[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 5]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR1.401(a)(4)-4]

[Page 121-129]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1_INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.401(a)(4)-4  Nondiscriminatory availability of benefits, 
rights, and features.

    (a) Introduction. This section provides rules for determining 
whether the benefits, rights, and features provided under a plan (i.e., 
all optional forms of benefit, ancillary benefits, and other rights and 
features available to any employee under the plan) are made available in 
a nondiscriminatory manner. Benefits, rights, and features provided 
under a plan are made available to employees in a nondiscriminatory 
manner only if each benefit, right, or

[[Page 122]]

feature satisfies the current availability requirement of paragraph (b) 
of this section and the effective availability requirement of paragraph 
(c) of this section. Paragraph (d) of this section provides special 
rules for applying these requirements. Paragraph (e) of this section 
defines optional form of benefit, ancillary benefit, and other right or 
feature.
    (b) Current availability--(1) General rule. The current availability 
requirement of this paragraph (b) is satisfied if the group of employees 
to whom a benefit, right, or feature is currently available during the 
plan year satisfies section 410(b) (without regard to the average 
benefit percentage test of Sec. 1.410(b)-5). In determining whether the 
group of employees satisfies section 410(b), an employee is treated as 
benefiting only if the benefit, right, or feature is currently available 
to the employee.
    (2) Determination of current availability--(i) General rule. Whether 
a benefit, right, or feature that is subject to specified eligibility 
conditions is currently available to an employee generally is determined 
based on the current facts and circumstances with respect to the 
employee (e.g., current compensation, accrued benefit, position, or net 
worth).
    (ii) Certain conditions disregarded--(A) Certain age and service 
conditions--(1) General rule. Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(2)(i) of 
this section, any specified age or service condition with respect to an 
optional form of benefit or a social security supplement is disregarded 
in determining whether the optional form of benefit or the social 
security supplement is currently available to an employee. Thus, for 
example, an optional form of benefit that is available to all employees 
who terminate employment on or after age 55 with at least 10 years of 
service is treated as currently available to an employee, without regard 
to the employee's current age or years of service, and without regard to 
whether the employee could potentially meet the age and service 
conditions prior to attaining the plan's normal retirement age.
    (2) Time-limited age or service conditions not disregarded. 
Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(2)(ii)(A)(1) of this section, an age or 
service condition is not disregarded in determining the current 
availability of an optional form of benefit or social security 
supplement if the condition must be satisfied within a limited period of 
time. However, in determining the current availability of an optional 
form of benefit or a social security supplement subject to such an age 
or service condition, the age and service of employees may be projected 
to the last date by which the age condition or service condition must be 
satisfied in order to be eligible for the optional form of benefit or 
social security supplement under the plan. Thus, for example, an 
optional form of benefit that is available only to employees who 
terminate employment between July 1, 1995, and December 31, 1995, after 
attainment of age 55 with at least 10 years of service is treated as 
currently available to an employee only if the employee could satisfy 
those age and service conditions by December 31, 1995.
    (B) Certain other conditions. Specified conditions on the 
availability of a benefit, right, or feature requiring a specified 
percentage of the employee's accrued benefit to be nonforfeitable, 
termination of employment, death, satisfaction of a specified health 
condition (or failure to meet such condition), disability, hardship, 
family status, default on a plan loan secured by a participant's account 
balance, execution of a covenant not to compete, application for 
benefits or similar ministerial or mechanical acts, election of a 
benefit form, execution of a waiver of rights under the Age 
Discrimination in Employment Act or other federal or state law, or 
absence from service, are disregarded in determining the employees to 
whom the benefit, right, or feature is currently available. In addition, 
if a multiemployer plan includes a reasonable condition that limits 
eligibility for an ancillary benefit, or other right or feature, to 
those employees who have recent service under the plan (e.g., a 
condition on a death benefit that requires an employee to have a minimum 
number of hours credited during the last two years) and the condition 
applies to all employees in the multiemployer plan (including the 
collectively bargained employees) to

[[Page 123]]

whom the ancillary benefit, or other right or feature, is otherwise 
currently available, then the condition is disregarded in determining 
the employees to whom the ancillary benefit, or other right or feature, 
is currently available.
    (C) Certain conditions relating to mandatory cash-outs. In the case 
of a plan that provides for mandatory cash-outs of all terminated 
employees who have a vested accrued benefit with an actuarial present 
value less than or equal to a specified dollar amount (not to exceed the 
cash-out limit in effect under Sec. 1.411(a)-11(c)(3)(ii)) as permitted 
by sections 411(a)(11) and 417(e), the implicit condition on any 
benefit, right, or feature (other than the mandatory cash-out) that 
requires the employee to have a vested accrued benefit with an actuarial 
present value in excess of the specified dollar amount is disregarded in 
determining the employees to whom the benefit, right, or feature is 
currently available.
    (D) Other dollar limits. A condition that the amount of an 
employee's vested accrued benefit or the actuarial present value of that 
benefit be less than or equal to a specified dollar amount is 
disregarded in determining the employees to whom the benefit, right, or 
feature is currently available.
    (E) Certain conditions on plan loans. In the case of an employee's 
right to a loan from the plan, the condition that an employee must have 
an account balance sufficient to be eligible to receive a minimum loan 
amount specified in the plan (not to exceed $1,000) is disregarded in 
determining the employees to whom the right is currently available.
    (3) Benefits, rights, and features that are eliminated 
prospectively--(i) Special testing rule. Notwithstanding paragraph 
(b)(1) of this section, a benefit, right, or feature that is eliminated 
with respect to benefits accrued after the later of the eliminating 
amendment's adoption or effective date (the elimination date), but is 
retained with respect to benefits accrued as of the elimination date, 
and that satisfies this paragraph (b) as of the elimination date, is 
treated as satisfying this paragraph (b) for all subsequent periods. 
This rule does not apply if the terms of the benefit, right, or feature 
(including the employees to whom it is available) are changed after the 
elimination date.
    (ii) Elimination of a benefit, right, or feature--(A) General rule. 
For purposes of this paragraph (b)(3), a benefit, right, or feature 
provided to an employee is eliminated with respect to benefits accrued 
after the elimination date if the amount or value of the benefit, right, 
or feature depends solely on the amount of the employee's accrued 
benefit (within the meaning of section 411(a)(7)) as of the elimination 
date, including subsequent income, expenses, gains, and losses with 
respect to that benefit in the case of a defined contribution plan.
    (B) Special rule for benefits, rights, and features that are not 
section 411(d)(6)-protected benefits. Notwithstanding paragraph 
(b)(3)(ii)(A) of this section, in the case of a benefit, right, or 
feature under a defined contribution plan that is not a section 
411(d)(6)-protected benefit (within the meaning of Sec. 1.411(d)-4, 
Q&A-1), e.g., the availability of plan loans, for purposes of this 
paragraph (b)(3)(ii) each employee's accrued benefit as of the 
elimination date may be treated, on a uniform basis, as consisting 
exclusively of the dollar amount of the employee's account balance as of 
the elimination date.
    (C) Special rule for benefits, rights, and features that depend on 
adjusted accrued benefits. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(3), a 
benefit, right, or feature provided to an employee under a plan that has 
made a fresh start does not fail to be eliminated as of an elimination 
date that is the fresh-start date merely because it depends solely on 
the amount of the employee's adjusted accrued benefit (within the 
meaning of Sec. 1.401(a)(4)-13(d)(8)).
    (c) Effective availability--(1) General rule. Based on all of the 
relevant facts and circumstances, the group of employees to whom a 
benefit, right, or feature is effectively available must not 
substantially favor HCEs.
    (2) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules of this 
paragraph (c):

    Example 1. Employer X maintains Plan A, a defined benefit plan that 
covers both of its highly compensated nonexcludable employees and nine 
of its 12 nonhighly compensated nonexcludable employees. Plan A provides

[[Page 124]]

for a normal retirement benefit payable as an annuity and based on a 
normal retirement age of 65, and an early retirement benefit payable 
upon termination in the form of an annuity to employees who terminate 
from service with the employer on or after age 55 with 30 or more years 
of service. Both HCEs of Employer X currently meet the age and service 
requirement, or will have 30 years of service by the time they reach age 
55. All but two of the nine NHCEs of Employer X who are covered by Plan 
A were hired on or after age 35 and, thus, cannot qualify for the early 
retirement benefit. Even though the group of employees to whom the early 
retirement benefit is currently available satisfies the ratio percentage 
test of Sec. 1.410(b)-2(b)(2) when age and service are disregarded 
pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(ii)(A) of this section, absent other facts, 
the group of employees to whom the early retirement benefit is 
effectively available substantially favors HCEs.
    Example 2. Employer Y maintains Plan B, a defined benefit plan that 
provides for a normal retirement benefit payable as an annuity and based 
on a normal retirement age of 65. By a plan amendment first adopted and 
effective December 1, 1998, Employer Y amends Plan B to provide an early 
retirement benefit that is available only to employees who terminate 
employment by December 15, 1998, and who are at least age 55 with 30 or 
more years of service. Assume that all employees were hired prior to 
attaining age 25 and that the group of employees who have, or will have, 
attained age 55 with 30 years of service by December 15, 1998, satisfies 
the ratio percentage test of Sec. 1.410(b)-2(b)(2). Assume, further, 
that the employer takes no steps to inform all eligible employees of the 
early retirement option on a timely basis and that the only employees 
who terminate from employment with the employer during the two-week 
period in which the early retirement benefit is available are HCEs. 
Under these facts, the group of employees to whom this early retirement 
window benefit is effectively available substantially favors HCEs.
    Example 3. Employer Z amends Plan C on June 30, 1999, to provide for 
a single sum optional form of benefit for employees who terminate from 
employment with Employer Z after June 30, 1999, and before January 1, 
2000. The availability of this single sum optional form of benefit is 
conditioned on the employee's having a particular disability at the time 
of termination of employment. The only employee of the employer who 
meets this disability requirement at the time of the amendment and 
thereafter through December 31, 1999, is a HCE. Under paragraph 
(b)(2)(ii)(B) of this section, the disability condition is disregarded 
in determining the current availability of the single sum optional form 
of benefit. Nevertheless, under these facts, the group of employees to 
whom the single sum optional form of benefit is effectively available 
substantially favors HCEs.

    (d) Special rules--(1) Mergers and acquisitions--(i) Special testing 
rule. A benefit, right, or feature available under a plan solely to an 
acquired group of employees is treated as satisfying paragraphs (b) and 
(c) of this section during the period that each of the following 
requirements is satisfied:
    (A) The benefit, right, or feature must satisfy paragraphs (b) and 
(c) of this section (determined without regard to the special rule in 
section 410(b)(6)(C)) on the date that is selected by the employer as 
the latest date by which an employee must be hired or transferred into 
the acquired trade or business for an employee to be included in the 
acquired group of employees. This determination is made with reference 
to the plan of the current employer and its nonexcludable employees.
    (B) The benefit, right, or feature must be available under the plan 
of the current employer after the transaction on the same terms as it 
was available under the plan of the prior employer before the 
transaction. This requirement is not violated merely because of a change 
made to the benefit, right, or feature that is permitted by section 
411(d)(6), provided that--
    (1) The change is a replacement of the benefit, right, or feature 
with another benefit, right, or feature that is available to the same 
employees as the original benefit, right, or feature, and the original 
benefit, right, or feature is of inherently equal or greater value 
(within the meaning of paragraph (d)(4)(i)(A) of this section) than the 
benefit, right, or feature that replaces it; or
    (2) The change is made before January 12, 1993.
    (ii) Scope of special testing rule. This paragraph (d)(1) applies 
only to benefits, rights, and features with respect to benefits accruing 
under the plan of the current employer, and not to benefits, rights, and 
features with respect to benefits accrued under the plan of the prior 
employer (unless, pursuant to the transaction, the plan of the prior

[[Page 125]]

employer becomes the plan of the current employer, or the assets and 
liabilities with respect to the acquired group of employees under the 
plan of the prior employer are transferred to the plan of the current 
employer in a plan merger, consolidation, or other transfer described in 
section 414(l)).
    (iii) Example. The following example illustrates the rules of this 
paragraph (d)(1):

    Example. Employer X maintains Plan A, a defined benefit plan with a 
single sum optional form of benefit for all employees. Employer Y 
acquires Employer X and merges Plan A into Plan B, a defined benefit 
plan maintained by Employer Y that does not otherwise provide a single 
sum optional form of benefit. Employer Y continues to provide the single 
sum optional form of benefit under Plan B on the same terms as it was 
offered under Plan A to all employees who were acquired in the 
transaction with Employer X (and to no other employees). The optional 
form of benefit satisfies paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section 
immediately following the transaction (determined without taking into 
account section 410(b)(6)(C)) when tested with reference to Plan B and 
Employer Y's nonexcludable employees. Under these facts, Plan B is 
treated as satisfying this section with respect to the single sum 
optional form of benefit for the plan year of the transaction and all 
subsequent plan years.

    (2) Frozen participants. A plan must satisfy the nondiscriminatory 
availability requirement of this section not only with respect to 
benefits, rights, and features provided to employees who are currently 
benefiting under the plan, but also separately with respect to benefits, 
rights, and features provided to nonexcludable employees with accrued 
benefits who are not currently benefiting under the plan (frozen 
participants). Thus, each benefit, right, and feature available to any 
frozen participant under the plan is separately subject to the 
requirements of this section. A plan satisfies paragraphs (b) and (c) of 
this section with respect to a benefit, right, or feature available to 
any frozen participant under the plan only if one or more of the 
following requirements is satisfied:
    (i) The benefit, right, or feature must be one that would satisfy 
paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section if it were not available to any 
employee currently benefiting under the plan.
    (ii) The benefit, right, or feature must be one that would satisfy 
paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section if all frozen participants were 
treated as employees currently benefiting under the plan.
    (iii) No change in the availability of the benefit, right, or 
feature may have been made that is first effective in the current plan 
year with respect to a frozen participant.
    (iv) Any change in the availability of the benefit, right, or 
feature that is first effective in the current plan year with respect to 
a frozen participant must be made in a nondiscriminatory manner. Thus, 
any expansion in the availability of the benefit, right, or feature to 
any highly compensated frozen participant must be applied on a 
consistent basis to all nonhighly compensated frozen participants. 
Similarly, any contraction in the availability of the benefit, right, or 
feature that affects any nonhighly compensated frozen participant must 
be applied on a consistent basis to all highly compensated frozen 
participants.
    (3) Early retirement window benefits. If a benefit, right, or 
feature meets the definition of an early retirement window benefit in 
Sec. 1.401(a)(4)-3(f)(4)(iii) (or would meet that definition if the 
definition applied to all benefits, rights, and features), the benefit, 
right, or feature is disregarded for purposes of applying this section 
with respect to an employee for all plan years other than the first plan 
year in which the benefit is currently available to the employee.
    (4) Permissive aggregation of certain benefits, rights, or 
features--(i) General rule. An optional form of benefit, ancillary 
benefit, or other right or feature may be aggregated with another 
optional form of benefit, ancillary benefit, or other right or feature, 
respectively, and the two may be treated as a single optional form of 
benefit, ancillary benefit, or other right or feature, if both of the 
following requirements are satisfied:
    (A) One of the two optional forms of benefit, ancillary benefit, or 
other rights or features must in all cases be of inherently equal or 
greater value than the other. For this purpose, one

[[Page 126]]

benefit, right, or feature is of inherently equal or greater value than 
another benefit, right, or feature only if, at any time and under any 
conditions, it is impossible for any employee to receive a smaller 
amount or a less valuable right under the first benefit, right, or 
feature than under the second benefit, right, or feature.
    (B) The optional form of benefit, ancillary benefit, or other right 
or feature of inherently equal or greater value must separately satisfy 
paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section (without regard to this paragraph 
(d)(4)).
    (ii) Aggregation may be applied more than once. The aggregation rule 
in this paragraph (d)(4) may be applied more than once. Thus, for 
example, an optional form of benefit may be aggregated with another 
optional form of benefit that itself constitutes two separate optional 
forms of benefit that are aggregated and treated as a single optional 
form of benefit under this paragraph (d)(4).
    (iii) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules in this 
paragraph (d)(4):

    Example 1. Plan A is a defined benefit plan that provides a single 
sum optional form of benefit to all employees. The single sum optional 
form of benefit is available on the same terms to all employees, except 
that, for employees in Division S, a five-percent discount factor is 
applied and, for employees of Division T, a seven-percent discount 
factor is applied. Under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the single 
sum optional form of benefit constitutes two separate optional forms of 
benefit. Assume that the single sum optional form of benefit available 
to employees of Division S separately satisfies paragraphs (b) and (c) 
of this section without taking into account this paragraph (d)(4). 
Because a lower discount factor is applied in determining the single sum 
optional form of benefit available to employees of Division S than is 
applied in determining the single sum optional form of benefit available 
to employees of Division T, the first single sum optional form of 
benefit is of inherently greater value than the second single sum 
optional form of benefit. Under these facts, these two single sum 
optional forms of benefit may be aggregated and treated as a single 
optional form of benefit for purposes of this section.
    Example 2. The facts are the same as in Example 1, except that, in 
order to receive the single sum optional form of benefit, employees of 
Division S (but not employees of Division T) must have completed at 
least 20 years of service. The single sum optional form of benefit 
available to employees of Division S is not of inherently equal or 
greater value than the single sum optional form of benefit available to 
employees of Division T, because an employee of Division S who 
terminates employment with less than 20 years of service would receive a 
smaller single sum amount (i.e., zero) than a similarly-situated 
employee of Division T who terminates employment with less than 20 years 
of service. Under these facts, the two single sum optional forms of 
benefit may not be aggregated and treated as a single optional form of 
benefit for purposes of this section.

    (5) Certain spousal benefits. In the case of a plan that includes 
two or more plans that have been permissively aggregated under Sec. 
1.410(b)-7(d), the aggregated plan satisfies this section with respect 
to the availability of any nonsubsidized qualified joint and survivor 
annuities, qualified preretirement survivor annuities, or spousal death 
benefits described in section 401(a)(11), if each plan that is part of 
the aggregated plan satisfies section 401(a)(11). Whether a benefit is 
considered subsidized for this purpose may be determined using any 
reasonable actuarial assumptions. For purposes of this paragraph (d)(5), 
a qualified joint and survivor annuity, qualified preretirement survivor 
annuity, or spousal death benefit is deemed to be nonsubsidized if it is 
provided under a defined contribution plan.
    (6) Special ESOP rules. An ESOP does not fail to satisfy paragraphs 
(b) and (c) of this section merely because it makes an investment 
diversification right or feature or a distribution option available 
solely to all qualified participants (within the meaning of section 
401(a)(28)(B)(iii)), or merely because the restrictions of section 
409(n) apply to certain individuals.
    (7) Special testing rule for unpredictable contingent event 
benefits. A benefit, right, or feature that is contingent on the 
occurrence of an unpredictable contingent event (within the meaning of 
section 412(l)(7)(B)(ii)) is tested under this section as if the event 
had occurred. Thus, the current availability of a benefit that becomes 
an optional form of benefit upon the occurrence of an unpredictable 
contingent event is tested by deeming the event to have occurred and by 
disregarding age and

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service conditions on the eligibility for that benefit to the extent 
permitted for optional forms of benefit under paragraph (b)(2) of this 
section.
    (e) Definitions--(1) Optional form of benefit--(i) General rule. The 
term optional form of benefit means a distribution alternative 
(including the normal form of benefit) that is available under a plan 
with respect to benefits described in section 411(d)(6)(A) or a 
distribution alternative that is an early retirement benefit or 
retirement-type subsidy described in section 411(d)(6)(B)(i), including 
a QSUPP. Except as provided in paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this section, 
different optional forms of benefit exist if a distribution alternative 
is not payable on substantially the same terms as another distribution 
alternative. The relevant terms include all terms affecting the value of 
the optional form, such as the method of benefit calculation and the 
actuarial assumptions used to determine the amount distributed. Thus, 
for example, different optional forms of benefit may result from 
differences in terms relating to the payment schedule, timing, 
commencement, medium of distribution (e.g., in cash or in kind), 
election rights, differences in eligibility requirements, or the portion 
of the benefit to which the distribution alternative applies.
    (ii) Exceptions--(A) Differences in benefit formula or accrual 
method. A distribution alternative available under a defined benefit 
plan does not fail to be a single optional form of benefit merely 
because the benefit formulas, accrual methods, or other factors 
(including service-computation methods and definitions of compensation) 
underlying, or the manner in which employees vest in, the accrued 
benefit that is paid in the form of the distribution alternative are 
different for different employees to whom the distribution alternative 
is available. Notwithstanding the foregoing, differences in the normal 
retirement ages of employees or in the form in which the accrued benefit 
of employees is payable at normal retirement age under a plan are taken 
into account in determining whether a distribution alternative 
constitutes one or more optional forms of benefit.
    (B) Differences in allocation formula. A distribution alternative 
available under a defined contribution plan does not fail to be a single 
optional form of benefit merely because the allocation formula or other 
factors (including service-computation methods, definitions of 
compensation, and the manner in which amounts described in Sec. 
1.401(a)(4)-2(c)(2)(iii) are allocated) underlying, or the manner in 
which employees vest in, the accrued benefit that is paid in the form of 
the distribution alternative are different for different employees to 
whom the distribution alternative is available.
    (C) Distributions subject to section 417(e). A distribution 
alternative available under a defined benefit plan does not fail to be a 
single optional form of benefit merely because, in determining the 
amount of a distribution, the plan applies a lower interest rate to 
determine the distribution for employees with a vested accrued benefit 
having an actuarial present value not in excess of $25,000, as required 
by section 417(e)(3) and Sec. 1.417(e)-1.
    (D) Differences attributable to uniform normal retirement age. A 
distribution alternative available under a defined benefit plan does not 
fail to be a single optional form of benefit, to the extent that the 
differences are attributable to differences in normal retirement dates 
among employees, provided that the differences do not prevent the 
employees from having the same uniform normal retirement age under the 
definition of uniform normal retirement age in Sec. 1.401(a)(4)-12.
    (iii) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules in this 
paragraph (e)(1):

    Example 1. Plan A is a defined benefit plan that benefits all 
employees of Divisions S and T. The plan offers a qualified joint and 
50-percent survivor annuity at normal retirement age, calculated by 
multiplying an employee's single life annuity payment by a factor. For 
an employee of Division S whose benefit commences at age 65, the plan 
provides a factor of 0.90, but for a similarly-situated employee of 
Division T the plan provides a factor of 0.85. The qualified joint and 
survivor annuity is not available to employees of Divisions S and T on 
substantially the same terms, and thus it constitutes two separate 
optional forms of benefit.
    Example 2. Plan B is a defined benefit plan that benefits all 
employees of Divisions U

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and V. The plan offers a single sum distribution alternative available 
on the same terms and determined using the same actuarial assumptions, 
to all employees. However, different benefit formulas apply to employees 
of each division. Under the exception provided in paragraph 
(e)(1)(ii)(A) of this section, the single sum optional form of benefit 
available to employees of Division U is not a separate optional form of 
benefit from the single sum optional form of benefit available to 
employees of Division V.
    Example 3. Defined benefit Plan C provides an early retirement 
benefit based on a schedule of early retirement factors that is a single 
optional form of benefit. Plan C is amended to provide an early 
retirement window benefit that consists of a temporary change in the 
plan's benefit formula (e.g., the addition of five years of service to 
an employee's actual service under the benefit formula) applicable in 
determining the benefits for certain employees who terminate employment 
within a limited period of time. Under the exception provided in 
paragraph (e)(1)(ii)(A) of this section, the early retirement optional 
form of benefit available to window-eligible employees is not a separate 
optional form of benefit from the early retirement optional form of 
benefit available to the other employees.

    (2) Ancillary benefit. The term ancillary benefit means social 
security supplements (other than QSUPPs), disability benefits not in 
excess of a qualified disability benefit described in section 411(a)(9), 
ancillary life insurance and health insurance benefits, death benefits 
under a defined contribution plan, preretirement death benefits under a 
defined benefit plan, shut-down benefits not protected under section 
411(d)(6), and other similar benefits. Different ancillary benefits 
exist if an ancillary benefit is not available on substantially the same 
terms as another ancillary benefit. Principles similar to those in 
paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this section apply in making this determination.
    (3) Other right or feature--(i) General rule. The term other right 
or feature generally means any right or feature applicable to employees 
under the plan. Different rights or features exist if a right or feature 
is not available on substantially the same terms as another right or 
feature.
    (ii) Exceptions to definition of other right or feature. 
Notwithstanding paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this section, a right or feature 
is not considered an other right or feature if it--
    (A) Is an optional form of benefit or an ancillary benefit under the 
plan;
    (B) Is one of the terms that are taken into account in determining 
whether separate optional forms of benefit or ancillary benefits exist, 
or that would be taken into account but for paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this 
section (e.g., benefit formulas or the manner in which benefits vest); 
or
    (C) Cannot reasonably be expected to be of meaningful value to an 
employee (e.g., administrative details).
    (iii) Examples. Other rights and features include, but are not 
limited to--
    (A) Plan loan provisions (other than those relating to a 
distribution of an employee's accrued benefit upon default under a 
loan);
    (B) The right to direct investments;
    (C) The right to a particular form of investment, including, for 
example, a particular class or type of employer securities (taking into 
account, in determining whether different forms of investment exist, any 
differences in conversion, dividend, voting, liquidation preference, or 
other rights conferred under the security);
    (D) The right to make each rate of elective contributions described 
in Sec. 1.401(k)-1(g)(3) (determining the rate based on the plan's 
definition of the compensation out of which the elective contributions 
are made (regardless of whether that definition satisfies section 
414(s)), but also treating different rates as existing if they are based 
on definitions of compensation or other requirements or formulas that 
are not substantially the same);
    (E) The right to make after-tax employee contributions to a defined 
benefit plan that are not allocated to separate accounts;
    (F) The right to make each rate of after-tax employee contributions 
described in Sec. 1.401(m)-1(f)(6) (determining the rate based on the 
plan's definition of the compensation out of which the after-tax 
employee contributions are made (regardless of whether that definition 
satisfies section 414(s)), but also treating different rates as existing 
if

[[Page 129]]

they are based on definitions of compensation or other requirements or 
formulas that are not substantially the same);
    (G) The right to each rate of allocation of matching contributions 
described in Sec. 1.401(m)-1(f)(12) (determining the rate using the 
amount of matching, elective, and after-tax employee contributions 
determined after any corrections under Sec. Sec. 1.401(k)-1(f)(1)(i), 
1.401(m)-1(e)(1)(i), and 1.401(m)-2(c), but also treating different 
rates as existing if they are based on definitions of compensation or 
other requirements or formulas that are not substantially the same);
    (H) The right to purchase additional retirement or ancillary 
benefits under the plan; and
    (I) The right to make rollover contributions and transfers to and 
from the plan.

[T.D. 8485, 58 FR 46796, Sept. 3, 1993, as amended by T.D. 8794, 63 FR 
70338, Dec. 21, 1998; T.D. 8891, 65 FR 44682, July 19, 2000]