FAQs - Participants

If you change your address you can follow the steps:

1. Update your address and other contact information with the Fund Office, and be sure to update your information with your employer, as well.

2. If you are receiving your pension benefit from the IAM National Pension Fund (the "Fund"), you may change your address by sending written notification (Change of Address Form for Benefit Recipients available here (PDF)), to the Fund Office or by calling the Fund Office at 800-424-9608 and asking for the Customer Service Department. If you are a benefit recipient and you call, additional information (including written confirmation with your signature) may be required to make such a change.

3. All other participants may call the Customer Service Department Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time., write, or update their address online (IPASS login required).

4. Please allow 10 business days to process a change of address request.

If you get married after your plan entry date, you may need to update your plan beneficiary information. When you apply for your pension benefits, you will need to send the Fund Office official copies of your marriage certificate and your spouse's birth certificate if electing 50%, 75% or 100% Joint and Survivor Benefit.

If you get divorced or legally separated after your plan entry date, you may need to update your plan beneficiary information. Make sure that any Qualified Domestic Relation Orders are forwarded to the Fund Office for approval. When you apply for your pension benefits, send the Fund Office a copy of your divorce certificate with related agreements or legal separation if you have not previously submitted a Qualified Domestic Relations Order.

First, you will need to decide on your retirement effective date. In general, your Pension Effective Date will be the first of the month following this date. Then, follow these steps:

• Complete your application online (IPASS login required) or request a pension application from the Fund Office up to 180 days before your retirement effective date.

• Select your pension payment options when the IAM National Pension Fund provides you with the Option Selection Form.

• Sign where required and have signature notarized if required.

• Provide official copies of all documents requested including acceptable proof of age, marriage certificate, divorce decree and related agreements, as well as all name change documents, if applicable.

• Sign up for direct deposit for your pension benefit payments. You can sign up for direct deposit online or by returning an Authorization for Automatic Deposits form (PDF) to the Fund Office.

If you become disabled, you may be eligible to receive a disability pension. The requirements are outlined in the plan's Summary Plan Description (SPD) on page 17.

View SPD in English (PDF)

View SPD in Spanish (PDF)

You may need to take these steps to apply for a disability pension:

• Apply for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration.

• Submit an application for disability pension; you may complete an application online (IPASS login required) or request a hard copy application from the Fund Office at 800-424-9608.

• Provide a copy of your disability notification letter from the Social Security Administration. (Note: If a determination is still pending from the Social Security Administration do not hold your application; submit it as soon as possible.

Keep the IAM National Pension Fund notified of any change in your address on file with the Fund Office, as necessary. Apply for your pension when you are ready to retire if you are vested and meet the eligibility requirements.

A person who is serving a period of qualified military service will be treated as if working in covered employment, to the extent required by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

You may need to take these actions while entering or returning from active military duty:

• Check your reemployment rights and plan eligibility criteria under USERRA.

• Submit a copy of your military induction/separation orders (Form DD-214) to the Fund Office when you return to covered employment after your discharge from military service.

If you die as a vested participant before going into pay status, a range of death benefits may be available to your beneficiary(ies) or surviving spouse. Refer to the National Pension Plan Summary Plan Description (SPD) for more information about preretirement benefits.

View SPD in English (PDF)

View SPD in Spanish (PDF)

Your beneficiary(ies) will need to take these steps to apply for death benefits if you die prior to going into pay status under the plan:

• Contact the Fund Office to report a death and request a preretirement death application.

• Provide a copy of your death certificate to the Fund Office.

• Provide other documentation (e.g., marriage certificate, divorce decree or birth certificates), as requested by the Fund Office.

At some point, you may want someone to conduct business with the Fund on your behalf. The Fund’s Authorization Form allows another person or entity to receive information relating to your pension as well as assist you with your pension application.

A person who wishes to act on a participant or beneficiary’s behalf may submit a Power of Attorney (“POA”). However, the Fund only recognizes POAs if the participant or beneficiary is incapacitated due to a medical condition impairing their cognitive functions (e.g., dementia, Alzheimer’s) and if ALL the following requirements are met:

1. POAs must be submitted with clear, written instructions identifying what the agent is attempting to do on the participant’s behalf. (NOTE: Any POAs received without written instructions will be immediately shredded or otherwise returned.)
2. The POA must be submitted with a signed physician’s statement certifying the participant’s incapacity. The physician’s statement must be dated within the last 12 months. However, the statement does not need to be dated within the last 12 months if the statement indicates that the condition is permanent. The Fund has a Physician’s Statement Form, which the Fund encourages but does not require you to use.
3. The Fund’s Incapacitation Form, which must be signed and notarized, must be submitted with the POA.
4. The POA is durable and must be notarized.

A POA will only be considered valid for a 12-month period after approval. Please keep these documents in a safe place. Once that 12-month period expires, the above documents must be resubmitted for review for subsequent requests.

Alternatively, Conservatorship/Guardianship Papers (Order and Letters conferring authority over “property” or “estate”) may be submitted and will be kept on file. Only the Order and Letters are required.