SUMMARY PLAN DESCRIPTION
2002 EDITION

Getting Married or Divorced

Your pension benefits may be affected when you marry or divorce. Therefore, you should contact the Pension Benefits Department to learn how marriage and divorce affect your retirement benefits. You should also contact the Pension Benefits Department to update the Fund records regarding your marital status and any address change.

Marriage

Before Retirement

Generally, if you are married when you retire, you will receive your pension benefit in a Husband-and-Wife Pension form of payment. You may also elect to receive your pension in a Lifetime Pension form of payment, but you must have your spouse’s written, notarized waiver of the Husband-and-Wife Pension form of payment. If you die before beginning your pension benefit, your spouse may be eligible to receive a Pre-Retirement Surviving Spouse Annuity. Click here for more information about this benefit.

After Retirement

Your pension benefit is not affected when you marry after you have begun to receive a pension benefit. It is not affected because once you begin to receive a pension benefit, you cannot change the form of payment you are receiving.

Divorce

Before Retirement

If you are divorced as of the date of your retirement, the Plan will treat you as being unmarried, unless there is a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) providing otherwise. A QDRO is a court order that requires the Plan to pay all or a portion of your pension benefits to your spouse, former spouse or dependent(s). To be a QDRO, a court order must meet certain requirements. These requirements are described in the Plan’s QDRO procedures. The Board of Trustees determines whether the requirements are satisfied. The Plan will not honor a court order unless the Board determines that it meets the requirements of a QDRO. If you die before you retire, a QDRO may require the Plan to pay your former spouse the Pre-Retirement Surviving Spouse Annuity.

A QDRO may also affect the amount of your pension benefit because your benefits may be used to pay child or spousal support or to divide up marital property.

After Retirement

If you are married when you retire and you later divorce, your form of pension benefit is unchanged. If your benefit is being paid in a Husband-and-Wife Pension form of payment, your former spouse will still be entitled to survivor benefits after your death . A QDRO may affect your monthly benefit by giving a part or all of your monthly pension payment to your spouse, former spouse or dependent(s).