1. Any fiduciary (including, but not limited to, any administrator, officer, trustee, or custodian), counsel, or employee of such employee benefit plan;
2. A person providing services to such plan;
3. An employer any of whose employees are covered by such plan;
4. An employee organization any of whose members are covered by such plan;
5. An owner, direct or indirect, of 50 percent or more of -

1. The combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or the total value of shares of all classes of stock of a corporation.
2. The capital interest or the profits interest of a partnership, or
3. The beneficial interest of a trust or unincorporated enterprise, which is an employer or an employee organization described in subparagraph (C) or (D);

6. A relative (as defined in paragraph (15)) of any individual described in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (E);
7. A corporation, partnership, or trust or estate of which (or in which) 50 percent or more of -

1. The combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or the total value of shares of all classes of stock of such corporation,
2. The capital interest or profits interest of such partnership, or
3. The beneficial interest of such trust or estate, is owned directly or indirectly, or held by persons described in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), (D), or (E);

8. An employee, officer, director (or an individual having powers or responsibilities similar to those of officers or directors), or a 10 percent or more shareholder directly or indirectly, of a person described in subparagraph (B), (C), (D), (E), or (G), or of the employee benefit plan; or
9. A 10 percent or more (directly or indirectly in capital or profits) partner or joint venture of a person described in subparagraph (B), (C), (D), (E), or (G).

1. In the case of a security for which there is a generally recognized market, either -

1. The price of the security prevailing on a national securities exchange which is registered under section 78f of Title 15, or
2. If the security is not traded on such a national securities exchange, a price not less favorable to the plan than the offering price for the security as established by the current bid and asked prices quoted by persons independent of the issuer and of any party in interest; and

2. In the case of an asset other than a security for which there is a generally recognized market, the fair market value of the asset as determined in good faith by the trustee or named fiduciary pursuant to the terms of the plan and in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary.

19. The term "nonforfeitable" when used with respect to a pension benefit or right means a claim obtained by a participant or his beneficiary to that part of an immediate or deferred benefit under a pension plan which arises from the participant's service, which is unconditional, and which is legally enforceable against the plan. For purposes of this paragraph, a right to an accrued benefit derived from employer contributions shall not be treated as forfeitable merely because the plan contains a provision described in section 1053(a)(3) of this title.
20. The term "security" has the same meaning as such term has under section 77b(1) of Title 15.
21. (A) Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (B), a person is a fiduciary with respect to a plan to the extent -

1. He exercises any discretionary authority or discretionary control respecting management of such plan or exercises any authority or control respecting management or disposition of its assets,
2. He renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation, direct or indirect, with respect to any moneys or other property of such plan, or has any authority or responsibility to do so, or
3. He has any discretionary authority or discretionary responsibility in the administration of such plan. Such term includes any person designated under section 1105(c)(1)(B) of this title.

(B) If any money or other property of an employee benefit plan is invested in securities issued by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 USCA 80a-1 et seq.], such investment shall not by itself cause such investment company or such investment company's investment adviser or principal underwriter to be deemed to be a fiduciary or a party in interest as those terms are defined in this subchapter, except insofar as such investment company or its investment adviser or principal underwriter acts in connection with an employee benefit plan covering employees of the investment company, the investment adviser, or its principal underwriter. Nothing contained in this subparagraph shall limit the duties imposed on such investment company, investment adviser, or principal underwriter by any other law.

22. The term "normal retirement benefit" means the greater of the early retirement benefit under the plan, or the benefit under the plan commencing at normal retirement age. The normal retirement benefit shall be determined without regard to -
1. Medical benefits, and
2. Disability benefits not in excess of the qualified disability benefit.

1. In the case of a defined benefit plan, the individual's accrued benefit determined under the plan and, except as provided in section 1054(c)(3) of this title, expressed in the form of an annual benefit commencing at normal retirement age, or
2. In the case of a plan which is an individual account plan, the balance of the individual's account.

The accrued benefit of an employee shall not be less than the amount determined under section 1054(c)(2)(B) of this title with respect to the employee's accumulated contribution.

24. The term "normal retirement age" means the earlier of -

1. The time a plan participant attains normal retirement age under the plan, or
2. The later of -

1. The time a plan participant attains age 65, or
2. The 5th anniversary of the time a plan participant commenced participation in the plan.

25. The term "vested liabilities" means the present value of the immediate or deferred benefits available at normal retirement age for participants and their beneficiaries which are nonforfeitable.
26. The term "current value" means fair market value where available and otherwise the fair value as determined in good faith by a trustee or a named fiduciary (as defined in section 1102(a)(2) of this title) pursuant to the terms of the plan and in accordance with regulations of the Secretary, assuming an orderly liquidation at the time of such determination.
27. The term "present value", with respect to a liability, means the value adjusted to reflect anticipated events. Such adjustments shall conform to such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe.
28. The term "normal service cost" or "normal cost" means the annual cost of future pension benefits and administrative expenses assigned, under an actuarial cost method, to years subsequent to a particular valuation date of a pension plan. The Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe regulations to carry out this paragraph.
29. The term "accrued liability" means the excess of the present value, as of a particular valuation date of a pension plan, of the projected future benefit costs and administrative expenses for all plan participants and beneficiaries over the present value of future contributions for the normal cost of all applicable plan participants and beneficiaries. The Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe regulations to carry out this paragraph.
30. The term "unfunded accrued liability" means the excess of the accrued liability, under an actuarial cost method which so provides, over the present value of the assets of a pension plan. The Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe regulations to carry out this paragraph.
31. The term "advance funding actuarial cost method" or "actuarial cost method" means a recognized actuarial technique utilized for establishing the amount and incidence of the annual actuarial cost of pension plan benefits and expenses. Acceptable actuarial cost methods shall include the accrued benefit cost method (unit credit method), the entry age normal cost method, the individual level premium cost method, the aggregate cost method, the attained age normal cost method, and the frozen initial liability cost method. The terminal funding cost method and the current funding (pay-as-you-go) cost method are not acceptable actuarial cost methods. The Secretary of the Treasury shall issue regulations to further define acceptable actuarial cost methods.
32. The term "governmental plan" means a plan established or maintained for its employees by the Government of the United States, by the government of any State or political subdivision thereof, or by any agency or instrumentality of any of the foregoing. The term "governmental plan" also includes any plan to which the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935 or 1937 [45 USCA 231 et seq.] applies, and which is financed by contributions required under that Act and any plan of an international organization which is exempt from taxation under the provisions of the International Organizations Immunities Act [22 USCA 288 et seq.].
33. (A) The term "church plan" means a plan established and maintained (to the extent required in clause (ii) of subparagraph (B)) for its employees (or their beneficiaries) by a church or by a convention or association of churches which is exempt from tax under section 501 of Title 26.

34. The term "individual account plan" or "defined contribution plan" means a pension plan which provides for an individual account for each participant and for benefits based solely upon the amount contributed to the participant's account, and any income, expenses, gains and losses, and any forfeitures of accounts of other participants which may be allocated to such participant's account.
35. The term "defined benefit plan" means a pension plan other than an individual account plan; except that a pension plan which is not an individual account plan and which provides a benefit derived from employer contributions which is based partly on the balance of the separate account of a participant -

1. For the purposes of section 1052 of this title, shall be treated as an individual account plan, and
2. For the purposes of paragraph (23) of this section and section 1054 of this title, shall be treated as an individual account plan to the extent benefits are based upon the separate account of a participant and as a defined benefit plan with respect to the remaining portion of benefits under the plan.

36. The term "excess benefit plan" means a plan maintained by an employer solely for the purpose of providing benefits for certain employees in excess of the limitations on contributions and benefits imposed by section 415 of Title 26 on plans to which that section applies, without regard to whether the plan is funded. To the extent that a separable part of a plan (as determined by the Secretary of Labor) maintained by an employer is maintained for such purpose, that part shall be treated as a separate plan which is an excess benefit plan.
37. (A) The term "multiemployer plan" means a plan -

1. To which more than one employer is required to contribute,
2. Which is maintained pursuant to one or more collective bargaining agreements between one or more employee organizations and more than one employer, and
3. Which satisfies such other requirements as the Secretary may prescribe by regulation.

2. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term "qualified football coaches plan" means any defined contribution plan which is established and maintained by an organization -

1. Which is described in section 501(c) of Title 26;
2. The membership of which consists entirely of individuals who primarily coach football as full-time employees of 4-year colleges or universities described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii) of Title 26; and
3. Which was in existence on September 18, 1986.

38. The term "investment manager" means any fiduciary (other than a trustee or named fiduciary, as defined in section 1102(a)(2) of this title) -

1. Who has the power to manage, acquire, or dispose of any asset of a plan;
2. Who is -

1. Registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 [15 USCA 80b-1 et seq.];
2. Is a bank, as defined in that Act; or
3. Is an insurance company qualified to perform services described in subparagraph (A) under the laws of more than one State; and

3. Has acknowledged in writing that he is a fiduciary with respect to the plan.

39. The terms "plan year" and "fiscal year of the plan" mean, with respect to a plan, the calendar, policy, or fiscal year on which the records of the plan are kept.
40. (A) The term "multiple employer welfare arrangement" means an employee welfare benefit plan, or any other arrangement (other than an employee welfare benefit plan), which is established or maintained for the purpose of offering or providing any benefit described in paragraph (1) to the employees of two or more employers (including one or more self-employed individuals), or to their beneficiaries, except that such term does not include any such plan or other arrangement which is established or maintained -

2. Under or pursuant to one or more agreements which the Secretary finds to be collective bargaining agreements,
3. By a rural electric cooperative, or
4. By a rural telephone cooperative association.

2. For purposes of this paragraph -

1. Two or more trades or businesses, whether or not incorporated, shall be deemed a single employer if such trades or businesses are within the same control group,
2. The term "control group" means a group of trades or businesses under common control,
3. The determination of whether a trade or business is under "common control" with another trade or business shall be determined under regulations of the Secretary applying principles similar to the principles applied in determining whether employees of two or more trades or businesses are treated as employed by a single employer under section 1301(b) of this title, except that, for purposes of this paragraph, common control shall not be based on an interest of less than 25 percent,
4. The term "rural electric cooperative" means -

1. Any organization which is exempt from tax under section 501(a) of Title 26 and which is engaged primarily in providing electric service on a mutual or cooperative basis, and
2. Any organization described in paragraph (4) or (6) of section 501(c) of Title 26 which is exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Title 26 and at least 80 percent of the members of which are organizations described in subclause (I), and

5. The term "rural telephone cooperative association" means an organization described in paragraph (4) or (6) of section 501(c) of Title 26 which is exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Title and at least 80 percent of the members of which are organizations engaged primarily in providing telephone service to rural areas of the United States on a mutual, cooperative, or other basis.

41. Single-employer plan. The term "single-employer plan" means an employee benefit plan other than a multiemployer plan.

In accordance with section 1056(d)(1)-(2) of this title:

* * *

(d) Assignment or alienation of plan benefits

1. Each pension plan shall provide that benefits provided under the plan may not be assigned or alienated.
2. For the purposes of paragraph (1) of this subsection, there shall not be taken into account any voluntary and revocable assignment of not to exceed 10 percent of any benefit payment, or of any irrevocable assignment or alienation of benefits executed before September 2, 1974. The preceding sentence shall not apply to any assignment or alienation made for the purposes of defraying plan administration costs. For purposes of this paragraph a loan made to a participant or beneficiary shall not be treated as an assignment or alienation if such loan is secured by the participant's accrued nonforfeitable benefit and is exempt from the tax imposed by section 4975 of Title 26 (relating to tax on prohibited transactions) by reason of section 4975(d)(1) of Title 26.

* * *

1. This part shall apply to any employee benefit plan described in section 4(a) (and not exempted under section 4(b)), other than:

1. A plan which is unfunded and is maintained by an employer primarily for the purpose of providing deferred compensation for a select group of management or highly compensated employees; or
2. Any agreement described in section 736 of Title 26, which provides payments to a retired partner or deceased partner or a deceased partner's successor in interest.

2. For purposes of this part:

1. In the case of a plan which invests in any security issued by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 USCA 80a-1 et seq.], the assets of such plan shall be deemed to include such security but shall not, solely by reason of such investment, be deemed to include any assets of such investment company.
2. In the case of a plan to which a guaranteed benefit policy is issued by an insurer, the assets of such plan shall be deemed to include such policy, but shall not, solely by reason of the issuance of such policy, be deemed to include any assets of such insurer. For purposes of this paragraph:

1. The term "insurer" means an insurance company, insurance service, or insurance organization, qualified to do business in a State.
2. The term "guaranteed benefit policy" means an insurance policy or contract to the extent that such policy or contact provides for benefits the amount of which is guaranteed by the insurer. Such term includes any surplus in a separate account, but excludes any other portion of a separate account.

1. Named fiduciaries

1. Every employee benefit plan shall be established and maintained pursuant to a written instrument. Such instrument shall provide for one or more named fiduciaries who jointly or severally shall have authority to control and manage the operation and administration of the plan.
2. For purposes of this subchapter, the term "named fiduciary" means a fiduciary who is named in the plan instrument, or who, pursuant to a procedure specified in the plan, is identified as a fiduciary -

1. By a person who is an employer or employee organization with respect to the plan or
2. By such an employer and such an employee organization acting jointly.

2. Requisite features of plan. Every employee benefit plan shall -

1. Provide a procedure for establishing and carrying out a funding policy and method consistent with the objectives of the plan and the requirements of this subchapter,
2. Describe any procedure under the plan for the allocation of responsibilities for the operation and administration of the plan (including any procedure described in section 1105(c)(1) of this title),
3. Provide a procedure for amending such plan, and for identifying the persons who have authority to amend the plan, and
4. Specify the basis on which payments are made to and from the plan.

1. In the case of a fiduciary of the terminated plan, any requirement -

1. Under section 4980(d)(2)(B) of Title 26 with respect to the transfer of assets from the terminated plan to a qualified replacement plan, and
2. Under section 4980(d)(2)(B)(ii) or 4980(d)(3) of Title 26 with respect to any increase in benefits under the terminated plan.

2. In the case of a fiduciary of a qualified replacement plan, any requirement -

1. Under section 4980(d)(2)(A) of Title 26 with respect to participation in the qualified replacement plan of active participants in the terminated plan,
2. Under section 4980(d)(2)(B) of Title 26 with respect to the receipt of assets from the terminated plan, and
3. Under section 4980(d)(2)(C) of Title 26 with respect to the allocation of assets to participants of the qualified replacement plan.

2. For purposes of this subsection -

1. Any term used in this subsection which is also used in section 4980(d) of Title 26 shall have the same meaning as when used in such section, and
2. Any reference in this subsection to Title 26 shall be a reference to Title 26 as in effect immediately after the enactment of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990.

1. Deal with the assets of the plan in his own interest or for his own account,
2. In his individual or in any other capacity act in any transaction involving the plan on behalf of a party (or represent a party) whose interests are adverse to the interests of the plan or the interests of its participants or beneficiaries, or
3. Receive any consideration for his own personal account from any party dealing with such plan in connection with a transaction involving the assets of the plan.

1. Percentage limitation. Except as otherwise provided in this section and section 1114 of this title:

1. A plan may not acquire or hold -

1. Any employer security which is not a qualifying employer security, or
2. Any employer real property which is not qualifying employer real property.

2. A plan may not acquire any qualifying employer security or qualifying employer real property, if immediately after such acquisition the aggregate fair market value of employer securities and employer real property held by the plan exceeds 10 percent of the fair market value of the assets of the plan.
3. (A) After December 31, 1984, a plan may not hold any qualifying employer securities or qualifying employer real property (or both) to the extent that the aggregate fair market value of such securities and property determined on December 31, 1984, exceeds 10 percent of the greater of -

1. The fair market value of the assets of the plan, determined on December 31, 1984, or
2. The fair market value of the assets of the plan determined on January 1, 1975.

(B) Subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall not apply to any plan which on any date after December 31, 1974; and before January 1, 1985, did not hold employer securities or employer real property (or both) the aggregate fair market value of which determined on such date exceeded 10 percent of the greater of -

1. The fair market value of the assets of the plan, determined on such date, or
2. The fair market value of the assets of the plan determined on January 1, 1975.

4. (A) After December 31, 1979, a plan may not hold any employer securities or employer real property in excess of the amount specified in regulations under subparagraph (B). This subparagraph shall not apply to a plan after the earliest date after December 31, 1974, on which it complies with such regulations.

(B) Not later than December 31, 1976, the Secretary shall prescribe regulations which shall have the effect of requiring that a plan divest itself of 50 percent of the holdings of employer securities and employer real property which the plan would be required to divest before January 1, 1985, under paragraph (2) or subsection (c) of this section (whichever is applicable).

2. Exception

1. Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to any acquisition or holding of qualifying employer securities or qualifying employer real property by an eligible individual account plan.
2. Cross References.

1. For exemption from diversification requirements for holding of qualifying employer securities and qualifying employer real property by eligible individual account plans, see section 1104(a)(2) of this title.
2. For exemption from prohibited transactions for certain acquisitions of qualifying employer securities and qualifying employer real property which are not in violation of 10 percent limitation, see section 1108(e) of this title.
3. For transitional rules respecting securities or real property subject to binding contracts in effect on June 30, 1974, see section 1114(c) of this title.

3. Election

1. A plan which makes the election, under paragraph (3) shall be treated as satisfying the requirement of subsection (a)(3) of this section if and only if employer securities held on any date after December 31, 1974 and before January 1, 1985 have a fair market value, determined as of December 31, 1974, not in excess of 10 percent of the lesser of -

1. The fair market value of the assets of the plan determined on such date (disregarding any portion of the fair market value of employer securities which is attributable to appreciation of such securities after December 31, 1974) but not less than the fair market value of plan assets on January 1, 1975, or
2. An amount equal to the sum of -

1. The total amount of the contributions to the plan received after December 31, 1974, and prior to such date, plus
2. The fair market value of the assets of the plan, determined on January 1, 1975.

2. For purposes of this subsection, in the case of an employer security held by a plan after January 1, 1975, the ownership of which is derived from ownership of employer securities held by the plan on January 1, 1975, or from the exercise of rights derived from such ownership, the value of such security held after January 1, 1975, shall be based on the value as of January 1, 1975, of the security from which ownership was derived. The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to carry out this paragraph.
3. An election under this paragraph may not be made after December 31, 1975. Such an election shall be made in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary, and shall be irrevocable. A plan may make an election under this paragraph only if on January 1, 1975, the plan holds no employer real property. After such election and before January 1, 1985 the plan may not acquire any employer real property.

4. Definitions.

For purposes of this section -

1. The term "employer security" means a security issued by an employer of employees covered by the plan, or by an affiliate of such employer. A contract to which section 1108(b)(5) of this title applies shall not be treated as a security for purposes of this section.
2. The term "employer real property" means real property (and related personal property) which is leased to an employer of employees covered by the plan, or to an affiliate of such employer. For purposes of determining the time at which a plan acquires employer real property for purposes of this section, such property shall be deemed to be acquired by the plan on the date on which the plan acquires the property or on the date on which the lease to the employer (or affiliate) is entered into, whichever is later.
3. (A) The term "eligible individual account plan" means an individual account plan which is-

1. A profit-sharing, stock bonus, thrift, or savings plan;
2. An employee stock ownership plan; or
3. A money purchase plan which was in existence on September 2, 1974, and which on such date invested primarily in qualifying employer securities. Such term excludes an individual retirement account or annuity described in section 408 of Title 26.

(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), a plan shall be treated as an eligible individual account plan with respect to the acquisition or holding of qualifying employer real property or qualifying employer securities only if such plan explicitly provides for acquisition and holding of qualifying employer securities or qualifying employer real property (as the case may be). In the case of a plan in existence on September 2, 1974, this subparagraph shall not take effect until January 1, 1976.

(C) The term "eligible individual account plan" does not include any individual account plan the benefits of which are taken into account in determining the benefits payable to a participant under any defined benefit plan.

4. The term "qualifying employer real property" means parcels of employer real property -

1. If a substantial number of the parcels are dispersed geographically;
2. If each parcel of real property and the improvements thereon are suitable (or adaptable without excessive cost) for more than one use;
3. Even if all of such real property is leased to one lessee (which may be an employer, or an affiliate of an employer); and
4. If the acquisition and retention of such property comply with the provisions of this part (other than section 1104(a)(1)(B) of this title to the extent it requires diversification, and sections 1104(a)(1)(C), 1106 of this title, and subsection (a) of this section).

5. The term "qualifying employer security" means an employer security which is -

1. Stock,
2. A marketable obligation (as defined in subsection (e)), or
3. An interest in a publicly traded partnership (as defined in section 7704(b) of Title 26, but only if such partnership is an existing partnership as defined in section 10211(c)(2)(A) of the Revenue Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-203).

6. The term "employee stock ownership plan" means an individual account plan -

1. Which is a stock bonus plan which is qualified, or a stock bonus plan and money purchase plan both of which are qualified, under section 401 of Title 26, and which is designed to invest primarily in qualifying employer securities, and
2. Which meets such other requirements as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe by regulation.

7. A corporation is an affiliate of an employer if it is a member of any controlled group of corporations (as defined in section 1563(a) of Title 26, except that "applicable percentage" shall be substituted for "80 percent" wherever the latter percentage appears in such section) of which the employer who maintains the plan is a member. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term "applicable percentage" means 50 percent, or such lower percentage as the Secretary may prescribe by regulation. A person other than a corporation shall be treated as an affiliate of an employer to the extent provided in regulations of the Secretary. An employer which is a person other than a corporation shall be treated as affiliated with another person to the extent provided by regulations of the Secretary. Regulations under this paragraph shall be prescribed only after consultation and coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury.
8. The Secretary may prescribe regulations specifying the extent to which conversions, splits, the exercise of rights, and similar transactions are not treated as acquisitions.
9. For purposes of this section, an arrangement which consists of a defined benefit plan and an individual account plan shall be treated as 1 plan if the benefits of such individual account plan are taken into account in determining the benefits payable under such defined benefit plan.

5. Marketable obligations. For purposes of subsection (d)(5) of this section, the term "marketable obligation" means a bond, debenture, note, or certificate, or other evidence of indebtedness (hereinafter in this subsection referred to as "obligation") if -

1. Such obligation is acquired -

1. On the market, either -

1. At the price of the obligation prevailing on a national securities exchange which is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or
2. If the obligation is not traded on such a national securities exchange, at a price not less favorable to the plan than the offering price for the obligation as established by current bid and asked prices quoted by persons independent of the issuer;

2. From an underwriter, at a price -

1. Not in excess of the public offering price for the obligation as set forth in a prospectus or offering circular filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and
2. At which a substantial portion of the same issue is acquired by persons independent of the issuer; or

3. Directly from the issuer, at a price not less favorable to the plan than the price paid currently for a substantial portion of the same issue by persons independent of the issuer;

2. Immediately following acquisition of such obligation -

1. Not more than 25 percent of the aggregate amount of obligations issued in such issue and outstanding at the time of acquisition is held by the plan, and
2. At least 50 percent of the aggregate amount referred to in subparagraph (A) is held by persons independent of the issuer; and

3. Immediately following acquisition of the obligation, not more than 25 percent of the assets of the plan is invested in obligations of the employer or an affiliate of the employer.

6. Maximum percentage of stock held by plan; time of holding or acquisition; necessity of legally binding contract

1. Stock satisfies the requirements of this paragraph if, immediately following the acquisition of such stock -

1. No more than 25 percent of the aggregate amount of stock of the same class issued and outstanding at the time of acquisition is held by the plan, and
2. At least 50 percent of the aggregate amount referred to in subparagraph (A) is held by persons independent of the issuer.

2. Until January 1, 1993, a plan shall not be treated as violating subsection (a) of this section solely by holding stock which fails to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (1) if such stock -

1. Has been so held since December 17, 1987, or
2. Was acquired after December 17, 1987, pursuant to a legally binding contract in effect on December 17, 1987, and has been so held at all times after the acquisition.

3. After December 17, 1987, no plan may acquire stock which does not satisfy the requirements of paragraph (1) unless the acquisition is made pursuant to a legally binding contract in effect on such date.

Before granting an exemption under this subsection from section 1106(a) or 1107(a) of this title, the Secretary shall publish notice in the Federal Register of the pendency of the exemption, shall require that adequate notice be given to interested persons, and shall afford interested persons opportunity to present views. The Secretary may not grant an exemption under this subsection from section 1106(b) of this title unless he affords an opportunity for a hearing and makes a determination on the record with respect to the findings required by paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection.

2. Enumeration of transactions exempted from section 1106 prohibitions. The prohibitions provided in section 1106 of this title shall not apply to any of the following transactions:

1. Any loans made by the plan to parties in interest who are participants or beneficiaries of the plan if such loans -

1. Are available to all such participants and beneficiaries on a reasonably equivalent basis,
2. Are not made available to highly compensated employees (within the meaning of section 414(q) of Title 26), in an amount greater than the amount made available to other employees,
3. Are made in accordance with specific provisions regarding such loans set forth in the plan,
4. Bear a reasonable rate of interest, and
5. Are adequately secured.

4. The investment of all or part of a plan's assets in deposits which bear a reasonable interest rate in a bank or similar financial institution supervised by the United States or a State, if such bank or other institution is a fiduciary of such plan and if -

5. Any contract for life insurance, health insurance, or annuities with one or more insurers which are qualified to do business in a State, if the plan pays no more than adequate consideration, and if each such insurer or insurers is -

1. The employer maintaining the plan, or
2. A party in interest which is wholly owned (directly or indirectly) by the employer maintaining the plan, or by any person which is a party in interest with respect to the plan, but only if the total premiums and annuity considerations written by such insurers for life insurance, health insurance, or annuities for all plans (and their employers) with respect to which such insurers are parties in interest (not including premiums or annuity considerations written by the employer maintaining the plan) do not exceed 5 percent of the total premiums and annuity considerations written for all lines of insurance in that year by such insurers (not including premiums or annuity considerations written by the employer maintaining the plan).

6. The providing of an ancillary service by a bank or similar financial institution supervised by the United States or a State, if such bank or other institution is a fiduciary of such plan, and if -

7. The exercise of a privilege to convert securities, to the extent provided in regulations of the Secretary, but only if the plan receives no less than adequate consideration pursuant to such conversion.
8. Any transaction between a plan and -

9. The making by a fiduciary of a distribution of the assets of the plan in accordance with the terms of the plan if such assets are distributed in the same manner as provided under section 1344 of this title (relating to allocation of assets).
10. Any transaction required or permitted under part 1 of subtitle E of subchapter III of this chapter.
11. A merger of multiemployer plans, or the transfer of assets or liabilities between multiemployer plans, determined by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation to meet the requirements of section 1411 of this title.
12. The sale by a plan to a party in interest on or after December 18, 1987, of any stock, if -

1. The requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (e) of this section are met with respect to such stock,
2. On the later of the date on which the stock was acquired by the plan, or January 1, 1975, such stock constituted a qualifying employer security (as defined in section 1107(d)(5) of this title as then in effect), and
3. Such stock does not constitute a qualifying employer security (as defined in section 1107(d)(5) of this title as in effect at the time of the sale).

13. Any transfer in a taxable year beginning before January 1, 2001, of excess pension assets from a defined benefit plan to a retiree health account in a qualified transfer permitted under section 420 of Title 26 (as in effect on January 1, 1996).

3. Fiduciary benefits and compensation not prohibited by section 1106. Nothing in section 1106 of this title shall be construed to prohibit any fiduciary from -

1. Receiving any benefit to which he may be entitled as a participant or beneficiary in the plan, so long as the benefit is computed and paid on a basis which is consistent with the terms of the plan as applied to all other participants and beneficiaries;
2. Receiving any reasonable compensation for services rendered, or for the reimbursement of expenses properly and actually incurred, in the performance of his duties with the plan; except that no person so serving who already receives full-time pay from an employer or an association of employers, whose employees are participants in the plan, or from an employee organization whose members are participants in such plan shall receive compensation from such plan, except for reimbursement of expenses properly and actually incurred; or
3. Serving as a fiduciary in addition to being an officer, employee, agent, or other representative of a party in interest.

4. Owner-employees; family members; shareholder employees. Section 1107(b) of this title and subsections (b), (c), and (e) of this section shall not apply to any transaction in which a plan, directly or indirectly -

1. Lends any part of the corpus or income of the plan to;
2. Pays any compensation for personal services rendered to the plan to; or
3. Acquires for the plan any property from or sells any property to; any person who is with respect to the plan an owner-employee (as defined in section 401(c)(3) of Title 26), a member of the family (as defined in section 267(c)(4) of Title 26) of any such owner-employee, or a corporation controlled by any such owner-employee through the ownership, directly or indirectly, of 50 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or 50 percent or more of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of the corporation. For purposes of this subsection a shareholder employee (as defined in section 1379 of Title 26 as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the Subchapter § Revision Act of 1982) and a participant or beneficiary of an individual retirement account or individual retirement annuity described in section 408 of Title 26 or a retirement bond described in section 409 of Title 26 (as effective for obligations issued before January 1, 1984) and an employer or association of employers which establishes such an account or annuity under section 408(c) of Title 26 shall be deemed to be an owner-employee.

5. Acquisition or sale by plan of qualifying employer securities; acquisition, sale, or lease by plan of qualifying employer real property.

Sections 1106 and 1107 of this title shall not apply to the acquisition or sale by a plan of qualifying employer securities (as defined in section 1107(d)(5) of this title) or acquisition, sale or lease by a plan of qualifying employer real property (as defined in section 1107(d)(4) of this title) -

1. If such acquisition, sale, or lease is for adequate consideration (or in the case of a marketable obligation, at a price not less favorable to the plan than the price determined under section 1107(e)(1) of this title),
2. If no commission is charged with respect thereto, and
3. If -

1. The plan is an eligible individual account plan (as defined in section 1107(d)(3) of this title), or
2. In the case of an acquisition or lease of qualifying employer real property by a plan which is not an eligible individual account plan, or of an acquisition of qualifying employer securities by such a plan, the lease or acquisition is not prohibited by section 1107(a) of this title.

6. Applicability of statutory prohibitions to mergers or transfers. Section 1106(b)(2) of this title shall not apply to any merger or transfer described in subsection (b)(11) of this section.

1. Any person who is a fiduciary with respect to a plan who breaches any of the responsibilities, obligations, or duties imposed upon fiduciaries by this subchapter shall be personally liable to make good to such plan any losses to the plan resulting from each such breach, and to restore to such plan any profits of such fiduciary which have been made through use of assets of the plan by the fiduciary, and shall be subject to such other equitable or remedial relief as the court may deem appropriate, including removal of such fiduciary. A fiduciary may also be removed for a violation of section 1111 of this title.
2. No fiduciary shall be liable with respect to a breach of fiduciary duty under this subchapter if such breach was committed before he became a fiduciary or after he ceased to be a fiduciary.

1. Except as provided in sections 1105(b)(1) and 1105(d) of this title, any provision in an agreement or instrument which purports to relieve a fiduciary from responsibility or liability for any responsibility, obligation, or duty under this part shall be void as against public policy.
2. Nothing in this subpart shall preclude -

1. A plan from purchasing insurance for its fiduciaries or for itself to cover liability or losses occurring by reason of the act or omission of a fiduciary, if such insurance permits recourse by the insurer against the fiduciary in the case of a breach of a fiduciary obligation by such fiduciary;
2. A fiduciary from purchasing insurance to cover liability under this part from and for his own account; or
3. An employer or an employee organization from purchasing insurance to cover potential liability of one or more persons who serve in a fiduciary capacity with regard to an employee benefit plan.

1. Conviction or imprisonment. No person who has been convicted of, or has been imprisoned as a result of his conviction of, robbery, bribery, extortion, embezzlement, fraud, grand larceny, burglary, arson, a felony violation of Federal or State law involving substances defined in section 802(6) of Title 21, murder, rape, kidnapping, perjury, assault with intent to kill, any crime described in section 80a-9(a)(1) of Title 15, a violation of any provision of this chapter, a violation of section 186 of this title, a violation of chapter 63 of Title 18, a violation of section 874, 1027, 1503, 1505, 1506, 1510, 1951, or 1954 of Title 18, a violation of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (29 USC 401), any felony involving abuse or misuse of such person's position or employment in a labor organization or employee benefit plan to seek or obtain an illegal gain at the expense of the members of the labor organization or the beneficiaries of the employee benefit plan, or conspiracy to commit any such crimes or attempt to commit any such crimes, or a crime in which any of the foregoing crimes is an element, shall serve or be permitted to serve -

1. As an administrator, fiduciary, officer, trustee, custodian, counsel, agent, employee, or representative in any capacity of any employee benefit plan,
2. As a consultant or adviser to an employee benefit plan, including but not limited to any entity whose activities are in whole or substantial part devoted to providing goods or services to any employee benefit plan, or
3. In any capacity that involves decision making authority or custody or control of the moneys, funds, assets, or property of any employee benefit plan, during or for the period of thirteen years after such conviction or after the end of such imprisonment, whichever is later, unless the sentencing court on the motion of the person convicted sets a lesser period of at least three years after such conviction or after the end of such imprisonment, whichever is later, or unless prior to the end of such period, in the case of a person so convicted or imprisoned -

1. His citizenship rights, having been revoked as a result of such conviction, have been fully restored, or
2. If the offense is a Federal offense, the sentencing judge or, if the offense is a State or local offense, the United States district court for the district in which the offense was committed, pursuant to sentencing guidelines and policy statements under section 994(a) of Title 28, determines that such person's service in any capacity referred to in paragraphs (1) through (3) would not be contrary to the purposes of this subchapter. Prior to making any such determination the court shall hold a hearing and shall give notice to such proceeding by certified mail to the Secretary of Labor and to State, county, and Federal prosecuting officials in the jurisdiction or jurisdictions in which such person was convicted. The court's determination in any such proceeding shall be final. No person shall knowingly hire, retain, employ, or otherwise place any other person to serve in any capacity in violation of this subsection.

Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this subsection, no corporation or partnership will be precluded from acting as an administrator, fiduciary, officer, trustee, custodian, counsel, agent, or employee of any employee benefit plan or as a consultant to any employee benefit plan without a notice, hearing, and determination by such court that such service would be inconsistent with the intention of this section.

2. Penalty. Any person who intentionally violates this section shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both.
3. Definitions. For the purpose of this section -

1. A person shall be deemed to have been "convicted" and under the disability of "conviction" from the date of the judgment of the trial court, regardless of whether that judgment remains under appeal.
2. The term "consultant" means any person who, for compensation, advises, or represents an employee benefit plan or who provides other assistance to such plan, concerning the establishment or operation of such plan.
3. A period of parole or supervised release shall not be considered as part of a period of imprisonment.

4. Payment of salary into escrow. Whenever any person -

1. By operation of this section, has been barred from office or other position in an employee benefit plan as a result of a conviction, and
2. Has filed an appeal of that conviction,

any salary which would be otherwise due such person by virtue of such office or position, shall be placed in escrow by the individual or organization responsible for payment of such salary. Payment of such salary into escrow shall continue for the duration of the appeal or for the period of time during which such salary would be otherwise due, whichever period is shorter. Upon the final reversal of such person's conviction on appeal, the amounts in escrow shall be paid to such person. Upon the final sustaining of that person's conviction on appeal, the amounts in escrow shall be returned to the individual or organization responsible for payments of those amounts. Upon final reversal of such person's conviction, such person shall no longer be barred by this statute from assuming any position from which such person was previously barred.

1. Requisite bonding of plan officials. Every fiduciary of an employee benefit plan and every person who handles funds or other property of such a plan (hereafter in this section referred to as "plan official") shall be bonded as provided in this section; except that -

1. Where such plan is one under which the only assets from which benefits are paid are the general assets of a union or of an employer, the administrator, officers, and employees of such plan shall be exempt from the bonding requirements of this section, and
2. No bond shall be required of a fiduciary (or of any director, officer, or employee of such fiduciary) if such fiduciary -

1. Is a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any State;and
2. Is authorized under such laws to exercise trust powers or to conduct an insurance business;and
3. Is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority; and
4. Has at all times a combined capital and surplus in excess of such a minimum amount as may be established by regulations issued by the Secretary, which amount shall be at least $1,000,000. Paragraph (2) shall apply to a bank or other financial institution which is authorized to exercise trust powers and the deposits of which are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, only if such bank or institution meets bonding or similar requirements under State law which the Secretary determines are at least equivalent to those imposed on banks by Federal law; or
5. Is registered as a broker or dealer under Section 15(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 if the broker or dealer is subject to the fidelity bond requirements of a self-regulatory organization.

The amount of such bond shall be fixed at the beginning of each fiscal year of the plan. Such amount shall be not less than 10 per centum of the amount of funds handled. In no case shall such bond be less than $1,000 nor more than $500,000, except in the case of a plan that holds employer securities, in which case the maximum amount of such bond shall be $1,000,000. The Secretary, however, after due notice and opportunity for hearing to all interested parties, and after consideration of the record, may prescribe an amount in excess of $500,000, subject to the 10 per centum limitation of the preceding sentence. For purposes of fixing the amount of such bond, the amount of funds handled shall be determined by the funds handled by the person, group, or class to be covered by such bond and by their predecessor or predecessors, if any, during the preceding reporting year, or if the plan has no preceding reporting year, the amount of funds to be handled during the current reporting year by such person, group, or class, estimated as provided in regulations of the Secretary. Such bond shall provide protection to the plan against loss by reason of acts of fraud or dishonesty on the part of the plan official, directly or through connivance with others. Any bond shall have as surety thereon a corporate surety company which is an acceptable surety on Federal bonds under authority granted by the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to sections 9304-9308 of Title 31. Any bond shall be in a form or of a type approved by the Secretary, including individual bonds or schedule of blanket forms of bonds which cover a group or class.

2. Unlawful acts. It shall be unlawful for any plan official to whom subsection (a) of this section applies, to receive, handle, disburse, or otherwise exercise custody or control of any of the funds or other property of any employee benefit plan, without being bonded as required by subsection (a) of this section and it shall be unlawful for any plan official of such plan, or any other person having authority to direct the performance of such functions, to permit such functions, or any of them, to be performed by any plan official, with respect to whom the requirements of subsection (a) of this section have not been met.
3. Conflict of interest prohibited in procuring bonds. It shall be unlawful for any person to procure any bond required by subsection (a) of this section from any surety or other company or through any agent or broker in whose business operations such plan or any party in interest in such plan has any control or significant financial interest, direct or indirect.
4. Exclusiveness of statutory basis for bonding requirement for persons handling funds or other property of employee benefit plans.

Nothing in any other provision of law shall require any person, required to be bonded as provided in subsection (a) of this section because he handles funds or other property of an employee benefit plan, to be bonded insofar as the handling by such person of the funds or other property of such plan is concerned.

5. Regulations. The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section including exempting a plan from the requirements of this section where he finds that -

1. Other bonding arrangements or
2. The overall financial condition of the plan would be adequate to protect the interests of the beneficiaries and participants.

When, in the opinion of the Secretary, the administrator of a plan offers adequate evidence of the financial responsibility of the plan, or that other bonding arrangements would provide adequate protection of the beneficiaries and participants, he may exempt such plan from the requirements of this section.

No action may be commenced under this subchapter with respect to a fiduciary's breach of any responsibility, duty, or obligation under this part, or with respect to a violation of this part, after the earlier of -

1. Six years after (A) the date of the last action which constituted a part of the breach or violation, or (B) in the case of an omission, the latest date on which the fiduciary could have cured the breach or violation, or
2. Three years after the earliest date on which the plaintiff had actual knowledge of the breach or violation;

except that in the case of fraud or concealment, such action may be commenced not later than six years after the date of discovery of such breach or violation.

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(i) Administrative assessment of civil penalty. In the case of a transaction prohibited by section 406 (29 USC 1106) by a party in interest with respect to a plan to which this part applies, the Secretary may assess a civil penalty against such party in interest. The amount of such penalty may not exceed 10 percent of the amount involved in each such transaction (as defined in section 4975(f)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, amended as of 1997) for each year or part thereof during which the prohibited transaction continues, except that, if the transaction is not corrected (in such manner as the Secretary shall prescribe in regulations which shall be consistent with section 4975(f)(5) of such Code within 90 days after notice from the Secretary (or such longer period as the Secretary may permit), such penalty may be in an amount not more than 100 percent of the amount involved. This subsection shall not apply to a transaction with respect to a plan described in section 4975(e)(1) of such Code.

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(l) (1) Civil penalties on violations by fiduciaries. In the case of -