Take Time to Review Your Last (Paper) IPF Annual Statement

JOURNAL: ISSUE 2 - 2017

The International Pension Fund (IPF) has mailed the 2016 IPF Annual Statements to all active U.S. and Canadian participants. The BAC SAVE Retirement Savings Plan 2016 Annual Statements will be mailed to members in Local Unions that participate in BAC SAVE later this summer. These documents provide critical information regarding the hours reported and updates on Service Credit and beneficiary information. They also represent the last paper version of these statements for those who have opted to receive electronic service via the BAC Member Portal. As of June 2017, a total of 2,400 BAC Members have opted for electronic communications through registration with “ecomm” service to receive annual statements and other publications through the Portal. The Fund office has compiled the following information to keep in mind and procedures to follow while reviewing your statements.

• Social Security/Insurance Number
  For your security, the first five digits of your Social Security/Social Insurance number have been suppressed.

• Future Service Credit Hours (IPF Statements)
  The Annual Statement shows members detailed 2016 hours in addition to all hours reported to IPF on their behalf by year. This can include hours worked outside a member's home Local, including those worked prior to the date their home Local began participating in IPF. Participants may request a more detailed report of total hours reported to IPF on their behalf by month and may provide information on any missing hours or periods of disability which are not reflected in the Fund's records. Periods of disability are not credited as past or future service, but may qualify a participant for a disability exemption for an apparent break in service.

IPF processes hundreds of thousands of transactions each year. In 2016 alone, the Fund office processed more than 590,000 report transactions from more than 10,000 contributing employers. This mailing is comprised of 47,500 Annual Statements with more than 2,400 Statements being sent electronically to members via the Portal. If you find a discrepancy in your hours or a possible delinquency, please notify the Fund office by contacting IPFAnnualStatements@ipfweb.org, and provide the office with Local or employer records or check stub copies that document the missing hours, along with a copy of your statement. Hours reported or adjusted in 2016 will appear on the statement in detail, showing the work month and name of employer. If detailed hours for a year earlier than 2016 appear on the statement, the hours were either reported late or originally under an incorrect Social Security/Insurance number. 

• Past Service Credit (IPF Statements)
  Past service credit estimates shown on the annual statement take into account many factors including the member’s initiation date, the member’s date of participation, the Local’s date of participation, the participant's home Local (the Local in which the majority of a participant’s employment in the International Pension Fund has occurred), and any apparent breaks in future service, which can cancel service credit.

A participant may request to have their past service estimate verified as part of a pension status report. This request must be made in writing. A final determination of a participant’s eligibility for past service can only be made at application for retirement.

• Beneficiary Information
  Your statements only show IPF and BAC SAVE beneficiary designations received by the Fund office. Designations made for the International Union or a Local plan will not appear. Any beneficiary changes related to IPF must be made on an IPF enrollment card or IPF change of beneficiary card. Any beneficiary changes related to BAC SAVE must be made on a BAC SAVE card. Participants whose statements do not show a beneficiary will receive a separate mailing from IPF or BAC SAVE requesting that designation. If a member’s ex-spouse appears as a beneficiary on an annual statement, a new designation must be made as a divorce decree does not automatically revoke the ex-spouse beneficiary designation. 

BAC Membership information is ready when you need it, and now where you need it with BACMobile—Your New Member Portal App for Smartphones and Tablets. 

Visit member.bacweb.org and begin receiving IPF and RSP statements and much more electronically on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. 

For questions or concerns, please send an e-mail to IPFAnnualStatements@ipfweb.org.

To notify the Fund in writing of any discrepancies, please write to:

David F. Stupar
Executive Director
International Pension Fund
IPFAnnualStatements@ipfweb.org 
Fax: 202-347-7339

Don’t Wait Too Long to Apply for IPF Disability Benefits

Participants applying for IPF disability benefits should be aware that Disability Benefits are only retroactive for 12 months prior to the date that the Disability Pension application is received by the Fund office. Participants experiencing delays in receiving Social Security or Canada Pension benefits should apply to the Fund office while waiting for their disability awards to comply with this 12-month rule. Participants over age 55 may receive an IPF Early Pension benefit while awaiting disability approval.