Operating Enginrres Pension Fund

Payment Options


LEVEL INCOME OPTION

 

The Level Income Option is designed to provide you with approximately the same amount of monthly retirement income before you receive Social Security benefits as after you receive Social Security benefits. This is achieved by paying a higher monthly pension from this Plan before your Social Security benefits become payable and a smaller monthly pension after your Social Security benefits become payable.

 

  • The Level Income Option is only available if you are eligible for an Early Pension or a Service Pension and have rejected the Husband-and-Wife Pension.

 

This option adds a percentage of your estimated Social Security amount to your Early Pension using a table based upon your age at retirement and the age Social Security is expected to begin.  The factors are:

              Factor        

Age At Retirement:

Age 62 Age 65
45

.2669

.2025
46 .2864 .2173
47 .3074 .2333
48 .3303 .2506
49 .3551 .2694
50 .3820 .2899
51 .4114 .3122
52 .4434 .3364
53 .4783 .3629
54 .5165 .3919
55 .5584 .4237
56 .6043 .4585
57 .6548 .4969
58 .7105 .5391
59 .7720 .5858
60 .8401 .6375
61 .9158 .6949
62 .7588
63 .8302
64 .9101

HOW IS THE LEVEL INCOME OPTION PAID?

EXAMPLE #1

You, the Early Pensioner, have 10 Prior Credits and 40 Current Service Credits. You are 53 years old and estimate you will begin receiving $750.00 a month from Social Security at age 65:

10 Prior Credits @ $8.00

=

$    80.00

40 Current Service Credits @ $50.00

=

+2,000.00

Regular Pension Amount

=

$2,080.00

Early % Factor

= x      73%

Early Pension Amount (rounded)

= $1,518.00

Social Security Amount

= $   750.00

Level Income Factor

= x    .3629

            Level Income Amount (rounded)

 =  $   272.00

Plus Early Income Pension

+  $1,518.00

Total Level Income Pension until age 65

= $1,790.00
At age 65, your total pension amount is reduced by the original Social Security estimate:

Level Income Pension

= $ 1,790.00

Original Social Security estimate

= -   750.00

Difference payable to you at age 65

= $ 1,040.00

In this example, $1,040.00 is the pension payable for the rest of your life.  Combined with the $750.00 you should begin to receive from Social Security, your income should remain level at $1,790.00.
                    

EXAMPLE #2

You retire at age 56 with the same credits as in example #1 but estimate you will receive $600.00 a month from Social Security at age 62:

10 Prior Credits @ $80.00

$    80.00

40 Current Service Credits @ $50.00

+2,000.00

Regular Pension Amount

$2,080.00

Early % Factor

x    82%

Early Pension Amount (rounded)

$1,706.00

Social Security Amount

$  600.00

Level Income Factor

x    .6043

            Level Income Amount (rounded)

$  363.00

Plus Early Pension

+1,706.00

Total level income Pension until age 62

$2,069.00

At age 62, your total pension amount is reduced by the original Social Security estimate:

Level Income Pension

= $ 2,069.00

Original Social Security Estimate

= -    600.00

Difference payable to you at age 62

= $ 1,469.00

In this example, $1,469.00 is the pension payable for the rest of your life. Combined with the $600.00 you should begin to receive from Social Security, your income should remain level at $2,069.00.

 

If you elect the Level Income Option, the Husband-and-Wife Option is not available.

 

All the pensions provided by this Plan are payable in addition to Federal Social Security benefits.  Since Social Security benefits are subject to change by legislation from time to time, you should contact the office of the Social Security Administration to find out the most current retirement benefit information.

DEATH BENEFITS AND THE LEVEL INCOME OPTION

IMPORTANT: Because monthly payments under the Level Income Option are higher than they would otherwise be, death benefits are computed differently.

EXAMPLE #1

A pensioner receiving an Early Pension of $1,050 (without the Level Income Option) dies after 2 years:
  

Guarantee=

120 Months @ $1,050

=

$     126,000

Payments=

24 months @ $1,050

=

-       25,200
 

Remaining=

96 months @ $1,050

=

$     100,800
The spouse or beneficiary would receive 96 monthly payments of $1,050.00 each.

EXAMPLE #2

If the same pensioner had the Level Income Option with a level income addition of $329.00 a month, the death benefits would be figured as follows:

Guarantee= 120 months @$1,050 = $     126,000
Payments=

24 months @$1,379

($1,050 + $329)

= -       33,096
Remaining=

96 months

= $       92,904

The remaining guarantee amount would be divided by the remaining number of months and a new monthly amount would be determined.  In this case, $968.00 per month would be paid to the spouse or beneficiary for the remainder of the guarantee period (96 months).

HUSBAND-AND-WIFE OPTION

All Pensions will be paid in the form of a Husband-and-Wife Pension UNLESS you and you spouse elect not to receive the pension in that form.

 

Under the Husband-and-Wife Pension, you will receive a reduced monthly pension benefit during your lifetime and, upon your death, your surviving legal spouse, if any, will receive one-half (50%) of that reduced monthly pension benefit for the rest of his/her life.

 

The amount of reduction in the monthly benefit payable depends upon the participant's age and the age of his spouse on the effective date of the pension.

 

If you have elected the Husband-and-Wife Pension, you cannot also receive the 120-payment guarantee benefit.

IMPORTANT RULES FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE HUSBAND-AND-WIFE PENSION

  • The Husband-and-Wife Pension protects only the spouse LEGALLY MARRIED to the participant for a minimum of one year prior to retirement.
  • If the spouse dies before the retired participant, all pension benefits stop on the death of the retired participant, subject to the 36-month guarantee described below.
  • Benefits may not be payable to a spouse whose marriage is legally terminated from the participant at the time he retires or dies.
  • Monthly pension benefits to the retired participant will not be increased after payments begin, if the spouse dies or if their marriage is legally terminated.
  • Payments to the surviving spouse are for her lifetime.  They do not stop even if she remarries.
  • The lump-sum retirement benefit is NOT paid in one lump-sum.  Instead, the amount is pro-rated and a portion is added to your monthly pension benefit each month.

After both the participant and the spouse have died, all benefit payments end unless fewer than 36 monthly payments were made to the retiree and spouse.  In such cases the balance of 36 payments is paid to the beneficiary or heirs of the deceased participants.

 

The decision to accept or reject the Husband-and-Wife Pension is an important one.  The Fund Office will help you calculate the benefits both ways so that you can decide how you want your pension paid.  Once pension payments have begun, no changes can be made.

HOW IS A HUSBAND-AND-WIFE PENSION PAID?

Husband-and-Wife Pensions are paid using a formula which reduces the Regular Pension amount based upon the ages of the participant and spouse for Regular, Service and Early Pensions.  The monthly amount otherwise payable is multiplied by 94% minus 1/2 of 1% for each year the spouse's age is less than the participant's age or plus 1/2 of 1% for each year the spouse's age is greater than the participant's (but no more than 100%).  For example:


EXAMPLE #1

You retire on a REGULAR Pension with 12 Prior Credits and 45 Current Service Credits.  You are age 62 and your spouse is 58:

12 Prior Credits @ $8.00

$    96.00

45 Current Service Credits @ $50.00

+2,250.00

Total regular Pension

$2,346.00

Pro-rated Lump Sum

+    21.00

  Subtotal  

$2,367.00

Husband-and-Wife Factor
(94% - (4 x .5%) = 92%)

x      92%

Husband-and-Wife Pension

$2,178.00

You will receive $2,178 per month for your lifetime.  At your death, your spouse will receive 50%, or $1,089, per month for his/her lifetime.

EXAMPLE #2

You retire on a REGULAR Pension at age 62 and your spouse is age 65:

12 Prior Credits @ $8.00

$    96.00

45 Current Service Credits @ $50.00

+2,250.00

Total regular Pension

$2,346.00

Pro-rated Lump Sum

+    21.00

   Subtotal

 $2,367.00

Husband-and-Wife Factor
(94% + (3 x .5%)= 95.5%)

x    95.5%

Husband-and-Wife Pension

$2,260.00

You will receive $2,260 per month for your lifetime.  At your death, your spouse will receive 
50%, or $1,130, per month for his/her lifetime.

EXAMPLE #3

You retire on an EARLY Pension with 12 Prior Credits and 45 Current Service Credits at age 52.  Your spouse is also age 52:  

12 Prior Credits @ $8.00

$    96.00

45 Current Service Credits @ $50.00

+2,250.00

Total Regular Pension

$2,346.00

Early % Factor

x      70%

                   Early Pension Amount (rounded)

$1,642.00

Pro-rated Lump Sum

+     18.00

  Subtotal

$1,660.00

Husband-and-Wife Factor (94%)

x      94%

Husband-and-Wife Pension

$1,560.00

You will receive $1,560 per month for your lifetime.  At your death, your spouse will receive 
50%, or $780, per month for his/her lifetime.

EXAMPLE #4

Your retire on an EARLY Pension with 12 Prior Credits and 45 Current Service Credits at age 57.  Your spouse is age 59:  

12 Prior Credits @ $8.00

=  $    96.00

45 Current Service Credits @ $50.00

+2,250.00

Total Regular Pension

$2,346.00

Early % Factor

x      70%

                 Early Pension Amount (rounded)

$1,642.00

Pro-rated Lump Sum

=  +     18.00

                                        Subtotal

$1,660.00

Husband-and-Wife Factor 
(94%+(2 x .5%)= 95%)

x      95%

Husband & Wife Pension

$1,577.00

You will receive $1,577 per month for your lifetime.  At your death, your spouse will receive 50%, or $789, per month for his/her lifetime.

 

NOTE:  With an Early Pension, the Husband-and-Wife Pension is reduced by both Early and Husband-and-Wife factors.

 

For DISABILITY Pensions, the monthly pension otherwise payable is multiplied by 91.5% minus 4/10 of 1% for each year the spouse's age is less than the participant's age or plus 4/10 of 1% for each year the spouse's age is greater than the participant's (but no more than 100%).  For example:

EXAMPLE #5

You retire on a  DISABILITY Pension with 12 Prior Credits and 45 Current Service Credits at age 52.  Your spouse is 55:  

12 Prior Credits @ $8.00 

$    96.00

45 Current Service Credits @ $50.00

+2,250.00

Total Disability Pension

$2,346.00

Pro-rated Lump Sum

+    18.00

  Subtotal

$2,364.00

Husband-and-Wife Factor
(91.5% + (3 x .4%) =92.7%)

x   92.7%

Husband-and-Wife Pension (rounded)

$2,191.00

You will receive $2,191 per month for your lifetime.  At your death, your spouse will receive 50%, or $1,096, per month for his/her lifetime.

 

EXAMPLE #6

You retire on a DISABILITY Pension at age 59 and your spouse is 49:  

12 Prior Credits @ $8.00

$    96.00

45 Current Service Credits @ $50.00

+2,250.00

Total Regular Pension

$2,346.00

Pro-rated Lump Sum

+    20.00

  Subtotal

$2,366.00

Husband-and-Wife Factor
(91.5% - (10 x .4%) = 87.50%)

x   87.5%

          Husband-and-Wife Pension (rounded)

$2,070.00

You will receive $2,070 per month for your lifetime.  At your death, your spouse will receive 50%, or $1,035, per month for his/her lifetime.

 

Note that with Disability Pensions, if the Disability Pensioner is younger than age 45 at death, the Husband-and-Wife benefits are not payable to the spouse until the deceased pensioner would have reached age 45.  Therefore, an additional .5% is added to the percentage determined above for each year the Disability Pensioner is younger than 45 on the effective date of his Disability Pension.