Sources of plan information

Sources of plan information
By Laura Bruce • Bankrate.com

If you’re a participant in a defined benefits pension plan, the following is a list and description of the documents that must be made available to you.

- advertisement -

Sources of plan information
Type of document	Available from	When available	Cost
Summary Plan Description: This summary of your pension plan tells you what the plan provides and how it operates.	Plan Administrator Dept. of Labor	Upon written request Automatically within 90 days of your becoming covered under the plan Automatically every 5 years if your plan is amended Automatically every 10 years if your plan has not been amended Upon request	Reasonable charge Free Free Free Copying charge
Summary Annual Report: This summarizes the annual financial reports that most pension plans file with the DOL.	Plan Administrator	Automatically within nine months after the end of the plan year, or two months after the due date for filing the annual report	Free
Annual Report (Form 5500 Series):	Plan Administrator Dept. of Labor	Latest annual report upon written request Upon request	Reasonable charge Copying charge
Individual Benefit Statement: Describes your total accrued and vested benefits.	Plan Administrator	Upon written request once every 12 months	Free
Documents and Instructions under which the plan is established or operated: This includes the plan document, collective bargaining agreement, or trust agreement.	Plan Administrator	Upon written request Available for inspection upon request	Reasonable charge Free
Notice to participants on plan funding and PBGC guarantees when a plan is less than 90% funded.	Plan Administrator	Within 2 months after the due date for filing the annual report	Free
Summary of Material Modifications: This summarizes material changes to your plan	Plan Administrator	Automatically within 210 days after the end of the plan year for which the plan has been amended or modified (distribution of a revised SPD satisfies this requirement.)	Free

-- Posted: March 17, 2003