1. Personal data: Ensure your personal data (name, birth date, marital status, dependents, etc.) reported to your employer is correct to avoid processing delays.

2. Annual statements: Check your data via Annual Statements on Member Self-Service (MSS), updated in May.

3. Reporting discrepancies: Report any data discrepancies to your employer’s HR. Changes must be submitted to UNJSPF by your employer, not directly by you.

4. Benefit estimates: Before choosing benefits, run your own estimates in MSS to understand your options and entitlements at separation.

5. Separation forms and documents : At separation, the participant must submit:

• Instructions for Payment of Benefits form (Pens.E6 or Pens.E7) with all sections completed and your original signature. The form must be dated consistently and sent to the Fund. Remember to provide in the dedicated fields on the PI complete banking instructions including bank identifier in the box provided on the PI. If the participant does not have a bank account and cannot open one, payment in the form of a check may be sent in c/o a UN Office. Payment cannot be remitted to a mailing address nor can it be issued to a third party.
• Copy of a recent bank statement providing the account information, which must be in the name of the participant; the participant’s name and account information on the bank statement must match the name and account information provided on the participant’s payment instructions.
• Copy of a valid government-issued photo ID document (e.g. Passport or other official, government issued ID), carrying the participant’s full names, date of birth and signature (the “UN Laissez Passer” is NOT a valid ID document).

6. Supporting documents: Those participants entitled to and electing a form of retirement benefit must also submit the following supporting documents as applicable for their case:

• copy of your valid photo ID document (e.g. Passport or other valid official, government-issued photo ID) carrying your names, date of birth and signature (the “UN Laissez-passer” is NOT a valid ID document)
• a copy of your marriage certificate(s)
• a copy of your divorce decree(s)
• a copy of your spouse’s official, government-issued photo ID and/or of any former spouse/s
• a copy of the birth certificate(s) of your dependent child(ren) under 21 years of age
• a copy of death certificate(s) for spouse(s), ex-spouse(s), child(ren), if applicable
• ORIGINAL Designation of Recipient of a Residual Settlement form A/2

1. Participant's data: Ensure staff personal data (name, birth date, marital status, dependents, etc.) reported to the Fund is correct to avoid processing delays.

2. Reporting changes: Report any changes in staff personal data to UNJSPF through HR services using a corrective PA.

3. Separation support: Help separating staff understand their benefit options and ensure all required documents are completed and submitted.

4. File review: Review staff files before separation to ensure all data and pension contributions are correct. Address any discrepancies ahead of separation.

5. Separation forms:

• Issue the Separation Personnel Action form (SEPPA) with all relevant information and submit it to the Fund. 
• Issue the Separation Notification PF4, signed by an authorized Finance Officer, with all relevant information. The original PF4 must reach the Fund.
  
  The separation date should be the same on both the SEPPA and PF4. Form PF4 can only be issued once the staff has effectively separated from the organization; it usually takes at least 4 to 6 weeks from the date of separation from service, before it is issued and sent on to the UNJSPF. It is the (former) employing organization that can best advise on and provide the transmission timeline to the UNJSPF, as this is entirely beyond the Fund’s control. It is useful to follow up with the UNJSPF only ONCE the former employing organization has confirmed that both the Separation PA and original Separation Notification PF4 were issued and sent to the UNJSPF NY office.

1. Support: The UNJSPF provides support to the organization and participants to ensure that participation status and future benefit options are clear as well as inform all parties of the applicable conditions and the documentation required for benefit processing.

2. Briefings: Tailored briefings for participants and Pension Focal Points cover participation, benefits, and the separation process.

3. Separation process: The UNJSPF works with organizations to ensure a smooth separation process, providing feedback as needed.

4. Processing the cases: Upon receiving complete, signed separation documents, the Fund processes the case and issues payment within 4-6 weeks if no discrepancies are found.

5. Follow-up: The Fund follows up with the organization or the participant in case discrepancies are noted during the review and calculation process. It is, therefore, important the Fund has access to the (former) participant’s PERSONAL EMAIL address, which should be included on the original PI.

UNJSPF processing timeline

1. Article 31 - Withdrawal settlement→ one-time payment in an amount equivalent to your own contributions plus interest, which extinguishes all other rights to any other future benefits.
2. Article 32 - Deferment of choice or benefit for 36 months → Defer/Delay payment of your withdrawal settlement for up to 36 months. 

1. Article 30 - Deferred retirement benefit→ payable when you reach normal retirement age or when you become eligible for early retirement, with the applicable reduction factors. No child benefit is payable.
2. Article 31 - Withdrawal settlement→ one-time payment in an amount equivalent to your own contributions plus interest, which extinguishes all other rights to any other future benefits.
3. Article 32 - Deferment of choice or benefit for 36 months → Defer/Delay your benefit election (i.e. a withdrawal settlement or a deferred retirement benefit) for up to 36 months. 

1. Article 29 - Early retirement benefit, with or without commutation of up to one-third of the benefit into a lump sum.
2. Article 30 - Deferred retirement benefit→ payable when you reach normal retirement age or when you become eligible for an early retirement, with the applicable reduction factors. No child benefit is payable.
3. Article 31 - Withdrawal settlement→ one-time payment in an amount equivalent to your own contributions plus interest, which extinguishes all other rights to any other future benefits.
4. Article 32 - Deferment of choice or benefit for 36 months → Defer/Delay your benefit election for up to 36 months.

1. Article 28 - Normal retirement benefit, with or without commutation of up to one-third of the benefit into a lump sum.

You may retire from your employing organization and receive a monthly benefit at any time after you reach early retirement age, provided that you have had five years or more of contributory service in the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF). Please check the scenarios above to see which options apply to your case.

If you have had less than five years of contributory service you can, irrespective of your age, only take a withdrawal settlement.

The transfer of pension rights is possible only on the basis of a formal transfer agreement between the UNJSPF and the pension plan of an international organization or national government. Please check the Transfer Agreements page for more information.

Check this page.

For beneficiaries who failed to submit payment instructions or accept payment: 

• Their right to a Withdrawal Settlement shall be forfeited two (2) years after payment has been due.
• Their right to a periodic benefit shall be forfeited five (5) years after the first payment has been due.

When you retire, separate on disability or start receiving a survivor's benefit, you will receive a benefit entitlement letter providing details regarding your benefit, such as the date it was implemented and the amount which you will receive. If you are retiring, you will also find the amount of your total contributions to the Fund during your participation and a reminder that you will be required each year to return a proof of life document (Certificate of Entitlement) in order to continue to receive your benefit.  Please ensure that your address and contact details at separation are correct and that you keep them up to date after you are in receipt of your benefit.

The letter is posted inside your Member Self-Service account. To learn how to create or access your Member Self-Service account, please check the dedicated page.