- 2026 PBGC Levels
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) announced the flat and variable rate premium amounts as well as the maximum benefit levels for various purposes for 2026.
- Disaster Relief
The IRS and PBGC have issued disaster relief in response to severe storms and flooding in Alaska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) announced the flat and variable rate premium amounts as well as the maximum benefit levels for various purposes for 2026.
Flat & Variable-Rate Premiums
As in previous years, PBGC announced an increase to the flat-Rate Premium for 2026. Although the Variable Rate Premium remains steady, the per participant cap continues to increase in 2026. The table below highlights the changes from last year.
Plan Type | Flat-Rate Premium | Certain Deadlines | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
2025 | 2026 | 2025 | 2026 | |
Single-Employer | $106 | $111 | $52* $717 Per Participant Cap | $52* $751 Per Participant Cap |
Multiemployer | $39 | $40 | Not Applicable | |
*per $1,000 of unfunded vested benefits
Maximum Benefit for 2026
PBGC also increased the guaranteed maximum monthly benefit for participants in under-funded single-employer pension plans in 2026. Multiemployer plan maximum guarantees are calculated differently and are not based on an indexed amount.
Here is a comparison of the 2025 and 2026 single-employer benefits for a 65-year-old.
| Payment Option | 2025 Maximum Benefit | 2026 Maximum Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Straight Life | $7,431.82 | $7,789.77 |
| Joint and 50% Survivor* | $6,688.64 | $7,010.79 |
* Amounts must be adjusted if spouse is not the same age.
Note: The 2026 PBGC Present Value of Maximum Guarantee has yet to be published. It will be communicated when it is announced.
In response to severe storms and other disaster events, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) extended certain deadlines for individuals and businesses impacted by such events.
Impacted Areas and Dates
Individuals who reside or have a business in any of the following areas may be eligible for certain deadline relief:
State/Tribal Nation | Covered Areas | Certain Deadlines | |
|---|---|---|---|
On & After | On & Before/Extended Deadline | ||
| Sisseton-Wahbeton Oyate | June 12, 2025 | February 2, 2026 | |
| Alaska | Lower Kuskokwim Regional Educational Attendance Area, Lower Yukon Regional Educational Attendance Area, and Northwest Arctic Borough | October 8, 2025 | May 1, 2026 |
Impacted Deadlines
Below is a partial list of retirement-impact tax filing and payment deadlines that may be extended:
- Retirement plan loan repayments may be temporarily paused under Internal Revenue Code section 72(p)(2)
- Required minimum distributions under Internal Revenue Code section 401(a)(9)
- The 10% additional income tax continues to not apply even if the following is missed during the relief period:
- Substantially equal payments made over the participant’s life or joint lives of the participant and designated beneficiary
- Deadline for using a distribution from an IRA for a first-time home purchase by the close of the 120th day after the distribution is received
- Prior tax year contribution deadlines for retirement plans
- Indirect rollover distribution deadlines
- 60-day rollovers
- Rollover of qualified loan offsets
- Refunds as a result of
- Excess deferrals
- ADP/ACP non-discrimination testing
- Eligible automatic contribution arrangement (EACA) withdrawals
- Excess IRA contributions
- Deadline for recontributing qualified reservist distributions
- Form 5500 and Form 8955-SSA filing
- Form 5948 for IRAs
- PBGC premium payments
- PBGC deadlines that are based on the Form 5500 deadline
- Single Employer Plan Termination Forms 500 and 501
Additional Resources
For any questions related to IRS deadlines and other disaster-related issues, the IRS has a toll-free number at