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Interim Retirement Check Issues, Ordering Flags & Presidential Letters, and Updates

Posted By Dennis Damp On In BENEFITS / INSURANCE,ESTATE PLANNING,RETIREMENT CONCERNS | Comments Disabled
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Richard retired last December and he is still receiving only partial monthly annuity payments. Unfortunately, he is only receiving 38% of his estimated annuity payment, too little to pay for daily expenses without digging into his savings. Retirement processing can take six months or more and for those planning on retiring soon be prepared for extended delays and potential problems with your claim. In Richard’s case he called OPM and discovered that his account was entered incorrectly in “Court Ordered” status even though his ex-spouse waived her rights to his government retirement. That is why his partial payment was so low.

When I retired in 2005 my estimated check was 70% of what I eventually received. Read the time line I published online titled “What to expect the first three months after you leave” [2] to understand what you can expect while your claim is being processed. Be aware that processing of your claim may take longer today.

If you need to contact OPM [3] about your retirement payments before you receive your claim number, first contact your former payroll office to find the date your records were transferred to OPM. Your payroll office should provide you with the number and date of the Register of Separations and Transfers. You will also need your Payroll Identification Number. This OPM FAQ [4] can also answer many of your questions. Call OPM at 888-767-6738 if you have issues with your retirement processing and are experiencing delays. OPM is reporting an average processing time as of February 2011 of 19 weeks if there are no problems with your application.

Ordering Flags and Presidential Letters (Retiree Gift Options)

Flags make great gifts for retirees.  You can order flags [5] that have flown over the Capitol Building in Washington DC and certified by the Architect of the capital for as little as $13.25. Generally flags are paid for with donations from the unit and they can also be displayed in attractive engraved flag cases [6] available from Just Write Engraving. They also sell custom mugs [7] with federal agency logos and dates of service. Flag folding instructions [8] demonstrate how to fold the American Flag for proper display and to fit easily in the case.

Administrative personnel may request a letter from the White House [9] for a civilian employee retiring with 30 years or more of Federal service (this encompasses those who have combined military and civilian service as well as those with straight civilian service.)  Both the flag and letter make excellent retiree gifts that will be cherished for a life time.

Updates

 

  1. OPM recently launched Version 2.0 of the “Federal Ballpark Estimator [14].” The Federal Ballpark Estimate is a retirement savings planning tool for annuity projections and TSP analysis. It is not an annuity estimate. This program covers (CSRS), CSRS-Offset, or (FERS) employees who plan to retire under the voluntary age and service rules. The current version does not perform estimates for retirement under the Minimum Retirement Age (MRA) + 10 rules, or those who are covered by special computation rules such as law enforcement officers and firefighters, or former Federal employees who may be entitled to a deferred retirement.
  2. Decision Support Software offers free software to estimate your annuity and benefits. Their free software [15] includes a comprehensive set of tools for estimating and analyzing federal employee’s annuities [16], benefits [17], Thrift Savings Plan [18], social security [19], FERS & CSRS sick leave conversion [20], military credits [21] and more. You can generate numerous reports to help you make informed decisions about your unique situation.
  3. Assistance is also available. You can request a FREE Annuity Review and Personal Summary of Benefit’s [22]. This analysis, view sample analysis [23], uses the professional version of the free software mentioned here.

Learn more about your benefits [25],  employment [26], travel [27], and financial planning issues [28] on our site and visit our Blog frequently at https://fedretire.net [29] to read all forum articles.

Request a Retirement Benefits Summary Analysis [30] and receive a personal retirement analysis. A sample analysis [23] is available for your review. This service is provided by independent agents that are not affiliated with www.federalretirement.net [31] or Bookhaven Press LLC.

Visit our other informative sites

The information provided may not cover all aspect of unique or special circumstances, federal regulations, and financial information is subject to change. To ensure the accuracy of this information, contact your benefits coordinator and ask them to review your official personnel file and circumstances concerning this issue. Retirees can contact the OPM retirement center. Our articles are not intended nor should they be considered investment advice. Our reply is time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic economic factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change.

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