General Information - FAQs
Who Administers the Plan?
A Board of Trustees consisting of Union and Employer representatives in accordance with the law. The Board of Trustees has retained a third-party administrator, Health Services & Benefit Administrators, to handle the day-to-day operation of the Plan.
Who is Covered by the Plan?
Employees of contributing employers who work under collective bargaining agreements with any one of the following Local Unions of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades:
Carpet, Linoleum and Soft Tile Workers Local Union No. 12; Linoleum, Carpet, Resilient Floor Covering and Sign Workers Local No. 1237; Carpet, Linoleum and Soft Tile Layers’ Union No. 1238; Linoleum, Carpet, Tile and Plastic Applications, Local No. 1236; Local No. 1399; Carpet, Linoleum and Resilient Tile Layers Local Union No. 419, and Carpet, Linoleum and Soft Tile Local Union No. 1926.
Also regular paid employees of the Local Unions and Apprentice Trust Funds who are not covered by any collective bargaining agreement, corporate contributing employers and their non-bargained employees, and alumni are covered by the Plan.
Do the Pensions Provided by this Plan Affect Social Security Benefits in any way?
No. The benefits payable under this Plan are in addition to benefits paid under Social Security.
May Pension Benefits be Assigned?
No, except to the extent provided in a qualified domestic relations order resulting from marriage dissolution proceedings.
Do I Pay Income Tax on my Pension?
Yes. All benefits you receive from the Plan, including disability benefits, are taxable income to you. Certain lump sum payments are subject to mandatory 20% withholding for federal income tax.
What Happens to my Benefits if I am Divorced?
If your marriage ends, the benefits you earned while you were married may be divided as part of your marital property settlement. Dividing your pension with a former spouse requires a special court order called a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). The Plan’s QDROs procedures and a sample QDRO are available free, upon request from the Administration Office.
Under federal law, the Plan must review all QDROs to determine whether they satisfy legal requirements. The Plan does not examine the fairness of your property settlement. You and your spouse are each responsible for protecting your own interests when you agree to any QDRO.
Benefit payments to your former spouse under a QDRO cannot begin until the earliest date you would be eligible to receive a payment from the Plan.
Are Plan Documents Available to Participants and Beneficiaries?
Yes. Copies of the Trust Agreement, Plan, subsequent Amendments, and a summary of the annual report are available for inspection at the Fund Office during regular business hours and upon written request will be furnished by mail.
In addition, copies of the collective bargaining agreements, and full annual report (Form 5500) are available for inspection at the Fund Office during regular business hours and upon written request will be furnished by mail upon payment of reasonable charges. You should therefore find out what that charge will be before writing and asking for copies of these documents.