On Monday, November 1, 2015, President Obama signed into law the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (the “BBA”) which brings familiar changes for sponsors of defined benefit pension plans. Similar to the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act in 2012 (“MAP-21”), the BBA provides relief from pension funding obligations while increasing PBGC premiums.  The following summarizes the two major changes under the BBA that affect pension plans.

On Monday, November 2nd, the President signed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (BBA).  Some legislators had hoped that a budget deal would at least include a repeal of the controversial 40% excise tax on high-cost health care (the so-called “Cadillac Tax”).  However, the BBA left the Affordable Care Act (ACA) largely intact, with the ACA’s automatic enrollment mandate being the only casualty.