WhiteCollarWorker

Thank you for your response, Paul. I updated my earlier message to correct the comparison from defined CONTRIBUTION to defined BENEFIT, as that was the terminology I intended. I haven't calculated or been shown what my benefits would be under a defined benefit plan, so perhaps the cash balance plan might still be the better option! I'm asking about documentation retention requirements because I had always assumed I was part of what employees referred to as "the old plan" -- a traditional defined benefit plan. Now that I see that's not the case, I'm curious about what documented proof exists that would confirm plan changes were approved by me. Given the extensive documentation and signatures required for any serious financial matter (changes in spousal beneficiaries, opening accounts, etc.), I would expect there to be some form of proof of informed consent and authorization. This might include, but not limited to, documentation showing physical or electronic (notarized?) signatures.

I am employed by a New York company (since the early 1990s) where I had initially been in their defined benefit pension plan (aka traditional pension). In the early 2000s we were told about the option to switch to a cash balance pension plan or stay with the defined benefit plan. I vaguely remember a website we were instructed to visit in the 2000s where we were to make some type of choice regarding staying/leaving the defined contribution pension for the cash balance pension. I don't have any recollection of what choices there were to make, what the website looked like, or even what would happen if I did not go online and just ignored making any choice. Fast-forward 30 years and the 3rd-party website our company uses to manage/display retirement benefits shows I'm in a cash balance plan. But, here's the thing... I'm almost positive that I did not accept being changed to the cash balance plan (as I remembered my colleagues' advice to stay in the defined contribution plan) and so I'm considering pressing HR/Retirement departments at our organization for actual proof/documentation/signatures/etc. for this change I supposedly authorized. NOTE: I understand that I should have paid more attention over the last couple of decades to my retirement plans, but as a young employee back then I just "set it and forget it". Now that retirement is in sight I'm trying to understand what income will be available to me. Also, I'm of the belief that it's entirely possible I did accept switching plans and just didn't remember doing so (but I still would like proof). What types of documentation does my employer by law have to provide to show I gave permission to switch plans? Is there a statue of limitations with my challenge?