Life Events

What You Need to Know

Life changes quickly! Here are highlights of how to update your benefits coverage and related benefits information if you move, get married, get divorced, grow your family, leave employment, or die. For details, or if you have a life event not described here, check the Summary Plan Descriptions for each benefit plan.

If You Move

Health, Pension, and Annuity and 401(k) Plans

What You Need To Do

Complete and sign the address change form, and follow the instructions on the form to fax or mail it to the Benefits Office.

If You Have a Child, Adopt a Child, or Get Married

Health Plan

If you have a child, adopt a child, or get married, your new child or spouse, and, if applicable, new stepchildren are eligible for coverage under the Plan once you enroll them.

You may want to update your life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance beneficiary(ies) as a result of this change, too. See the Health Benefit Plan Summary Plan Description for more details.

What You Need To Do

Provide the Benefits Office with the following information (as applicable) within six months of your child’s birth, your child’s adoption, or your marriage date:

  • A completed, notarized enrollment form
  • A copy of the state-issued birth certificate for the dependent(s) you are enrolling
  • A copy of your state-issued marriage certificate (if applicable)
  • A copy of the adoption certificate or documentation of the start of adoption proceedings, if you have adopted a child
  • A copy of your spouse’s medical insurance information, if he or she is covered under another group health plan

Pension Plan

If you get married, certain Plan rules and provisions apply to you and your spouse. See the Pension Plan section of this website for more details.

What You Need To Do

Contact the Benefits Office to ensure your beneficiary information is up to date.

Annuity and 401(k) Plan

If you get married, your spouse is automatically your beneficiary for your Plan benefit. To name a beneficiary other than your spouse, he or she must consent in writing so that your designation is effective. The consent must be notarized.

What You Need To Do

To change your Annuity and 401(k) Plan beneficiary, complete the Plan’s beneficiary form, and mail it to the Benefits Office.

If You Get Divorced

Health Plan

If you get divorced, your spouse is no longer eligible for health benefits under the Plan as of the date of your divorce decree.

You must notify the Benefits Office of your divorce immediately so that your spouse can be removed from coverage. If you don’t notify the Benefits Office, you must reimburse the Plan for all benefits that were paid on behalf of your former spouse once he or she became ineligible for coverage.

Your former spouse will be eligible to purchase COBRA continuation coverage for up to 36 months as long as he or she enrolls within 60 days of the divorce decree. For more COBRA information, see the Health Plan Summary Plan Description.

Your divorce also automatically revokes your spouse as your designated beneficiary for life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance under the Health Plan.

Pension Plan

If you get divorced, your former spouse is automatically no longer your designated beneficiary for Pension Plan purposes.

If your divorce includes a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO), certain payments could be made from your pension benefit to pay alimony, child support, or marital property rights of your former spouse, your child, or other dependent. See the Pension Plan Summary Plan Description.

Annuity and 401(k) Plan

If you get divorced, your former spouse is automatically no longer your designated beneficiary under the Annuity and 401(k) Plan. Your divorce does not change your designation of any other beneficiaries under the Plan.

Your former spouse has no right to any part of your account except to the extent provided by a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO). Under the terms of a QDRO, certain payments could be made from your benefits to pay alimony, child support, or marital property rights of your former spouse, your child, or other dependent. See the Annuity and 401(k) Summary Plan Description. Contact MassMutual for a copy of the Annuity and 401(k) Plan’s QDRO procedures.

If You Die

Health Plan

Active Members

If you die while you’re covered by the Health Plan, your surviving spouse and/or dependent child(ren) will continue to be covered through the period you would have been covered under Plan provisions. See the Health Plan Summary Plan Description for details.

Retirees

If you die while you’re covered under the Health Plan as a retiree, your surviving spouse may be able to continue coverage after your death. See the Health Plan Summary Plan Description for details.

If you die, your spouse, child, or your dependent child’s guardian or representative must notify the Benefits Office that you have died and present a copy of your death certificate to the Benefits Office.

Pension Plan

If You Die as a Vested and Active Member

If you die as a vested and active member, your surviving spouse may be eligible for a pre-retirement in-service pension benefit. See the Pension Plan section and the Pension Plan Summary Plan Description.

If You Die After You Retire

If you die after you retire, your beneficiary may be eligible to continue receiving a pension from the Plan, depending on the payment form you elected. See the Pension Plan Summary Plan Description for more information on death benefits.

Annuity and 401(k) Plan

If you die before receiving all the money in your individual account, your surviving spouse will receive the remaining money in your account as a death benefit—either as a lump-sum payment or as periodic installments.

If you do not have a surviving spouse or your spouse had agreed in writing to your election of a non-spousal beneficiary, the remaining money in your account will be paid to your designated beneficiary.

If You Stop Working or Your Hours Are Reduced

Health Plan

If you stop working, your coverage under this Plan will end on the day your employment ends.

If your coverage ends because your employment is terminated or your hours are reduced below the minimum hours required to maintain Plan eligibility, you may elect to purchase COBRA continuation coverage for up to 18 months for yourself and your family. See the Health Plan Summary Plan Description for details.

What You Need To Do

  • Notify the Benefits Office within 60 days after the date of your termination of employment, your reduction in hours, or your loss of coverage (whichever is later).
  • Enroll in COBRA if you wish to continue your coverage under this Plan.
  • Apply to convert your life insurance within the deadline if you wish to continue coverage under your own policy.

Pension Plan

If you stop working, you are vested, and you meet certain age and other requirements under the Pension Plan, you may apply for a pension benefit. See the Pension Plan Summary Plan Description for more information.

If you are not vested in the Pension Plan when you leave covered employment, you are not eligible for a pension benefit from this Plan.

What You Need To Do

Contact the Benefits Office for information on applying for a pension benefit.

Annuity and 401(k) Plan

If you terminate employment in the elevator industry, you may be eligible for a distribution from your individual account. See this chart for details on when you can apply for a distribution.

Generally, you can elect to receive a distribution from your account as a lump-sum payment or periodic installments. Or you may make a direct rollover into an eligible retirement plan to defer taxes on your distribution.

What You Need To Do

  • See the Annuity and 401(k) Plan Summary Plan Description for information about whether you’re eligible to receive a distribution of all or part of your individual account after you have terminated employment in the elevator industry.
  • Call MassMutual at 800-74-FLASH (800-743-5274) to request a form to apply for a distribution. MassMutual will determine your eligibility for a distribution and then send you an application, if you qualify.

Contacts and Resources

NEI Benefits Office
NEI Benefit Plans
19 Campus Blvd., Suite 200
Newtown Square, PA 19073-3288
800-523-4702
Fax: 610-325-9028

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This website provides an overview of benefits for eligible members of National Elevator Industry Benefit Plans. Refer to the Summary Plan Description (SPD) or plan contract/certificate and plan amendments for a full description of benefits. If there is a discrepancy between the information provided on this website and the official plan documents, the information provided in the official plan documents will govern.