Public Employee Press

Members urged to file new beneficiary cards

If you last filled out a DC 37 Health & Security Plan beneficiary card several years ago, it's time to update your information.

Thousands of members and retirees have filled out new beneficiary forms in the last two years, but the plan hopes to get up-to-date information from the many others who have not turned in a new form.

"We have thousands of folks who filled out the beneficiary card many years ago," said Plan Administrator Cynthia Chin-Marshall. "If we don't have up-to-date information when someone passes, we may not be able to provide the benefits as intended."

You can get the "Change of Beneficiary" form at the plan's office at DC 37, 125 Barclay St. in lower Manhattan or at the Health & Security section of the www.dc37.net website. The form is posted at
www.dc37.net/benefits/health/pdf/BeneficiaryForm12_2010.pdf.

The old card let members and retirees identify a primary beneficiary and four other beneficiaries, but it didn't provide for ranking them. The "Change of Beneficiary" form, which must be notarized, has a section for the primary beneficiary with space for more people to share benefits equally, unless otherwise specified. It also lets additional people be designated contingent beneficiaries in case the primary beneficiary or beneficiaries are no longer living.

The plan urges members and retirees to keep a copy of the beneficiary form with their other important documents and to periodically review their files to be certain they have informed the plan about any changes, such as marriages, births, deaths and new addresses of their beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries are eligible for a death benefit totaling $10,000 for members who worked full-time, $6,000 for part-timers and $1,000 to $2,000 for retirees. Beneficiaries under 18 - for whom an executor will be appointed - get $500 monthly installments rather than a lump-sum payment. The plan will provide the surviving parent with a custodial letter if the child lives with that parent.