HOW TO CHECK ON YOUR PENSION
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(FORTUNE Magazine) – The Retirement Protection Act of 1993, which the Clinton Administration sent to Congress last year, would require employers to notify their employees if a pension plan is underfunded. But Congress hasn't acted on that bill yet, so if you're wondering about your plan you'll have to do a little investigating on your own. Start at the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., which will field your inquiries if you call 202-326-4000. The Labor Department publishes What You Should Know About Pension Law. Write to the U.S. Department of Labor, Division of Technical Assistance and Inquiries, 200 Constitution Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. 20216. The Pension Rights Center, a Washington, D.C., research group, has three publications: Where to Look for Help With a Pension Problem -- available for $8.50; Your Pension Rights at Divorce: What Women Need to Know; and Protecting Your Pension Money. Call the center at 202-296-3776. The American Association of Retired Persons offers A Guide to Understanding Your Pension Plan. Write its Fulfillment Department, 601 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20049. If you discover your plan is underfunded, you can agitate to have your company start making up the deficit. And if you are nearing retirement you may want to take your benefit in a lump-sum payout, which you can reinvest, rather than in monthly checks, whose continued flow may be threatened.