In late February 2009, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released the Pilot Governmental Plan Questionnaire (Form 14035) to 25 governmental plans, a small sampling of the governmental plans community.  We understand that there may have been some difficulties with the contacts and addresses to whom those questionnaires were sent.  For instance, the questionnaire may have been addressed to a department of the state or city other than the agency responsible for administering the pension plan.  Therefore, we encourage you to check carefully in your jurisdiction to determine whether the IRS issued a questionnaire to your plan.

         The IRS has requested a reply within 90 days of the date of the cover letter, so the questionnaire responses will generally be due in mid to late May.  The questionnaire includes 65 questions, some of which have multiple sub-parts; so if your plan has received a questionnaire, you will want to allow plenty of time to prepare your responses.  While failure to respond will not automatically trigger an audit of the plan, the IRS will follow up with any recipients who do not respond.

         In addition, the IRS has requested comments on the questionnaire itself.  The IRS wishes to receive these comments before the final questionnaire is distributed to a much larger sampling of governmental pension plans, an action expected to occur later this year.  Comments are due by May 19, 2009.  Late in 2009 the IRS anticipates compiling and analyzing the responses to the final questionnaire and preparing a public report.

         You can find the questionnaire, as well as the cover letter and instructions for submitting comments, by clicking here.  Please contact Mary Beth Braitman, Terry A.M. Mumford, Lisa E. Harrison, or Katrina M. Clingerman if you need any further information.