A group annuity is a contract that has been purchased by an employer, known as a contract holder, from John Hancock to fund tax-qualified retirement benefits for a specified group of employees, who are referred to as participants. The group annuity contract defines the benefit payment options and amounts that the contract holder has purchased for each participant.

Rather than your former employer paying benefits directly to you, they entered into a contract with John Hancock to pay benefits for each covered participant under the group annuity contract. John Hancock works directly with the participant. Generally, your employer is not involved in the benefit administration.

Your retirement benefit eligibility depends on what is defined in the group annuity contract. Typically, your full retirement benefit is available to you at age 65. You may also be eligible for an early or late retirement option.

To request an overview of your benefit options, print, complete, and return to us the Benefit estimate request form from the forms center. We’ll respond via letter within 10 business days to let you know if we have a benefit for you.

You will need to provide certain personal information including your name, date of birth, Social Security number, home address, and contact information. Marital status and spouse information are also required. Finally, we need to collect employment information including the name of your former employer, your date of hire, and date of termination. All of this information will be used to determine your benefit options.

If you do not have your exact employment dates, please provide your best estimate of the month and year(s) in which you worked, and we will compare this information to our records.

Yes, there may be certain restrictions to begin collecting benefits, including ineligibility if you are currently working or requirements for years of service.

Generally, yes. However, you should consult with a qualified tax professional. You can find additional information in the tax center.

You will generally receive your payment the business day before the holiday or weekend day, except for January 1, which will arrive on the next business day after January 1. This is because the payment must be received in the new calendar year for tax reporting purposes. Click here to view a calendar of upcoming monthly check mail dates.

If you haven’t received your check by the 8th day of the month, please call us at 800-624-5155 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time.

Simply complete and return to us the Tax withholding election for periodic payments form.

You should consult with a qualified tax professional who can help advise you on your personal situation.

Please send us a cover letter with instructions along with the complete POA paperwork stating that the listed attorney-in-fact is able to act on your behalf for your annuity benefit. We will review the documentation and send you a letter either confirming or denying your request. If your request is denied, we will provide in the letter steps you may take to gain approval. Click here for our mailing address. 

You may also click here to submit the Third party authorization form. However, this form only authorizes another person or entity to receive documents and information related to your benefit.

If you choose to receive a paper check, it will be mailed to you a few days before the payment is due to you. Click here to view a calendar of upcoming monthly check mail dates.

Click here to change your method of payment to electronic funds transfer (EFT) online using an electronic signature.

Click here to request the change via hard copy.

Yes, you can update your banking instructions over the phone. Please call us at 800-624-5155 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time to complete our quick and easy verification process and elect how you want to receive your payments.*

*Must meet eligibility requirements. Not all financial institutions are eligible.

It is very common for a periodic monthly benefit to continue to be paid after the death of a participant. This is because John Hancock is typically notified of death during the month after the participant’s passing and a benefit payment has already been released. If this occurs, please call us at 800-624-5155 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time. We will instruct you on how to handle the post-death payments. The handling treatment will depend when the payments were issued and if a continuing benefit is due.

When the participant completed the Benefit election form upon retirement, they elected the type of benefit, including whether the benefit was to be payable only to them, or whether subsequent payments or continuation of a benefit would be due to a spouse or contingent annuitant upon the participant’s death.

Whether or not a death benefit is due is based on the terms of the group annuity contract and the benefit option chosen by the participant when they commenced retirement benefits. Once a benefit option is chosen, it cannot be changed. As the beneficiary or contingent annuitant, you cannot change or elect a benefit option.

The group annuity contract holder purchased a retirement benefit under the group annuity contract for a specified group of participants. In the event that the participant never elected a retirement benefit and passed away prior to receiving benefits, there still may be a death benefit due. The death benefits are determined based on the contract provisions for this scenario. However, generally, unpaid retirement benefits will be payable to the deceased participant’s estate or spouse, depending on the terms of the group annuity contract.

When used in connection with probate proceedings, the term "estate" encompasses the total property that is owned by a decedent prior to the distribution of that property in accordance with the terms of a will, or when there is no will, by the laws of intestacy (inheritance) in the state of residence of the decedent. If benefits are payable to the estate of the participant, the participant’s estate may have to be probated. Since every state is different as to what encompasses the total property that is owned by a decedent, it is best to consult a professional.

Small estate affidavits are an alternative to a full formal probate of an estate. They may be available to family members when the assets, liens, and encumbrances of the estate are under a certain statutory dollar amount, which varies by jurisdiction. When available, small estate affidavits are a method of small estate administration for estates ranging from $1,000 to $100,000 or even higher, depending on state law. In some states, an affidavit can be executed by the spouse and/or heirs of the deceased and this affidavit can be presented to the holder of property (such as a bank or insurance company) to claim property of the deceased. Other states require the affidavit be filed with the court.

Claims are generally processed within 3 business days after all of the necessary forms and documents are received in good order. A confirmation letter will be sent with the claim payment.

If the marital status is "divorced" on the death certificate, we require a complete copy, including any amendments, of the Qualified Domestic Relation Order (QDRO) or Domestic Relations Order (DRO) in order to determine if there is a death benefit due under the group annuity contract.