Planning to get married?

Here are the steps you should consider taking:

Step 1: Gather required documentation

• You must collect your signed county marriage certificate

Step 2: Add your spouse to your insurance coverage

• Complete a Participant Information Form or Dependent Add Form
• Send your completed form plus the County Certified Marriage Certificate to the Benefit Fund Office.
• Submissions may be made via:
  • Mail to 12 E Erie Street Chicago IL 60611
  • Fax to (312) 951-1515
  • Email to activeenrollment@carpenterbenefits.org

Step 3: Change your name (if applicable)

• Complete a Participant Information Form
• Send your completed form plus the County Certified Marriage Certificate to the Benefit Fund Office.
• Submissions may be made via:
  • Mail to 12 E Erie Street Chicago IL 60611
  • Fax to (312) 951-1515
  • Email to activeenrollment@carpenterbenefits.org

Step 4: Update your Life Insurance Beneficiary (if applicable)

• Complete a Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation Form
• Send your completed form plus the County Certified Marriage Certificate to the Benefit Fund Office.
• Submissions may be made via:
  • Mail to 12 E Erie Street Chicago IL 60611
  • Fax to (312) 951-1515
  • Email to activeenrollment@carpenterbenefits.org

Planning to get divorced or legally separated?

Here are the steps you should consider taking:

Step 1: Gather required documents

• You must collect your county certified divorce decree
• The decree must include both the Judge’s signature and the date the Judgement for Dissolution of Marriage was entered into the court

Step 2: Remove your spouse from your insurance coverage

• Send a complete copy of your County certified divorce decree to the Fund Office
• Submissions may be made via:
  • Mail to 12 E Erie Street Chicago IL 60611
  • Fax to (312) 951-1515
  • Email to activeenrollment@carpenterbenefits.org

Step 3: Change your name (if applicable)

• Complete a Participant Information Form
• Send your completed form plus the County Certified Marriage Certificate to the Benefit Fund Office.
• Submissions may be made via:
  • Mail to 12 E Erie Street Chicago IL 60611
  • Fax to (312) 951-1515
  • Email to activeenrollment@carpenterbenefits.org

Step 4: Update your Life Insurance Beneficiary (if applicable)

• Complete a Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation Form
• Send your completed form plus the County Certified Marriage Certificate to the Benefit Fund Office.
• Submissions may be made via:
  • Mail to 12 E Erie Street Chicago IL 60611
  • Fax to (312) 951-1515
  • Email to activeenrollment@carpenterbenefits.org

Planning to have a child?

Here are the steps you should consider taking:

Step 1: Gather Required Documentation

Use the chart below to determine what documents you need

Dependent Child	Examples of Proof of Dependent Status County-certified birth certificate Single Parent dependent affidavit (if parents were never married)
Child for whom court order mandates coverage	County-certified birth certificate Qualified Medical Child Support Order (QMCSO) or a National Medical Support Notice County-certified divorce decree (if the parents are divorced)
Newly adopted child Stepchild	Interim order of placement and/or final adoption order County-certified birth certificate County-certified divorce decree (if the parents are divorced) or a stepchild dependent affidavit or a death certificate of the biological parent

Step 2: Add your new dependent to your insurance coverage

• You must submit a completed Participant Information Form or Dependent Add Form
• Include the with Proof of Dependent Status Documentation (reference chart above)
• Submissions may be made via:
  • Mail to 12 E Erie Street Chicago IL 60611
  • Fax to (312) 951-1515
  • Email to activeenrollment@carpenterbenefits.org

Step 3: Update your Life Insurance Beneficiary (if applicable)

• Complete a Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation Form
• Send your completed form plus the County Certified Marriage Certificate to the Benefit Fund Office.
• Submissions may be made via:
  • Mail to 12 E Erie Street Chicago IL 60611
  • Fax to (312) 951-1515
  • Email to activeenrollment@carpenterbenefits.org

Planning to retire?

Here are the steps you should consider taking:

Step 1: Understand what starting your pension will mean for you

• Review the Pre-Retirement Webinar to better understand your options (Click here to view)
• Log-in to the Portal to view your pension estimates (Click here to log-in)

Step 2: Request required pension application and gather required documents.

• Request an application packet from the MACRC Retirement Benefits Department.
  • Call 312-787-9455 Option 4 or email retirement@carpenterbenefits.org; if emailing, please be certain to include your UID number and requested date of retirement.
  • This application is only valid for 180 days from the date of the benefit estimates that will be enclosed with the application packet.
• Gather all required documents such as proof of birth date, marriage, photo ID, dependent children birth certificates, divorce decrees, legal separation papers, and QDROs (as applicable).
  • Click here for full list of acceptable documents will be sent with your application.

Step 3: Complete pension application and submit documents

• It is recommended that you submit your completed application and all required supporting documentation approximately four (4) months in advance of your planned retirement date.
  • The application may be submitted after this time, but that could lead to delays in your first payment.
  • No pension benefit will be paid for any period prior to the date your application is received by the Retirement Benefits Department.
• You have the option of meeting with a Retirement Benefits Representative to review your pension options, answer any questions that you may have, and submit your pension application.
  • Call 312-787-9455 Option 4 to schedule an appointment at the Chicago or Lisle campus.
• You may submit your completed application and required documents by mail, fax or email.

Step 4: Wait for processing and your pension to start

• Approximately thirty days after the Retirement Benefits Department receives your pension application, you will be sent a letter confirming receipt and requesting further information (if necessary).
• After all of the required information is received by the Retirement Benefits Department, it may take up to ninety days to process your application and issue your first pension check.
• After your application has been processed you will receive a letter regarding the approval or denial of your application.
• If your application is approved, your first check will be enclosed with the approval.
• Direct deposit will begin with your second check.