You become a Participant on the first day of the month after you accrue 435 hours of work in 12 consecutive months.

The Plan Year is January 1 through December 31.

You earn one (1) Year of Service for each Plan Year in which you accrue at least 435 hours of work.

You are entitled to a benefit when you become “vested.” You will be 100% vested once you earn five (5) Years of Service.

A Break in Service Year is where you accrue less than 435 hours of work during a Plan Year. If before you are vested, you accrue five (5) consecutive Break in Service Years, you will suffer a Permanent Break in Service and your Years of Service will be cancelled and you will no longer be a Participant.

Should you have two (2) consecutive Break in Service Years, you become an Inactive Participant at the end of the second Break in Service Year. As an Inactive Participant, you are only eligible to receive those benefits that you are vested in and your benefits may be calculated different than an Active Participant.

The Fund provides Normal Retirement, Early Retirement, Vested Retirement, Disability and Death/Survivor Benefits.

This is an important concept. Please see Page S-16 of the Summary Plan Description.

You are eligible for a Normal Retirement Benefit if you have completely retired and stopped working while you are an Active Participant and are at least 65 years old.

You are eligible for an Early Retirement Benefit if you have completely retired and stopped working, are at least 57 years old (but less than 65 years old) and have earned at least ten (10) Years of Service.

To learn more about Early Retirement Benefits, see Page S-22 of the Summary Plan Description.

If you have accrued at least five (5) but fewer than ten (10) Years of Service, you will be eligible for a monthly benefit payable when you reach age 65. This benefit would be based on the Normal Retirement provisions of the Fund.

If you accrued at least ten (10) Years of Service before you became an Inactive Participant, you will be eligible, at your option to begin receiving a reduced benefit on or after your 57th birthday.

For additional information on vesting, see Pages S-29 and S-30 of the Summary Plan Description.

The Pension Fund provides five (5) forms of benefits: Straight Life Benefit, 50% Qualified Joint and Survivor Benefit, 75% Joint and Survivor Benefit, 100% Joint and Survivor Benefit, and Life – Ten Years Certain Benefits.

Please see Pages S-17 to S-25 of the Summary Plan Description for a description of each form of benefit and sample calculations.

The Return to Work and Suspension of Benefits provisions are described on Pages S-30 to S-32 of the Summary Plan Description.

You are eligible for a Disability Benefit if you become totally and permanently disabled while you are an Active Participant, under age 65 and must be eligible for Social Security Disability Benefits. Please see Pages S-32 to S-34 of the Summary Plan Description.

It is important that the Fund office be notified of you or your spouse’s death and that a copy of the death certificate be sent to the Fund office as soon as possible.

If you have not begun receiving your Retirement Benefits and you are not married at the time of death (or married for less than one year), your beneficiary will receive a lump sum life benefit equal to the percentage of all your employer contributions based on your Years of Service.

If you die prior to being eligible for a Normal, Early or Vested Retirement Benefit, and you have been married for at least a year, your spouse may elect to receive a deferred monthly survivor benefit or an immediate lump sum cash value benefit.

Should you be eligible for a Normal, Early or Vested Retirement benefit at the time of your death, but had not started it yet, your spouse will be eligible for an immediate 50% Joint and Survivor benefit.

Please refer to Pages S-35 and S-36 of the Summary Plan Description for additional information about Death and Survivor benefits.

To name a beneficiary, please complete the Beneficiary Designation Form.

Please keep in mind that if you have been married for more than one year, you must have your spouse’s consent to name a Beneficiary other than your spouse and cannot do so until you reach age 35. View and complete the Election to Waive Surviving Spouse Benefit Form.

Yes, it is important that prior to retiring, you submit copies of all entered and/or proposed Judgment of Divorces, Separation Agreements, Property Settlement Agreements and Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDRO). When these documents are provided to the Fund office, the Pension Fund’s attorney will decide whether any portion of your retirement benefit has been assigned to your spouse, former spouse, child or dependent. You are encouraged to provide these documents as soon as they are entered and not wait until you retire, so that any issues that arise can be addressed in a timely manner.

Please see Pages S-36 to S-38 of the Summary Plan Description for additional information.

Each year you will receive a Benefit Estimate Statement which provides you current information on your monthly accrued benefit.

If you wish to receive additional retirement information, including an estimate under the various benefit options, please contact the Fund office to request a benefit estimate.

It is recommended that you contact the Fund office about 3-4 months before your anticipated retirement date. This will allow you time to gather and submit all required documents. You start the process by contacting the Fund office to request an Application for Benefits.

After your request is received and processed by the Fund office, an Application for Benefits packet will be mailed to you for your completion.

Withholding for Federal and State of Michigan income tax will be withheld based on you completing the tax election forms. You should contact your tax preparer, advisor or accountant to discuss your personal tax situation before submitting your application. You may change your withholding at any time by contacting the Fund office for or downloading the following forms:

Federal Withholding Election Form
Michigan Form MI W-4P Withholding Certificate

You can sign up to have your monthly Retirement Benefit deposited to your checking or savings account by completing the Direct Deposit Authorization Form.

If you want to make a change to your direct deposit, please complete a new Direct Deposit Authorization Form for your new account and submit it to the Fund office as soon as possible.