On August 17, 2006, President Bush signed into law the Pension Protection Act (PPA) of 2006 (the Act), which is the most comprehensive pension reform legislation since ERISA was enacted in 1974. The Act, which comprises approximately 400 pages, will lead to many companies changing the way their plans are designed and administered, amend plan documents, increase plan funding, and make additional plan disclosures in regulatory filings and to plan participants. Plan sponsors and administrators will need to understand the effects of the new law on their plans and seek professional advice and assistance in implementing the new requirements.

Below are links to resources available to help understand the complexities and nuances of this comprehensive act:

Links to the PPA Document and Interpretations:

·         Read the Act in its entirety, the full text of the Act (HR 4) is available at the Government Printing Office Web site.

·         Technical analysis prepared by the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation: Technical Explanation of H.R. 4, the "Pension Protection Act of 2006," as Passed by the House on July 28, 2006, and as Considered by the Senate on August 3, 2006 (JCX-38-06), August 3, 2006.