Postal Retirement Q&A June 2017 by Roseanne Jefferson

Roseanne is a retired USPS employee with an extensive background in USPS retirement, disability retirement, OWCP, EEO, Labor Relations and HR. She conducts individual and group counseling and is able to comprehensively discuss the pros and cons of employees who are on OWCP, disability retirement and regular retirement. Roseanne will be happy to answer your postal retirement questions. Contact Roseanne at roseanne.jefferson@icloud.com.

Good Day Postal Employees!!

As things change from time to time, without notice, when I get an email from YOU (the readers) that something I have written regarding retirement, was NOT how it turned out in their case, I share that email with you. I want you to have as much information as possible to make the best decision at retirement, I am referring to question # 4. I have seen screen shots from FERS retiree’s that shows two separate deposits into their account(s). This may be an anomaly in the case of question #4, but I wanted to share it in case the time frame of payment of the Special Supplement has changed. AND when you retire….open your mail. Many of you don’t know this…but when you retire, and that retirement is completed, OPM will send you a small pamphlet 5 X 8 mailed in a “half envelope” (postal term). It looks very much like “advertisement” but it is not. This pamphlet TOTALLY outlines everything you did in your retirement. You will not get another, and it comes after your retirement is completed. The envelope does NOT look important….but it truly is. Q 1. What is a form 50? A 1. An SF Form 50 …is a ” Notification of Personnel Action. As an employee….you have MANY MANY…(AKA PS-50), and will see that “form number” on the bottom of that form. All federal forms have a number. Roseanne Q 2. Hi Roseanne, thank you for all the helpful information . I look forward every month for new answers. I am a city carrier with over 31 years of service, not counting my 4 years of military I bought when I first started working. I am 59 and plan on retiring when I turn 62.In order to get the additional 10% in my annuity ,do I retire on the day I turn 62 (my birthday March 1 ) or have to stay longer ,like to the end of the month > to qualify for this? Thanks, G A 2. Hi G, Thank you….I appreciate that….I do try to give you the best “of me”…or maybe better stated what I know. IF you retire at age 62, and having over 30 years….you could retire on your birthday……March 1. YOU CAN…BUT JUST BECAUSE you can…doesn’t mean its the BEST fiscal decision. As a FERS employee and I am assuming you are….(because if you are CSRS then this answer will be incorrect!!)….So this answer is for YOU who has 31 years of service (and not counting the 4 of military)…..and turn 62 on March 1 (the year for this discussion is not important)…. If you retire on March 1, then you BECOME an annuitant in April. And April’s annuity is paid in May. IF you retire on March 31, you BECOME an annuitant in April and April’s annuity is paid in May. So what did that all mean….it means (in your scenario) that the entire month of March will have no work hours to be paid, and no retirement money. So why waste an entire month going with no pay at all….no paycheck and no annuity…because that is what retiring on March 1 would do for you. Did my explanation that make sense? Roseanne Q 3. Hi Roseanne, My husband was married for 18 years and got divorced and in his settlement the ex is to get part of his retirement. She is not in good health and if she passes before he retires what happens to the retirement benefits she is supposed to get?? Thanks A 3. Hi, If a court/divorce decree that is on file with OPM, that has assigned a “portion” of a federal employee retirement to a former spouse, and that spouse has passed away, then the full percentage is restored to the employee/retiree. It will most certainly require a certified copy of a death certificate for validation for OPM. Roseanne Q 4. Hello, Hope all is well with you Roseanne. I have been retired for 2 years now, but still enjoy reading your articles helping people. Anyway this is just for information regarding your articles helping people. Anyway this is just information regarding the supplement you talked about in the May 2017 Q & A. Your first answer you gave to SB on the supplement is different than what happened to me. You said the supplement would follow the Social Security time frame. That didn’t happen to me. My supplement and OPM payments were direct deposited on the first of every month, as one check. It continued like that until I applied for Social Security. My Social Security is deposited separately on the 4th Wednesday of everybody month. Happy in retirement. A 4. Hi Happy, I am so glad that you are still keeping up with the column. Since I don’t and didn’t get the Supplement, as I am CSRS, I rely on my clients information back to me on the when…& for the last few years this is how they have reported their Special Supplement payment was received. You are the only one so far that has written that has said something diff from everyone else. Why…the difference? I am not sure if it was a “change” in how OPM pays or paid the Special Supplement, but what I wrote is what I have been told to me by recent retirees. But I appreciate that you wrote to tell me your experience was different…& thank you because it helps the masses out there…so either there was a complete change over in payment dates to Spec Support employees or you may have been an anomaly. Glad your retirement is going well! Take care & keep reading..Roseanne Q 5. Hi Roseanne, I’m a FERS postal employee I have 30 years of credible service and will be 56 the end of this month which is my MRA. With the proposed federal retirement budget cuts looming for 2018, especially the supplemental annuity, I’m seriously considering retirement by the end of 2017 so I won’t be effected in case it passes through Congress. When should I start the retirement process, the latest if I decide to retire? Thank You RF A 5. Hi RF, Based on what you said, I would begin now to plan. Q 5 (a). Just a followup question since retiring is a major decision as you know. When is the latest I should request my blue blue in order to have it processed if I want to retire by the end of 2017? Thank you again for all of your knowledge RF A 5 (a). I would call HRSSC at 1-877-477-3273, in September for your Annuity Estimate and blue retirement booklet. Roseanne Till we speak again……..Roseanne