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This page has not been translated. Please go to PBGC.gov's Spanish home page for more information available in Spanish.

Esta página no ha sido traducida. Por favor vaya a la página principal del sitio de español de PBGC para ver información disponible en español.

# Guaranteed Benefits

**This section applies only to PBGC-trusteed single-employer plans.** For information about guarantees in PBGC’s separate Multiemployer Pension Insurance Program, see our Multiemployer FAQ page. 

## Benefits PBGC Guarantees

PBGC guarantees the "basic benefits" you earned before your pension plan’s termination date (or the date your employer’s bankruptcy proceeding began, if applicable) up to legal limits set by Congress. Benefits include:
                          - Pension benefits at normal retirement age
                          - Most early retirement benefits
                          - Annuity benefits for survivors of plan participants
                          - Disability benefits (see exception below)

## Benefits PBGC Does Not Guarantee

                          - Health and welfare benefits
                          - Vacation pay
                          - Severance benefits
                          - Lump-sum death benefits for a death that occurs after the date the plan ended
                          - Disability benefits for a disability that occurs after the plan’s termination date (or the date your employer’s bankruptcy proceeding began, if applicable)

## Legal Limits on PBGC's Guarantees

                          - Generally, PBGC does not guarantee any monthly pension amount that is greater than the monthly benefit your plan would have provided if you had retired at your normal retirement age.
                          - The maximum amount that PBGC guarantees is set each year under provisions of ERISA. For more information, see:  Maximum monthly guarantee tables
                          - Higher limits may apply for people who met their plan’s requirements for a disability pension (whether they are receiving a disability pension or a non-disability pension) before the plan’s termination date. For more information, see “ Guarantees for disabled participants. ”
                          - PBGC may not fully guarantee your benefits if your plan was created or amended to increase benefits within five years before its termination date.
                          - If the plan terminated while your employer was in a bankruptcy proceeding that began on or after September 16, 2006, guarantees are determined as of the date your employer’s bankruptcy proceeding began.
                          - Additional limits may apply for certain airline industry plans.

For more information, see General FAQs About PBGC.

May 14, 2021

##           Contact Us      

Visit our Contact Us page for more information.

##           Related Resources      

Pension Guarantees Fact Sheet

General FAQs About PBGC

Priority Categories

##           Guarantees for Disabled Participants          

Participants receiving or eligible for a disability pension have higher guarantee limits than non-disabled participants. Learn more here.

##           Maximum Monthly Guarantee Tables          

Find your maximum monthly guaranteed amount, which is set by law and based in part on your age. Learn more here.

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