PBGC guarantees the "basic benefits" you earned before your pension plan’s termination date (or the date your employer’s bankruptcy proceeding began, if applicable) up to legal limits set by Congress. Benefits include:

  • Pension benefits at normal retirement age
  • Most early retirement benefits
  • Annuity benefits for survivors of plan participants
  • Disability benefits (see exception below)

The 2017 maximum monthly guarantee for a 65-year-old retiree is $5,369.32 which amounts to about $64,432 per year.