Disclosures & Rights to Information

Disclosures & Rights to Information

What retirement plan information do you have a right to receive?

Federal law requires private retirement plans to give certain information to all plan members so they can learn about the rules of their retirement plan, the benefits they have earned, and their rights and obligations under their plans. Documents and notices that include this information are called disclosures. Disclosures must be written in a manner easily understood by an average participant. Disclosures must be delivered in a timely manner and by a method that ensures actual receipt.

It is important to keep plan disclosures for your records in case you later need them to understand your benefits or to prove your right to retirement benefits. It is also important to review disclosures when you receive them to be sure that the plan administrator has your correct information, such as your address.

What kinds of information do plan disclosures contain?
What plans must provide disclosures?
When will I receive disclosures from my retirement plan?
Why are disclosures important?
There is a lot of controversy about disclosures. 

Disclosures & Rights to Information Highlights:

Fact Sheets and Issue Papers
07/21/20

Disclosures you may receive from your retirement plan

Fact Sheets and Issue Papers
07/24/20

The Labor Department’s Notice-and-Access Disclosure Rule: The Basics

Fact Sheets and Issue Papers
07/24/20

The Top 10 Worst Things about the Department of Labor’s New “Notice-and-Access” Rule for Retirement Plans

The Latest on Disclosures & Rights to Information:

Blogs & Newsletters
07/18/24

Just Say No to Automatic E-Delivery of Your Retirement Plan Records

By David Brandolph I just received a troubling letter from my 401k plan. It said I would no longer receive my plan statements and other important plan notices and disclosure documents in the mail. Instead, the plan would from now on be sending emails telling me to log in to my account on its website […]

Comments & Letters
05/22/24

PRC Responds to Multi-Agency Request for Information on Reporting and Disclosure

The Pension Rights Center issued comments on May 22nd in response to a Request for Information from the Department of the Treasury, the IRS, the DOL, EBSA, and the PBGC on Section 319 of SECURE 2.0.

PRC In the News
03/22/24

ASPPA: Recordkeeping in the Electronic Age

Recordkeeping today is not your grandfather’s recordkeeping. Maybe not even your older sibling’s. So guidance and education from the Department of Labor (DOL) would be helpful in adjusting to the changes that have taken place, concludes a recently released report.

Speeches & Statements
11/07/23

Speech by Karen Friedman at the ARA Retiree Security Symposium

Karen Friedman, Executive Director of the PRC, gave a speech to attendees at the 2023 ARA Retiree Security Symposium in Washington, D.C. on October 17th. You can read her comments here.

Comments & Letters
10/18/23

PRC Responds to DOL Request for Information on Reporting and Disclosure

The Pension Rights Center submitted comments on October 18th in response to a Request for Information concerning the Paper Statements provision of Secure 2.0. Read the PRC’s response to the Request for Information here and our comments on Subsection F here.

Blogs & Newsletters
10/04/23

PRC Voices Concerns on Effect of Plan Information Electronic Recordkeeping

By David Brandolph The U.S. Labor Department should address the challenges and risks faced by employee benefit plan members due to the electronic and digital recordkeeping of their plan information, the Pension Rights Center told the ERISA Advisory Council during recent testimony. Pension Rights Center Senior Policy Counsel and Acting Legal Director Norman P. Stein, joined by […]

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