Refunds and credits (PBGC.gov)

When you have overpaid your premium (for example, the participant count reported on your Final premium filing is lower than that reported on your Estimated filing), you have the option of taking a credit on a subsequent year's premium filing form or requesting a refund.
Please note that ERISA does not provide for us to pay interest on premium overpayments.
In the absence of a request for a credit or refund, PBGC will apply the overpayment toward any premium, penalty, and interest amounts that are owed for the current or any prior plan year. This may result in less of an overpayment available for a refund or credit.
If you are unsure whether any premium, penalty, and interest amounts are owed (for example, because of interest charges due to an increase in participant count), contact us.

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A request for a refund must be made within the period specified in the applicable statute of limitations (generally six years after the overpayment was made).
If there are unpaid premiums, interest, or penalties for your plan for prior years, you may request that PBGC to apply all or part of an overpayment toward payment of those unpaid prior year amounts.
Refunds may be made by check or by wire transfer to the premium payer's account. You can request a refund by checking the refund box on the Form 1 or Form 1-EZ, or by submitting a separate written request.
If you request payment of a refund by electronic funds transfer, we will make the transfer through the automated clearing house (ACH) system.

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If PBGC determines that a requested refund is due, we will send the plan administrator a letter from PBGC confirming that the refund will be forthcoming. This letter will include an account history describing how the overpayment was used to satisfy any outstanding premium, interest, or penalty amounts. The refund will subsequently be issued by the U.S. Treasury. You should receive the refund typically within 60 days after you receive the PBGC refund letter.

Please be aware that refunds will take longer to process during peak filing periods, which begin in February and October.

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Overpayments are refunded only if there are funds remaining after all outstanding premium, penalty and interest charges are first satisfied.
Refund-related questions should be directed to our premium payer customer service representatives at 1-800-736-2444 (or at 202-326-4242 if you are in the local Washington, DC area) or premiums@pbgc.gov. For TTY/TDD users, call the federal relay service toll-free at 1-800-877-8339 and ask to be connected to the appropriate number in the preceding sentence.

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In some situations (plan merger, consolidation or spin-off), there can be "overlapping" premiums, but in others there can be "gaps" in premiums. Refunds are not available for overlapping premium payments resulting from a plan merger, consolidation or spinoff (nor does PBGC charge for any "gaps" that may result).
Refunds may be available, however, if you pay a full year's premium in one of the following short plan year situations: plans filing for the first time, plans that have changed their plan years, and plans that have been terminated. For plan years beginning after 2000, premiums may be prorated for these short plan years.

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E-mail a question
Call: 1-800-736-2444 OR (202) 326-4242
TTY/TDD users, call the federal relay service toll-free at 1-800-877-8339 and ask to be connected 1-800-736-2444.
Mail forms to:

PBGC

Dept. 77430

P.O. Box 77000

Detroit, MI 48277-0430

Delivery service (only for premium filing) to:

PBGC

Bank One

9000 Haggerty Road

Dept. 77430

Mail Code MI1-8244

Belleville, MI 48111

Mail correspondence (other than premium filings) to:

PBGC

Dept 77840

P.O.Box 77000

Detroit, MI 48277-0840

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