Symptom 1
“My plan is overfunded”
Strong returns have pushed plan assets ahead of the benefit they fund, so this year's deductible contribution shrank or went to zero.
Solve a Pension Problem
Most plan problems announce themselves as a number that moved: a contribution that dropped, a deduction a TPA can no longer find, a staff cost that grew. Find the sentence that sounds like yours; the guide behind it explains what that usually means and the fixes, in the order an actuary would try them.
Next step
Want help narrowing down the symptom?
Start with a short model or talk with the team if the situation does not fit neatly into one of the guides below.
Symptom 2
“My contribution dropped”
A falling required contribution is usually the first visible sign of overfunding: the actuary's range moved down because assets outgrew the target.
Symptom 3
“My plan is underfunded”
Assets sit below the funding target, which triggers minimum-funding requirements and, if a payment is missed, excise taxes.
Symptom 4
“Employee costs are too high”
Staff allocations typically land around 5–7.5% of pay; if yours run higher, the design (cross-testing, safe harbor, gateway) usually needs revisiting.
Symptom 5
“My income changed”
A required contribution set in a better year can feel heavy in a leaner one; amendments, freezes, and the funding range are the relief options.
Symptom 6
“I want to terminate the plan”
Ending a plan is a 6–12 month process with surplus, shortfall, and rollover mechanics that depend on how it is sequenced.
Next step
Still unsure which fix fits?
A plan review can put the symptom, the plan documents, and your next step in the same conversation.
Symptom 7
“I'm selling the business”
A sale usually forces a termination decision; whether surplus stays with you or is taxed on reversion depends on timing and structure.
Symptom 8
“I'm adding a partner”
A new owner changes the census and the per-participant credit tiers, so the document and testing usually need a redesign before the next valuation.
Symptom 9
“I'm adding employees”
New hires enter the coverage and nondiscrimination math; the question becomes what they cost the plan.
Symptom 10
“My CPA says I can't contribute”
Usually a deduction-timing or entity question (where the deduction lands and the combined-plan 6% rule).
Symptom 11
“My TPA says the deduction disappeared”
The classic overfunding signal: the required contribution fell to zero because assets outran the benefit. Pension Rescue is the fix menu.
If the symptom is a vanished deduction, model the rescue first
The Pension Rescue Calculator shows how re-allocating an overfunded plan's assets changes the required contribution: a modeled illustration built from the age, plan balance, and income you enter, not a quote.
This guide is educational and is not individualized tax, legal, or investment advice. Contribution limits and tax rules change annually and depend on your specific situation; figures are illustrative. Consult a qualified professional before acting.