Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ Subject Areas

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Requesting 1099-R Replacements	Retirement Income Verification
VERA (Early Retirement Offers)	VSIP (Incentive Payments)
Annuity Computations (CSRS & FERS)	Best date to retire
Benefits & Finance (General)	Retirement - Other Issues
BLOG - Articles (All Subject Areas)	Disability Retirement
Cost of Living Adjustments	Marriage (Adding survivor benefits)
Eligibility CSRS and FERS	Sick Leave/Annual Leave
Employment Opportunities	Social Security & Medicare
Getting Ready to Retire	Survivor Benefits
Insurance Programs	Taxes
Law Enforcement and Special Groups	Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
Lifestyle and Travel	Reporting an annuitant or survivor death
Military Credit & DD-214 Copies	What to Expect After You Leave
Contact OPM (Retirement Hotline)	Retiree Benefits ID Card
Direct Deposit Instructions	Retirement Decisions
Retirement Contribution Refunds	Divorce & Court Ordered Benefits
Part Time Work - Affect on annuities

 

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Annuity Computations (CSRS & FERS)

 

• Annuity basics
• CSRS annuity computations
  • Sick Leave Conversion
• FERS annuity computations
  • FERS annuity supplement calculator
  • Sick Leave Conversion
  • Redeposit Refunds
  • How to initiate an annuity after leaving federal service
• Part time work - Affect on your annuity
• Divorce - Impact on your annuity
• What happens when survivor predeceases retiree?
• Early Retirements for LEO, FF, NWC & ATC (20 Years)
• Tax issues

 

Benefits & Finance (General)

• Benefits Overview
• FEGLI Guidance
  • FEGLI Rate Charts for Annuitants (Cost for Coverage)
• Benefits & Finance Forum hosted by Linda Duncan
• FREE Report - How to be Financially Prepared When You Retire
• How to obtain a Federal Retiree ID Card (Issued by OPM)

 

Cost of Living Adjustments

• COLAs and tables

 

CSRS and FERS Retirement Other Issues

• How to contact the Federal Records Center
• Network with retirement Associations
• OPM's Retirement Resource Center & phone number
  • Change of Address
  • Direct Deposit Information
  • Report a death

 

Disability Retirement

 

• FERS Disability - Eligibility & How to Apply
• CSRS Disability - Eligibility & How to Apply

 

Eligibility CSRS and FERS

• Overview
• CSRS eligibility
• FERS eligibility
  • Deferred annuity
• Early Retirements Eligibility for LEO, FF, NWC & ATC
  • 20 Year Early Retirement Program

 

Employment Opportunities for Retirees

• Rehired Annuitants
•  Part Time Reemployment / No Salary Reduction
• Lifestyle & Employment Forum
• Jobs Center
  • Jobs Board

Getting Ready to Retire

• How can I prepare for retirement?
  • How to be emotionally prepared.
    • FREE Report - How to be Emotionally and Physically Prepared When You Retire
  • How to be financially prepared.
    • Free Report - How to be Financially Prepared When You Retire
  • How to prepare Physically.  
  • The realities of retirement. (A personal perspective)
• How do I know when it's time for me to retire?
• When can I retire?
  • Eligibility CSRS
  • Eligibility FERS
  • Annuity calculators
• What should I be doing the year before I retire?
  • Retirement time line  
  • Site introduction   
• How do I start planning for my retirement?   
  • Getting started
  • Pre and post retirement cost analysis
  • Retirement forms
  • Retirement benefits calculator
• How do I set up a basic estate plan?
• Estate planning guide (11 part series on setting up YOUO plan)
• What retirement forms do I need to fill out?
  • Journal entry (Required forms)
  • Available forms

 

What to Expect After You Leave

 

• What to expect the first three months after retiring
  • When will I receive my first annuity check?
  • When can I expect to receive my lump sum leave payment?
• How can I calculate my annuity?
• Dennis Damp's retirement journal (His personal journal)
• How do I contact OPM after I leave?
• Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI)
  • Understanding FEGLI Coverage
  • Evaluating Your Insurance Needs
• Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB)
  • Tricare substitution for 5 year rule  
• Federal Employees Dental & Vision Insurance Plan (FEDVIP)
• Federal Long Term Insurance Plan (FLTCIP)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAFEDS)
• MEDICARE

 

Lifestyle and Travel

• Lifestyle Forum hosted by Dennis V. Damp
• What to do if your license plate is stolen
• Employment options for retirees
• Ways to save and economize in retirement

 

Law Enforcement and Special Groups

• LEO / FF / ATC / & NWC Early Retirements

 

Sick Leave/Annual Leave

• CSRS sick leave conversion
• FERS sick leave conversion
• Will my CSRS Sick Leave add to my years of service even if I'm maxed out at 80%?

 

Military Service Credit Issues

• Program Details and Introduction
• Creditable Military Service for Military Deposit
• Service Credit Details, Article by Linda Duncan
• Steps to Making a Military Deposit
• National Guard Service
• I am retired military - should I make a deposit for my military service?
• How to obtain copies of your DD-214

 

Retirement Date Issues

• Don’t confuse your “Retirement Date” with your “Date of Final Separation”
• The Best Day to Retire - Excellent article by Linda Duncan
• What is the best date to retire?
  • Leave Year Beginning & Ending Dates 2011 through 2020
• Annual leave use or loose dates

 

Retirement Decisions

• Retirement time line(Journal Entries) 
• Retirement realities
• Retirement Planning & Expense Analyzer developed by John Talbot, a federal retiree. Download a free trial version of their Benefits Calculator and Retirement Planner software program. Compares total retirement income to expenses.
  • Receive a FREE review of your Personal Summary of Benefits from a local retirement specialists that uses the professional version of this software and can provide insight into your situation. View a sample report.
• Moving in Retirement (Checklist)

 

Social Security & Medicare

• Social Security guidelines
• Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)
• Government Pension Offset (GPO)
• How do I calculate the FERS Social Security Offset?
• I am a retired CSRS and am forced to make Medicare payments quarterly. Is there any way that I can have my Medicare payments taken out of my monthly pay?

 

Survivor Benefits

• Explanations and guidance
• Survivor report
• Survivor annuity concerns (a MUST read)
• Reporting the death of an annuitant
• What happens when survivor predeceases retiree?
• Divorce after retirement

 

Taxes

• What States don't tax Federal annuity?
• How much Federal tax will I owe on my annuity?
• CSRS IRS Tax Considerations

 

Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

• Overview
• Choices
• Considerations
  • The TSP Advantage - Should I Stay or Should I Go by Dennis Damp
• TSP Taxes & the 10% Penalty
  • If you retire at age 55 or later there is not an early withdrawal 10% penalty
• Roth conversion
  • TSP to Roth Conversion: Is a Roth in Your Future? by Linda Duncan
• Use Your TSP to Retire Mortgage FREE
  • Ways to Save and Economize in Retirement

 

 

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