• SPD Table of Contents
  1. Introduction
  2. Funding Improvement Plan
  3. Pension Plan Highlights
  4. Beginning Work
  5. Leaving Work
  6. Getting Married or Divorced
  7. Preparing for Retirement
  8. Receiving a Pension
  9. Choosing a Payment Option
  10. Returning to Work
  11. In the Event of Death
  12. Administrative Information
  13. Definitions
  14. Table 1: Early Retirement Pension Reduction Factors for Benefits Accrued on or Before May 31, 2018
  15. Table 1A: Early Retirement Pension Reduction Factors for Benefits Accrued on or After June 1, 2018
  16. Table 2: Deferred Pension Early Retirement Reduction Factors
  17. Table 3: Actuarial Equivalent Reduction Factors for Pension Before Suspension of Benefits

Getting Married or Divorced

Your pension benefits may be affected when you marry or divorce as explained in this section. These events may also affect benefits other than your pension benefits.

Marriage

Before Retirement

If you are married while you are working, your qualified spouse becomes your beneficiary for any Plan benefits you earn. If you die before your pension benefit begins, your qualified spouse may be eligible to receive a Pre-Retirement Surviving Spouse Pension or a Pre-Retirement Death Benefit. See page 40 for more information about these benefits.

A qualified spouse is someone you are legally married to for at least a year:

• Before the date of your death; or
• Before the date your pension begins.

A qualified spouse is also someone who is required to be treated as a spouse or surviving spouse under a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO).

After Retirement

Your pension benefit is not affected when you marry after you have begun to receive a pension benefit. It is not affected because once you begin to receive a pension benefit; you cannot change the form of payment you are receiving. Your new spouse will not qualify for a 50% or 75% Participant and Spouse Pension; however, he or she may be eligible for a death benefit. See page 40 for more information.

Divorce

If you divorce (whether before or after Retirement), your spouse may be entitled to receive a portion of your pension benefit in accordance with the terms of a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). Under the terms of a QDRO, certain payments could be made from your benefits to pay alimony, child support, or marital property rights of your former spouse, child, or other dependent. If you divorce, you must contact the Fund Office to ensure your benefits are paid properly.

A QDRO may affect the amount of pension benefit you will receive or are receiving.

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