Getting accurate retirement information if your employer doesn't give straight answers

[ElizabethL752270]

Hi - I've been working at the same university for 40 years and am in the process of trying to figure out when to retire.  However, our representative in the Benefits Office seems confused about details of the pension and retirement accounts for longer-service employees.  Many of us were grandfathered in to maintain our original pension benefits, but few people in that office have been around very long.  This has led to multiple cases of people receiving incorrect information, but the university won't address this issue.  What can we do to get accurate information?

[RN362636]

Seems to be an issue with many long term employees. New employees seem to be clueless about "old benefits." Some will even tell people that "the rules have changed" because they don't know what else to say. I would try the following:

1. Try to find your original summary plan description. Maybe one of your co-workers has a copy?

2. Contact the plan administrator about your concern. Provide a COPY of your summary plan       description documents. Keep the original copy.

3. Contact the department of labor and speak to a benefits advisor at the Employees Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). They have a web site.

4.Seek legal counsel if none of these work and file a lawsuit in federal court under ERISA. ERISA helps protect employees against mismanagement and other issues.

I hope this information can help you.

[sktn77a]

Call your local TV station/Newspaper?