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17 Years of Outstanding Service
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Since the Pension Action Center was founded in 1994, it has played an important role in assuring that elderly individuals attain economic security in retirement. As many of you know, the New England Pension Assistance Project provides free expert and specialized assistance to find and claim the pension and retirement benefits that individuals have earned. We are proud of our recent accomplishment of surpassing $40 million in recovered retirement benefits. In addition to recovering benefits, NEPAP has been the trusted expert for answering questions on retirement income benefits for workers, retirees and their families in New England.
The New England Pension Assistance Project and other regional Administration on Aging counseling projects are able to help many retirees with pension issues. However, sometimes an individual's legal needs go beyond what these services can provide, such as when a client needs representation at a trial. Also, there are some individuals who do not qualify for assistance through any of the regional Administration on Aging sponsored counseling projects, because there's not a project serving their area.
To ensure that these people receive the help they need, the Pension Action Center also operates a national referral service. The National Pension Lawyers Network is a no-cost referral service that connects workers and retirees with attorneys and organizations who can help them understand and enforce their pension rights. These referrals help pension plan participants and their beneficiaries connect with the resources they need when they have trouble securing benefits.
We would like to thank the U.S. Administration on Aging, the Pension Rights Center and many of you for giving us the support we need to provide these valuable services. Together we can continue to work to increase retirement income security, reduce poverty, and ensure a standard of living in old age
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Massachusetts Initiative to Expand Private Pension Coverage
| The Pension Action Center of the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at UMass Boston has embarked on an initiative to expand pension or work-place saving options in the private sector by looking at what individual states can do to encourage pension coverage.
By bringing together key players from business, labor, government, academia, and the financial sector, the Center will explore a variety of proposals that have been developed nationally. Read More |
Vermont Woman Can't Find Pension After Union Office Closes
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In early December, a 68 year-old woman living on a modest income in Vermont called the New England Pension Assistance Project after finding our website. She was frustrated because she thought she was entitled to a pension, but had no idea how to find it. She told us that she had belonged to the District 65 Union, and had worked as a machine operator in three union shops in New York for about 15 years ending in the mid-1980s. She only remembered the name of one of her former employers, and she had no documentation except a union card from 1980. She knew that the union office had been on Astor Place in New York City. She knew that it was no longer there, but apart from that, she could not provide us with any information about her possible pension entitlement.
The case was assigned to Renee Summers, one of our counselors. She began to investigate and found that District 65 had become a unit of the United Auto Workers in 1981. After extensive follow-up , she learned that the District 65 UAW Pension Plan had been terminated and that benefits were being paid through a third-party administrator in New Jersey. She then contacted this third-party administrator and found that the client was in their records, and was entitled to a retirement benefit of $225 per month. This benefit will be paid retroactive to her 65th birthday. It is very unlikely that she would have found this money without NEPAP's assistance. The retroactive lump sum and the ongoing monthly lifetime benefit, with a projected lifetime value of over $60,000, will have a significant impact on our client's life and on her economic security.
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Comings and Goings
| The Pension Action Center has recently undergone some staff changes. Rachel Puopolo, the former Administrative Assistant for the New England Pension Assistance Project and the former Coordinator for the National Pension Lawyers Network, moved to a different position within the University of Massachusetts Boston. After completing her graduate degree in School Counseling, she was offered a position as an Academic Adviser. Also, Grace Healey, the Center's former Development and Community Education Coordinator, has retired. Best of luck to Grace in her retirement and Rachel in her new role!
The Pension Action Center has taken this opportunity to reevaluate its needs and consider the best way to move forward with staffing. Michele Tolson, a former Research Assistant Intern with the Gerontology Institute, is currently filling in as the Administrative Assistant for the New England Pension Assistance Project and the Coordinator for the National Pension Lawyers Network. Michele is a perfect fit and we are lucky to have her.
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In the News
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Boston Seniority Magazine, published by the City of Boston's Commission on Affairs of the Elderly, included an article on the New England Pension Assistance Project in its 2012 winter edition. The story, "Receive the help you need to get the pension you earned," is on page 11. Read the magazine
On January 18, 2012, The Boston Globe published an online story, "Recovered pensions by Pension Action Center top $40 million," by Patrick D. Rosso. The article highlighted the New England Pension Assistance Project's recent accomplishment of surpassing $40 million dollars in recoveries for clients. Read the story
The University of Massachusetts Boston's electronic newsletter, The Point, featured the Project in its February 14th issue. This well-written story by Martha Scanlon, "New England Pension Assistance Project Hits the $40 Million Mark," is definitely worth reading! Read the story
The booklet "Finding a Lost Pension," created by the Pension Action Center and the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corp., was mentioned in The Wall Street Journal on February 25th! "Pension Health Checkup," by Ellen E. Shultz, also references pension counseling projects funded by the U.S. Administration on Aging. Read the story
Back to Top
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PROJECT WORK ADDS UP
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Over 5,800
workers and retirees helped
More than
$40 million
in benefits recovered
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Are Project Clients Satisfied? Survey Says...
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Yes! According to our clients, the New England Pension Assistance Project consistently provides quality service. The results of the NEPAP 2011 client satisfaction survey shows a high level of satisfaction. Surveys are sent to every full-service client upon case closure. See below for some exciting highlights from our 2011 survey!
Client Satisfaction: 98% of responding clients were satisfied with the services.
Treating Clients with Courtesy: 98% of responding clients felt that they were treated courteously.
Providing Clear and Useful Information: 98% of responding clients found the information provided them to be clear and 96% found the information to be useful.
Recovering Benefits: 58% of responding clients reported that the project helped them increase or recover benefits. |
| Did You Know? | |
State and federal laws provide strong protections to New England residents to shield their retirement savings from creditors.
Read more on protecting your retirement savings from potential creditors.
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Pension plans can not reduce or take away benefits that have already accrued when they freeze your plan.
Read more on what it means when a company freezes your pension plan and what you can do about it.
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Donate Now!
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You can help workers and retirees throughout New England enjoy more financially secure retirements by supporting the Pension Action Center.
Please select
Pension Action Center from the list of centers at UMass Boston and complete the online giving form. Thank you.
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