan that includes a 401(k) arrangement

401(m) - Tax code section that prescribes nondiscrimination testing requirements for employer matching contributions and employee after-tax contributions

401(m) plan - A plan that includes a 401(m) arrangement

402(g) limit - The dollar limit on elective deferrals, imposed by IRC §402(g)

403(b) - Tax code section that permits “taxsheltered annuity” programs (or custodial account arrangements) similar to 401(k), but only for certain governmental and tax-exempt organizations

403(b) plan - A plan or program that satisfies IRC §403(b)

415 limit - The limit on contributions and benefits, imposed by IRC §415

457 plan - A plan or program that satisfies IRC §457

7805(b) relief - Relief from the retroactive application of a regulation or IRS ruling (e.g., determination letter), or from the retroactive application of a revocation of an IRS ruling

A

a-4 testing - Nondiscrimination testing under IRC §401(a)(4)

ACP test - Nondiscrimination test for matching contributions and employee after-tax contributions, imposed by IRC §401(m)

ADP test - Nondiscrimination test for elective deferrals, prescribed by IRC §401(k)

ADEA - Age Discrimination in Employment Act

AFTAP - Adjusted Funding Target Attainment Percentage

APRSC - Administrative Policy Regarding Self-Correction (now redesignated as SCP)

ASPA - American Society of Pension Actuaries (renamed as ASPPA, effective November 1, 2004)

ASPPA - American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (formerly ASPA)

ATRA 2012 - American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-240)

Audit CAP - A closing agreement resolution of a qualification failure discovered in an IRS audit of a plan

B

BAPCPA - Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-8)

Blue Book - A general explanation of a tax bill that is issued by the Joint Committee on Taxation. Blue Books were published on TRA ‘86, SBA ‘96, and PPA 2006. A reference in this publication to a Blue Book will include a reference to the legislation that the Blue Book pertains to.

BNA - Bureau of National Affairs, which publishes the Pension & Benefits Reporter, and the Employee Benefits Cases Reporter

B.R. - Bankruptcy Reporter (published by Westlaw) - reports cases from the Federal Bankruptcy Courts

BRFs - Benefits, rights and features under a plan which must be available on a nondiscriminatory basis under Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)-4.

C

CAP - The IRS’ Closing Agreement Program for resolving qualification defects. See Audit CAP and Walk-in CAP.

C.B. - Cumulative Bulletin (published by IRS on a semi-annual basis to consolidate I.R.B.s for that period)

cert. - certiorari (either granted or denied by the U.S. Supreme Court; if granted, the court hears the case; if denied, the lower court opinion is final)

C.F.R. - Code of Federal Regulations; publishes the text of all Federal regulations.

CODA - Cash or deferred arrangement (usually a shorthand to describe the elective deferral process in a 401(k) plan)

COLA - Cost of living adjustment

CPA 2010 - Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (P.L. 111-203)

CRA or CRA 2000 - Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-554)

D

DEFRA - Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 (also known as the Tax Reform Act of 1984) (P.L. 98-369)

DIA - Designated investment alternative, as defined in DOL Reg. §§2550.404a-5 and 2550.408b-2.

DOL - Department of Labor

DOL Reg. - Department of Labor regulation

DRA 2005 - Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-171)

E

EACA - Eligible automatic contribution arrangement (as defined in IRC §414(w))

EBC - Employee Benefits Cases (a Bureau of National Affairs publication) - publishes pensionrelated cases from the Federal and State courts

EBSA - Employee Benefits Security Administration, formerly known as the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration (PWBA), the Department of Labor’s enforcement agency

EESA - Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (P.L.110-343)

EGTRRA or EGTRA - Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-16)

EGTRRA RAP or EGTRRA remedial amendment period- the deadline for amending plans to conform to the requirements of EGTRRA

EPCRS - Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System, which provides a means of correcting qualification failures under qualified plans, SEPs, SIMPLE-IRA Plans, and section 403(b) plans

EPCRS Procedure - the current IRS Revenue Procedure relating to EPCRS (updated periodically by the IRS)

ERISA - Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-406)

ERPA - Enrolled retirement plan agent

ERTA - Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 (P.L. 97-34)

ESIGN (or E-SIGN) - Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (P.L. 106-229)

ESOP - Employee stock ownership plan

F

F.2d - Federal Reporter, 2nd Series (published by Westlaw) - reports court opinion issued by the Federal Courts of Appeals

F.3d - Federal Reporter, 3rd Series (published by Westlaw) - reports court opinion issued by the Federal Courts of Appeals

FBAR - Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (Form TD F 90-22.1)

FOIA - Freedom of Information Act

F.R. - Federal Register

FSA - Field Service Advice from the IRS National Office. The numbering format is the same as for private letter rulings (PLRs).

FSO - First Service Organization (term used in identifying affiliated service groups)

F.Supp. - Federal Supplement (published by Westlaw) - reports court opinion issued by the Federal District Courts

F.Supp.2d - Federal Supplement, 2nd Series (published by West Law) - reports court opinion issued by the Federal District Courts

G

GATT - Uruguay Round Agreements Act (P.L. 103-465)(Title VII of GATT is known as the Retirement Protection Act of 1994)

GCM - General counsel memorandum (issued by IRS counsel)

GOZA - Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-135)

GUST - a combined reference to four pieces of legislation passed in 1994 through 1997: GATT, USERRA, SBJPA, and TRA ‘97

H

HCE - Highly compensated employee

HEART Act - Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-245)

HOPE Act - Health Opportunity and Patient Empowerment Act of 2006 (Title III of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, P.L. 109-432)

I

IRA - Individual retirement account

I.R.B. - Internal Revenue Bulletin (published by IRS on a weekly basis)

IRC - Internal Revenue Code

IRC §415(c)(3) compensation - compensation used to determine the limitations on contributions and benefits under IRC §415 (also referred to as “section 415 compensation”)

IRRA - IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-206)

IRS - Internal Revenue Service

J

JBEA - Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries

JCWAA - Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-147)

J&S rules - joint and survivor annuity requirements under IRC §417

K

KETRA - Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-73)

L

LLC - Limited liability company

M

M&P plan - a master plan or prototype plan, as described in Rev. Proc. 2005-16

MAP-21 - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act (P.L. 112-141)

MRC - Minimum required contribution under the minimum funding rules of IRC §412 or IRC §430

N

NHC - Nonhighly compensated employee

NHCE - see NHC

O

OBRA '86 - Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-509)

OBRA '87 - Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (P.L. 100-203) (sometimes referred to PPA or RPA)

OBRA '89 - Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 (P.L. 101-140)

OBRA '90 - Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-508)

OBRA '93 - Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (P.L. 103-66)

P

PBGC - Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation

PBGC Reg. - Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation regulation

PFEA - Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004

PLR - Private letter ruling (issued by IRS National Office)

PPA - Pension Protection Act of 1987 (sometimes referred to as OBRA ‘87 or RPA) (P.L. 100-203); Pension Protection Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-280)

PPA 2006 - Pension Protection Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-280)

PPACA - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-148) (usually meant to incorporate the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, P.L. 111-152)

PRA 2010 - Pension Relief Act of 2010, which is actually a reference to Title II of the Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-192)

Pre-Approved Plan - An M&P plan or VS plan

Prop. DOL Reg. - Proposed Department of Labor regulation

Prop. PBGC Reg. - Proposed Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation regulation

Prop. Treas. Reg. - Proposed Treasury regulation

PWBA - Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, renamed the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) in 2003

Q

QAB - Quality Assistance Bulletin (posted at IRS’ website)

QACA - Qualified automatic contribution arrangement, as defined in IRC §401(k)(13)

QDIA - Qualified default investment alternative

QDRO - Qualified domestic relations order

QJSA - Qualified joint and survivor annuity

QNCs - see QNECs

QNECs - Qualified nonelective contributions

QOSA - Qualified optional survivor annuity

QPSA - Qualified preretirement survivor annuity

QSLOB - Qualified separate line of business

R

RAP - remedial amendment period

RBD - Required beginning date (the date required minimum distributions must start under §401(a)(9))

REA - Retirement Equity Act of 1984 (P.L. 98-397)

Rev. Proc. - Revenue Procedure (issued by the IRS)

Rev. Rul. - Revenue Ruling (issued by the IRS)

RPA - Retirement Protection Act of 1987 (sometimes referred to as OBRA ‘87 or PPA) (P.L. 100-203)

RRA or RRA ‘98 - IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-206) (also see IRRA above)

S

SARSEP - SEP with salary reduction feature

SAVER Act - Savings Are Vital to Everyone’s Retirement Act

SAVER Summit - National conference required by the SAVER Act.

SBA or SBA ‘96 - Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 (sometimes referred to as SBJPA) (P.L. 104-188)

SBJPA - Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 (sometimes referred to as SBA or SBA ‘96) (P.L. 104-188)

SCP - Self-correction program for curing operational failures under qualified plans, SEPs, SIMPLE-IRA Plans and section 403(b) plans

SCRA - Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 2003 (amended and restated the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940)

SEP - Simplified employee pension plan

SEP-IRA - An IRA that accepts SEP contributions

SEPPAA - Single-Employer Pension Plan Amendments Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-272)

SIMPLE - Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees

SIMPLE-401(k) Plan - A 401(k) plan that is subject to the SIMPLE contribution limits

SIMPLE-IRA - An IRA that accepts SIMPLE plan contributions

SIMPLE-IRA Plan - A SIMPLE plan that is funded with SIMPLE-IRAs

SPD - Summary plan description

Sup.Ct. - Supreme Court Reporter (published by Westlaw)

T

TAM - Technical advice memorandum (issued by the IRS National Office to an IRS Key District Office)

TAMRA - Technical and Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988 (P.L. 100-647)

T.C. - Tax Court Reporter

T.C.M. - Tax Court Memorandum Decision

T.D. - Treasury Decision (i.e., regulation)

TEFRA - Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (P.L. 97-248)

TIPRA - Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-222)

TRA '86 - Tax Reform Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-514)

TRA '97 - Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-34)

TRA 2010 - Tax Relief Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-312)

TRASOP - Tax-credit ESOP

Treas. Reg. - Treasury regulation

U

UBTI - Unrelated business taxable income

UCA - Unemployment Compensation Amendments of 1992 (P.L. 102-318)

UPIA - Uniform Principal and Income Act (used in trust rules and may affect whether an IRA or defined contribution plan interest inherited by a trust which provides a life income to a surviving spouse qualifies for a QTIP election for estate tax purposes)

U.S. - If used in a court case citation, it is a reference to the United States Supreme Court Reporter

U.S.C. or USC - United States Code (e.g., citation 29 U.S.C. §1101 is a cite to Title 29 of the United States Code, section 1101)

USERRA - Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994

V

VCGroup - For designation for a group submission under VCP, submitted by an M&P sponsor, insurance company, or other service provider; now simply identified as a “Group Submission” under VCP

VCO - Former designation for a VCP submission involving operational failures under qualified plans; now the VCP designation is used regardless of the type of failure or the type of plan being submitted

VCP - the IRS' Voluntary Correction Program for resolution of qualification failures through the EPCRS; available to qualified plans, SEPs, SIMPLE-IRA plans, and section 403(b) plans

VCR - Voluntary Compliance Resolution Program (now replaced by VCP)

VCS - Former designation for a VCP submission involving certain operational failures under qualified plans at a substantially reduced compliance fee; now the VCP designation is used regardless of the type of failure or the type of plan being submitted and no special fee structure applies to operational failures

VCSEP - Former designation for a VCP submission for curing qualification failures under SEPs; now the VCP designation is used regardless of the type of failure or the type of plan being submitted

VS plan - Volume submitter plan, as described in Rev. Proc. 2005-16

W

Walk-in CAP - Voluntary submission of a resolution request under IRS’ Closing Agreement Program (now replaced by VCP)

WRERA - The Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-458)

P.L. 93-406: Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ( ERI SA) http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/29/chapter-18 (this citation is to the United States Code sections)

P.L. 96-364: Multiemployer Pension Plan Amendments Act of 1980 (MPPAA)

P.L. 97-34: Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 (ERTA)

P.L. 97-248: Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA)

P.L. 98-369: Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 (DEFRA)

P.L. 98-397: Retirement Equity Act of 1984 (REA)

P.L. 99-272: Single-Employer Pension Plan Amendments Act of 1986 (SEPPA)

P.L. 99-509: Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (OBRA ‘86)

P.L. 99-514: Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA ‘86)

P.L. 100-203: Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA ‘87)

P.L. 100-647: Technicaland Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988 (TAMRA), http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c101:H.J.RES.280:

P.L. 101-508: Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (OBRA ‘90), http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c101:H.R.5835:

P.L. 102-318: Unemployment Compensation Amendments of 1992 (UCA), http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c102:H.R.5260:

P.L. 103-66: Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (OBRA ‘93), http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c103:H.R.2264:

P.L. 103-465: Uruguay Round Agreements Act (amendments to the General Agreement on Trades and Tariffs) (most commonly referred to as “GATT”), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-103hr5110eh/pdf/BILLS-103hr5110eh.pdf

P.L. 104-188: Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 (SBJPA), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-104publ188/pdf/PLAW-104publ188.pdf

P.L. 105-34: Tax Relief Act of 1997 (TRA ‘97), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-105publ34/pdf/PLAW-105publ34.pdf

P.L. 105-206: IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (RRA or IRRA), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-105publ206/pdf/PLAW-105publ206.pdf

P.L. 106-229: Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-SIGN), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-106publ229/pdf/PLAW-106publ229.pdf

P.L. 106-554: Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (CRA) (part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-106publ554/pdf/PLAW-106publ554.pdf

P.L. 107-16: Economic Growth and Tax Relief and Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-107publ16/pdf/PLAW-107publ16.pdf

P.L. 107-147: Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002 (JCWAA), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-107publ147/pdf/PLAW-107publ147.pdf

P.L. 107-204: Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-107publ204/pdf/PLAW-107publ204.pdf

P.L. 108-218: Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 (PFEA), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-108publ218/pdf/PLAW-108publ218.pdf

P.L. 108-311: Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-108publ311/pdf/PLAW-108publ311.pdf

P.L. 108-357: American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-108publ357/pdf/PLAW-108publ357.pdf

P.L. 109-8: Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ8/pdf/PLAW-109publ8.pdf

P.L. 109-37: Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005 (KETRA), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ37/pdf/PLAW-109publ37.pdf (part of Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2005)

P.L. 109-135: Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005 (GOZA), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ135/pdf/PLAW-109publ135.pdf

P.L. 109-171: Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA 2005), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ171/pdf/PLAW-109publ171.pdf

P.L. 109-222: Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (TIPRA), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ222/pdf/PLAW-109publ222.pdf

P.L. 109-227: Heroes Earned Retirement Opportunities Act (HERO Act), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ227/pdf/PLAW-109publ227.pdf

P.L. 109-280: Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ280/pdf/PLAW-109publ280.pdf

P.L. 109-432: Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (Title III if known as the Health Opportunity and Patient Empowerment Act of 2006, or HOPE Act), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ432/pdf/PLAW-109publ432.pdf

P.L. 110-28: U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007,http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-110publ28/pdf/PLAW-110publ28.pdf

P.L. 110-245: Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 (HEART Act), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-110publ245/pdf/PLAW-110publ245.pdf

P.L. 110-343: Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-110publ343/pdf/PLAW-110publ343.pdf

P.L. 110-458: The Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008 (WRERA), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-110publ458/pdf/PLAW-110publ458.pdf

P.L. 111-148: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) (also known as the Patient Protection Act), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ148/pdf/PLAW-111publ148.pdf

P.L. 111-152: Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (also known as the 2010 Reconciliation Act), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ152/pdf/PLAW-111publ152.pdf

P.L. 111-192: Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010 (“Pension Relief Act of 2010”), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ192/pdf/PLAW-111publ192.pdf

P.L. 111-203: Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (“Consumer Protection Act of 2010”),http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ203/pdf/PLAW-111publ203.pdf

P.L. 111-240: Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ240/pdf/PLAW-111publ240.pdf

P.L. 111-312: Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (Tax Relief Act of 2010), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ312/pdf/PLAW-111publ312.pdf

P.L. 112-141: Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act (MAP-21), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-112publ141/pdf/PLAW-112publ141.pdf

P.L. 112-240: American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA) (January 3, 2012), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr8enr/pdf/BILLS-112hr8enr.pdf