When thinking of starting your pension you should contact The Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Pension Fund at 312/787-9455 or visit their webpage at www.cdccbenefits.org for more information, benefit estimate and an application.
The entire process may be done through the mail or if you wish to visit the Fund Office (12 E. Erie Street, Chicago, IL 60611) to apply in person, you may do so. If you are married we suggest that your spouse accompany you if you elect to visit the Fund Office to apply for your benefit.
Office hours are from 8:00am to 4:30pm Central Standard Time. If you choose to visit the Pension Fund Office, we suggest that you telephone ahead of time to schedule an appointment with a Pension Service Representative. Although an appointment is not mandatory (and you will, of course, still be assisted even if you have not made one), making an appointment will help to ensure that you will not have to wait long to speak with a Pension Service Representative once you arrive at the Pension Fund Office.
After you have applied for Pension Benefits from our Pension Fund, Municipality Pension Plan or Social Security Pension you must call our office to inquire about a reduced rate in union dues depending on age and/or years of membership with the local union.
Please note that we will not automatically reduce your dues.
What Types of Pensions Are Provided by the Pension Plan?
The Pension Plan provides several different kinds of pensions as follows:
- A Regular Pension if:
- You are at least age 65; and
- You are Vested.
- An Unreduced Early Retirement Pension if:
- You are age 60 but younger than age 65; and
- Your effective date of first Retirement is on or after July 1, 2004; and
- You are Vested.
- An Early Retirement Pension if:
- You are age at least age 55 but not yet age 60; and
- You are Vested.
- A Disability Pension if:
- You are totally and permanently disabled for any type of substantial gainful employment (for this purpose, a Social Security Administration disability award letter OR physician’s certification of disability on a form provided by the Fund Office will be required as proof of total disability); and
- You apply for Social Security Administration disability benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act. (Note that, although you must apply for Social Security disability benefits, you do not need to wait for a favorable decision from the Social Security Administration to commence a Disability Pension PROVIDED THAT you obtain a physician’s certification of disability on a form provided by the Fund Office); and
- You meet the requirements of either (a) or (b) below:
A) You have at least 15 Years of Pension Credit; or
B) You have at least 10 but less than 15 Years of Pension Credit provided you have earned at least ¼ Year of Pension Credit in the calendar year in which you became disabled or during any of the immediately preceding five consecutive calendar years.