Participant or Spouse Turning 65

With regard to aging, resistance may or may not be futile. In either case, it makes sense to attend to the various matters which are implied by the aging process at this stage of life.

Forms:

• Medical Plan Premium Billing Form for Retirees

• Eligibility for Retired Participant

• Annual Retiree Certification Letter

• Application for Monthly Benefits

• Final Hours Letter

• Termination of Employment Certificate

• Retiree Information Pamphlet

Additional Information:

Welfare SPD

• Section 2 - Eligibility Rules for Retired Participants

• Section 8 - Prescription Drug Benefits for Retirees

Pension SPD

• Section 3 - Vesting

• Section 4 - When You May Retire

• Section 5 - How Your Benefit Is Calculated

• Section 7 - How Benefits Are Paid

• SPD - Section 8 - How to Apply for Retirement Benefits

External Related Links:
(These are listed for your convenience. The sites and the contents of the sites are not sponsored or endorsed by your benefit plans. Use them at your own risk.)

• Social Security - - The Social Security homepage offers education on how your retirement benefits are figured, how social security may change in the future, how it's financed, and other basic facts and figures. Check this site on how to apply for your benefits, how to appeal these benefits, and everything else regarding social security.
• Edelman Financial Center - -The Edelman Financial Center provides advice on retirement planning. Articles address how to roll over accounts, how to avoid paying penalties, retiring at a young age, and more. Links to a financial calculator, books and tapes by Ric Edelman, and other websites.
• Quicken Retirement - -Learn about the major retirement basics such as 401ks, Keoghs, pensions, and IRAs. Devise your own individualized retirement strategy by using their Retirement Plan calculator tool.
• Nolo Retirement - - Information on retirement plans, benefits, estate planning, and long-term healthcare. There is also a section on the personal concerns of retirement.

Benefit Plan Checklist
	You need to enroll for both Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B to receive the maximum available benefits under this Plan. If a Participant does not enroll in and utilize Medicare Parts A & B when eligible, benefits payable under this Plan will still be reduced by the amount Medicare would have paid under Medicare Parts A & B.

Planning Notes:

Most people who go through the process of planning for end-of-life issues find the experience valuable. We know that lifespans are continuing to increase, but regardless of your present state of health, the beginning of the later stages of life is the time to make plans for what you know to be inevitable. In addition to the list of standard items below, you may wish to look into prearranging (and even prepaying) for your funeral. This will be one less burden for your survivors to deal with. Another important chore is to make sure that all of your vital documents are organized intelligibly, with lists of their locations. Here is a link to a documents organizer to get you started.

Long-term care can become a significant issue in the later stages of life. You should determine whether obtaining insurance for this contingency is appropriate for you. Don't delay in the hopes that prices will come down -- the cost of this insurance only goes up as you age.

Please review the following list and consult the appropriate professionals to help you complete your planning as appropriate for your own circumstances.

• Will

• Living Trust

• Estate Plan

• Durable Powers of Attorney

• Designation of Beneficiary: IRA, 401k, Life Insurance

• Adequacy of Life Insurance

• Adequacy of Disability Insurance