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Any pension option you choose will pay you an income for the rest of your life.
There is no 'best' pension option. These choices are given so you can pick the one that works best for you. From the perspective of the Plan, they are all expected to pay out the same amount of money.
The options you can choose from depend on whether you have a pension partner when you retire.
A pension partner is how we refer to a spouse or partner, and is someone who:
If you have a pension partner when you retire, you must choose a pension that continues to pay for as long as either of you is alive. This is called a Joint Lifetime pension. If you pass away first, your pension partner will continue to receive a lifetime pension.
If you would like to choose a pension option that pays for your lifetime only, your pension partner can choose to sign a Pension Partner Waiver, giving up the right to a survivor pension.
| Pension Option Name | Member Pension Payment Duration | Survivor Pension Duration | Reduction on Death of Member or Pension Partner | Guaranteed Term Benefit Paid to Chosen Beneficiaries if Both Member and Pension Partner Pass Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joint Lifetime Guaranteed at Least 5 Years | Lifetime | For survivor's lifetime | No reduction | 5 years from pension start date |
| Joint Lifetime Reduced by 1/3 Guaranteed at Least 5 Years | Lifetime | For survivor's lifetime | Reduced by 1/3. Pension paid will be 2/3 of the original amount. | 5 years from pension start date |
Joint Lifetime Guaranteed At Least 5 Years
This option is paid for the lives of you and your pension partner. When either you or your pension partner pass away, the survivor will continue to receive the same amount of pension for life.
If both you and your pension partner have deceased within five years of the start of your pension, any payments remaining in this period will be paid to your chosen beneficiary.
Joint Lifetime Reduced by 1/3 Guaranteed At Least 5 Years
This option is paid for the lives of you and your pension partner. When either you or your pension partner pass away, the monthly pension paid to the survivor will be reduced by 1/3. This means that if your pension partner passes away before you, your pension will be reduced to 2/3 of the original pension amount.
If both you and your pension partner have deceased within five years of the date your pension started, any payments remaining in this period will be paid at the reduced amount to your chosen beneficiary.
The Single Lifetime pension options are paid to you for as long as you live. These options can only be chosen if you do not have a pension partner at retirement, or if your pension partner chooses to sign a Pension Partner Waiver and gives up any right to a survivor pension.
If your pension partner completes a Pension Partner Waver on or after March 1, 2021, giving up rights to a survivor pension and you choose a Single Lifetime pension option with a guaranteed period, your pension partner is automatically the sole designated beneficiary of the guaranteed period. Your pension partner can also complete a Death Benefit Waiver giving up that right to be the sole beneficiary of the guaranteed period and you can name any beneficiary.
Note: If your pension partner completed a waiver prior to March 1, 2021, they are not required to be the sole designated beneficiary of the guaranteed period.
| Pension Option Name | Member Pension Payment Duration | Guaranteed Term Benefit Paid to Chosen Beneficiaries on Death of Member |
|---|---|---|
| Single Lifetime | Lifetime | None |
| Single Lifetime Guaranteed At Least 5 Years | Lifetime | Guaranteed term is 5 years from pension start date |
| Single Lifetime Guaranteed At Least 10 Years | Lifetime | Guaranteed term is 10 years from pension start date |
| Single Lifetime Guaranteed At Least 15 Years | Lifetime | Guaranteed term is 15 years from pension start date |
Single Lifetime
This option is paid for your lifetime. No payments are paid to anyone after your death.
Guaranteed Term Options
These pension options are paid to you for as long as you live. If you pass away before the end of the guarantee period, the designated beneficiaries will continue to receive payments until the end of the guarantee period. When you see your own pension options you will notice that the longer the guaranteed term is, the smaller the amount of pension.
If you have a pension partner at retirement and your pension partner completes a Pension Partner Waiver on or after March 1, 2021, but they do not complete a Death Benefit Waiver, your pension partner is automatically your sole designated beneficiary of the guaranteed period.
Single Lifetime Guaranteed At Least 5 Years
A pension paid for as long as you live. If you die within 5 years of starting your pension, the designated beneficiaries will continue to receive pension payments until the end of the 5-year guaranteed period.
Single Lifetime Guaranteed At Least 10 Years
A pension paid for as long as you live. If you die within 10 years of starting your pension, the designated beneficiaries will continue to receive pension payments until the end of the 10-year guaranteed period.
Single Lifetime Guaranteed At Least 15 Years
A pension paid for as long as you live. If you die within 15 years of starting your pension, the designated beneficiaries will continue to receive pension payments until the end of the 15-year guaranteed period.