SSA-private pension benefit information

[Guest playabum58]

I've been looking off and on for 4 years for info or where to go next. My dad had a pension plan with Atlantic Richfield. I have written to every place and person that I can find. Mostly I get returned to sender. Anybody know what I can do next.

[My 2 cents]

Atlantic Richfield (sometimes known as ARCO) has been owned by BP (yes, I think the same ones) for about a decade. Have you contacted them asking about your father's pension?

Had the plan terminated? If it had, your father's benefits may have been cashed out at the time.

Have you tried checking with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (www.pbgc.gov)? If the plan did terminate, they may have some information concerning the disposition of your father's benefits.

If the plan did not terminate, BP may have some information concerning the plan your father had been a participant of.

Any documents your father may have kept (Summary Annual Reports, Summary Plan Descriptions, material in connection with the termination of the plan, if applicable) would probably be helpful in identifying the specific plan that had covered your father.

Was your father receiving pension benefits, or were his benefits still deferred? If the former, you would probably want to contact people at the place the payments had been originating from. It is possible, if benefits were already being paid, that there would be nothing due after your father's death (if he has died).