Updated May 2026 · DOL Form 5500 + PBGC
Frozen Plans
Plans that have stopped accruing new benefits but continue to pay existing obligations. No new participants are added.
0 frozen plans tracked, covering 0 active and retired participants with an average funding ratio of 0.0%. These plans no longer add new accruals but continue to pay obligations to existing participants.
Frozen pension plans no longer accrue new benefits for new or existing employees, but continue paying out earned benefits to retirees and vested workers. 0 frozen plans are in the dataset.
Plan status affects participant decisions: an active plan is still building benefits; a frozen plan is paying out what was already earned; a terminated or critical plan signals heightened benefit-modification risk.
What "Frozen" Means in Practice
A frozen plan has stopped accruing new benefits — typically through a hard freeze (no future accruals for any participant) or a soft freeze (no new entrants). The plan continues to pay existing obligations, but the liability profile is fixed and converges toward a closed liability book over time. Frozen plans are easier to fund-match because the obligation no longer grows with new service.
The 0 listed plans report no aggregate unfunded liability — assets meet or exceed accrued obligations at each plan's assumed discount rate. Status data comes from DOL EBSA Form 5500 datasets and PBGC publications.
Status designations can change between valuation cycles. A plan that emerges from critical status through a Rehabilitation Plan moves out of this list; a plan that freezes new accruals during the year shows up under Frozen at the next reporting cycle. Public plan status data — for plans not subject to ERISA — comes from the Public Plans Database compilation of each system's ACFR.
Plans Currently Listed
| # | Plan Name | Type | State | Participants | Funding Ratio | Unfunded Gap | Grade |
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How Status Is Determined
For ERISA-covered private and multiemployer plans, status flags come directly from the plan's Form 5500 filing, with PBGC publishing supplemental data for plans in at-risk or critical status. For terminated plans, PBGC publishes a list of trusteed plans separately. For public plans, status comes from each system's ACFR. The Pension Health Score on this page combines funding ratio (50%), 3-year funding trend (30%), and PBGC risk (20%) — see the methodology.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Frozen" status mean?
Plans that have stopped accruing new benefits but continue to pay existing obligations. No new participants are added. A frozen plan has stopped accruing new benefits — typically through a hard freeze (no future accruals for any participant) or a soft freeze (no new entrants). The plan continues to pay existing obligations, but the liability profile is fixed and converges toward a closed liability book over time. Frozen plans are easier to fund-match because the obligation no longer grows with new service.
How many frozen plans are there?
PensionRisk currently tracks 0 frozen plans, with the top 0 listed below by participant count and unfunded liability.
What happens to my benefit if my plan is frozen?
Existing accrued benefits remain payable per the plan's formula. Future service typically does not earn new accruals — exact treatment depends on whether the plan is hard-frozen or soft-frozen. Many participants in frozen plans now accrue future retirement benefits through a separate 401(k) or cash-balance plan offered by the same sponsor.
Where does this status data come from?
Plan status designations come from DOL EBSA Form 5500 filings (Schedule SB or MB), PBGC publications for trusteed terminated plans and the agency's at-risk designations, and the Boston College Public Plans Database for state and municipal plans. The current dataset reflects filings available as of May 2026.
Is this investment advice?
No. PensionRisk is a data and education site. We explain plan status designations and what they mean for participants, but we do not recommend specific investment actions, predict whether plans will recover, or advise on lump-sum-vs-annuity decisions. For plan-specific concerns, review your most recent Annual Funding Notice and consult a fee-only fiduciary advisor.
0 frozen plans tracked, covering 0 active and retired participants with an average funding ratio of 0.0%. These plans no longer add new accruals but continue to pay obligations to existing participants.