Pension Counseling and Information Program

Do you need help getting your retirement benefit?

The U.S. Administration for Community Living’s Pension Counseling and Information Program currently serves 31 states.

Free legal assistance is available to individuals experiencing a problem with their pension, profit sharing or retirement savings plans. For more detailed information about what the projects do, check out the brochure about the program and watch our video. Contact one of the pension counseling projects below if you, your company, or your pension plan are located within a project’s service area. Assistance is provided free of charge.

Not located within a service area?

You may be able to find help with your questions by visiting PensionHelp America.

Find the Counseling Project that covers your state

Trellis Pension and Retirement Rights Project – Mid-America Region
Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee
Toll Free: (866) 783-5021
Trellis Office Website

Mid-Atlantic Pension Counseling Project
New York and New Jersey
Toll Free: (800) 355-7714
New York Office Website

New England &
Illinois Pension Assistance Projects

Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont
Toll Free: (888) 425-6067
Massachusetts Office Website

 

South Central Pension Rights Project
Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas
Toll Free: (800) 443-2528
Texas Office Website

Trellis Pension and Retirement Rights Project – Upper Midwest Region
Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin
Toll Free: (866) 783-5021
Trellis Office Website

Western States Pension Assistance Project
Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada
Toll Free: (866) 413-4911
California Office Website

Still have questions?

About the Pension Counseling and Information Program

The Pension Counseling and Information Program (PCIP) was created by Congress in 1992 and is primarily supported by the U.S. Administration for Community Living.  PCIP is made up of six regional pension counseling projects that provide free legal assistance to individuals who need help with retirement benefits they earned through their employment.  The Pension Rights Center is a resource center for the pension counseling projects.

The pension counseling projects are staffed by attorneys and other legal professionals who help individuals understand their rights to receive retirement benefits, get documents and information from their retirement plans, and challenge benefit denials or incorrect benefit calculations.  The projects help people with questions and problems relating to both private and government retirement plans.

Company and union retirement plans are required to have benefit claims and appeals procedures, and government plans also have review processes. Pension counseling project attorneys draft claim and appeal letters on behalf of their clients.

The pension counseling projects provide services free of charge.  There are no age or income requirements.

The six pension counseling projects together cover thirty states.  You can receive help from a pension counseling project if you live in one of the 30 covered states, your employer is located in one of these states, or your retirement plan is administered in one of the covered states.  The Pension Rights Center can provide referrals and limited assistance to individuals in the 20 states not covered by a pension counseling project.

To get legal help through the Pension Counseling and Information Program, you can click on one of the circles below to learn more about the pension counseling project that covers your state.

Since 1993, the Pension Counseling and Information Program has recovered over $294 million in retirement benefits and helped more than 70,000 people.

Counseling Project Success Stories

The stories featured on this page showcase individuals who have been helped by the staff of Pension Counseling and Information Projects. These stories highlight common problems that millions of Americans face, ranging from the very simple to the very complex. The expertise of counseling project staff has enabled the people featured in these stories to obtain the pensions that they have rightfully earned.

For privacy reasons, many of the names and identifying information about the individuals featured in these stories have been changed.

90-Year-Old Widow Receives Reduction in Recoupment

Betty contacted the Western States Pension Assistance Project (WSPAP) after receiving an overpayment letter in the mail.

Pension Payment Pop-Up Provided After WSPAP Advocacy

Todd, an older adult who lives in San Francisco, called the Western States Pension Assistance Project (WSPAP) for help with his pension.

Western States Negotiates Life Changing Settlement

Before reaching the normal retirement age of 65, Mary was informed that she was not eligible for her pension. She knew she should have a benefit due, but the only lingering proof were the routine recent statements and screenshots from the plan itself. 

Not sure where to start but have questions?

Contact us >

Sign up to receive updates from us:

Do you want to stay up to date on the latest retirement news and recent happenings at PRC?

Sign up to receive emails from us:

Click here >

Support the Pension Rights Center:

In today’s challenging pension environment, our work is more important than ever. Your contribution will help make it possible for the Center to continue its crucial role as a national consumer organization committed to protecting and promoting retirement security.

Donate >