1. Change of mailing address
The retiree/beneficiary needs to duly fill out, date and sign Pension Fund Form PF.23/M concerning change of mailing address, as well as send the original form with the original ink signature to the Pension Fund. The form can be found on the Pension Fund’s website and through the Member Self Service (MSS) Portal.
2. Change of payment instructions
The retiree/beneficiary needs to duly fill out, date and sign Pension Fund Form PF.23 concerning change in payment instructions, as well as send the original form with the original ink signature to the Pension Fund. The form can be found on the Pension Fund’s website and through the Member Self Service (MSS) Portal.
3. Annual Certificate of Entitlement
The Annual Certificate of Entitlement (CE) is a bar-coded document which is sent each year by the Pension Fund to all retirees/beneficiaries, who must return the original CE duly completed, dated and signed to the Pension Fund as soon as possible and by no later than by the end of November each year. Failure to return the CE may lead to suspension of the benefit.
4. Statement of Benefits (formerly Tax Statement)
Statement of Benefits is a yearly statement of the payments made by the Pension Fund to the retiree/beneficiary. It can be issued to retirees/beneficiary upon request.
5. After Service Health Insurance
For retirees/beneficiaries who opted for After Service Health Insurance (ASHI), premiums are deducted directly from their monthly pension benefit. As ASHI matters are not handled by the Pension Fund, please contact the UN Health and Insurance Section directly with regards to any ASHI related inquiry through email address ashi@un.org or a ‘Contact Us ticket’ at their website at: http://www.un.org/insurance/inquiries.
6. Two Track Pension Adjustment System
Retirees/beneficiaries can request to be placed on the two-track system, which is a feature of the Pension Adjustment System where their pension benefit is calculated and maintained both in US dollars and in the currency of their country of residence. Each quarter the local and dollar tracks are compared and the retiree/beneficiary is paid the higher amount, subject to a specific maximum and minimum.
7. Quarterly Statements (Cost of Living Adjustment Letters)
Quarterly Statements are provided to retirees/beneficiaries in receipt of a periodic benefit, and whose benefits have been affected by changes in the Cost-of-Living and/or Quarterly Exchange Rate. The letters provide the quarterly exchange and Cost of Living Adjustment percentage applied for the determination of benefit entitlements, and the established monthly payable amount for the quarter.
8. Non-receipt of monthly benefit payment(s)
Can be caused by (a) issues related to your payment instructions, including your banking details; and/or (b) non-receipt by the Pension Fund of your original, duly filled out, dated and signed Annual Certificate of Entitlement.
9. Fluctuations in the amounts of your monthly pension benefit
Are most likely due to:
(a) fluctuations in your monthly After Service Health Insurance (ASHI) premium deductions, for which you need to contact the UN Health and Insurance Section and not the Pension Fund;
(b) possible charges applied by your bank, for which you need to request clarifications from your bank as the Pension Fund cannot accept responsibility for such charges;
(c) discontinuation of child benefit, if your child reached the age of 21; and/or
(d) changes in the entitlements as a result of the application of the quarterly Cost of Living Adjustment to your benefit, of which retirees/beneficiaries are informed in the quarterly statements issued by the Pension Fund.
10. Re-entering the Pension Fund after already entitled to or in receipt of a periodic pension benefit
Upon re-entering the Pension Fund, the periodic pension benefit is suspended and no benefit is payable until the participant dies or again separates from service. If the participant separates from service again, he/she is entitled for the additional period of contributory service to a withdrawal settlement or a periodic pension benefit, subject to the conditions listed in the Pension Fund’s Regulations.
11. Taxation
11.1. Tax related queries → cannot be addressed by the Pension Fund as this is not within the scope of the Pension Fund’s competence or authority. The Pension Fund encourages its retirees/beneficiaries to consult with an accountant, tax attorney or the UN Tax Unit.
11.2. Tax Statements → can be issued by the Pension Fund annually upon request by retirees/beneficiaries.
12. Emergency Fund
Retirees/beneficiaries who are receiving a small monthly periodic benefit from the Pension Fund, and experience a financial hardship due to illness, infirmities of old age, or similar causes, including funeral arrangements, may want to write to the Pension Fund to inquire as to whether or not they could be assisted by the Emergency Fund.
13. Forfeit
Beneficiary failed to submit payment instructions or accept payment →
1. Right to Withdrawal Settlement shall be forfeited two (2) years after payment has been due.
2. Right to a periodic benefit shall be forfeited five (5) years after the first payment has been due.
3. Right to continued periodic benefit payment shall be forfeited two (2) years after a periodic payment has been due.
Beneficiary failed to submit a duly signed Certificate of Entitlement → right to continued periodic benefit payment shall be forfeited two (2) years after a periodic payment has been due.