Forms

For your convenience, we have posted some common forms on-line. Simply find the form that you need from the list below, click on the link and print it out.

Please note that not all plans allow for Hardship Distributions and/or Participant Loans. You must check with your plan sponsor at your company to find out if your plan allows for Hardship Distributions and/or Loans. Also, certain plan provisions and Government regulations must be met in order to qualify for a Distribution, Hardship, or Loan.

We cannot simply process your request for a payout based on the fact that you have completed a form and submitted for processing. All requests for payouts must receive approval from the Plan’s Trustee or from the Company sponsoring the Qualified Retirement Plan.

DISTRIBUTIONS

Our goal at Associated Pension Consultants is to process your distribution as quickly and efficiently as possible. Most common causes for delays in processing distributions are as follows:

• Distribution forms not properly completed (Main cause)
• Repeated phone calls to our office requesting a status
• Delays from the client sending APC information to process the payout

In order to help process distributions in a timely manner, we would like to walk you through the whole process:

1. APC receives distribution request (distribution application) from an employee
2. The distribution team reviews the paper work to make sure it is filled out correctly. If not, a notice is sent to the employee requesting additional information.
3. APC sends a fax to the client asking for detailed information on the employee. This information is needed to calculate the vested amount due to the employee. (This step can be bypassed, if the terminated employee has the trustee complete and sign the enclosed Appendix A)
4. Once APC receives this information from the client and the corrected forms from the employee, the actual calculation is done and a request for a withdrawal is made by APC to the investment company.
5. Once STEP 4 is completed, the investment company takes over in processing your distribution.
6. Depending on the investment company, a check will be sent to you directly or sent to the plan trustee. The plan trustee will then forward the check to you. Also, some investment companies may require you to complete additional forms.

In order to process distributions in a timely manner, we are forced to restrict the amount of time we spend on the phone giving participants a daily update on their request. Please note that we will not return phone calls by participants requesting a status on a daily basis.

ANNUITY OPTION: This form includes the annuity payment option that might not be allowed under your plan. If you would like to choose this option, please contact your company to see if annuities are allowed. You can also contact us to request this information.

NOTE: APC DOES NOT HAVE YOUR MONEY! YOUR MONEY IS INVESTED WITH AN INVESTMENT COMPANY. APC CALCULATES YOUR BENEFIT AND SENDS INSTRUCTIONS TO THE INVESTMENT COMPANY FOR A PAYOUT. IN CERTAIN CASES, APC HAS TO SEND A LETTER TO THE TRUSTEE OF THE PLAN TO SIGN AND FORWARD TO THE INVESTMENT COMPANY. ONCE THE INFORMATION IS RECEIVED, THE WHOLE PROCESS CAN TAKE BETWEEN 2 TO 4 WEEKS.

LOANS

Loan Application »

Please refer to your Plan’s Summary Plan Description to see if your plan allows for loans. If not, you cannot apply for a loan at this time. Our goal at Associated Pension Consultants (APC) is to process your loan in a timely manner. Most common causes for delays in processing loans are as follows:

• Loan forms not properly completed and (or) signed (Main cause)
• Repeated phone calls to our office requesting a status

In order to help process loans in a timely manner, we would like to walk you through the whole process:

1. APC receives a loan request (loan application) from an employee
2. APC reviews the paper work to make sure it is filled out correctly. If not, a notice is sent to the employee requesting additional information.
3. Once APC receives any missing information, a calculation is done to find out the maximum amount a participant can borrow.
4. APC sends a letter to the client giving them the terms of the loan and sends a request to the investment company to send a check to the trustee.
5. Depending on the investment company, a check will be sent to you directly or sent to the plan trustee. The plan trustee will then forward the check to you. Also, some investment companies may require you to complete additional forms.

In order to process loans in a timely manner, we are forced to restrict the amount of time we spend on the phone giving participants a daily update on their request. Please note that we will not return phone calls by participants requesting a status on a daily basis.

Please complete the attached paperwork to apply for a loan. Before you start completing the loan application, we suggest that you contact your investment company to check your account balance. If your account balance is less than $2,000, chances are that you will not meet the minimum loan amount requirement.

HARDSHIP DISTRIBUTIONS

Hardship Application »

Please refer to your Plan’s Summary Plan Description to see if your plan allows for Hardship Distributions. If not, you cannot apply for a Hardship Distribution at this time. Our goal at Associated Pension Consultants (APC) is to process your Hardship Distribution in a timely manner. Most common causes for delays in processing are as follows:

• Forms not properly completed and (or) signed (Main cause)
• Proof of Hardship not attached
• Repeated phone calls to our office requesting a status

In order to help process Hardships in a timely manner, we would like to walk you through the whole process:

1. APC receives a Hardship request (Hardship application) from an employee
2. APC checks to see if the Hardship is heavy and immediate. For this, APC requires that proof of Hardship be enclosed with the Hardship forms.
3. At this time APC either approves or denies a request based on the paper work received.
4. In case of an approved application, APC authorizes a distribution. Depending on the investment company, a check will be sent to you directly or sent to the plan trustee. The plan trustee will then forward the check to you. Also, some investment companies may require you to complete additional forms.

In order to process a distribution in a timely manner, we are forced to restrict the amount of time we spend on the phone giving participants a daily update on their request. Please note that we will not return phone calls by participants requesting a status on a daily basis.

Please note that Hardships can ONLY be approved for reasons specified on the Hardship application form (no exceptions). Once you take a Hardship Distribution, you will be required to stop contributing elective Deferrals (401(k) money) into the plan for a period of six months commencing on the date the distribution is made.