Retirement applications from the Pension Department must be filed at least two full calendar months before your desired retirement date. The month that you actually sign the form does not count as a Calendar month. The necessary two-month period is considered the two calendar months immediately following the month you sign the form. When you are ready to retire, simply call the West Coast Plan Office to make an appointment with a Retirement Counselor.

If you are receiving Workers' compensation benefits, you should consult an attorney before you file an application for pension benefits. The Workers' compensation insurance company is entitled to receive a credit for any pension benefits to the extent that those benefits were funded by your time of injury employer. If you defer collecting your pension, you may be able to collect larger benefits later on and may be able to settle your Workers' compensation case on favorable terms.

Visit Social Development Canada (SDC) for information on Canada's Retirement Income System: The Canada Pension Plan.

Canada Pension Plan are paid to a deceased contributor's estate, surviving spouse or common-law partner and dependent children. There are three types of benefits. The death benefit is a one-time payment to, or on behalf of, the estate of a deceased Canada Pension Plan contributor; The survivor's pension is a monthly pension paid to the surviving spouse or common-law partner of a deceased contributor; The children's benefit is a monthly benefit for dependent children of a deceased contributor.

Generally, QDROs are used either to provide support payments (temporary or permanent) to the alternate payee (who may be the spouse, former spouse or a child or other dependent of the participant) or to divide marital property in the course of dissolving a marriage. These differing goals often result in different choices in drafting a QDRO. This answer describes two common different approaches in drafting QDROs for these two different purposes.

Yes, they are simply paid into your bank account. For more information: www.dss.gov.uk (for UK) or www.welfare.ie (for Eire).

Yes, however, this refund is not part of the settlement. Both the Housing Authority and the Transit Authority, at the City's suggestion, filed claims seeking refunds of the FICA taxes paid on LoDI payments received for a period of six months or less. Unfortunately, prior to 1995 these police forces were not part of the City of New York and thus these payments could not be included in the City's refund claims or in the litigation that occurred.

A public pension plan, the Canada Pension Plan (in Qu?bec, the Qu?bec Pension Plan) is administered by the government and requires contributions from both employers and employees at prescribed rates.

The PBSA requires that pension benefits become vested as soon as the member has completed 2 years of continuous plan membership. Once vested, the member is vested for all periods of plan membership, without regard to whether the contributions or periods of employment were before or after January 1, 1993. Some plans provide for vesting at earlier than 2 years. Benefits become fully vested if your pension plan is terminated.

The Motion Picture Industry Pension Plan started on October 26, 1953, and the Motion Picture Industry Individual Account Plan on August 1, 1979. Pension payments from the Pension Plan began on January 1, 1960.

Benefits are not paid retroactively. The only exception is a Disability Retirement Pension and when appropriate, monthly benefits in the Individual Account Plan.

You may be entitled to certain pension protections and health benefits even if you lose your job. If your company provided a group health insurance plan, you may be able to continue health benefits for a period of time. With a change in employment, you should understand how your pension benefits are affected. Knowing your rights can help you protect yourself and your family until you are working full time again. Click here for questions and answers regarding your health and pension benefits.

For a comprehensive look at VA compensation and pension benefits for veterans, veterans' dependents of deceased veterans, please go to the Compensation and Pension web site at: www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/index.html

We are currently undertaking research for a new section all about the state benefits you may be eligible for as a CFS/ME or FMS sufferer. If you'd like to be notified about when this section is online, please feel free to sign up to the free Sleepydust Emagazine here...

The first step in the application process is an interview for personal information to be collected to determine what type, if any, claim can be made. If non-medical requirements are met, a set of forms is then required to be completed and submitted to the Social Security Administration. Interviews can be scheduled by calling 1-800-772-1213. The interviews can be conducted by telephone or at a SSA office. The application may also be completed online at www.SSA.gov.

There are deadlines on some of the TAA services or benefits; however, on the training benefit, there are no deadlines, as long as the program is still in existence and federal funds are available. If you have questions, contact your local TAA Representative .

If you receive a pension, the law requires that the Weekly Benefit Rate be reduced by the pro-rated weekly amount of the pension that was contributed by the employer . A pension reduction of the Weekly Benefit Rate will increase the number of weeks for which Unemployment Compensation Benefits can be paid. You must still be able, available, and looking for full-time work to be eligible for Unemployment Compensation Benefits.

You can opt to take your offshore pension benefits at any age. You decide when you want the choice of going to work.

Federal pension law does not set a specific time within which plans must start paying benefits after you retire or otherwise become eligible to receive benefits. Plan administrators must act prudently and follow the procedures in the plan documents. Your Summary Plan Description (SPD) or other plan documents should provide information on those procedures. If you have specific questions, you should contact the plan administrator.

There is no single best way to divide pension benefits in a QDRO. What will be best in a specific case will depend on many factors, including the type of pension plan, the nature of the participant's pension benefits, and why the parties are seeking to divide those benefits.