Requesting an Estimate

You can obtain pension estimates from the “Participant Sign in” portion of the website if you have filed a Vesting Application with the Fund Office. If you have not filed a Vesting Application, you can download one or request one from the Fund Office. Any and all estimates given to you before you retire is strictly informational. If an error was made in your estimate, you will be paid the correct amount due under the terms of the Plan, even if it is less than the amount shown on the estimate.

Applying for Benefits

To receive pension benefit payments, you must meet the eligibility requirements for a pension benefit and submit an application for benefits in writing to the Fund Office in advance of the month you wish benefits to commence—but no more than 180 days in advance of your Effective Date. It is recommended that you apply two to three months in advance if you have filed a Vesting Application; otherwise, it is recommended that you apply five to six months in advance of your Effective Date (the month you want benefits to begin).

You may continue to work until your Effective Date.

In addition to submitting a completed application, you must provide the Plan with proof of your age (birth certificate or other acceptable documentation), your Social Security number, and information regarding your work in the Sheet Metal Industry. If you are married, and you intend to choose a Joint and Survivor Annuity Option, your spouse must present proof of his or her age, proof of marriage (marriage certificate), and his or her Social Security number.

Download an application or contact the Fund Office for a copy. Submit your written application to:

Sheet Metal Workers’ National Pension Fund
ATTN: Pension Benefits Department
8403 Arlington Blvd, Suite 300
Fairfax, VA 22031
Fax: (703) 739-7836
info@smwnbf.org

The Fund Office may contact you for additional information to determine your eligibility and/or your benefit amount. You are responsible for responding to all Plan inquiries within 180 days. If you do not respond within this time frame, your application will be deemed null and void and you will have to submit a new application.

If at any time you or your Beneficiary provide inaccurate or incomplete information, or make a misrepresentation related to your claim, your benefit may be denied, suspended, or discontinued. If benefits are overpaid, the Plan will seek reimbursement with interest, offset future payments, or use other legal means as deemed necessary.

Spousal Consent

If you are married, you may elect a form of payment other than the Joint and Survivor Annuity only if your spouse consents in writing to your election and the consent is witnessed by a notary public. Complete details on this process are available from the Fund Office.

Before your pension starts, the Fund Office will provide details on all your payment options, including the rules on waiving a Joint and Survivor Annuity.

When Payments Begin

If your application is approved, your pension payments will begin the first day of the month for which you applied. In the event there are administrative delays, it is possible that your initial check will be paid after your Effective Date. If this occurs, you will be given the option of receiving a retroactive payment to your Effective Date.

Although you are not required to start receiving your pension benefit when you reach the Plan’s Normal Retirement Age, you must begin receiving benefits no later than April 1 of the calendar year following the year you attain age 70½. If you should continue to work after this date, your benefit will be increased annually to reflect the additional benefits you have earned. If you decide to return to work after you retire, you may incur a temporary suspension of pension payments.

If you applied for Full Disability Benefits, see Full Disability Benefit for information about the benefit start date.

Making Changes

You may change your payment election at any time before payments start. No changes can be made after payments have begun.

Your Address

If you move, please notify the Fund Office in writing immediately to ensure that information about your benefits is sent to the proper location.