Defined Benefits Pension Plan:

[Guest ejandvj@znet.com]

My employer refuses to give me information on the plan I am vested in. What kind of information should I ask and how does the law protect my interest? The company I work for is very small (five employees) and doing well financially.

Upon contacting the company who handle the administration of the pension plan, I was brushed off.

What documentation am I entitled to have each year about my personal benefits and the plan situation? If so, Is there a publication or guide I can consult.

Thank you,

[SoCalActuary]

In most small plans, the official plan administrator is the employer.

The third party administrator will not talk to you directly unless your boss authorizes it.

You are entitled to a summary plan description, and an annual benefit statement. Sometimes these are not completed until 9 months after year end, when the final contributions have been made. In addition, you may request a copy of the plan document.

If you don't get these items, you can complain to the Dept of Labor, but you are not a team player anymore. If you fear you are being abused, then you might have to do this. If not, just make a formal written request for your SPD and the annual statement.

[QDROphile]

You are entitled to get more documents than are described above, but you probably would be wasting your time to look at them. The stick is that if the documents are not furnished upon written request within 30 days, a $110 per day penalty can apply.

[david rigby]

Perhaps some of this reading material will be useful.

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/consumer_info_pension.html