by Sandra Wisnewski, J.D., Director of the Mid-America Pension Rights Project

The Mid-America Pension Rights Project assists clients with pension and 401(k) issues. There are no age or income restrictions. And there is never a charge for the services. The Pension Project works to find answers and solutions to your pension-related problem. Just ask Mr. G.

Mr. G worked for a multi-employer plan and was a member of the local union. When Mr. G retired he began receiving his pension, but he believed that the plan had not given him full credit for his years of service. Mr. G was credited with 26 years of service. Mr. G believed that he had accumulated over 30 years. Mr. G tried for over 10 years to correct the mistake with the plan, but got nowhere.

Mr. G was referred to the Project by the Pension Rights Center located in Washington, DC. As soon as the Project received Mr. G’s documentation, an attorney was assigned to the case. The attorney sent an inquiry letter to the plan. Within a month the Project received a written response. The plan admitted that they had made a mistake in the calculation of Mr. G’s service credit. Mr. G received a retroactive payment of over $19,000.00 and received a benefit increase of approximately $140.00 a month.

The Pension Project is funded by the Federal government through a grant provided by the Administration for Community Living, and is a program of Elder Law of Michigan, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

Since the program began in 1998, the Pension Project has assisted over 11,000 clients and has recovered over 54 million dollars in pension benefits. The Pension Project assists clients in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. For more information, visit http://www.mid-americapensions.org.

If you need help with or information about your pension or 401(k) benefit, please call the Mid-America Pension Rights Project at 866-735-7737 to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced attorneys.

Sandra A. Wisnewski is the Director of Legal Services, and has been a staff member of Elder Law since 2010.

Sandra earned her Bachelor of Arts from Siena Heights University in Applied Science in Electronic Engineering Technology, and graduated with her Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan.

 Before coming to Elder Law, Sandra devoted her time as a volunteer at the Legal Services of South Central Michigan. As a volunteer, she answered hotline questions and advised clients on various legal issues. In 2009 Sandra started her own general practice, Wisnewski Law Firm, P.L.L.C. in Stockbridge, Michigan where she focused on family law, wills and trusts, and criminal law.