TREASURY REGULATIONS

(a)(1) Q-1. What special rollover rules apply to a plan loan offset amount (including a qualified plan loan offset amount)?

(2) A-1—(i) In general—(A) Eligible rollover distribution. A distribution of a plan loan offset amount, as defined in paragraph (a)(2)(iii)(A) of this section (including a qualified plan loan offset amount, a type of plan loan offset amount defined in paragraph (a)(2)(iii)(B) of this section), is an eligible rollover distribution if it satisfies § 1.402(c)-2, Q&A-3 and 4.

(B) Other rules relating to plan loan offset amounts. See § 1.401(a)(31)-1, Q&A-16, for guidance concerning the offering of a direct rollover of a plan loan offset amount. See also § 31.3405(c)-1, Q&A-11, of this chapter for guidance concerning special withholding rules with respect to plan loan offset amounts.

(ii) Rollover period for a plan loan offset amount—(A) Plan loan offset amount that is not a qualified plan loan offset amount. A distribution of a plan loan offset amount that is an eligible rollover distribution and not a qualified plan loan offset amount may be rolled over by the employee (or spousal distributee) to an eligible retirement plan (as defined in § 1.402(c)-2, Q&A-2) within the 60-day period set forth in section 402(c)(3)(A).

(B) Plan loan offset amount that is a qualified plan loan offset amount. A distribution of a plan loan offset amount that is an eligible rollover distribution and that is a qualified plan loan offset amount may be rolled over by the employee (or spousal distributee) to an eligible retirement plan within the period set forth in section 402(c)(3)(C), which is the individual's tax filing due date (including extensions) for the taxable year in which the offset is treated as distributed from a qualified employer plan.

(iii) Definitions—(A) Plan loan offset amount. For purposes of section 402(c), a plan loan offset amount is the amount by which, under the plan terms governing a plan loan, an employee's accrued benefit is reduced (offset) in order to repay the loan (including the enforcement of the plan's security interest in an employee's accrued benefit). A distribution of a plan loan offset amount can occur in a variety of circumstances, for example, when the terms governing a plan loan require that, in the event of the employee's termination of employment or request for a distribution, the loan be repaid immediately or treated as in default. A distribution of a plan loan offset amount also occurs when, under the terms governing the plan loan, the loan is cancelled, accelerated, or treated as if it were in default (for example, when the plan treats a loan as in default upon an employee's termination of employment or within a specified period thereafter). A distribution of a plan loan offset amount is an actual distribution, not a deemed distribution under section 72(p).

(B) Qualified plan loan offset amount. For purposes of section 402(c), a qualified plan loan offset amount is a plan loan offset amount that satisfies the following requirements:

(1) The plan loan offset amount is treated as distributed from a qualified employer plan to an employee or beneficiary solely by reason of the termination of the qualified employer plan, or the failure to meet the repayment terms of the loan because of the severance from employment of the employee; and

(2) The plan loan offset amount relates to a plan loan that met the requirements of section 72(p)(2) immediately prior to the termination of the qualified employer plan or the severance from employment of the employee, as applicable.

(C) Qualified employer plan. For purposes of section 402(c) and this section, a qualified employer plan is a qualified employer plan as defined in section 72(p)(4).

(iv) Special rules for qualified plan loan offset amounts—(A) Definition of severance from employment. For purposes of paragraph (a)(2)(iii)(B)(1) of this section, whether an employee has a severance from employment with the employer that maintains the qualified employer plan is determined in the same manner as under § 1.401(k)-1(d)(2). Thus, an employee has a severance from employment when the employee ceases to be an employee of the employer maintaining the plan.

(B) Offset because of severance from employment. A plan loan offset amount is treated as distributed from a qualified employer plan to an employee or beneficiary solely by reason of the failure to meet the repayment terms of a plan loan because of severance from employment of the employee if the plan loan offset:

(1) Relates to a failure to meet the repayment terms of the plan loan; and

(2) Occurs within the period beginning on the date of the employee's severance from employment and ending on the first anniversary of that date.

(v) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules with respect to plan loan offset amounts, including qualified plan loan offset amounts, in this paragraph (a) and in §§ 1.401(a)(31)-1, Q&A-16, and 31.3405(c)-1, Q&A-11, of this chapter. For purposes of the examples in this paragraph (a)(2)(v), each reference to a plan refers to a qualified employer plan as described in section 72(p)(4).

(A) Example 1. (1) In 2020, Employee A has an account balance of $10,000 in Plan Y, of which $3,000 is invested in a plan loan to Employee A that is secured by Employee A's account balance in Plan Y. Employee A has made no after-tax employee contributions to Plan Y. The plan loan meets the requirements of section 72(p)(2). Plan Y does not provide any direct rollover option with respect to plan loans. Employee A severs from employment on June 15, 2020. After severance from employment, Plan Y accelerates the plan loan and provides Employee A 90 days to repay the remaining balance of the plan loan. Employee A, who is under the age set forth in section 401(a)(9)(C)(i)(II), does not repay the loan within the 90 days and instead elects a direct rollover of Employee A's entire account balance in Plan Y. On September 18, 2020 (within the 12-month period beginning on the date that Employee A severed from employment), Employee A's outstanding loan is offset against the account balance.

(2) In order to satisfy section 401(a)(31), Plan Y must make a direct rollover by paying $7,000 directly to the eligible retirement plan chosen by Employee A. When Employee A's account balance was offset by the amount of the $3,000 unpaid loan balance, Employee A received a plan loan offset amount (equivalent to $3,000) that is an eligible rollover distribution. However, under § 1.401(a)(31)-1, Q&A-16, Plan Y satisfies section 401(a)(31), even though a direct rollover option was not provided with respect to the $3,000 plan loan offset amount.

(3) No withholding is required under section 3405(c) on account of the distribution of the $3,000 plan loan offset amount because no cash or other property (other than the plan loan offset amount) is received by Employee A from which to satisfy the withholding.

(4) The $3,000 plan loan offset amount is a qualified plan loan offset amount within the meaning of paragraph (a)(2)(iii)(B) of this section. Accordingly, Employee A may roll over up to the $3,000 qualified plan loan offset amount to an eligible retirement plan within the period that ends on the employee's tax filing due date (including extensions) for the taxable year in which the offset occurs.

(B) Example 2. (1) The facts are the same as in paragraph (a)(2)(v)(A) of this section (Example 1), except that, rather than accelerating the plan loan, Plan Y permits Employee A to continue making loan installment payments after severance from employment. Employee A continues making loan installment payments until January 1, 2021, at which time Employee A does not make the loan installment payment due on January 1, 2021. In accordance with § 1.72(p)-1, Q&A-10, Plan Y allows a cure period that continues until the last day of the calendar quarter following the quarter in which the required installment payment was due. Employee A does not make a plan loan installment payment during the cure period. Plan Y offsets the unpaid $3,000 loan balance against Employee A's account balance on July 1, 2021 (which is after the 12-month period beginning on the date that Employee A severed from employment).

(2) The conclusion is the same as in paragraph (a)(2)(v)(A) of this section (Example 1), except that the $3,000 plan loan offset amount is not a qualified plan loan offset amount (because the offset did not occur within the 12-month period beginning on the date that Employee A severed from employment). Accordingly, Employee A may roll over up to the $3,000 plan loan offset amount to an eligible retirement plan within the 60-day period provided in section 402(c)(3)(A) (rather than within the period that ends on Employee A's tax filing due date (including extensions) for the taxable year in which the offset occurs).

(C) Example 3. (1) The facts are the same as in paragraph (a)(2)(v)(A) of this section (Example 1), except that the terms governing the plan loan to Employee A provide that, upon severance from employment, Employee A's account balance is automatically offset by the amount of any unpaid loan balance to repay the loan. Employee A severs from employment but does not request a distribution from Plan Y. Nevertheless, pursuant to the terms governing the plan loan, Employee A's account balance is automatically offset on June 15, 2020, by the amount of the $3,000 unpaid loan balance.

(2) The $3,000 plan loan offset amount is a qualified plan loan offset amount within the meaning of paragraph (a)(2)(iii)(B) of this section. Accordingly, Employee A may roll over up to the $3,000 qualified plan loan offset amount to an eligible retirement plan within the period that ends on Employee A's tax filing due date (including extensions) for the taxable year in which the offset occurs.

(D) Example 4. (1) The facts are the same as in paragraph (a)(2)(v)(A) of this section (Example 1), except that Employee A elects to receive a cash distribution of the account balance that remains after the $3,000 plan loan offset amount, instead of electing a direct rollover of the remaining account balance.

(2) The amount of the distribution received by Employee A is $10,000 ($3,000 relating to the plan loan offset and $7,000 relating to the cash distribution). Because the amount of the $3,000 plan loan offset amount attributable to the loan is included in determining the amount of the eligible rollover distribution to which withholding applies, withholding in the amount of $2,000 (20 percent of $10,000) is required under section 3405(c). The $2,000 is required to be withheld from the $7,000 to be distributed to Employee A in cash, so that Employee A actually receives a cash amount of $5,000.

(3) The $3,000 plan loan offset amount is a qualified plan loan offset amount within the meaning of paragraph (a)(2)(iii)(B) of this section. Accordingly, Employee A may roll over up to the $3,000 qualified plan loan offset to an eligible retirement plan within the period that ends on the Employee A's tax filing due date (including extensions) for the taxable year in which the offset occurs. In addition, Employee A may roll over up to $7,000 (the portion of the distribution that is not related to the offset) within the 60-day period provided in section 402(c)(3).

(E) Example 5. (1) The facts are the same as in paragraph (a)(2)(v)(D) of this section (Example 4), except that the $7,000 distribution to Employee A after the offset consists solely of employer securities within the meaning of section 402(e)(4)(E).

(2) No withholding is required under section 3405(c) because the distribution consists solely of the $3,000 plan loan offset amount and the $7,000 distribution of employer securities. This is the result because the total amount required to be withheld does not exceed the sum of the cash and the fair market value of other property distributed, excluding plan loan offset amounts and employer securities.

(3) Employee A may roll over up to the $7,000 of employer securities to an eligible retirement plan within the 60-day period provided in section 402(c)(3). The $3,000 plan loan offset amount is a qualified plan loan offset amount within the meaning of paragraph (a)(2)(iii)(B) of this section. Accordingly, Employee A may roll over up to the $3,000 qualified plan loan offset amount to an eligible retirement plan within the period that ends on Employee A's tax filing due date (including extensions) for the taxable year in which the offset occurs.

(F) Example 6. (1) Employee B, who is age 40, has an account balance in Plan Z. Plan Z provides for no after-tax employee contributions. In 2022, Employee B receives a loan from Plan Z, the terms of which satisfy section 72(p)(2), and which is secured by elective contributions subject to the distribution restrictions in section 401(k)(2)(B).

(2) Employee B fails to make an installment payment due on April 1, 2023, or any other monthly payments thereafter. In accordance with § 1.72(p)-1, Q&A-10, Plan Z allows a cure period that continues until the last day of the calendar quarter following the quarter in which the required installment payment was due (September 30, 2023). Employee B does not make a plan loan installment payment during the cure period. On September 30, 2023, pursuant to section 72(p)(1), Employee B is taxed on a deemed distribution equal to the amount of the unpaid loan balance. Pursuant to § 1.402(c)-2, Q&A-4(d), the deemed distribution is not an eligible rollover distribution.

(3) Because Employee B has not severed from employment or experienced any other event that permits the distribution under section 401(k)(2)(B) of the elective contributions that secure the loan, Plan Z is prohibited from executing on the loan. Accordingly, Employee B's account balance is not offset by the amount of the unpaid loan balance at the time of the deemed distribution. Thus, there is no distribution of an offset amount that is an eligible rollover distribution on September 30, 2023.

(G) Example 7. (1) The facts are the same as in in paragraph (a)(2)(v)(F) of this section (Example 6), except that Employee B has a severance from employment on November 1, 2023. On that date, Employee B's unpaid loan balance is offset against the account balance on distribution.

(2) The plan loan offset amount is not a qualified plan loan offset amount. Although the offset occurred within 12 months after Employee B severed from employment, the plan loan does not meet the requirement in paragraph (a)(2)(iii)(B) of this section (that the plan loan meet the requirements of section 72(p)(2) immediately prior to Employee B's severance from employment). Instead, the loan was taxable on September 30, 2023 (prior to Employee B's severance from employment on November 1, 2023), because of the failure to meet the level amortization requirement in section 72(p)(2)(C). Accordingly, Employee B may roll over the plan loan offset amount to an eligible retirement plan within the 60-day period provided in section 402(c)(3)(A) (rather than within the period that ends on Employee B's tax filing due date (including extensions) for the taxable year in which the offset occurs).

(b)(1) Q-2. When are the rules in this section applicable to plan loan offset amounts, including qualified plan loan offset amounts?

(2) A-2. The rules provided in paragraph (a) of this section are applicable to plan loan offset amounts, including qualified plan loan offset amounts, treated as distributed on or after January 1, 2021. However, taxpayers (including a filer of a Form 1099-R) may choose to apply the regulations in this section with respect to plan loan offset amounts, including qualified plan loan offset amounts, treated as distributed on or after August 20, 2020.