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Pension Plan
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Applying for Retirement

So you finally made it to retirement. You owe yourself a pat on the back for all the work you have done to get to this point. To start receiving your pension, you need to apply for Retirement Benefits with the Pension Plan. Retirement Benefits are not paid automatically until the law requires it, usually after age 72April 1 following the year you turn age 70-1/2 (if you were born before July 1, 1949), age 72 (if you were born after June 30, 1949) or January 1 following vesting if you are over age 72 when you vest.. Things you must know:

  • You have to be:
    • Vested, and
    • At least age 52 on your desired Retirement Date.
  • Retirement Benefit Application forms are NOT available through this website. Each Retirement Benefit Application is prepared exclusively for you at your request.
  • Make an appointment for retirement counseling with the Pension Benefits Department at least two months prior to your desired Retirement Date. Contact us by mail, fax, or phone.
  • You must submit your completed Retirement Benefit Application packet so that the Administrative Office receives it at least 30 days, but no more than 180 days, prior to your desired Retirement Date. This is required by law.
  • Retirement Dates are always the first of a month. You will be paid on the first of the month for that month starting on your Retirement Date. Your check will be mailed the business day prior to the first of a month. Or, if you choose to have your benefit payments electronically transferred to your account, the transfer will occur on the first business day of the month. The first of a month that falls on a Holiday or weekend will affect the timing of your benefit payment.

To get your pension started by a certain date, your completed Retirement Benefit Application form and documents must be sent to the Administrative Office so that they are received by the Administrative Office on or before the deadline. Think about when you want to start your benefits and find out when you should contact us and when your forms and documents need to be returned to us by looking at the Deadlines below. If we don't receive your completed Retirement Application packet, your Retirement Date will change to a future date, your benefit will start later and it will NOT be paid retroactively. In some cases if you don't provide certain parts of your application or supporting documents, the Joint & 50% Survivor Annuity with your spouse as Beneficiary will be your Retirement Benefit Option as required by law. You CANNOT change your Retirement Benefit Option on or after your Retirement Date, under any circumstance, not even death or divorce. It is a good idea to plan as far ahead as possible. Signatures must be notarized or witnessed by a Pension Plan Representative. You can cancel your application anytime until the business day before your Retirement Date, but not after. Once you miss a deadline, we cannot turn back time. NO exceptions will be made. Your Retirement Date will be moved to a future date.

The Pension Department maintains office hours from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday thru Friday, with the exception of Holidays.

Deadlines
You want your
Retirement Date to start your Retirement Benefits on:		 Contact Us
As Early As:		 Completed Retirement Benefit Application form
must be received by Administrative Office on or before:		 Supporting Documents
must be received by Administrative Office on or before:
01/01/202507/05/202411/29/202412/13/2024
02/01/202508/05/202412/31/202401/14/2025
03/01/202509/02/202401/29/202502/14/2025
04/01/202510/03/202402/28/202503/14/2025
05/01/202511/04/202403/31/202504/14/2025
06/01/202512/03/202405/01/202505/14/2025
07/01/202501/02/202505/30/202506/13/2025
08/01/202502/03/202507/01/202507/14/2025
09/01/202503/05/202508/01/202508/14/2025
10/01/202504/04/202508/29/202509/12/2025
11/01/202505/05/202510/01/202510/14/2025
12/01/202506/04/202510/31/202511/14/2025
01/01/202607/07/202512/01/202512/12/2025
02/01/202608/05/202512/31/202501/14/2026
03/01/202609/02/202501/29/202602/13/2026
04/01/202610/03/202502/27/202603/13/2026
05/01/202611/03/202503/31/202604/14/2026
06/01/202612/03/202505/01/202605/14/2026
07/01/202601/02/202605/29/202606/12/2026
08/01/202602/02/202607/01/202607/14/2026
09/01/202603/05/202607/31/202608/14/2026
10/01/202604/06/202608/31/202609/14/2026
11/01/202605/05/202610/01/202610/14/2026
12/01/202606/04/202610/30/202611/13/2026
01/01/202707/06/202612/01/202612/14/2026
02/01/202708/05/202612/31/202601/14/2027
03/01/202709/02/202601/29/202702/12/2027
04/01/202710/05/202603/01/202703/12/2027
05/01/202711/02/202603/31/202704/14/2027
06/01/202712/03/202604/30/202705/14/2027
07/01/202701/04/202705/31/202706/14/2027
08/01/202702/02/202707/01/202707/14/2027
09/01/202703/05/202707/30/202708/13/2027
10/01/202704/05/202708/31/202709/14/2027
11/01/202705/05/202710/01/202710/14/2027
12/01/202706/04/202710/29/202711/12/2027

Retirement Benefit Application Packet and Supporting Documents

When you contact us for an appointment, we will mail a Retirement Application packet for your review prior to the appointment. It contains the following:

  • Retirement Benefit Application form
  • Tax forms

The Retirement Benefit Application form is customized for your particular work history and demographic information. It contains all the Retirement Benefit Options available to you and an estimate of the benefit amounts under each option to help you make an informed decision about your financial future. The forms must be completed in their entirety and the required supporting documents must be received by the Administrative Office by the deadline noted on the Retirement Benefit Application form or as noted above. Supporting documents are required in addition to the Retirement Benefit Application. The supporting documents required depends on your marital status in the last five years and the Retirement Benefit Option you elect. A birth certificate, passport, naturalization papers, baptismal papers or military separation papers are all acceptable proof of date of birth for your Beneficiary or you. A driver's license is not acceptable proof of date of birth. Documents submitted must be in English. If you have any foreign language documents, please submit a certified translated copy in addition to the original foreign language document.

Supporting Documents
Supporting Documents
Your Marital
Status		 Retirement Benefit Option Supporting Documents Required

Never Married
  • Five-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Ten-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Lump Sum
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Social Security Adjustment Benefit 62 OR 65
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • SSA Benefits Estimate
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity with Pop-up 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Beneficiary’s Proof of Date of Birth
Married and
NOT Divorced within the last five years
  • Five-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Ten-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Lump Sum
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Marriage Certificate
  • Social Security Adjustment Benefit 62 OR 65
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • SSA Benefits Estimate
  • Your Marriage Certificate
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity with Pop-up 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Beneficiary’s Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Marriage Certificate

Married and
Divorced within the last five years
  • Five-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Ten-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Lump Sum
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Marriage Certificate
  • Your entire Divorce Decree including settlement agreement
  • Social Security Adjustment Benefit 62 OR 65
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • SSA Benefits Estimate
  • Your Marriage Certificate
  • Your entire Divorce Decree including settlement agreement
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity with Pop-up 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Beneficiary’s Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Marriage Certificate
  • Your entire Divorce Decree including settlement agreement

Divorced
Within the last five years
  • Five-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Ten-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Lump Sum
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your entire Divorce Decree including settlement agreement
  • Social Security Adjustment Benefit 62 OR 65
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • SSA Benefits Estimate
  • Your entire Divorce Decree including settlement agreement
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity with Pop-up 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Beneficiary’s Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your entire Divorce Decree including settlement agreement

Divorced
More than five years ago
  • Five-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Ten-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Lump Sum
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Divorce Decree showing your Date of Divorce
  • Social Security Adjustment Benefit 62 OR 65
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • SSA Benefits Estimate
  • Your Divorce Decree showing your Date of Divorce
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity with Pop-up 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Beneficiary’s Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Divorce Decree showing your Date of Divorce

Widowed and
NOT Divorced in the last five years
  • Five-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Ten-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Lump Sum
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Deceased Spouse’s Death Certificate
  • Social Security Adjustment Benefit 62 OR 65
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • SSA Benefits Estimate
  • Your Deceased Spouse’s Death Certificate
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity with Pop-up 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Beneficiary’s Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Deceased Spouse’s Death Certificate

Widowed and
Divorced within the last five years
  • Five-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Ten-Year Certain & Life Annuity
  • Lump Sum
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Deceased Spouse’s Death Certificate
  • Your entire Divorce Decree including settlement agreement
  • Social Security Adjustment Benefit 62 OR 65
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • SSA Benefits Estimate
  • Your Deceased Spouse’s Death Certificate
  • Your entire Divorce Decree including settlement agreement
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Joint & Survivor Annuity with Pop-up 50%, 66-2/3%, 75% OR 100%
  • Your Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Beneficiary’s Proof of Date of Birth
  • Your Deceased Spouse’s Death Certificate
  • Your entire Divorce Decree including settlement agreement

Applying for Death Benefits

Your Beneficiary or a representative of your estate/living trust should contact the Administrative Office to let us know of your demise. Initially, a death certificate will be requested from your Beneficiary or a representative of your estate/living trust so that we may determine what benefits may be due to them under the Pension Plan. Depending on your marital status and whether you are vested or retired under the Pension Plan, we may require more documents. If you are doing some estate planning, please contact us and we will be happy to provide you information to plan for your financial future.