Returning Users

Log In to Online Premium Filing (My PAA)
What’s New in My PAA  (updated 07/2008)

New Users

What is Online Premium Filing (My PAA)?
How to Get Started
Sign Up for a My PAA account

All Users

Comparison Chart of Premium E-Filing Options
Premium E-Filing Options
Premium Payment Options
Paper Check Voucher (for printing)
Online Demonstrations (how to e-file)
Frequently Asked Questions
Premium E-Filing Tips
Compatible Private-Sector Software Information
My PAA Detailed Users Manual (searchable PDF)

What’s New in My PAA (updated July 2008)

• Starting late July 2008, filers can submit both Estimated Flat-rate Filings and Comprehensive Filings for plan year 2008.
• The new Comprehensive Filing receipt (displayed for submitted My PAA screen filings and imported filings) will look like the illustrative form in the Comprehensive Filing instructions for easier viewing and printing. 
• The information links (shown above) are now displayed in only three sections (Returning Users, New Users, and All Users) to make it easier to find information.
• We expanded and refined the FAQs and Premium E-Filing Tips to help clarify the e-filing process. 

What is Online Premium Filing (My PAA)?

My Plan Administration Account (My PAA) is a secure Web-based application that enables pension plan professionals to electronically submit premium filings and payments to PBGC in accordance with PBGC’s regulations, which require that:

• Large plans (those with 500 or more participants for the prior year) e-file starting July 1, 2006, for plan years beginning on or after 1/1/2006.
• All plans e-file for plan years beginning on or after 1/1/2007.

PBGC’s mandatory e-filing requirements apply to all types of filings, including both original and amended filings. Using My PAA to electronically submit your premium filings:

• Streamlines the premium filing process for users.
• Helps users prepare, and PBGC process, premium filings faster and more accurately.
• Provides immediate confirmation of date and time that PBGC received your filing.
• Helps PBGC provide more accurate and timely invoices.
• Speeds up refund processing.
• Offers filing options that enable filers to view premium data submitted.
• Enables on-line access to plan premium filing account histories.

How to Get Started

1. Create a My PAA account
   Each person who will take part in the e-filing process must first register for a My PAA account. Each person only registers once because the user ID, password and secret question/answer that are set up during registration are used for all plans, premium filings, e-filing options, and My PAA tasks.
   Review the create an account demonstration
2. Identify the plan's “filing coordinator”
   The filing coordinator is the person who typically ensures that the plan's premium filings are submitted timely and has the responsibility to perform My PAA administrative tasks for the plan. The responsible parties for the plan (e.g., the plan administrator, plan sponsor, enrolled actuary) should work together to determine who will be the plan’s filing coordinator. Anyone can be the filing coordinator (e.g., the plan administrator’s representative, actuary, consultant, etc.) as long as there is agreement among the plan or sponsor and the people involved.
3. Determine which e-filing option and payment method to use
   The plan's administrator/sponsor (with assistance from the filing coordinator and support staff) determines the e-filing option to use from among these three options:

   Filing option 1 - Create and submit filings via My PAA’s Data Entry and Editing Screens only for plans reflected in your account.

Filing option 2 - Import filings created with compatible private-sector software and submit them via My PAA only for plans reflected in your account.

Filing option 3 - Upload and submit filings created with compatible private-sector software for any plan if at least one plan is in the uploader’s account (even for plans not reflected in the person’s account).

4. Add a plan (filing coordinators only)
   The filing coordinator adds at least one plan to his/her My PAA account using information from the plan’s last premium filing for the most current plan year. For example, one of the entries required is the net premium due after credits are taken ($0 or greater).
   Review the add a plan demonstration
5. Set up filing team (filing coordinators only)
   The filing coordinator then sets up the e-filing team for the plan (if applicable) by inviting other practitioners who will be involved with the e-filing process (e.g., who will contribute to the e-filing) and assigning them appropriate permissions.
   Review the Invite practitioner demonstration
6. Prepare/submit premium filing(s)
   The appropriate filing team member begins the e-filing process using the desired filing option. The remaining steps in the filing process are dependent upon the option selected and the make up of the filing team.
   More information about the three filing options is presented below

Premium E-Filing Options

My PAA offers three electronic filing options to meet the varying business requirements of premium filers. These options are detailed below. You may find it helpful to review the Comparison Chart of Premium E-Filing Options and the Overview of E-Filing Process documents when determining the best option for your needs. 

Filing Option 1: Prepare Premium Filing via My PAA’s Data Entry and Editing Screens

Use the My PAA data entry and editing screens to create and submit premium filings (for plan years 2004 and later). My PAA includes a step-by-step process for entering a plan's filing data. This process creates a filing that can be electronically edited, routed, signed, paid, and submitted to PBGC. Note that each My PAA reviewer and certifier needs his/her own account and the plan must be in each person's account.

Features include:

• My PAA’s data entry and editing screens are utilized for all e-filing tasks (no additional software or paper certifications are needed).
• Filings are routed between e-filing team members for review, edits, and certifications.
• Confirmation receipt includes the date and time that PBGC received the filing as well as all of the filing data submitted.
• Plan’s account history may be reviewed online (if reviewer has the “account history permission” set by the filing coordinator).

Tips for Using My PAA’s Data Entry and Editing Screens

• Verify that each person who will contribute to the plan’s e-filing has an account .
• Confirm that each person who will contribute to the filing has the plan in his/her account. The plan's filing coordinator is responsible for making sure each person has the plan in his/her account by establishing the plan's filing team. To do so, the filing coordinator invites each person who will be involved with the e-filing process and sets up what each person will be authorized to do (i.e., create and edit filings, sign and submit as plan administrator, sign as enrolled actuary, authorize the premium payment, view account history, and act as filing coordinator).
• Confirm each person’s role for the upcoming filing (for example, who will start the filing in My PAA and who will submit the completed e-filing to PBGC).

Review a demonstration of a filing created using filing option 1

Filing Option 2: Import Premium Filing(s) Created in Private-Sector Software into My PAA’s Data Entry and Editing Screens

Use My PAA to “import” premium filings created with private-sector software that has been updated to meet PBGC’s requirements (for plan years 2006 and later). Filers may “import” one or more premium filings created with private-sector software if the computer file that contains the filings meets PBGC’s XML file standards. The imported filing information is transferred into My PAA’s data entry and editing screens for editing, routing, signing, payment, and submission to PBGC. Note that each My PAA reviewer and certifier needs his/her own account; and the plan must be in each person’s account. If you are unsure whether your software is updated to support this e-filing option, please verify the information on our Web site or contact your software vendor/developer. 

Features include:

• My PAA’s editing screens are utilized to complete and submit the imported software-prepared filing (no additional paper certifications are needed). 
• Filings are routed between e-filing team members for review, edits, and certifications.
• Confirmation receipt includes the date and time that PBGC received the filing as well as all of the filing data submitted.
• Plan’s account history may be reviewed online (if reviewer has the “account history permission” set by the filing coordinator).

Tips for Importing Premium Filing(s) Created in Private-Sector Software into My PAA’s Data Entry and Editing Screens

• Verify that your private-sector software is compatible with PBGC’s XML file requirements (verify information on PBGC’s Web site or check with your software vendor).
• Verify that each person who will contribute to the plan’s e-filing has an account.
• Confirm that each person has the plan in his/her account. The plan’s filing coordinator establishes the plan’s filing team by “inviting” each person who will be involved with the e-filing process and setting up what each person will be authorized to do (i.e., edit filings, sign and submit as plan administrator, sign as enrolled actuary, authorize the premium payment, view account history, and act as filing coordinator).
• Confirm each person’s role for the upcoming filing (for example, who will create the premium filing in private-sector software, import it into My PAA’s editing screens, and submit the completed e-filing to PBGC).

Review a demonstration of a filing created using the import function

Filing Option 3: Upload Premium Filing(s) Created with Private-Sector Software

Use My PAA to upload premium filings created with private-sector software that has been updated to meet PBGC’s requirements (for plan years 2005 and later). Filers may “upload” one or more premium filings created with private-sector software if the computer file that contains the filings meets PBGC’s XML file standards. The uploaded filings are immediately transferred to PBGC’s premium system for processing and posting to the appropriate plan accounts. Note that only the person who uploads the file needs an account and only one plan must be in the uploader’s account (not necessarily a plan for which a filing will be uploaded). If you are unsure whether your software is updated to support this e-filing option, please verify the information on our Web site or contact your software vendor/developer.

Features include:

• Only one person (the one who will do the uploading) needs to have a My PAA account.
• Users can submit one or more complete filings directly to PBGC via My PAA without needing to review, edit, or certify the filing in My PAA.
• Filing certifications are filed with the plan's records (rather than mailed to PBGC).
• Confirmation receipt shows the date and time that PBGC received the file containing one or more premium filings. The submitted data on each filing is not reflected within My PAA.
• Plan’s account history may be reviewed online (if the plan is in your account and if you have the “account history permission” set by the filing coordinator).

Tips for Uploading Premium Filing(s) Created with Private-Sector Software

• Verify that your private-sector software is compatible with PBGC’s XML file requirements (verify information on PBGC’s Web site or check with your software vendor).
• Determine who will create the premium filing with private-sector software and confirm that the filing is complete and accurate because changes cannot be made once the filing is uploaded to PBGC.
• Determine who will upload the file (containing one or more filings) into My PAA and verify that the uploader has an account with at least one plan in his/her account Note that only the uploader must have an account (e.g., a user ID and password) and that filings may be uploaded for any plan (even if the plan is not reflected in the person's account).
• Determine how filing certifications will be made (the plan administrator (PA) must always certify while the enrolled actuary (EA) must certify for certain types of filings). If the PA or EA is the uploader, the certification may be made on the My PAA upload screen. If the PA or EA is not the uploader, the certification will typically be made on a paper copy of the filing information (printed from the software) and kept with the plan's records (they should not be mailed to PBGC). Certified copies of filing information are subject to audit and must be retained with plan records for six years.

Review a demonstration of an uploaded filing

Premium Payment Options

E-filings may be paid online using My PAA (via ACH, Internet check, or credit card) or paid outside of the My PAA application (via ACH, Fed wire, or paper check). If you upload a file that contains more than one premium filing (i.e., a batch of filings), a separate payment must be made outside of My PAA for each filing.

• Payment Within My PAA
  An amount owed in association with a filing may be paid online within My PAA by a person who has been given the permission to authorize premium payments within My PAA. These payments (and filings) may also be scheduled to be submitted at a future date (e.g., closer to the filing due date). Payments made through My PAA must be part of a filing and are submitted to PBGC when the associated filing is submitted. My PAA offers the following payment options:
  • Automated Clearing House (ACH) – This type of transaction will authorize PBGC to take your premium payment from the bank routing code and checking or savings account number that you specify. Make sure that your account is not “blocked,” which would prevent PBGC from “pulling” the funds from your account (e.g., PBGC is aware that some “Trust Accounts” are blocked).
  • Electronic Check – This is the electronic equivalent to writing a check. It involves entering the check number of a (voided) paper check, your checking account number, and the bank routing code. You can get the bank routing code and account number from the information preprinted at the bottom of your check. Just as with an ACH transaction, your premium payment will be debited from the checking account you specify. Make sure that your account is not “blocked” which would prevent PBGC from “pulling” the funds from your account (e.g., PBGC is aware that some “Trust Accounts” are blocked).
  • Credit Card – My PAA accepts Visa and MasterCard credit cards that have a U.S. billing address. If you choose this method, you will be charged a convenience fee of approximately 3.19% of the premium payment amount. There is a $99,999.99 limit (including the convenience fee).

• Payment Outside of My PAA

  Premium filings may also be paid outside of My PAA. (Note that if a file containing more than one filing (i.e., a batch of filings) is uploaded to PBGC, each filing must be paid separately outside of My PAA):

  • Pay via Electronic Funds Transfer - My PAA will provide you with instructions as well as with PBGC’s bank routing code and account number, so your bank can electronically send your ACH or Fed wire payment on your behalf. To ensure that your payment is properly posted, you must reference the plan’s 9-digit employer identification number (EIN), 3-digit plan number (PN), and plan year commencing date (PYC) within your electronic funds transfer. Send Electronic Funds Transfer Payments to:

    	JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
    ABA:	071000013
    Account:	656510666
    Beneficiary:	PBGC
    Reference:	EIN/PN: XX-XXXXXXX/XXX
    	PYC: MM/DD/YY

  • Pay via Paper Check – My PAA will provide you with instructions, the correct mailing address (which is always the most current mailing address), and a printable voucher to complete and include with your payment (if you are submitting one filing). Note that if you forget to print the check voucher while in My PAA, you cannot return to My PAA to print it. Also, if you upload a file containing multiple filings, My PAA does not allow you to select a payment method or to print a check voucher. For these situations, you can print a blank check voucher from our Web site.
    
    Complete the requested information (e.g., EIN/PN) and send the voucher with your check. While vouchers assist with the automatic posting of payments, they are not required because all checks (with or without a voucher) must reference the plan’s 9-digit employer identification number (EIN), 3-digit plan number (PN), and plan year commencing date (PYC) in order to be properly posted to the plan’s account.
    
    Send your check and voucher (if any) via regular or certified mail to:

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
Dept. 77430
P.O. Box 77000
Detroit, MI 48277-0430

 

If you use a delivery service, send your check and voucher (if any) to:

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
9000 Haggerty Road
Dept. 77430
Mail Code MI1-8244
Belleville, MI 48111

Review a demonstration of Payment Alternatives

Frequently Asked Questions

• Where can I get help?
• How do I set up/change my account information?
• How can I change the plan name or administrator/sponsor address shown in My PAA?
• What does it mean to be a plan’s filing coordinator or part of a plan’s filing team?
• What are My PAA “permissions” and how are they used?
• How are premium e-filings certified/signed?
• Who can submit e-filings to PBGC?
• How do I know a premium filing was received by PBGC?
• How can I view a plan’s account history online?
• How do I report/handle EIN/PN changes?
• How do I make changes to a previously-submitted e-filing?
• How do I access/use the Home Page, Plan Details Page, and Filing Manager Page?

Q: Where can I get help?

A: If you have premium e-filing questions please refer to the My PAA Users Manual, which provides detailed step-by-step instructions on how to use My PAA to perform e-filing related tasks. Note that this manual is also available on each My PAA screen.

If you still have questions, call 1-800-736-2444 (select the “premium” option) or send an e-mail to premiums@pbgc.gov. (For TTY/TDD users, call the federal relay service at 1-800-877-8339 and ask to be connected to 1-800-736-2444.) PBGC’s business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. 

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Q: Where can I get help?How do I set up/change my account information?

A: To use My PAA, you must first establish an account that will include your user ID and password, your secret question/answer, and at least one plan for which premiums will be e-filed. To set up your account, click on “Sign Up for My PAA – New Users Only” and provide the information requested (e.g., e-mail address). After you establish your account:

• If you will be the filing coordinator for one or more plans, you can add plans to your account from your “Home Page”.
• If someone else will be the filing coordinator, that person needs to “invite” you to be part of each plan’s filing team.

Note:

• You will use only one account for all of your plans.
• Once your account is established, you can make changes (if needed) to your name, telephone number, e-mail address, and password.
• You cannot change your user ID, secret question, or secret answer.

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Q: How can I change the plan name or administrator/sponsor address shown in My PAA?

A: The name of each plan is displayed on the Home Page as well as the Plan Details Page. In addition, each Plan Details Page displays the sponsor’s name/address and the plan administrator’s name/address. If this information needs to be changed, you can generally do so by including the updated information on the plan’s next premium filing. After the submitted information is reflected within PBGC’s premium processing system, the updated information will be reflected within My PAA. Note that uploaded filings will only result in updates to the Plan Details Page -- the Plan Name on the Home Page will not be updated. 

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Q: Where can I get help?What does it mean to be a plan’s filing coordinator or part of the filing team?

A: As in the “paper world,” there may be one person or several people involved with preparing, signing, and paying a premium filing in My PAA for a plan. To make this process run smoothly in My PAA, each plan/sponsor must designate a person (preferably more than one) who will be the filing coordinator for the plan. The filing coordinator is the person who typically oversees the premium filing process, ensures that filings are submitted timely, and performs administrative tasks in My PAA. If a plan is left without a filing coordinator (e.g., the only filing coordinator leaves unexpectedly), you will need to contact PBGC’s representatives for assistance at 1-800-736-2444 (select the premium option) or send an e-mail to premiums @pbgc.gov.  Note that PBGC’s business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday (except federal holidays). 

The filing coordinator starts the filing process by setting up an account and (if necessary) adding the plan to that account. The filing coordinator then “invites” each person who will be part of the plan’s filing team (if applicable) and sets up what each person can do for each plan (create/edit data, certify as plan administrator, certify as enrolled actuary, select the filing method, view a plan’s account history, or act as filing coordinator). Once an invited person has signed up for an account or if the invited person already has an account, his/her name will be listed as part of the plan’s premium filing practitioners on the Plan Details Page. In addition, each e-filing team member will be reflected on the bottom of the Filing Manager Page for a filing in process. The filing coordinator can subsequently make changes as needed (e.g., add or remove filing team members).

The e-filing team concept most fully applies to two of the e-filing methods -- using the My PAA data entry and editing screens or importing software-prepared filings into My PAA’s editing screens. For the upload filing method, the filing coordinator needs to verify that the authorized uploader has an account -- with at least one plan in the account (not necessarily a plan for which a filing will be uploaded). If the uploader does not already have a plan in his/her account, the filing coordinator can “invite” the uploader to be part of the plan’s filing team.

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Q: Where can I get help?What are My PAA “permissions” and how are they used?

A: As in the “paper world,” electronic filing also has business rules that require certain people to perform certain tasks – e.g., only the plan administrator can use My PAA to sign an electronic filing as the plan administrator. The ability to perform these tasks in My PAA is controlled by the set of “permissions” a person has for a certain plan. The plan’s filing coordinator is responsible for establishing and editing each e-filing team member’s permissions. 
Standard My PAA Permissions -- All filing team members can:

• Use the My PAA data entry and editing screens to create and edit a filing for each plan in their account.
• Import a software-prepared filing for each plan in their account
• Upload a software-prepared filing for any plan.

In addition, a plan’s filing coordinator or plan administrator can submit filings that contain all the required information, e-signatures, and authorizations.
Optional Permissions -- The filing coordinator for a plan is responsible for setting the following optional permissions for each person on the plan’s e-filing team (as appropriate): 

• Sign and submit the filing as the plan administrator
• Sign the filing as the enrolled actuary
• Select the payment alternative
• View the plan’s account history
• Perform filing coordinator tasks

Since filing team members can have different permissions, filings (that were either created with the My PAA data entry and editing screens or imported into the My PAA editing screens) are “routed” to the appropriate team members for action (e.g., for the plan administrator to e-sign). This means that more than one person may be required to complete, obtain necessary signatures and submit filings created in My PAA or imported into My PAA.
However, the upload filing method only requires one person who is authorized to upload filings and that person only needs to have at least one plan in his/her account.

My PAA also has a permission that the filing coordinator can give to any e-filing team member called “View the plan’s account history.” If a person has this permission, he/she can view an online account history that shows the filings and payments PBGC has received from that plan, regardless of the filing or payment method used to submit them.

Backup Filers are Recommended -- It is strongly recommended that there be one or more back-ups for all e-filing roles/permissions (e.g., plan administrator, enrolled actuary, payer, filing coordinator) to help ensure continuity as people go on vacation or leave the company. (Note that when a plan is initially added to a filing coordinator’s account, there may be a delay before the filing coordinator can add another filing coordinator.) As changes occur to the team of people available to contribute to a plan’s e-filing, the filing coordinator makes changes to the filing team members (e.g., permissions may be changed and practitioners may be added to, or deleted from, the plan’s filing team).

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Q: Where can I get help?How are premium e-filings certified/signed?

A: The premium filing certification requirements have not changed with the implementation of electronic filing. The plan administrator must always certify each filing while the enrolled actuary must certify certain types of filings. What electronic filing has changed is how the certifications are completed. 

For filings that are prepared via the My PAA data entry screens and for software-prepared filings that are imported into the My PAA screens, all certifications are made on the My PAA screens.  This is why each certifier must have an account (e.g., user ID and password) and the plan must be included within each person’s account.

For software-prepared filings that are uploaded into My PAA, the plan administrator or enrolled actuary may certify directly on the My PAA upload screen if he/she is the uploader. If the plan administrator or enrolled actuary is not the uploader, the certification may be made on a paper copy of the filing information (typically printed from the software). Certified copies of filing information are subject to audit and must be retained with plan records for six years from the due date of the filing (they are not submitted to PBGC).

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Q: Where can I get help?Who can submit e-filings to PBGC?

A: For filings created in My PAA’s data entry and editing screens or imported into My PAA’s editing screens, only the filing coordinator or plan administrator can actually submit e-filings to PBGC after the filings are completed and certified (i.e., they are the only people who will be able to see and click the “Submit” button that will send the filing to PBGC’s processing system). In order to submit the e-filing, the submitter (i.e., the filing coordinator or plan administrator) must first be holding the filing. For completed filings that will simply be uploaded to PBGC, anyone who is authorized to upload on behalf of a plan can submit the file to PBGC. 

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Q: Where can I get help?How do I know a premium filing was received by PBGC?

A: My PAA will always display a confirmation to the submitter that shows the date and time that PBGC received the filing/file. More specifically, for filings created in My PAA or imported into My PAA, the confirmation is e-mailed to the filing coordinator, the people who signed the filing (the plan administrator and enrolled actuary, if applicable), and the person who made the payment method selection. For uploaded flings, the confirmation is only displayed to the uploader of the file and if the uploader chooses, he/she can receive a confirmation e-mail as well.
In addition, the following online information is available:

• For filings created in My PAA’s data entry screens and for software-prepared filings that are imported into My PAA, a receipt is available on the Plan Details Page that shows the date and time of receipt, the confirmation number, and the actual data that was submitted to PBGC. All filing team members can view this information.   
• For uploaded files, only the uploader can view the following information on his/her Home Page: the date and time the file was received, the My PAA confirmation number, and summary information entered by the uploader, e.g., the file name, comments, and payment selection (if applicable). Note that the submitted filing data for each filing (within the uploaded file) cannot be viewed within My PAA.
• All premium filings and payments are eventually posted to a plan’s account history, which reflects a plan’s premium filing history by plan year. The account history can be viewed online to ensure that a plan’s filings are up-to-date, to verify that the information is accurate, and to determine whether there are any underpayments or overpayment that need to be addressed.  Note that there will be a delay between when a filing is submitted and when it shows on the Account History. (See the next question/answer for more information.)

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Q: Where can I get help?How can I view a plan’s account history online?

A: To view a plan’s account history in My PAA, a person must have an account (e.g., user ID and password), have the plan in his/her account, and have the “permission” to view the plan’s account history. This can be done regardless of the e-filing method that is used. While each person is responsible for setting up his/her own account, the plan’s filing coordinator must invite you to be part of the plan’s filing team and “permit” you to view the plan’s account history.  (See the previous question/answer for more information.)

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Q: Where can I get help?How do I report/handle EIN/PN changes?

A: EIN/PN changes should be reported carefully via a premium filing and should not be handled by adding the new EIN/PN to your account.

• If the plan that has an EIN/PN change is in your account, do not add the new EIN/PN to your account. Instead, report the EIN/PN change on your next premium filing, which you will create by clicking “Create Filing” next to the plan with the old EIN/PN.  The old EIN/PN will populate the “Previous EIN” and “Previous PN” fields and the new EIN/PN should be entered in the “Current EIN” and “Current PN” fields.
• If the plan that has an EIN/PN change is not in your account, you will need to add this plan to your account before you can create or import a premium filing for it. When adding the plan, be sure to add it using the old EIN/PN. Report the EIN/PN change via your next premium filing, which you will create by clicking “Create Filing” next to the plan with the old EIN/PN.  The old EIN/PN will populate the “Previous EIN” and “Previous PN” fields and the new EIN/PN should be entered in the “Current EIN” and “Current PN” fields.
• When you submit filings with EIN/PN changes, My PAA automatically adds the plan with the new EIN/PN to your account. You will see it listed in the “Plans in Your Account” section of your Home Page in addition to the plan with the previous EIN/PN.
• The receipt for the filing that shows the EIN/PN change can be found on the Plan Details Page for the plan with the old EIN/PN.
• Note:  If an EIN/PN is being changed to the EIN/PN of another existing plan, the change should typically be reported as a merger, consolidation, or spinoff rather than as an EIN/PN change. 
  

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Q: Where can I get help?How do I make changes to a previously-submitted e-filing?

A: Once an e-filing is submitted, that specific e-filing cannot be pulled back or changed. Any changes or corrections must be submitted via an amended e-filing. To amend a filing, you must prepare and submit a fully completed filing with the amended filing block checked.  The amended filing will then completely replace the previously-submitted filing. 

While an amended filing should be created and submitted to reflect substantive changes (e.g., a change in the participant count), an amended filing is not required for non-substantive changes such as a change in the type of payment that will be submitted outside of My PAA (e.g., if you subsequently decide to send a paper check rather than send an electronic funds transfer to PBGC).

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Q: Where can I get help?How do I access/use the Home Page, Plan Details Page, and Filing Manager Page?

A:

Home Page

Every time you log into My PAA, the first page displayed is your Home Page. The Home Page reflects all of the plans that are in your account and serves as your “base of operations” for all My PAA activities. For example:

• If you will be the filing coordinator for one or more plans, you can add a plan to your account or invite another practitioner to each plan in your account from your Home Page.
• If you have plans in your account, you can create a filing within My PAA or import a software-prepared filing into the My PAA screens.
• If you have at least one plan in your account, you can upload a filing for that plan or any plan (even for plans not reflected in your account). Your Home Page also reflects summary information about any files that you uploaded. 

Plan Details Page

Each plan in your account has a Plan Details Page, which you access by clicking on the “Go to Plan Page” button to the right of the plan’s name in the Plans area of your Home Page. The Plan Details Page includes the following information:

• If a filing is being worked on by another person, you can view (but not edit) the filing in process by clicking on the View/Manage Filing button in the section “Premium Filings in Process Online”.
• A plan’s filing coordinator can make changes to a plan’s e-filing team, e.g., to change a person’s permission (by clicking on his/her name) or to remove a practitioner from the team (by clicking the Remove button).
• All filing team members can access the filing receipts for filings submitted that were created via the My PAA screens or imported into the My PAA screens.
• The plan’s account history is available online if the person has the permission to view the plan’s account history.

Filing Manager Page

The Filing Manager Page is only available if there is an e-filing in process that has not yet been submitted to PBGC. To access the Filing Manager Page, click the View/Manage Filing button or the View button next to the in-process filing:

• If you are “holding” the filing, the in-process filing will appear in the Inbox section on the Home Page and also in the Premium Filings In Process Online Section on the Plan Details Page.
• If someone else is “holding” the filing, the in-process filing will only appear in the Premium Filings In Process Online section on the Plan Details Page. 

The Filing Manager Page is used by a plan’s e-filing team members to view, complete and submit a filing that was created in the My PAA screens or that was imported into the My PAA screens. Once a filing is created, team members open the filing and take action on it via the Filing Manager Page. Any team member can review the draft filing in read-only mode. However, to take action on a filing (e.g., make edits or sign it), you must have the appropriate permission (e.g., sign as the enrolled actuary) and must have possession of the filing (it must be shown in your “Inbox” on the Home Page). The bottom of the Filing Manager Page reflects who is holding the filing.  If someone else has the filing, he/she can route it to you (by clicking on the Route To button on the bottom of the Filing Manager Page) so you can take the necessary action.  If you are the Filing Coordinator, you can retrieve a filing in process (by clicking on the Retrieve Filing button on the bottom of the Filing Manager Page) so you can take the necessary action (e.g., submit the filing).

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Premium E-Filing Tips

• Preparing an E-Filing
• Managing Your Account
• Managing Your Plans and E-Filing Teams (Filing Coordinators Only)   
• My PAA E-Mails
• My PAA System Messages
• System Compatibility with My PAA
• Printing from My PAA 
• Navigating My PAA

Preparing an E-Filing

• As a security measure, you will be automatically logged out of My PAA after 20 minutes of inactivity (i.e., if you do not click any buttons or links).  In addition, you will lose the work you have done since you last “permanently” saved your filing.  To avoid this, be sure to click a “save” button regularly (at least every 20 minutes) and be sure to permanently save your data prior to leaving your desk or logging out of My PAA by:
• • clicking the “Save & Continue” button until you reach the “Filing Manager” Page.
  • clicking the “Save & Exit” button (if displayed on the screen) to reach the “Filing Manager” Page.
• When an e-filing is created using My PAA’s data entry screens or imported into My PAA’s editing screens and saved, the e-filing is completed via the Filing Manager Page. For more information, see the FAQ “How do I access/use the Home Page, Plan Details Page, and Filing Manager Page?”.
• When an e-filing is created using My PAA’s data entry screens or imported into My PAA’s editing screens and saved, the filing coordinator can retrieve a filing that has been routed to another team member (e.g., in order to route the filing to another team member or to submit the filing) by clicking on the “Retrieve Filing” button on the “Filing Manager” Page.
• Attachments cannot be submitted. Instead, there are text boxes available within the e-filing itself in which explanations are to be entered (i.e., near the applicable data elements).
• If you are new to e-filing, start the process early (before the filing due date) so you have time to address any questions/issues that may arise during PBGC’s business hours (8:00 a.m. to5:00 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday except for federal holidays).  If you are unable to submit your e-filing on time, be sure to send in at least your payment on time and then submit your e-filing as soon as possible thereafter.

Managing Your Account

• Be careful when you set up your user ID and secret question/answer because they cannot be changed later (even if you inadvertently misspelled them).
• Keep your user ID, password, and secret question/answer in a secure place for ready access as you will need them for your next filing.  
• If you forget your user ID or password, click on the appropriate link(s) on the right side of My PAA’s Log In screen. If this does not resolve the issue (e.g., your account becomes locked), contact PBGC's practitioner customer service representatives at 1-800-736-2444 (select the premium option) or send an e-mail to premiums@pbgc.gov.  Note that PBGC’s business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday (except federal holidays). 
• For details, go to the section in the My PAA Users Manual entitled “Manage Your Account (Information that Can/Cannot be Changed).”

Managing Your Plans and E-Filing Teams (Filing Coordinators Only)

Filing coordinators can add plans, invite practitioners, remove practitioners, and edit permissions. These tasks are typically done from your Home Page or Plan Details Page. The Home Page contains buttons to “add a plan” or “invite a practitioner.” The Plan Details Page contains buttons to “invite a practitioner,” “remove a practitioner,’ and to edit a person’s permissions (by clicking on the person’s name).
Here are a few tips to help filing coordinators manage their plans and filing teams:

• Set up or verify your e-filing teams as early as possible before the plan’s premium filing due date so that there is sufficient time to make any needed changes, to confirm that all team members accounts have been set up correctly, and to resolve any unexpected issues.
• Be careful when typing in the plan name when you add a plan. To correct a misspelled plan name on the Home Page, you will need to submit an e-filing that is created within My PAA’s data entry/editing screens or imported into My PAA’s editing screen with the corrected plan name. Note that if you use the upload method to submit your filing, a plan name change contained in the uploaded filing will not correct the plan name on the Home Page.
• Each role (including the filing coordinator role) should have multiple people assigned to help ensure smooth transitions as changes in personnel occur.
• If the filing coordinator will change, the current filing coordinator should first invite the new filing coordinator and then remove himself/herself from the filing team. 
• One filing coordinator can remove another filing coordinator but cannot edit another filing coordinator’s permissions.
• If a plan is left without a filing coordinator, you will need to contact PBGC’s representatives for assistance at 1-800-736-2444 (select the premium option) or send an e-mail to premiums@pbgc.gov.  Note that PBGC’s business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday (except federal holidays).
• For additional details, go to the section of the My PAA Users Manual entitled “Manage Your Plans and e-Filing Team (Filing Coordinators Only).”

My PAA E-Mails

If you do not receive an expected e-mail from My PAA (e.g., with your temporary user ID and password), the e-mail may be blocked by your systems security software (e.g., treated as “spam”). To receive the e-mail, we suggest that you first check with your system’s security staff to see if an e-mail from “@pbgc.gov” is blocked. If so, request that it be unblocked so you can receive it and also ask (for the future) that e-mails from “@pbgc.gov” be added as a “trusted site” to your systems.  If this is not an option or does not resolve the issue, contact PBGC’s practitioner customer service representatives at 1-800-736-2444 (select the “premium” option) or send an e-mail to premiums@pbgc.gov.  Note that PBGC’s business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday (except federal holidays). 

When you route an e-filing to another person, that person will receive an e-mail notifying him/her of your action. You will be given the opportunity to enter text that will be included in this e-mail so you can include a brief message to that person. This message cannot be greater than 256 characters. If you exceed this maximum, you will receive an error message that says “Your entry or selection for the 'Additional Message' indicated is invalid, or you have left it blank. Please try again.” To resolve the issue, reduce the length of your message and resend the filing (with message).

My PAA System Messages

The following are examples of the types of messages that you may see from My PAA: 

• If you receive a message that says “system unavailable,” this typically means that My PAA is not available at that time (e.g., while system maintenance is being done). If you continue to receive this message over an extended period of time, contact PBGC for assistance. 
• If you receive a message that says you are locked out of My PAA, this means that you have tried to enter an incorrect user ID and/or password three times or the incorrect secret answer three times. If the issue is not resolved by clicking on the link(s) on the right side of the Log in Page (e.g., “Forgot Your Password?”), contact PBGC for assistance.
• If you receive a message that you have been “logged out” of My PAA, this means that you have been inactive within My PAA for at least 20 minutes (i.e., have not clicked any My PAA buttons or links). To resolve this condition, you will need to start over and enter your user ID and password into My PAA’s Log In Screen.   

For assistance, call 1-800-736-2444 (select the “premium” option) or send an e-mail to premiums@pbgc.gov. PBGC’s business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. 

System Compatibility with My PAA

Since My PAA is a Web-based application, it works best if your computer has standard software that is up-to-date and if you use a traditional browser that is fully supported and verified by PBGC. Otherwise, you may experience unexpected and unsupported problems when trying to use My PAA.
The browsers supported and fully verified by PBGC are:

• Microsoft Internet Explorer (Version 6.0 and higher)
• Firefox (Version 1.5 and higher)

Printing from My PAA

You can print any displayed My PAA screen at any time. To do so, you can either:

• Right-click with your mouse and select the “Print” option.
• Select “File/Print” from your browser’s menu.

If you want to print a specific section of a screen (e.g., if you want to print just one paragraph of an instruction screen):

1. Highlight the portion you would like to print.
2. Right-click with your mouse and select the “Print” option OR select “File/Print” from your browser’s menu.
3. When the print dialog box is displayed, click once on the option to print only the “Selection.”
4. Click the “Print” button on the print dialog box.

Navigating My PAA

It is best to only use navigation buttons on the My PAA screens (typically in the bottom right of the screen) rather than the buttons provided by the browser software you are using. Using the browser-provided buttons can sometimes result in your receiving a system message that will not allow you to continue. If this occurs, you will need to close My PAA and start over with the Log In process. 
After you click on a button on a My PAA screen, it may take a short time for the action to complete (e.g., to navigate to another page). You should not try to shorten the wait time by repeatedly clicking on the button because it may lead to the page “freezing” and you will not be able to continue. If the page does “freeze,” you will need to close My PAA and start over with the Log In process.