Pensions Authority compliance alert: 2018 Trustee administration calendar

Monday 19 February 2018: The Authority recommends scheme trustees establish a governance plan of action to ensure they develop and apply appropriate policies, processes and controls in the management of their scheme’s administration. A key aspect of any governance plan of action is identifying statutory timeframes and deadlines in relation to administration activities to be completed each year. This allows trustees to plan and schedule these activities in short, medium and longer cycles.

To assist trustees with their planning for 2018, the Authority have set out below a list of the main annual statutory administrative obligations and timelines which trustees are legally obliged to meet.[1]

Annual reports

Trustees must ensure an annual report is prepared which is reviewed and signed by the trustees, no later than 9 months after the end of each scheme year. For large schemes with more than 100 active and deferred members, trustees must appoint an auditor to review the annual report.

Trustees must forward a copy of the annual report to any authorised trade union representing members of the scheme no later than 9 months after the end of each scheme year.

Trustees must inform members in relevant employment of the availability of the annual report no later than 4 weeks after the time limit specified above.

Annual benefit statements

Trustees must ensure the preparation and issuance of annual benefit statements to members in relevant employment at least once in every scheme year and the information must be related to a date within 6 months of the issue date.

Annual scheme information return

Trustees should ensure that their registered administrator submits an annual scheme information return to the Authority within 9 months of the end of each scheme year. Trustees should have processes and procedures in place to ensure that the data submitted to the Authority by the registered administrator is accurate.

Annual actuarial data return

Trustees of a scheme to which the funding standard and funding standard reserve apply are required to have the scheme actuary complete an annual actuarial data return within 8 months from the end of each scheme year.

Trustees must submit the completed form to the Pensions Authority within 9 months of the end of the scheme year to which it relates.

Pensions Authority fees

Trustees must pay fees to the Pensions Authority by 31 January annually for single member schemes and 31 March annually for group schemes.

For occupational pension schemes where the total number of active members is 500 or less the annual fee is currently €8.00 for each member. Where the total number of active members is between 501 and 1,000 the annual fee is €4,000 and where there are more than 1,001 active members, the annual fee is €4.00 per member.

Updating scheme information

Trustees must update the Authority’s Pensions Data Register to reflect changes to the basic information of their scheme within 12 months of the effective date of the change. Examples of changes to basic information include where a trustee is removed/appointed or where the status of a scheme changes from active to in wind-up.

-Ends-

For further information, contact:

David Malone

Head of Operations

The Pensions Authority

Tel: (01) 6131900

Note to Editors

The Pensions Authority

The Pensions Authority (the “Authority”) is the statutory body established by the Pensions Act 1990 (the “Act”) to regulate occupational pension schemes, trust based RACs and Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs) and to advise the Minister for Social Protection on overall pension policy development. See www.pensionsauthority.ie

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[1] Trustees will often appoint a third party to complete some of these tasks on their behalf. However, where trustees are delegating any action related to their legal obligations to a third party, the trustees remain legally responsible.