Northwest Carpenters Retirement Plan

Article 4 - Qualification for Retirement 

4.1 Normal Retirement Date

An Employee who has completed at least one (1) year of Credited Future Service in this Plan shall be eligible for and have a nonforfeitable right to Normal Retirement upon attainment of his Normal Retirement Date. An Employee's Normal Retirement Date is the earlier of: (a) the date the Employee attains age 65 and is vested under Article 3.2; and (b) the later of the date the Employee attains age 65, or the fifth anniversary of the time the Employee commenced participation in this Plan without incurring a Permanent Break in Service under Article 3.4 or a zero cash-out under Article 3.3 (unless the Employee's rights have been recovered pursuant to Article 3.5).

4.2 Early Retirement Date

4.2.1 Regular Early Retirement Date. An Employee who has attained age 55 and who has completed ten (10) years of Credited Service, of which at least one is Credited Future Service, shall be eligible to elect Early Retirement. Effective January 1, 1988, an Employee who has attained age 55 and who has completed five (5) years of Credited Service in this Plan, shall also be eligible to elect Early Retirement. An Employee who retires may elect Early Retirement beginning with the first day of any month coinciding with or following the date of the Employee's written election or the first month following the date the Employee satisfies the above requirements, if later, but prior to the Employee's 65th birthday. The Early Retirement benefit under this Article shall be subject to the Early Retirement reduction factors of Article 6.2.1.

4.2.2 Special Early Retirement Date. Effective January 1, 1988, an Employee who has attained age 55, earned 750 Hours of Service in this Plan in the three (3) consecutive Plan Year period immediately preceding the Employee's retirement date and completed five (5) years of Credited Service in this Plan shall be entitled to elect Special Early Retirement. An Employee who retires may elect Special Early Retirement beginning with the first day of any month coinciding with or following the date of the Employee's written election or the first month following the date the Employee satisfies the above requirements, if later, but prior to the Employee's 65th birthday. The Special Early Retirement benefit under this Article 4.2.2 shall be subject to the Early Retirement reduction factors of Article 6.2.2.

4.2.3 Rule of 80 Early Retirement Date. Effective June 1, 2000, an Employee who has attained age 55, earned 750 Hours of Service in the Plan in the three (3) consecutive Plan Year period immediately preceding the Employee's retirement date, and whose age plus whole years of Credited Years of Service in the Northwest Carpenters Retirement Plan equals at least 80, shall be entitled to elect Rule of 80 Early Retirement for Annuity Starting Dates commencing June 1, 2000, subject to the following rules:

  1. The Employee must submit his application to the Carpenters Trusts no later than the month before the Annuity Starting Date.
  2. An Employee who elects the Rule of 80 Early Retirement and returns to work shall have his benefits suspended in accordance with Article 6.4, provided that if benefits were ever suspended under Article 6.2.3(b)(2) or 6.4.1(a), then when payments resume benefits will be calculated in accordance with Article 6.2.3(b).
  3. Effective for Annuity Starting Dates commencing on or after January 1, 2003, Reciprocal Credited Service earned under the Oregon Washington Carpenters-Employers Pension Plan shall count toward establishing the whole years of Credited Future Service used in determining eligibility for the Rule of 80 Early Retirement (but not for determining the 750 Hours of Service in three (3) consecutive Plan Years). Effective for monthly benefits payable on or after January 1, 2009, Reciprocal Credited Service earned under the Washington, Idaho, Montana Carpenters-Employers Retirement Plan prior to January 1, 1991 shall count toward establishing the whole years of Credited Future Service used in determining eligibility for the Rule of 80 Early Retirement (but not for determining the 750 Hours of Service in three (3) consecutive Plan Years). No more than one year of Combined Service Credit shall be counted toward establishing eligibility for the Rule of 80 Early Retirement in any Plan Year. Except as provided in this Article 4.2.3, Reciprocal Credited Service shall not count toward establishing eligibility for the Rule of 80 Early Retirement.

4.3 Disability Retirement Date

An Employee who becomes totally and permanently disabled, as defined in Article 7 of the Plan, who has earned ten (10) years of Credited Service, of which at least one (1) is Credited Future Service in this Plan, and who has earned at least 750 Hours of Service in this Plan or in a Reciprocal Plan in the three (3) consecutive Plan Year period prior to the Employee's disability, shall be eligible to elect a Disability Retirement, which may be the first of any month coinciding with or following the date of the Employee's written election, or the date the Employee satisfies the above requirements, if later, but prior to the Employee's 65th birthday (Disability Retirement Date).

Last Updated: 04/20/2023