Phone lines at the Mid-America Pension Rights Project are busy with calls from retirees and current employees of General Motors, Chrysler, and several auto parts suppliers who have filed bankruptcy in recent weeks. Pension plan participants report receiving notices and, in some cases, claim forms from the courts involved. To further assist auto industry employees and retirees affected by these bankruptcies, project staff has compiled a list of web-links to government agencies, employers, and information news articles.
Information and links regarding automotive pensions
Below are some additional links and resources you can use try to resolve your pension problem. If you or someone you know needs assistance, the Mid-America Pension Rights Project may be able to help you. Call us at 1-866-735-7737!
Additional Links and Resources- Area Agencies on Aging and Legal Service Providers
- Retirement? What's That?
- Last Decade Spelled Disaster for Older Workers
- Surviving Spouse Benefits
- Assisting a Cognitively Impaired Pensioner
- Don't Forget Your Retirement
The U.S. Department of Labor has a wealth of information on retirement including articles about when an employer goes bankrupt, warning signs of pension misuse, and more.
AARP is an organization for anyone over fifty years old. AARP has information on retirement, Medicare, healthcare, and more.
Can't find your pension? Did your employer go out of business? Try the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).
Did the corporation you worked for move or go out of business? Look at the Michigan Corporation Dissolution site to see if any contact information remains for the corporation.
This will lead you to the form required to verify employment dates. You may need this if you are having difficulty obtaining dates of employment for a pension, social security application, or personal reason. Please note: fees apply depending on the number of years you are requesting.
Older Women's League focuses on women's issue as they age. You can find information ranging from healthcare to Social Security.
You can ask a certified financial planner a question online for free.
Women's Institute For A Secured Retirement discusses the issues women face in retirement, how to plan for a better retirement, and how to avoid retirement risks.
Pension News
Beware of Limits When Returning Distributionsby Kelly Greene, Wall Street Journal.
Thanks to a one-year reprieve, you can skip retirement-account withdrawals in 2009. And in some cases, you can return unwanted withdrawals. However, as this reader discovered, you only get to do so once. (October 2009)Retirees Benefit From 2009 Distribution ExemptionAP via Washington Post: Retirees benefit from 2009 distribution exemption, by David Pitt. Hundreds of thousands of retirees have more money in their accounts thanks to a one-time waiver of a government required withdrawal that kicks in after age 70. (Oct 2, 2009)
Consumer Reports: Retirement Planning Time ClockIf you're highly organized, you may already have file folders covering any pension you're entitled to from former employers. If you don't have a file drawer in your house stuffed with those documents, don't worry; you can hunt down missing pensions. (September 2009)
US News and World Report: Employers Can Override Your 401(k) Investment Choices, by Emily BrandonThrough a process called re-enrollment, your Current nest egg could be transferred to investments your employer deems more appropriate for you. Here's a look at when employers can change your 401(k) allocations and what to do if you don't want changes made. (7/15/09)
Wall Street Journal: Return Your IRA, 401(k) Distribution, by Anne Tergesen.A measure that allows older adults to skip required
withdrawals in 2009 from tax-deferred retirement accounts hasn't always worked as smoothly as Congress intended. Now, a new tax ruling can help people clear up some problems linked to the original law -- but you'll need to act in the next several weeks. (10/25/09)Wall Street Journal: Beware of Limits When Returning DistributionsThanks to a one-year reprieve, you can skip
retirement-account withdrawals in 2009. And in some cases, you can return unwanted withdrawals. However, as this reader discovered, you only get to do so once. (10/31/09)