Summary Plan Description
Money Follows the Carpenter
Money follows the carpenter is a special provision under the International Reciprocity Agreement that allows you to have hours and contributions transferred to your home trust – the Carpenters Retirement Plan of Western Washington – when you temporarily work under a reciprocal plan. Money follows the carpenter allows you to accumulate contributions under your home trust.
To take advantage of money follows the carpenter, please contact the Retirement Department at the Trust Office or your Local Union each time you work under a reciprocal plan. The Trust Office or your Local Union will send you an Authorization to Transfer Fringe Benefits form. This form must be completed as soon as possible but no later than 60 days from the onset of employment in the other jurisdiction. Contributions cannot be transferred retroactively. Money follows the carpenter also requires the home trust and the reciprocal trust to accept or transfer both retirement contributions and health and security contributions. Several other restrictions also apply (please see Money-Follows-the-Man Pension).
For additional information about money follows the carpenter, please see Article 5.3.
Key Point
To take advantage of “Money Follows the Carpenter,” you must contact the Trust Office or your Local Union within 60 days of the onset of employment under a reciprocal plan. If you do not establish a home trust to which all contributions are sent, your pension will be split between two or more plans. “Money Follows the Carpenter” is a particularly important provision if you are trying to satisfy the requirements for rule of 80 early retirement (please see Rule of 80 Early Retirement).
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