After years of hard work, you are looking forward to retirement. Choosing when to retire is an important decision and involves a number of issues you may want to consider in your retirement planning. The more you know before you start making decisions, the better off you will be in retirement. The Department of Labor, the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have provided a Retirement Toolkit, which will provide additional information for retirement planning and security.
How to Apply for Retirement Benefits:
Requirements for eligibility:
- 1. You must have at least five years of credited service and be vested. (Special rules apply to those in covered employment at age 65 or later.)
- 2. You must be at least 55 years old on the effective date of retirement.
- 3. You must have terminated from any covered employment or contiguous non-covered service by the effective date of retirement.
- 4. Your application must be received at least 60 days before the desired effective date of retirement.
To apply for benefits, follow these steps:
- 1. Download the application form
- 2. Complete the application form, including your signature and the date signed. Please note, if you are single, divorced, or widowed, you must sign and date the form in front of a notary public.
- 3. Mail the completed application form to the Administration Office at:
WMI Pension Fund
PO Box 34203
Seattle, WA 98124-1203 - 4. After the Administration Office receives your application, they will send you an election of benefit package at least 30 days before your effective date of retirement. This package will include forms and information about any remaining items that are needed to complete the process.
How To Apply For Disability Retirement Benefits:
If you are under age 55 and totally and permanently disabled, you can apply for a disability retirement benefit. To be eligible for disability retirement benefits, you must have at least five years of credited service and have incurred the disability while still active in covered employment. If this benefit is approved, it will pay you an amount reduced for your age as of the date benefits begin.
To apply for a disability retirement benefit, follow these steps:
- 1. Download the application form
- 2. Complete the application form, including your signature and the date signed. You must sign and date the form in front of a notary public.
- 3. For disability retirement, you must also complete the question at the bottom of page 3 and the entire page 4 of the application.
- 4. Mail the completed application form to the Administration Office at:
WMI Pension Fund
PO Box 34203
Seattle, WA 98124-1203 - 5. Once the Administrative Office receives your application, they will contact the physician you have listed on page 4 of the application. Next, the Board of Trustees will review your application and the physician’s response. If there are any further steps that need to be taken, you will be notified by the Administrative Office. The earliest possible beginning date for disability retirement benefits is the first of the month after your application is received by the Administrative Office.