Dear Dorothy - FAQs/Pension

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Qualifying for Pension Benefits
I hear about vesting from my other writer friends. What is vesting and what do I have to do to become vested? -Vivacious in Visalia	How can I earn a Qualified Year? -Quizzical in Quebec

Pension Plan
I read through all the information on the Pension Plan. How can I make a decision about retirement? -Puzzled in Pismo Beach

Starting Your Retirement
I am ready to retire, but I may be too young. What is the earliest age I can retire under the Pension Plan? -Anticipating in Antioch	Okay, I am at least 52 (but not telling how old I really am) and vested. What are some of the available retirement dates? -Young at Heart in Yuba City

Retirement
I am in excellent health and plan to be around for a long time. As a retiree, will my pension last as long as I am around? Is there an expiration date? -Longevity in Long Island When I retired under the Pension Plan, I was married. A lot of things have changed since then. Can I change my beneficiary or joint annuitant? -Taking Chances in Temecula	I am a retiree receiving a pension benefit. What happens to my monthly benefits when I pass away? -Melancholy in Milan

Going Back to Work After You Retire
I just got a deal. They twisted my arm and yes, I am coming out of retirement. Can I work and still get my monthly pension benefit from the Pension Plan? -Suspicious in the Summerset	I am hooked. This working and getting my pension is really a good thing for me. What happens to the contributions coming to your office after my retirement? -Whistling in Wisconsin

Certified Retiree Health Fund Coverage Eligibility
The Health Fund has been fantastic. I want to have coverage while I am retired. How many health quarters will I need to earn to qualify for the Certified Retiree Health Coverage? -Happy in Hartford I have been told that I have 76 eligible quarters and I am 67 years young. When will my Certified Retiree Health Fund Coverage start? -Waiting in Winona	I am in dire straits and need to start collecting my monthly pension, but I don't have enough quarters to qualify for Certified Retiree Health Coverage. Can I earn the additional quarters necessary for Certified Retiree Health Coverage after I retire with the Pension Plan? -Desperate in Denver

Contributions
I really want to build up my retirement income. Can I contribute my own money into the Pension Plan? -Planner in Placerville

Death Benefits
What happens to the contributions made on my behalf if I pass away before I retire? -Pensive in Pensacola
Dear Dorothy: I hear about vesting from my other writer friends. What is vesting and what do I have to do to become vested? -Vivacious in Visalia Dear Vivacious: Vesting is the buzz word when it comes to pensions. When you are vested, it means your retirement benefits under the Producer-Writers Guild of America Pension Plan ("Pension Plan") cannot be taken away from you even if you stop working as a writer in the entertainment industry. A Participant in the Pension Plan is considered fully vested when he/she has earned five (5) Qualified Years, provided that Qualified Years earned prior to any permanent Break-In-Service occurring before 1998 shall not count. For more information, please go to Pension Eligibility. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: How can I earn a Qualified Year? -Quizzical in Quebec Dear Quizzical: You can earn a Qualified Year under the Pension Plan when you earn $5,000.00 in gross covered compensation (or eight (8) Credited Weeks, if the Participant is an employee of a Named Employer). Gross compensation is the amount of compensation upon which Employer contributions are based. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: I read through all the information on the Pension Plan. How can I make a decision about retirement? -Puzzled in Pismo Beach Dear Puzzled: Well, I can’t tell you what to do, so you will have to decide on your own. But, like any decision you make, you’ve worked on step one: gathering the information. Now, do your best to analyze the information. If you need help, ask a Pension Benefits Specialist. List the advantages and disadvantages of each choice and get advice. You may want to consult your business manager, accountant, tax advisor, or financial planner, among others. Utilize those people who make it their business to know! Then, you will really be prepared to make your decision, one that’s right for you. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: I am ready to retire, but I may be too young. What is the earliest age I can retire under the Pension Plan? -Anticipating in Antioch Dear Anticipating: You need to be vested in your Pension Plan before you can think about collecting a pension. The earliest age a vested participant can retire under the Pension Plan is 52. You will want to call the folks at the Administrative Office two months in advance before your anticipated retirement date. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: Okay, I am at least 52 (but not telling how old I really am) and vested. What are some of the available retirement dates? -Young at Heart in Yuba City Dear Young at Heart: Retirement commencement date is available on the first of every month in a year. For example, if you want to retire on May 1, 2006, call or write the Administrative Office before March 1, 2006 for an application for retirement. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: I am in excellent health and plan to be around for a long time. As a retiree, will my pension last as long as I am around? Is there an expiration date? -Longevity in Long Island Dear Longevity: Glad to hear that you are in excellent health. Please share your secrets to the fountain of youth with me. Good news is your pension will be there for you. As a retiree, a monthly benefit under any of the retirement option is payable for the rest of your lifetime. However, if you chose the Social Security Adjustment Benefit Option, under certain unusual circumstances, it may stop when you start receiving Social Security Benefits. Please see the Retirement tab to learn more about the available retirement options. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: I am a retiree receiving a pension benefit. What happens to my monthly benefits when I pass away? -Melancholy in Milan Dear Melancholy: Depending on your retirement option, a beneficiary or joint annuitant may be eligible to receive a monthly benefit. Please see the Retirement tab for the retirement options and determine if a beneficiary or joint annuitant is entitled to receive your benefit. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: When I retired under the Pension Plan, I was married. A lot of things have changed since then. Can I change my beneficiary or joint annuitant? -Taking Chances in Temecula Dear Taking Chances: Do you remember the option you chose at retirement? It all depends on the option that you chose then. You may not change your joint annuitant if you elected any of the Joint and Survivor Annuity options or any of the Joint and Survivor Annuity with Pop-Up options. But, you may change the beneficiary (with spousal consent) if you elected the Five-Year Certain and Life Annuity or the Ten-Year Certain and Life Annuity when you retired under the Pension Plan. If you elected the Social Security Adjustment Benefit option when you retired under the Pension Plan, then there is no beneficiary. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: I just got a deal. They twisted my arm and yes, I am coming out of retirement. Can I work and still get my monthly pension benefit from the Pension Plan? -Suspicious in the Summerset Dear Suspicious: Good news! You can work and still get your pension. But wait, there is a catch-if you retired before turning age 65, you need to take a short breather. You cannot perform any work covered by the Pension Plan for the first calendar month of retirement. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: I am hooked. This working and getting my pension is really a good thing for me. What happens to the contributions coming to your office after my retirement? -Whistling in Wisconsin Dear Whistling: Sounds like you are having a ball. If you retired before age 65 and continued to work after taking off the first month, your monthly pension will go up the first of the month coinciding with or following your 65th birthday to reflect additional benefits earned during retirement. If you are just having too much fun and keep working after age 65, your benefits will be recalculated annually to reflect reemployment. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: The Health Fund has been fantastic. I want to have coverage while I am retired. How many health quarters will I need to earn to qualify for the Certified Retiree Health Coverage? -Happy in Hartford Dear Happy: You need to earn 68 eligible health quarters prior to your retirement date under the Pension Plan to qualify for the Certified Retiree Health Coverage. An eligible health quarter is one quarter of a calendar year in which health eligibility is earned under the Health Fund. Keep in mind that coverage will not start until you retire under the Pension Plan or the first of the month following your 60th birthday, whichever comes later. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: I am in dire straits and need to start collecting my monthly pension, but I don't have enough quarters to qualify for Certified Retiree Health Coverage. Can I earn the additional quarters necessary for Certified Retiree Health Coverage after I retire with the Pension Plan? -Desperate in Denver Dear Desperate: Unfortunately, the answer is no. Once you start collecting your retirement benefits with the Pension Plan, you will not have the opportunity to satisfy the Certified Retiree Health Coverage requirement. Any quarters earned after your retirement will not be counted towards the satisfaction of that requirement. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: I have been told that I have 76 eligible quarters and I am 67 years young. When will my Certified Retiree Health Fund Coverage start? -Waiting in Winona Dear Waiting: There are three requirements for coverage to begin. You must earn at least 68 eligible health quarters under the Health Fund. You must be at least age 60. And, you must retire under the Pension Plan. It looks like you are in good shape. You've got two out of three. Your Certified Retiree Health Fund Coverage will start when you retire under the Pension Plan. Here are some examples below. Cindy's birthday is January 25, 1950. She retired on May 1, 2002 (age 52 and 3 months old) and has earned at least 68 quarters at that time. Her Certified Retiree Health Coverage would start on February 1, 2010 (the first of the month after her 60th birthday). John's birthday is March 30, 1940. He retired on June 1, 2001 (age 61 and 2 months) and has earned at least 68 quarters. His Certified Retiree Health coverage would start on June 1, 2001 (his retirement date). Melanie retired at age 55 and 6 months and did not have at least 68 quarters to qualify for the Certified Retiree Health coverage at the time of her retirement. She therefore will never qualify for the Certified Retiree Health coverage, even if she earns more health quarters. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: I really want to build up my retirement income. Can I contribute my own money into the Pension Plan? -Planner in Placerville Dear Planner: Sorry, but we cannot accept your own money for contributions. All contributions are made by the Employers. Go to TOP
Dear Dorothy: What happens to the contributions made on my behalf if I pass away before I retire? -Pensive in Pensacola Dear Pensive: First, you need to have earned at least $200.00 in contributions and accumulated at least 2 Qualified Years with the Pension Plan (including the Qualified Years forfeited due to a Permanent Break in Service). See Pension Eligibility for information on Breaks in Service. If you have the two "2's", then your Beneficiary under the Pension Plan may be entitled to a pre-retirement death benefit. Go to TOP

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