Beneficiary changes must be received in writing. Participants can access and submit the form (here). You can also email us, and we will gladly mail you the forms to complete and return.

To access your account online, you’ll first need to register your account. Once you set up your account, you can also do things like updating your contact information re,. Click here to begin!

Increasing your contribution would not increase your Accrued Benefit, so the simple answer is no. Your Accrued Benefit is based on your wages and years of service, and not on the amount you contribute to the Plan.

Yes, you can roll qualified funds over to your UBG 401(k) account (unlike RetireMint). If you aren’t sure whether your employer has a UBG 401(k) or whether UBG administers the plan, please contact your co-op’s HR representative. To confirm which types of funds qualify for roll-over, please contact Empower at 855.756.4738 or login to your Empower account.

Contact Empower at 855.756.4738 or login to your Empower account. You can also download Empower’s mobile app at play.google.com or apps.apple.com to manage your account.

Federal pension law requires broad, non-discriminatory participation in a pension plan, and all pension plans must pass certain tests to demonstrate their compliance. In a multiple-employer plan like RetireMint, these tests are conducted on an employer-by-employer basis; if any employer fails the test, the entire plan could be at risk of disqualification. In any given year,  it’s more than likely that some of the Plan’s smaller employers would fail the test. The only way for the Plan to guarantee compliance with the law, without complex and costly testing, is to require the participation of all eligible employees.

Employees who are at least 21 years of age and have been credited with at least 1,000 hours in their first 12 months of employment (or 1,000 hours in any subsequent Plan year) participate in RetireMint. Employees remain in the plan until they retire, terminate employment, become disabled, or die.

Plan Entry Dates: New employees will enter the Plan on the first day of the second month after accumulating 1,000 hours of service (as calculated under the plan eligibility rules), provided that they are at least 21 years of age. Former participants who are re-hired generally re-enter the Plan immediately following their rehire.​

Review the  RetireMint Summary Plan Description for complete rules and details or contact United Benefits Group with any questions.

On an after-tax basis, you contribute a certain percentage of your pay to RetireMint. This percentage is determined by your employer and is automatically deducted each pay period. Participating Employers contribute remaining funds necessary to ensure RetireMint remains on sound actuarial footing.​

In the case of RetireMint, vesting relates to “ownership” of the Accrued Benefit or ownership of a portion of the Accrued Benefit. Until you have participated for five years, you are vested only in the portion you have personally contributed. Specific to your RetireMint benefit:

You are always 100% vested in that portion of your Accrued Benefit that you contribute personally (and the interest thereon).​
After five years of service, you become 100% vested in 100% of your accrued RetireMint benefit, including your contributions and your employer’s.
Vesting service is generally counted from your hire date.
You must be 21 years of age to participate in RetireMint; however, the hours you work until you are 21 count toward vesting.

A defined benefit plan like RetireMint is a traditional type of pension plan that pays benefits according to a formula based on a multiplier of wages, years of service, and the participating employer’s Benefit Accrual Rate. Having ReitreMint and a 401(k) provides a tremendous advantage for participants, though there are significant differences between the two.

RetireMint

Participants are entitled to a lifetime monthly Benefit from RetireMint. Unlike a 401(k), participants will not outlive RetireMint.
RetireMint doesn’t fluctuate with the market, while 401(k) plans are impacted by the market’s ups and downs.
RetireMint assets are managed by fiduciaries for the benefit of all participants and the plan’s integrity. With 401(k) plans, participants are responsible for making their own investment decisions – a prospect that can be daunting, even for financially savvy participants.
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, a federal agency that insures pensions, safeguards (within limits) RetireMint. No similar protection exists for 401(k) plans.
401(k)

401(k) plans offer high contribution limits (increased to $23,500 in 2025), with extra contributions allowed for workers nearing retirement. A defined benefit plan does not allow for this flexibility.
Many company 401(k) plans generously match participant contributions, effectively boosting their employees’ retirement funds.
401(k) plan participants have flexibility to choose where their funds are invested in the stock market.
Many 401(k) plans provide the option for employees to borrow money against their accounts, and often at a lower interest rate than commercial banking institutions offer.

RetireMint is designed to provide a lifetime monthly income when you reach retirement age, but what age is that? And how much will your RetireMint benefit be each month? To receive a formal estimate of your benefits, please contact us (at email) or call 816.459.3300 and we’ll connect you with the UBG Benefits Administrator for your state (hyperlink to map from UBG site and open new window).

Your Normal Retirement Date depends on your date of hire:
For participants hired before July 1, 2019, Normal Retirement Date is the later of: 1) Age 65; or 2) the January 1 of the year in which a participant reaches his fifth anniversary of Plan participation.
For participants hired on or after July 1, 2019, Normal Retirement Date is the later of: 1) Age 67; or 2) the January 1 of the year in which a participant reaches his fifth anniversary of Plan participation.
Deferred Retirement is any retirement age that is delayed past the Normal Retirement Date.
Early Retirement, if you are vested, is any retirement age between 55 and your Normal Retirement Date (with an exception for Rule of 85 described below).
The Rule of 85  is a special early retirement rule that allows you to retire immediately at any age, with 100% of your accrued benefit if your age plus Creditable Service equals 85 or more is a special early retirement rule that allows you to retire immediately at any age, with 100% of your accrued benefit if your age plus Creditable Service equals 85 or more.
Disability Retirement can begin at any age if you become totally and permanently disabled while an employee of a Participating Employer. To qualify for disability payments, you must meet certain qualifications, including participation in RetireMint for no less than 36 months. See the Disability Section of the Summary Plan Description for more details.
​If you terminate your employment before qualifying for Early Retirement, your benefit from the Plan depends on your vesting status:
Vested participants are due a benefit at Normal Retirement Age and may be eligible for a withdrawal of contributions and interest prior to age 55.
Non-vested participants are due reimbursement of their contributions and interest.

Once you’ve determined your intended retirement date, notify your company HR Manager right away. To give you ample time to complete the necessary paperwork and gather the required documentation, we recommend that you provide at least 90-120 days’ notice.
Contact United Benefits Group to request a written benefit estimate, application, and beneficiary form.
Gather documentation you’ll need to submit along with your application.
Birth certificate
Spouse’s birth certificate
Marriage certificate
Banking information (for automatic deposit)

First checks are usually a little late, depending on when your employer reports your termination date and wages.
Subsequent checks: If you choose Direct Deposit, 1st business day of the month.
Manual checks are mailed four business days before the 1st of the month.
If you receive a manual check before the 1st of the month, do not cash it until the first business day of the month.

The benefit accrual rate is multiplier in the formula to determine your monthly benefit amount when you retire (final average wage x benefit accrual rate x years of service). This rate tells you how much of your Final Average Wage will be replaced for each year of creditable service. Each Participating Employer chooses the benefit accrual rate it applies to its employee group (2%, 1.75%, 1.50%, 1.25%, and 1.00%).

Participants receive one month of creditable service for each month during which they work or receive paid time off (such as vacation or sick pay or a paid leave of absence).

To report the death of a RetireMint participant to United Benefits Group, please call 816.459.3300 or email plan.administrator@ubgretire.com.

RetireMint offers death benefits as follows:

• If the participant is not vestedat the time of death, their spouse or beneficiary will receive a refund of their employee contributions with interest.
• If a vested participant dies before early eligibility, the spouse/beneficiary is given the option to withdraw employee contributions with interest in a lump sum. Thereafter, the remaining monthly benefit is payable as early as the participant’s Early Retirement Age.
  • If married, the spouse is eligible to begin to receive the survivor portion of the 100% Joint Annuity benefit on the first of the month following the participant’s Early Retirement age.
  • If unmarried, the designated beneficiary is eligible to begin to receive the survivor portion of the 10-Year Guarantee benefit on the first of the month following the participant’s Early Retirement age. Note that the availability of this benefit may depend on the participant’s termination date.

 If a vested participant dies after reaching early retirement age, the benefit payable depends on marital status:

• If married, the spouse is eligible to begin to receive the survivor portion of the 100% Joint Annuity benefit on the first of the month following the participant’s death.
• If unmarried, the designated beneficiary is eligible to begin to receive the survivor portion of the 10-Year Guarantee benefit on the first of the month following the participant’s death. Note that the availability of this benefit may depend on the participant’s termination date.

• If a retired participant dies, the death benefit is contingent on the payment election selected by the participant.

It is important to keep your beneficiary designations current with United Benefits Group. Beneficiary designation forms can be found online (LINK TOFORM) through your participant account, or you can request that a paper form be mailed to you by calling 816.459.3300. Beneficiary changes must be received in writing.