Glossary

Beneficiary. This term means the person or persons whom a Participant last designates to receive benefits in the event of his or her death. However, if you have been married at least one year at the time of your death, your spouse will be your beneficiary unless you and your spouse select a different beneficiary. If an Affidavit of Domestic Partnership has been on file with the Administration Office for at least one year at the time of your death, your Qualified Domestic Partner will be your beneficiary, unless you and your Qualified Domestic Partner select a different beneficiary. If there is no surviving designated beneficiary, the death benefits will generally be paid to the Participant’s estate. Beneficiary designation forms are available from the Administrative Office.

Covered Earnings. Earnings for employment as a writer that is covered by the Plan. Work for which there is no employee-employer relationship is not covered. Royalties and profit participation are also not considered covered earnings. However, for periods on and after May 2, 1998, sales of literary material are considered covered earnings if the Employer also employs the writer to do a rewrite or polish on the material. See section on Covered Earnings.

Credited Week. Generally, a week of employment covered by the Plan. See section on Credited Week.

Early Retirement Date. A Participant reaches Early Retirement Date on the first day of any month prior to his or her Normal Retirement Date on which the Participant has both attained age 55 (effective January 1, 2000) and accumulated five Qualified Years (effective January 1, 1998) (not counting Qualified Years forfeited prior to January 1, 1998, due to a permanent Break in Service).

Grace Periods. Periods which are disregarded in determining whether a Break in Service is permanent. See section on Grace Periods.

Late Retirement Date. Late Retirement Date is the first day of any month subsequent to the Participant’s Normal Retirement Date, which the Participant has selected as the date of his retirement. In no event, however, will such date be later than the April 1 following the calendar year in which the Participant reaches age 70-1/2.

Military Service. In certain circumstances, service in the military will be counted as a Qualified Year. See section on Military Service.

Normal Retirement Date. Normal Retirement Date is the first day of the month following the date the Participant has both reached age 65 and completed the required participation in the Plan. See section on Normal Retirement Date.

One-Year Break in Service. A Plan Year in which a Participant fails to earn a Qualified Year. See section on One-Year Break in Service.

Permanent Break in Service. Prior to January 1, 1998, if a Participant has five consecutive One-Year Breaks in Service before he becomes vested, his earlier Qualified Years will be canceled and his participation in the Plan will be terminated. Effective January 1, 1998, this rule no longer applies to Qualified Years, although service and benefits forfeited prior to 1998 due to a permanent Break in Service will remain forfeited. However, the Break in Service rules continue to apply to counting years of participation for purposes of determining your Normal Retirement Date. See section on Permanent Break in Service.

Plan Year. The term Plan Year means the calendar year.

Pop-up Option. A Pop-up Option is an option provided in connection with a 50%, 66-2/3% or 100% Joint and Survivor Annuity that provides for a reduced monthly benefit payable to the Participant that will increase if the Joint Annuitant predeceases the Participant. See section on 50%, 66-2/3% or 100% Joint and Survivor Annuity with a Pop-up Option.

Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). A judgment, decree or order which meets certain requirements and provides that all or a portion of a Participant’s benefit is to be paid to an alternate payee (a spouse, former spouse, child, or other dependent of the Participant).

Qualified Screen Credited Week. A week of employment between 1945 and 1959 in connection with a theatrical screenplay. See section on Qualified Screen Credited Week.

Qualified Screen Credited Year. A Plan Year in which the Participant earned at least eight Qualified Screen Credited Weeks. See section on Qualified Screen Credited Year.

Qualified Year. A Plan Year in which the Participant earned at least eight Credited Weeks. See section on Qualified Year.

Qualified Domestic Partner. Your same sex domestic partner for whom you have submitted to the Administrative Office an Affidavit of Domestic Partnership, along with supporting documentation, and who meets the criteria in such Affidavit. Generally, the Participant and domestic partner must have a committed same sex relationship similar to marriage that has been in existence for at least six months. No person shall be considered a Qualified Domestic Partner prior to the time a completed Affidavit has been submitted to the Administrative Office.