Visit the Railroad Retirement Board website.
Contact the BNSF Pension Center at 800-811-0687 and request a Direct Deposit Authorization form.
Contact the BNSF Pension Center at 800-811-0687 and request a Federal Tax Withholding Election form.
Contact the BNSF Pension Center at 800-811-0687 and request a retirement commencement kit.
Contact the BNSF Pension Center at 800-811-0687. Please be sure to have the retiree's Social Security number available.
You should apply at least 60 days before, but no sooner than 90 days before the date you want your retirement to commence. The sooner you apply, the more time you have to submit your signed election forms.
Yes, you will need to provide proof of age with your completed forms. Examples of acceptable documents are:
If you are married, you will also need to provide:
You may commence your early retirement benefits on the first day of the month following your 55th birthday, if you have at least 10 years of vesting service, or at age 65 regardless of your service.
Yes. If you choose to commence benefits before your normal retirement date (age 65), your benefits will be subject to an early retirement reduction factor unless you are at least age 62 with 30 years of exempt service.
Only former Burlington Northern and Santa Fe employees who were in salaried positions on Sept. 22, 1995, and remained in salaried employment until they commence benefits under the BNSF Retirement Plan may be eligible for retiree medical benefits. For more information contact the Benefits Center at 833-277-8051.
Your dental coverage will cease upon termination or retirement. However, you may elect COBRA dental coverage through the Benefits Center for 18 months after your retirement.
When you leave exempt employment before reaching age 55 and obtaining 10 years of vesting service, you will not be eligible for retiree medical benefits, exempt company-paid life insurance, or the Early Retirement Supplemental Benefit.
If you leave BNSF and have a vested retirement benefit, you will automatically receive an elections packet within 2-4 weeks of your termination date. If the lump sum value of your accrued benefit is not more than $25,000, then you will have the option to receive a lump sum distribution.
If you were a participant in the BNI Pension Plan on Dec. 31, 1988, and if you terminate employment with all participating companies before you are eligible for an early retirement benefit, you may elect to receive your entire plan benefit in a lump sum, regardless of whether the present value of your benefit is not more than $25,000.
Contact the BNSF Pension Center at 800-811-0687 and request a Change of Address form
A divorce decree is not sufficient to legally divide your benefits from the BNSF Retirement Plan. To legally divide your benefits, a domestic relations order must be submitted, reviewed and determined to be qualified under the terms of the plan.
Contact QDRO Consultants at 800-527-8481.
You may need to seek legal counsel to draft a domestic relations order. QDRO Consultants has model language that your attorney can use when drafting your domestic relations order. Using the model language can help reduce the number of revisions necessary for a domestic relations order to be deemed as qualified.
No. The benefits of retirees or beneficiaries who are either currently receiving their pension benefit or have deferred their benefit will not be affected by this change.
Visit the Exempt Retirees Contact page for more information.