Normal DB Plan Termination and Annuities ?

[Guest nikomendy]

a series of questions involving a qualified DB

plan which is to be normally terminated..

plan has a set of retirees (participants in pay status), receiving monthly benefit payment,

and retirees elected various J&s factors-

(by terms of the plan) when they retired.

Here are questions:

(1) Retirees are required to be provided annuities from a dol approved insurer, a a part

of the termination process... correct ?

(2) Under what circumstances can the value

of the annuity provided be different than value

of payment they are already receiving ?

(3) Do anuites- provided- have to match the j&s

factors in effect for those in pay status ?

(4) Under what circumstances - can retirees,

be forced to accept a lump sum in lieu of an annuity ?

(5) Plan has both pre-65 and 65 + retirees.

Pre-65 retirees were allowed to select and draw

their pensions immdiately. Can these participants,

be given annuities (reduced) - e.g., based on

lower age 65 deferred value/s. Put another way,

can a normal plan termination be used to effectively defeat 411(d) of the code, and essentially "cutback early retirees)" ?