MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS PERKS
APRIL 2025
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Jenn Rafael
CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER
Beth Bedard
CONTENT MANAGER
Matt Sanderson
ADDITIONAL GRAPHIC DESIGN TGD
EDITORIAL BOARD
William Shackelford, Cindy Reneé Blythe
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NATIONAL OFFICERS
WILLIAM SHACKELFORD
President; natpres@narfe.org
CINDY RENEÉ BLYTHE
Secretary/Treasurer; natsectreas@narfe.org
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NARFE Magazine (ISSN 1948-4453) is published monthly except in February and July by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, VA, and additional mailing offices. Members: Annual dues includes subscription. Nonmember subscription rate $48. Postmaster: Send address change to: NARFE Attn: Member Records, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. To ensure prompt delivery, members should also forward changes of address without delay. Because of the volume involved, NARFE cannot acknowledge nor be responsible for unsolicited pictures and manuscripts, although every reasonable precaution is taken. All submissions become the property of NARFE. Copyright © 2025, NARFE. Advertisements in the magazine are not endorsements of products and/or services by NARFE, unless officially stated in the ad. We shall accept advertising on the same basis as other reputable publications: that is, we shall not knowingly permit a dishonest advertisement to appear in NARFE Magazine, but at the same time we will not undertake to guarantee the reliability of our advertisers.
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NARFE’S MISSION STATEMENT
To support legislation and regulations beneficial to federal civilian employees and annuitants and potential annuitants under any federal civilian retirement system and to oppose those detrimental to their interests.
To promote the general welfare of federal civilian employees and annuitants and potential annuitants, to advise and assist them with respect to their rights under retirement, health and other employee and retiree benefits laws and regulations, and to represent their interests before appropriate authorities.
To cooperate with other organizations and associations in furtherance of these general objectives.
Thanking Lawmakers and Focusing on Threats
GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY
In January, we celebrated the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset. Our success in this can be attributed to all of NARFE’s grassroots advocates for enhancing our support for this bill. If you have not already done so, I urge you to express your gratitude to your member of Congress, who did the right thing by the federal community and stood up for the public servants in this country.
EMERGING THREATS
Also in January, our nation celebrated the peaceful transition of power pursuant to the decision of American voters via our democratic process. During the first three months of 2025, the administration has taken steps through numerous executive actions, proclamations, and memoranda that place approximately 75% of government jobs at risk for change or possible elimination. The various documents ignore the dedication of the public servants keeping our government working on behalf of ALL American citizens. Every day, they work to maintain our national defense, protect our citizens from terrorism and other crimes, care for our veterans, deliver our mail, run indispensable programs such as Social Security and Medicare, and much more. They are essential to the solution to the challenges facing our government and our nation. They should not be treated as a problem.
If you have not seen it, NARFE has created a web page, “Emerging Threats to the Federal Community,” at https://www.narfe.org/advocacy/ emerging-threats/, to provide crucial information and resources. The NARFE Advocacy staff will track legislation and executive actions that could be implemented, as well as proposed cuts to earned federal benefits and threatened elimination of meritbased civil service rules that ensure a nonpartisan,
professional civil service, and any other initiatives that could impact federal employees, retirees and spousal annuitants.
ADVOCACY UPDATE
Our advocacy priorities are as follows:
• Oppose any cuts to earned federal retirement and health benefits
• Protect the integrity of government operations and protect the merit system by (i) opposing efforts to oppose or undermine the meritbased civil service (including by supporting the Saving the Civil Service Act, H.R.492/S.134), (ii) opposing across-the-board reductions in the size of the federal workforce, and (iii) supporting market rate increases to federal pay rates (via the FAIR Act H.R. 493/S.126).
• Supporting full COLAs for FERS retirees (via the Equal COLA Act, H.R. 491)
• Supporting policies to lower costs and maintain choice for federal health benefits
• Strengthening customer service from the Office of Personnel Management’s retirement services division.
HELP RECRUIT FOR NARFE!
NARFE stands with you and the entire federal community. Encourage your colleagues to join now during this critical time at www.narfe.org/join. There is power in numbers!
As always, I appreciate your support in moving NARFE forward together. The future of NARFE is in our hands. What we accomplish will ensure its viability. Stay healthy and stay safe!
WILLIAM SHACKELFORD NARFE NATIONAL PRESIDENT natpres@narfe.org
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Visit NARFE’s Legislative Action Center
NARFE’s team of professional lobbyists continues to work tirelessly on behalf of the federal community.
The association offers members a robust online Legislative Action Center at
www.narfe.org/advocacy/ legislative-action-center. It is an easy way to send letters to your members of Congress, search for your legislators, report your congressional meetings, and more to
STAY INFORMED
Stay on the pulse of key federal news and benefits information by subscribing to NARFE Daily News Clips. This newsletter features informative breaking news and articles selected just for NARFE members.
TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR BENEFITS
supercharge your advocacy efforts.
Jump into the thick of several active grassroots campaigns and help them gain momentum. Your advocacy advances retirement security protections for all feds.
TSP UPDATE ONLINE
Get the most recent monthly and annual Thrift Savings Plan returns (G, F, C, S, I, and L Funds), online at www.narfe. org/tsp-funds
TRACKING RETIREMENT CLAIMS
Find out how many retirement claims OPM Retirement Services receives and processes each month, with average processing times and total inventory, at www.opm.gov/retirement-center/ retirement-statistics/
The NARFE Federal Benefits Institute is a membersonly resource designed to help you take charge of your benefits and guarantee a secure future. Visit www.narfe.org/federal-benefits-institute.
Enjoy ongoing access to webinars on demand, benefits briefs and other exclusive resources, like the opportunity to contact our benefits experts to help with specific questions.
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Trump Executive Orders Upend Existing Federal Workforce Policies
On January 20, President Donald Trump marked the beginning of his second term with sweeping executive orders to reshape the federal workforce.
The orders aimed to remove civil service protections from large numbers of civil servants by reinstituting Schedule F, assert a constitutional prerogative to fire any Senior Executive Service (SES) employee at will, institute a federal hiring freeze, end remote work arrangements, create a new Department of Government Efficiency, end all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and reform federal hiring processes.
In response, NARFE National President William “Bill” Shackelford released a statement, arguing:“The executive orders, taken as a whole, reflect a lack of appreciation for the day-today work of the public servants keeping our government working on behalf of the American people. Day in and day out, they work with little fanfare to ensure our national defense, protect our citizens from terrorism and other crimes, care for our veterans, deliver our mail, run indispensable programs such as Social Security and Medicare to provide income and health security in retirement, provide critical information regarding
the weather and relief to those devastated by it, ensure the water we drink and the air we breathe is clean, and much more. They are an essential part of the solution to the challenges facing our government and our nation. They should not be treated as the problem.”
SCHEDULE F—OR P/C?
Trump’s order reinstituting Schedule F—and renaming it Schedule Policy/Career
(P/C)—directs agency heads to identify employees to reclassify into Schedule P/C, a new excepted service category. This would effectively strip them of competitive service protections. Such protections provide the foundation for the merit-based civil service system, established in the late 1800s, to ensure that federal workers are hired based on their qualifications rather than political affiliation. This system has served the country well by promoting nonpartisan professionalism and continuity through changing administrations.
APRIL ACTION ALERT: PROTECT MERIT-BASED CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM
Visit NARFE’s Legislative Action Center at www.narfe.org to urge your lawmakers to cosponsor the Saving Civil Service Act, H.R. 492/S. 134. This act would prevent the implementation of Schedule F, which would reclassify thousands of federal employees into a new excepted service category without competitive service protections. H.R. 492/ S. 134 would require hiring and firing civil servants based on merit, ensuring the public’s expectations of a system that is efficient, fair, and protected against undue political interference. Merit-based civil service rules are integral to preserving professionalism, institutional knowledge and expertise within the federal government.
Shackelford criticized the order, arguing: “Removing meritbased civil service protections opens the door to replacing nonpartisan, professional civil servants with political loyalists. Doing so increases the risk that executive actions will be decided by the size of political contributions rather than the faithful execution of the law. That increases the risk of politically motivated enforcement of laws, threatening individual liberty; politically determined contract and grant awards, threatening greater corruption and waste of taxpayer dollars; and politically selective provision of services, threatening failure of government operations for disfavored groups or localities.”
REMOVAL OF SES PROTECTIONS
Trump’s executive order titled “Restoring Accountability for Career Senior Executives” asserts the authority to fire senior executives for any reason, advancing a constitutional argument that existing procedural and substantive statutory protections, passed by Congress and signed into law by previous presidents, infringe upon the president’s Article II powers. The administration began firing several senior executives the day the order was filed. If upheld by courts, the action would represent a dramatic centralization of executive power, removing critical checks to protect faithful execution of the laws and adherence to the constitution.
MYTH VS. REALITY
MYTH: The federal workforce has become bloated due to a substantial increase in civilian employees over the last several decades.
REALITY: Since 1968, the size of the federal civilian workforce has decreased by 2.9%, while the private-sector labor force has increased by about 140%, and the U.S. population has increased by about 77%.
HIRING FREEZE & HIRING REFORM
Trump also issued an executive order freezing federal hiring for 90 days, with certain exceptions, even as another executive order aimed to improve and speed up federal hiring processes. While one executive order appears to recognize the need to bring in qualified employees quickly, the freeze prevents it and shuts them out. The freeze will only exacerbate existing inefficiencies in government operations. Although the size of the federal workforce has remained relatively stable over the past several decades, the number of government contractors has surged. This freeze would target federal employees while doing little to address the more significant issue of government contractors.
RETURN TO OFFICE
The administration also issued a blanket return-tooffice directive ending remote work, advancing outdated assumptions about the nature of work. A more flexible approach, focused on performance rather than location, would better serve both employees and the American people.
DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY
Trump also renamed the U.S Digital Service (USDS), created under President Obama, as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), directing it to “moderniz[e] Federal technology and software to maximize
governmental efficiency and productivity.” That is a laudable goal.
Based on public statements by Elon Musk, it appears the DOGE is focused on advancing a largescale reduction of the federal workforce, and its integration with USDS may be a way to avoid federal advisory committee rules. After the executive orders, the Office of Personnel Management issued additional guidance as the administration moved quickly to implement the directives.
ENDING DEI
The Trump administration issued an executive order terminating all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and positions, and later placed all DEI staff on paid administrative leave and indicated their positions would be eliminated via a reduction in force. Shackelford responded to the order, arguing, “For the federal government to remain ‘of the people’ and maintain a degree of trust that it serves all, it must continue to reflect the diversity of the American people … [but the order] fails to place any value on ensuring a diverse workforce that represents the American people, or any concern for potential discriminatory actions, threatening a less representative government.”
—BY RANDALL “RJ” THACKER, POLITICAL AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS MANAGER AND JOHN HATTON, STAFF VICE PRESIDENT, POLICY AND PROGRAMS
NARFE GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY
LEARN MORE about how you can take action to protect your earned pay and benefits by reviewing NARFE Grassroots materials at www.narfe.org/advocacy
Keys to Success: Grassroots Benchmark Best Practices
Grassroots benchmarks were introduced last year as a part of NARFE’s advocacy efforts to encourage our members to engage with their congressional representatives. To add some healthy competition and fun, NARFE challenged our state federations to see who can increase their engagement the most each quarter. Points are calculated through quantitative and qualitative benchmarks. Quantitative benchmarks measure how many action letters a federation sends through the NARFE Legislative Action Center, and are based on a federation’s percentage increase from their baseline. Qualitative benchmarks are based on the responses NARFE receives through the event feedback form in the Grassroots Advocacy Hub.
After engaging with a member of Congress (MOC) or their office, leaders should fill out the form to record what interaction(s) took place and with whom (for example, attending a town hall or having an MOC attend a chapter meeting). The nature of the discussion, the position of the staff (or the MOC) you spoke to, and what happens during/following the meeting all garner points.
To assist you and your fellow federation members, NARFE has developed three key pieces of advice to help you set yourselves up for grassroots success. Whether you are a seasoned
advocate or an excited beginner, NARFE hopes these suggestions enable you to use your voice as an advocate for yourself and your federal family.
START EARLY & PREPARE!
As the new 119th Congress kicks off, NARFE leaders sent congressional welcome packets to federation leaders to give to newly elected MOCs. These packets are a great resource, including NARFE’s Advocacy Priorities and state-specific data on federal employees and annuitants. You can also find resources on NARFE’s Advocacy website under “Issue Briefs and Fact Sheets.” MOCs have many interest groups vying for their attention throughout their term. So, getting in early, developing a discussion plan, and having resources to leave behind is essential to ensuring the MOC remembers you and our organization.
This applies to both the D.C. office and your local state office. Making connections with the state offices is often more manageable, and you can leverage these to access the D.C. office and the MOC. This leads to the next piece of advice.
ASK ABOUT LOCAL EVENTS!
NARFE has a budget to send our members to local political events, and we highly encourage you to inquire about attending!
We receive invitations to in-state events and seek eager members to send as NARFE representatives. If you receive an invitation, let us know at advocacy@narfe.org to help you make your attendance as impactful as possible.
It takes a village, which leads to the final key point!
REMEMBER, GRASSROOTS IS A TEAM EFFORT!
Lean on your chapter, federation, federal community, and NARFE staff to aid your advocacy efforts. In 2024, the California, Virginia, and Florida Federations finished Q4 with over 3,000 points, so if you struggle, reach out! Many federations and their leaders are on FEDHub and would happily offer advice.
Also, NARFE’s Advocacy team is always at your disposal, so email advocacy@narfe.org to ask for a grassroots workshop or Legislative Update; we would love to help.
NARFE hopes these keys to grassroots success lead you and your federation to even greater success.
Again, we thank our members for their relentless hard work and persistence in facing challenges. Your efforts have made a significant impact, especially as we celebrate the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset.
We look forward to seeing even more progress in the upcoming year!
—BY NICOLE BLACKSTONE, GRASSROOTS & POLICY MANAGER
OPM Emails Federal Employees an Offer to Resign
Type the word “Resign” into the ‘Subject’ line of the email. Hit “Send.” That was the directive to federal employees willing to accept a “deferred resignation” offer from hr.gov.
A substantial number of federal employees received the email on January 28, detailing the administration’s new approach to the federal workforce, including plans to downsize the workforce through restructurings, reassignments and reductions-in-force, and providing an offer to accept a “deferred resignation” by February 6. The guidance indicated employees accepting the offer could retain all pay and benefits regardless of daily workload and would be exempt from any applicable in-person work requirements
until September 30, 2025. Some, including Sen. Tim Kaine, D-VA, challenged the administration’s legal authority to make such an offer, raising uncertainty regarding what would happen if accepted.
NARFE National President William “Bill” Shackelford decried the email: “The administration’s encouragement of massive resignations across the federal government shows a blinding disregard for the rule of law in this country, which cannot be
upheld without individuals to enforce it; for government services to Americans, which cannot be fulfilled without individuals to provide them; and for the basic safety of the American people, which is threatened if no one is available to respond to emergencies, prevent crimes or terrorist attacks, or ensure safe food, water and air. If too many people accept this offensive offer, I worry deeply for this country.”
—BY JOHN HATTON, STAFF VICE PRESIDENT, POLICY AND PROGRAMS
HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SOCIAL SECURITY FAIRNESS ACT? Visit NARFE’s Federal Benefits Institute to find frequently asked questions our staff is compiling at https://www.narfe.org/advocacy/ social-security-fairness-act-frequently-asked-questions/. Members may also call 1-800-456-8410, and press 2 for federal benefits experts, or email fedbenefits@narfe.org.
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LEGISLATIVE RESOURCES
NARFE NewsLine – A weekly newsletter that goes out to NARFE members on Tuesdays and includes weekly recaps of legislative news, compiled by NARFE’s advocacy and communications teams.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER – A one-stop site to send a letter to Congress, and more, at www.narfe.org
Bill Reintroduced to Improve COLAs for FERS Retirees
On January 16, Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-VA-11, reintroduced the Equal COLA Act, H.R. 491, to provide Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) employees full cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) to their federal annuities.
Currently, FERS retirees do not receive a full COLA when consumer prices increase by more than 2%. If consumer prices increase between 2% and 3%, FERS retirees receive a 2% COLA, and if consumer prices rise above 3%, then FERS retirees receive COLAs of 1
percentage point less than that increase.
Reversing this policy would create a more just retirement system and protect the earned value of FERS annuities from fluctuating economic conditions.
The Equal COLA Act would provide full COLAs to FERS retirees, creating parity with the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Social Security COLAs. Without this amendment to the current system, FERS retirees will face a continued annual decline in the value of their annuities, which were earned through years of
committed public service – the very issue COLAs were meant to address.
Support for this bill grew from the end of the 117th Congress, when it had 34 cosponsors, to the end of the 118th Congress, when it had 95 cosponsors.
We will look to meet this mark quickly in the 119th Congress and build upon it.
Visit NARFE’s Legislative Action Center to urge your representative to cosponsor the bill.
—BY NICOLE BLACKSTONE, GRASSROOTS & POLICY MANAGER
Saving the Civil Service Act Reintroduced to Block Schedule F
On January 16, Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-VA, and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-VA, reintroduced the Saving the Civil Service Act, H.R. 492/S. 134, to block the implementation of Schedule F, which would reclassify potentially tens of thousands of federal positions into a new excepted service category without competitive protections ensuring employees are hired and fired based on merit.
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump issued an executive order reinstating Schedule F, fulfilling a campaign promise to dismantle key
merit-based protections for federal employees. Though the executive order claims to prevent politically motivated dismissals, these assurances remain empty without strong protections in place, such as appeal rights to the Merit System Protection Board (MSPB). The lack of enforceable safeguards leaves federal employees vulnerable to politically motivated actions that could threaten their careers and the effectiveness of our government.
Connolly was joined by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-PA, Don Bacon, R-NE, and Kweisi Mfume, D-MD, as
original cosponsors on the House bill. The Senate bill enjoys 20 cosponsors, but no Republican support. The bill would prevent the institution of Schedule F and restore competitive service rules.
As an organization committed to protecting civil service, NARFE stands firm in opposing the return of Schedule F. We believe that the federal workforce should remain focused on merit, expertise, and a dedication to serving the American people, free from political interference.
—BY RANDALL “RJ” THACKER, POLITICAL AND LEGISLATIVE MANAGER
Dues Withholding is for retired members and is only $42 annually ($3.50/monthly annuity withholding). To apply, see NARFE’s Dues Witholding application on pg. 29 of this issue of NARFE Magazine or on the back of your next renewal notice. It takes about 4-5 months to get members onto dues withholding.
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Federal Pay Raise Bill Introduced
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-VA, ranking member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Sen. Brian Schatz, D-HI, reintroduced the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act (FAIR Act), H.R.493/S.126, calling for a 4.3% average pay increase for federal employees in 2026. The average pay raise would come via a 3.3% increase in statutory pay rates across the board and a 1% average increase in locality pay.
The increase aims to ensure federal pay keeps up with average private sector pay increases, which increased by 3.8% over the past year,
according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and slightly lessen the pay gap between the federal workforce and their private sector counterparts, whose pay is 24.72% greater on average, according to the Federal Salary Council.
“The federal workforce is our country’s single greatest asset,” said Connolly in a press release following the bill’s introduction. He commended employees for continually showing up to serve their country despite the hardships federal employees have faced in the recent past.
Schatz added to Connolly’s remarks, highlighting the importance of increasing federal
NARFE BILL TRACKER
wages to “keep public service jobs competitive with those in the private sector and maintain a strong and talented federal workforce.”
In line with NARFE’s Advocacy Priorities, NARFE supports market rate increases to federal pay rates and thanks Connolly and Schatz for reintroducing the FAIR Act. NARFE members can advocate for the passage of the FAIR Act by sending a letter to their members of Congress via the Legislative Action Center, urging them to cosponsor the FAIR Act, H.R.493/S.126.
—BY MISSY LOVE, POLICY AND PROGRAMS ASSOCIATE
EDITOR’S NOTE: These bills are all listed online at www.narfe.org/legislation/votervoice.cfm.
ISSUE
FEDERAL PERSONNEL POLICY
FEDERAL COMPENSATION
FEDERAL ANNUITIES
BILL NUMBER / NAME / SPONSOR
H.R.492/S.134: Saving the Civil Service Act of 2025 / Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-VA-11 / Sen. Tim Kaine, D-VA
Cosponsors:
H.R. 492: 6 (D) 2 (R)
S. 134: 18 (D) 2 (I)
H.R. 493/ S. 126: The Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act / Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-VA / Sen. Brian Schatz, D-HI
Cosponsors:
HR 493: 7 (D)
S. 126: 12 (D) 1 (I)
H.R. 491: Equal COLA Act
Cosponsors: H.R. 491: 31 (D)
Prohibits the establishment of schedule F of the excepted service, to ensure merit-based hiring and firing of civil servants.
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Governmental Reform 1/16/2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. 1/16/2025
Provides federal employees with a 3.3% across-the-board pay raise in 2026, plus a 1.0% average increase to locality pay rates.
Provides full cost-of-living adjustments, based on the relevant change in consumer prices, to Federal Employees Retirement System annuities.
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability 1/16/2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 1/16/2025
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 1/16/2025
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STATEMENT OF EARNINGS AND LEAVE
QTHE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS & ANSWERS were compiled by NARFE’s Federal Benefits Institute experts. NARFE does not provide legal, financial planning or tax advice or assistance.
I began my federal career recently. I receive pay statements from my agency each pay period. Should I keep all of these for the next 30 years of my federal career or purge these each year after I have confirmed I’ve been paid properly?
AThe Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) is a comprehensive statement showing your entitlements, deductions, allotments, leave information, tax withholding information and benefits paid by the government. Your most recent LES can be viewed on “Employee Express,” your “Employee Personal Page,” or another automated system for federal employees. You must verify the withholdings, pay, and leave information each pay period. If your pay varies significantly and you don’t understand why, call the customer service center for your payroll provider. You should save at least three to five years of pay statements. When you separate from federal employment, it is vital to have a record of your insurance, retirement, salary, and leave information if you return to federal employment or to have documentation of this coverage when you transition to retirement. It is a good idea always to maintain the following pay statements:
• The first one upon employment
• Those that reflect salary changes
• Those that reflect military deposit payment information
• If you have a work schedule other than full-time, including periods of leave without pay (LWOP), keep the statements that reflect the hours worked
• When changing payroll offices or transferring to a new agency, keep the last statement from your old
payroll office and the first statement from your new payroll office
You can contact a payroll office representative at your agency if you ever have trouble understanding the information reflected on your statement of earnings and leave (SEL), and you may find the following web links useful as well:
• https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/ understandingyourcivilianpay/les/
• https://ibc.doi.gov/HRD/payroll/topics/ leave-earnings-statements
• https://help.nfc.usda.gov/publications/ PPO/67115.htm
RETIREMENT COVERAGE FOR REHIRE
QI completed under five years of creditable federal civilian service when I separated in 2009. I was recently re-hired in 2023, and my agency placed me under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) with 0.8% retirement contributions withholding. My recently hired coworkers have substantially higher FERS payroll withholdings with their retirement coverage listed as FERS-RAE or FERS-FRAE.
AIf you suspect you are in the wrong retirement system, ask your human resources retirement benefits specialist to respond to your request
for an explanation. They can contact the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for guidance with your case if they need assistance with your retirement coverage determination. Based on your information, you had a break in service for more than three days and did not have five years of creditable federal civilian service. In addition, you were not covered under FERS on 12/31/2012 or 12/31/2013, which would have automatically allowed you to maintain coverage under FERS instead of FERS-RAE or FERS-FRAE. Your retirement coverage should have been FERS-FRAE when you were rehired in 2023.
OPM’s Benefits Administration Letter 14-107 has additional information for determining proper retirement coverage for new hires and rehired employees, found at https://www.opm. gov/retirement-services/publications-forms/ benefits-administration-letters/2014/14-107.pdf. If you are misclassified under FERS, the error eventually may be identified and corrected. The agency will bill you for the amount of retirement deductions that should have been withheld retroactively, even though it was their mistake. The heads of executive agencies have full authority to waive the overpayment debts owed to their respective agency regardless of the amount of the debt. The head of each executive agency is responsible for establishing waiver policies and standards and determining levels of approval. See the following fact sheet for additional information at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/ pay-leave/pay-administration/fact-sheets/ waiving-overpayments/.
FEDERAL ERRONEOUS RETIREMENT COVERAGE CORRECTIONS ACT
QI know that the FERCCA legislation applies to active federal employees, annuitants, and survivor annuitants, but what about those of us who separated federal service and haven’t yet reached the age required to apply for our deferred retirement? Can I get that corrected if I was placed in the wrong retirement system when I was previously employed?
AThe options and relief afforded under the Federal Erroneous Retirement Coverage Corrections Act (FERCCA) would also apply to you. If the retirement coverage error lasted for at least three years after 1986, you may benefit from FERCCA.
You should attempt to contact your former agency’s human resources office to request a review of your eligibility under FERCCA. You can usually find agency contact information on the following web page: https://www.opm.gov/
retirement-services/benefits-officers-center/ agency-benefits-officers. If your prior agency doesn’t respond or isn’t willing to help you, you may have to contact OPM for assistance here: https://www.opm.gov/about-us/contact-us/. The NARFE Federal Benefits Institute can also assist you with reaching out to OPM if necessary.
RETIREMENT
CANCELLATION OF SPOUSAL SURVIVOR BENEFIT
QMy spouse and I recently divorced and my divorce decree states that I am no longer required to provide a survivor benefit to my former spouse. How do I tell the OPM that I don’t want my annuity reduced for the spousal survivor benefit I elected years ago when I initially retired? I also want to switch my federal health insurance plan from selfplus-one to self-only coverage.
ATo inform OPM about your decision to discontinue the survivor benefit for your former spouse and switch your federal health insurance plan, you will need to follow these steps:
• You must notify OPM in writing (within two years) of the date the marriage ended. You should include a court-certified copy of the decree affecting the dissolution of the marriage, as well as any property or marital settlement agreement.
COUNTDOWN TO COLA
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 0.68% in January. To calculate the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), the 2025 third-quarter indices will be averaged and compared with the 2024 third-quarter average of 308.729. The percentage increase determines the next COLA. January’s index, 311.172, is up 0.79% from the base. As a reminder, CSRS annuities received a 2.5% COLA for 2025, while FERS annuities received a 2.0% COLA.
The CPI represents purchases of food and beverages, housing, apparel, transportation, medical care, recreation, education and communication, and other goods and services.
Questions & Answers
Send this information to OPM.
U.S. Office of Personnel Management Retirement Operations Center
Post Office Box 45
Boyers, PA 16017
• Use form RI 20-120 (Request for Change to Unreduced Annuity) to request to restore your annuity to the unreduced amount. When a marriage ends through divorce, death or annulment, the reduction for survivor benefits can end upon request unless a survivor benefit is mentioned explicitly in a court order or divorce decree. For more information, visit https://www. opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/ri20-120.pdf
• You may contact OPM via email at retire@opm. gov or phone at 1-888-767-6738. The phone lines are open Monday through Friday from 7:40 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Ensure you have your Civil Service Annuitant (CSA) number ready to share when communicating with OPM.
• When you divorce, your former spouse is no longer a family member and cannot be covered as a family member under your self-plus-one or self-plus family health benefits enrollment. Your children can continue to be covered. If there are no children, you should change to a self-only plan. Options available to your former spouse include Spouse Equity or Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC). If, at retirement, you elect to provide your former spouse a survivor or insurable interest annuity, your former spouse can apply within 60 days after receiving OPM’s notice of eligibility.
• To change your health benefits election, use OPM Form 2809 (https://www.opm.gov/forms/ pdf_fill/opm2809.pdf )—Health Benefits Election Form (for use by annuitants, former spouses, or children/former spouses eligible for Temporary Continuation of Coverage). As an annuitant, you don’t need a qualifying life event (QLE) to switch to a self-only health plan. However, divorce is a QLE that permits you to switch to a completely different Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) plan if desired.
• Be sure to notify Social Security of any personal changes, including divorce. If you’re unsure if the change is essential, let them know. Call Social Security Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., in most U.S. time zones, 800-772-1213. Tell the representative you want to share an update about your situation that may affect your benefits. Call TTY +1 800-325-0778 if you’re deaf or hard of hearing.
• You may need to update your Designation of Beneficiary Forms for CSRS or FERS, Federal Employees Group Life Insurance and TSP.
◊ SF 3102, Designation of Beneficiary/CSRS or FERS, https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/ sf3102.pdf
◊ SF 2823, Designation of Beneficiary/FEGLI Program, https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_ fill/sf2823.pdf
◊ Learn how to change Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) beneficiary designation here: https://www.tsp. gov/tsp-basics/designating-beneficiaries/
APPLICATION FOR SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE ENROLLMENT
QIf I file for my Social Security retirement at age 62, should I also sign up for Medicare or do they have to wait until age 65 for Medicare coverage?
AAlthough you typically become eligible for reduced Social Security retirement benefits at age 62, you won’t become eligible for Medicare until age 65. There are exceptions for people with disabilities who may be eligible for Medicare earlier than age 65 if they meet specific criteria. This includes people with: End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
If you’re getting Social Security benefits, you don’t need to do anything to sign up. You will automatically enroll in Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance). You will receive a welcome package with your Medicare card three months before your Medicare Part A and Part B coverage starts. You can sign up during your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) if you are not automatically enrolled. It lasts for seven months, starting three months before you turn 65, and ending three months after the month you turn 65. The date your coverage starts depends on which month you sign up during your Initial Enrollment Period. Coverage always begins on the first of the month. Your red, white, and blue Medicare card will indicate the effective date of your enrollment.
If you’re 65 or older, you can enroll online at https://secure.ssa.gov/iClaim/rib for Parts A and B, or Part A only. You can delay Part B if you’re already covered through an employer group health plan and the coverage is through you or your spouse’s current employment. If you’ve been covered by an active employer group health plan (yours or your spouse’s) since turning 65, and it ended within the last 8 months, you can enroll in Part B without penalty. This is considered a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). If you miss your IEP or SEP, you may enroll
during the annual General Enrollment Period (GEP) between January 1 and March 31 each year. There is typically a life-long penalty if you sign up during this time. Your coverage begins the month after you sign up. For more information, visit https://www. medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare
POST-RETIREMENT SPOUSAL SURVIVOR BENEFIT ELECTION
QI’m retired, never married, but I plan to get married next year. How do I make an election with OPM to provide a spousal survivor benefit if I die before my spouse?
AIf you marry after retirement, you can elect a reduced annuity to provide a survivor annuity for your spouse. This election must be made within two years of the date of your marriage.
Under CSRS, you can select any portion of your annuity as a basis for the survivor benefit payable in the event of your death. Under FERS, a full benefit provides a surviving spouse 50% of your annual basic annuity; a partial benefit is 25% of your unreduced annual basic annuity. It should be noted that if you remarry the same person to
whom you were married at retirement, you cannot elect a survivor annuity more significant than the one you elected at retirement. There will be two reductions in your annuity if you elect to provide the survivor benefit. One will be the reduction to provide the survivor benefit; this reduction depends on the amount you elect for the survivor annuity. The second reduction will be a permanent actuarial reduction equal to the difference between the new annuity rate with the survivor benefit, and the old one without the survivor benefit since your retirement, plus 6% interest. Usually, the actuarial reduction amount is less than 5% of your annuity. The actuarial reduction continues even if the marriage ends. When you contact OPM, they will send you a statement describing the cost of the election and ask you to confirm your election.
To obtain an answer to a federal benefits question, NARFE members should call 800-456-8410 and select option 2 for the Federal Benefits Institute; send the question by postal mail to NARFE Headquarters, ATTN: Federal Benefits; or submit it by email to fedbenefits@narfe.org.
FBENEFITS RESOURCES
NARFE OFFERS MEMBERS a wide range of information on federal benefits. Visit www.narfe.org/federal-benefits-institute
Disability and Workers’ Compensation
ederal employees suffering from a debilitating medical condition can experience decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, fatigue, physical pain, complications interacting with colleagues, and struggles meeting deadlines. All of these issues can be caused by conditions like stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, or other health concerns, depending on the specific situation. There are several programs available to help federal workers who are suffering from physical or mental health issues.
SICK LEAVE
Federal employees do not receive long-term or shortterm disability insurance benefits through government employment. However, sick leave is available for short-term disabling conditions. Federal workers earn 104 hours of paid sick leave annually and can save unused hours from one year to the next. After 10 years of employment, 1,040 hours of sick leave are earned, equivalent to six months of paid leave. It is important to treat sick leave as short-term disability protection and try to save as much as possible in the event of serious illness or injury.
CSRS OR FERS DISABILITY RETIREMENT
The Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) provide non-work-related disability retirement benefits. To be eligible for retirement under the disability provision, all the following conditions must be met:
• Disability must have occurred while employed in a position
subject to CSRS or FERS and have completed at least:
» CSRS: Five years of creditable civilian federal employment or
» FERS: 18 months of creditable civilian federal employment and
• The disability must be expected to last for one year, and
• Must show that you are disabled from satisfactory performance of the essential duties of your position, and,
• Your agency must certify that a reasonable effort was made to accommodate your condition in your current position or any vacant position that you are qualified for at the same grade or pay level and within your commuting area and
• The agency must certify that it cannot accommodate your disabling medical condition in your present position and has considered any vacant position in the same agency, at the same grade or pay level, and within the same commuting area, for which you are qualified for reassignment.
• The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must receive the application within one year of your separation date. This time limit can be waived only if you were mentally incompetent on the date of separation or within one year of this date.
• FERS Only: Application for disability retirement requires an application for Social Security disability benefits. If the application is withdrawn for any reason, OPM will dismiss the FERS disability retirement application upon notification by the Social Security Administration.
For detailed information, visit https://www.opm.gov/ retirement-center/ and click “Types of Retirement,” which can be found under the CSRS or FERS information tab.
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE
You may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) if you have a disability that affects your ability to work for a year or more or will result in death. Generally, you must have worked for at least five of the last 10 years to qualify for SSDI. People under 24 may not need to have worked as long. If you’re the spouse, ex-spouse, or child of someone getting SSDI, you may qualify for Family Benefits.
For detailed information on SSDI, visit https://www.ssa.gov/ disability.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
The Department of Labor, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) administers the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). The primary goal of the FECA program is to assist federal employees who have sustained work-related injuries or diseases by providing financial and medical benefits and assistance with returning to work.
FECA provides the following benefits:
• Wage-replacement payments are 66.67% of the employee’s salary, or 75% if a qualified dependent is required.
• Payments for reasonable and necessary medical treatment related to the injury.
• Vocational rehabilitation training and job placement assistance to help disabled workers return to gainful employment.
• Compensation for permanent impairment of limbs and other parts of the body.
• Compensation for survivors of employees due to a work-related death.
To file a claim, employees must complete either form CA-1, “Federal Employee’s Notice of
Traumatic Injury and Claim for Continuation of Pay/Compensation,” or form CA-2, “Notice of Occupational Disease and Claim for Compensation.”
A traumatic injury can be pinpointed to have occurred during one work shift–falling down the steps, for example. An occupational disease is a medical condition developed due to work activities performed over multiple work shifts. Forms can be submitted electronically via the Employees’ Compensation Operations and Management Portal (ECOMP) at https://www.ecomp.dol.gov/#/. Frequently asked questions about FECA can be found at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/ FECA/fec-faq.
Note: If you have applied for workers’ compensation, you must also apply for CSRS or FERS retirement benefits. You will receive only one benefit at a time if you are eligible for both benefits. Applying for retirement benefits is the only way to protect your future rights and those of your survivors.
—MICHELE
BOLLIER IS A RETIREMENT AND BENEFITS SPECIALIST WITH RETIRE FEDERAL.
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Deciding to Stay Home or Move
BY EVERETT A. CHASEN
Age in place? Downsize? Move to a retirement community? Here are some ideas to help you make the right choice for relatives—or yourself
Making decisions about your future is difficult at any age. The most important decision facing older adults is about their living arrangements. Should you continue to live in your current home or downsize? What about continuing care communities, assisted living, or nursing homes? It’s a tough, life-changing decision—but help is available.
“There is no one-size-fits-all option,” said Lisa Sanders, vice president of public relations and communications for LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services. “The factors that impact the pros and cons of each include an individual’s health, financial resources, the available housing options in their desired geographic or physical location—and access to family, friends and health care.”
“The best time to think about how to age in place is before you need a lot of care. Planning ahead allows you to make important decisions while you are still able.”
–The National Institute of Aging
Broadly speaking, residential options for healthy older adults include remaining in their own homes; downsizing to a smaller place; moving in with a family member or friend; living independently in a house located within a community of older adults, such as life plan communities; or applying for and being accepted into affordable housing programs. Those with emergent health issues may also consider assisted living centers or full-time nursing home care.
LeadingAge created a fact sheet on “aging services options” on its website, www.leadingage.org, which provides information on sources of professional care and services for older adults.
Are You Considering Aging in Place?
While many older adults would prefer to remain in their homes as they grow older, some residences, like apartments without elevators or townhouses with stairs, are either impossible or too expensive to modify for senior-friendly living,
“The best time to think about how to age in place is before you need a lot of care,” according to the National Institute of Aging (NIA) on its website, www.nia.nih. gov. “Planning ahead allows you to make important decisions while you are still able.”
Sanders agrees.
“That includes having a firm grip on your financial resources and conducting rigorous self-assessment of your current and future needs,” she added.
Consider the kinds of help you (or your parents) need now and might want in the future, the NIA suggests. Think about any chronic illnesses, such as diabetes or heart disease, you or your partner have or might develop and find out how the illness could make it hard to get around or take care of yourself in the future.
Discuss the support that’s needed to stay in your home with your family and friends, especially those a few years older than you. Find out how they handle their needs for routine assistance, shopping, cooking, home maintenance, and the possible need for caregivers.
Assessing whether your home’s layout can accommodate you as you become less mobile, including options like main floor bedrooms and bathrooms, is also useful—as is expanding your social network, staying engaged with activities you love, and maintaining your mental and physical health and well-being.
A 2022 National Poll on Healthy Aging by the University of Michigan found that 88% of people surveyed between the ages of 50 and 80 found it was “very” or “somewhat” important to live in their homes as long as possible—but only 15% had given a lot of consideration to how their home may need to be modified as they age, compared to 47% who had given it little or no thought.
In addition, 48% of those who live alone did not have someone in their lives who could help them with personal care such as bathing and dressing if needed, compared to 27% of those who lived with others. Nearly two-thirds of older adults who called their current physical or mental status “fair” or “poor” said they were “not confident” or “not very confident” they could afford to pay someone to help with household chores, grocery shopping, personal care, or managing their finances. Only 19% of older adults were “very confident” they could afford to pay someone to do so.
John Miller, whose federal government service spanned more than 50 years, and his partner Patricia Parker, a pianist and piano teacher, are among those who have decided they will remain in their home for as long as they can. The Northern Virginia couple believes they have made plans to do so successfully.
“Four years ago, we scheduled a meeting with a local retirement home,” said Parker. “We had gone to several of their luncheons, and I had played there and I’ve always liked the place. So, we decided we would put ourselves on their waiting list—and the meeting was canceled because of COVID.”
4 Alternatives to Aging in Place
Worried you won’t be able to continue living your home?
LeadingAge shared four options to consider, with various levels of support.
Retirement Community
May offer a continuum of care
Affordable Housing
Lower rent coupled with support services
Assisted Living
Independent with access to services
Nursing Homes
Help with activities of daily living
A 2022 National Poll on Healthy Aging by the University of Michigan found that 88% of people surveyed between the ages of 50 and 80 found it was “very” or
“somewhat” important to live in their homes as long as possible—but only 15% had given a lot of consideration to how their home may need to be modified as they age, compared to 47% who had given it little or no thought.
Because of this, Parker said she had some time to think about what she actually wanted to do, and found out there was no way she could continue teaching piano if they moved there.
“That really turned me off,” she said. “I understand why no one was allowed to enter or leave the premises during COVID, but it still rankled me. And I didn’t like that you had to purchase a meal plan. It just reeked of ‘OK, turn over the reins.’ And I realized I wasn’t ready to do this yet.”
Miller jovially added that the problem for him was that he couldn’t smoke his pipe.
“All of a sudden, I thought, what are you doing?” Parker asked. “You’ve got a house that has one little step to the front porch and another to get into the house, a very gentle staircase down to my piano studio and a wonderful group of students. Why are you stopping if you don’t want to stop?”
Both have children living nearby who can help out if needed. They ordered a portable electricity generator so that during power outages, they would still have water and electricity, and installed a burglar alarm system for additional protection. Their garden is almost entirely native plant beds requiring little to no maintenance. And they buy long-term care insurance in case of serious illness.
“There’s every chance I’ll live to be 95,” Parker, now 83, says. She walks daily in “beautiful and quiet woods” and is in excellent health. Miller, 85, swims daily and is also in good health.
“That’s about all we’ve done,” says Parker.
Alternatives to aging in place
LeadingAge compiled a list of communities older adults can consider if they no longer believe they can live at home without assistance or feel it’s time to move. The list also includes the types of payments each community accepts to help readers know what may be available to them and possible assistance opportunities. They include:
• Retirement communities (also called life plan communities): These provide residents with a continuum of care that typically includes independent living, assisted living, memory care and nursing home residential areas. Initially, most residents of such communities didn’t need assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), which are the fundamental skills required to live independently, such as eating, bathing, and walking. Many life plan community residents transition to “higher levels of care” when, or if, their needs increase.
• Assisted living: Older adults living in an assisted living community usually have an apartment
or suite and access to a range of on-site services. Typically, assisted living residents receive access to 24/7 clinical care, up to three meals a day, help with personal care and grooming, medication management, housekeeping, and recreational activities.
• Affordable housing for low-income older adults: Affordable senior housing, supported by government funding sources, allows older adults with low incomes to live in apartments with rents that are reasonably priced while relying on local services and supports to age in their community—often with the help of professional service coordinators.
• Nursing Homes: Older adults who cannot safely be in their homes receive person-centered care in nursing homes, where their health, safety, and well-being are supported. Typically, these older adults require help with ADLs, including bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, walking and transferring from a chair or a bed. Nursing homes provide care to people with chronic conditions and comorbidities requiring around-the-clock care, and rehabilitation services such as physical, occupational and speech therapy, IV therapy and wound management.
Federal government retirees David and Ann Stone decided to sell their house and move to a retirement community in Northern Virginia in July 2024.
“The decision to make a move really relates a lot to what you see for yourself and your partner in the future,” Ann says. “Our house had stairs, and there was no getting around that. We knew we would be much better off in a place without stairs. We also saw
in these types of communities a range of support for general maintenance, dining, and security. [Moving] would relieve us of a lot of the somewhat burdensome responsibilities of an aging house with an aging couple ensconced.”
David thinks aging in place “can be a crapshoot.”
“Moving now, while both of us are healthy, was easier than moving when we’d be forced to down the road,” he said. “And, by moving to this particular retirement community,” very close to where their previous home was located, “we’re not really losing anything that is important to us. We’re close to all our doctors, our friends, and most specifically to George Mason University, with which we’ve built a close relationship.”
Cost Issues
Cost is a major factor in determining future living arrangements for older people. The Elder Living Index (elderindex.org), compiled by the University of Massachusetts, Boston, is a tool that shows how much income older adults need in every county of the United States—including housing, health care, transportation, food, and miscellaneous essentials—to meet their basic needs and age in place with dignity.
Choose your location, your housing and health status, and whether you are single or a couple, and the index will tell you how much you need to live independently. For example, a couple with no mortgage in good health living in Fairfax County, VA needs $42,240 a year in 2023 dollars to remain independent, 115% of the national average of $36,804.
“Financial help from state or federal government sources is limited to older adults who qualify for lowincome affordable housing or a Medicaid bed in a residential nursing home. Some states pay for assisted living through Medicaid waivers, but demand far outstrips supply.”
– Lisa Sanders, Vice President of public relations and communications for LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services
Sanders recommends an article by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College (crr.bc.edu) titled “How Well Do Retirees Assess the Risks They Face in Retirement?” The most important of these risks, the article argues, are longevity (the risk of living longer than expected and exhausting your resources); health (unexpected medical expenses and long-term care needs); and market (investment) risk, which is associated with the volatility of the stock market and the value of investments, especially 401(k) plans. Other risks include family risks, including divorce, the death of a spouse, adult children becoming ill or unemployed, and policy risks, including the possibility that Social Security’s trust fund reserves could be depleted in the near future.
Sanders explains not much housing assistance funding can be expected from the state or federal government for those who have misjudged their available savings.
“Financial help from state or federal government sources is limited to older adults who qualify for low-income affordable housing or a Medicaid bed in a residential nursing home,” she said. “Some states pay for assisted living through Medicaid waivers, but demand far outstrips supply.”
Advice from those who’ve made their decision
Both the Stones and Ms. Parker have some suggestions for those considering a move.
“Don’t wait too long,” Ann says. “Start early. Just visiting places doesn’t mean you’re committing to them. Do your research to find a facility that can accommodate your desires.”
David believes people should not be afraid of the process of moving.
“With the support we received from our realtor, our mover, and the staff at our new community, it really was as easy as possible,” he said. “The sales office put us in touch with experienced realtors, interior designers and relocation professionals who worked well with the facility to make the process go smoothly. Also, we were pretty well prepared. We did about a year and a half of downsizing—actually even more than that—and it really paid off. We don’t feel crowded at all here, and by the way, the food is very good!”
If you’re part of a couple, remember that moving is a joint decision.
“And it really needs to be that way,” Ann adds. “You both need to be in step with each other and go with a good heart.”
Parker has some advice for retirees, whether they remain in their homes or relocate.
“Two words: keep moving. Stay busy, stay active,” she said. “That means physically as well as mentally. Every time I walk in the morning, my body says, ‘Thank you!’ I can just feel it. The only time I sit, really, is when I teach, when I eat, and when I watch the news. We’re just very grateful and happy to be where we are at our age.”
—EVERETT A. (EV) CHASEN IS A WRITER AND COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C., AREA. HE RETIRED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AFTER 35 YEARS OF SERVICE.
What is dues withholding?
NARFE’s Dues Withholding Program
It is a dues-payment method available to retired NARFE members, their spouses and annuitant survivors giving them the option to have their annual NARFE membership dues deducted from their annuities each month.
Advantages
• Save more than 10% off your annual NARFE dues
• Sign up your spouse and double your savings
• You’ll never get another dues reminder from us
• Your monthly payment is affordable and convenient
• You may cancel your dues withholding at any time
How does it work?
One-twelfth of your total dues is automatically deducted from your monthly annuity. Your monthly deduction is determined by the following formula: ($42 NARFE dues ÷ 12) + (Chapter dues - if applicable ÷ 12) = total monthly deduction
How do I sign up?
Complete the Dues Withholding Application below. Send no payment. It may take 60 to 90 days before auto-deduction starts. Your membership starts as soon as your application is received. To learn more about dues withholding, call 800-456-8410
NARFE Dues Withholding Application for NARFE Members who are Retirees, Spouses of Retirees or Annuitant Survivors
STOP! Complete this section ONLY if you are signing up for Dues Withholding. If so, DO NOT send payment
o YES. I want to enroll in NARFE’s Dues Withholding Program. NARFE dues of $42* and chapter dues, if applicable, to be withheld annually. (*Dues-withholding members save more than 10% off the regular NARFE dues rate.)
Social Security Number (9-digit number)
o Mr. o Mrs. o Miss o Ms.
Full Name
Street Address
Apt./Unit
City
State ___________ ZIP
Phone (__________)
Date of Birth _________ /_________ /
Civil Service Annuity Number
(Include prefix, CSA or CSF) (Include any applicable suffix)
NARFE MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
NARFE Membership ID
NARFE Chapter Number
o YES. I also authorize my (NARFE member) spouse’s dues to be withheld from my annuity. (Additional annual dues of $42 and chapter dues, if applicable, to be withheld annually. If YES, enter spouse’s information below.)
Spouse’s Name
Spouse’s Membership ID
Spouse’s Email
AUTHORIZATION (Withholding will begin in 60-90 days). Send NO PAYMENT with Dues Withholding Application!
I authorize the United States Office of Personnel Management to make appropriate deductions from my annuity payments, not to exceed the amount certified by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association as the amount of dues for which I am annually obligated, in accordance with elections I made above, and to pay the deducted sum to the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE). This authorization shall also apply to any and all dues changes certified by NARFE membership in accordance with elections I made. Please allow 60-90 days for processing.
I understand that this authorization shall be valid until NARFE receives and processes my written notice of cancellation in accordance with its agreement with the Office of Personnel Management and that any disputes regarding this authorization shall be a matter between NARFE and myself. I hold the Office of Personnel Management harmless for any erroneous allotment deduction made pursuant to this authorization.
Signature of Annuitant
or Survivor-Annuitant
Date
Dues payments and gifts or contributions to NARFE are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.
this form
THE HARM of Continuing Resolutions of Continuing Resolutions
BY DAVID TOBENKIN
In late December, the U.S. federal government almost shut down because Congress had failed to approve an appropriation to fund federal government operations. The shutdown was averted by passage of a last-minute, stopgap funding bill enacted into law on December 20, 2024, that funded the government through March 14, 2025.
The annual scramble to negotiate such stopgap funding measures, called continuing resolutions (CRs), is a pervasive shortcoming of the U.S. legislative process that often occurs multiple times yearly. It drains legislative and administrative efficiency and increases stress for all concerned, but it has thus far been impervious to efforts to rectify this.
While many good governance organizations praised Congress’s success in avoiding a December shutdown through a CR, they noted it also highlighted the need for a longer-term resolution of the problem.
“I am pleased to see Congress fulfill its duties to fund the government so that Americans can continue to receive the services they expect and deserve. But it is long past time to end the tiring spectacle of using government funding as leverage in policy fight,” said Partnership for Public Service President Max Stier in a statement upon the December 20 CR’s passage. “Our government cannot operate effectively or efficiently without stable and predictable funding.”
In the current federal environment of efforts to increase federal government efficiency and avoid
waste, frequent reliance upon CRs stands out as a costly and harmful inefficiency.
“I hope Congress will impose the same sort of accountability on themselves that the administration is attempting to impose on career senior executives to do their jobs,” says Marcus Hill, president of the Senior Executives Association. “They should be held accountable for achieving budgets annually. And if it's too hard to get it done annually, then they should do their jobs by proposing legislation that would hold them accountable to doing it a different way, whether it's multi-year budgeting or whatever the strategy that would be. One of the biggest wastes of government resources comes from having to react to the inability of Congress to be able to do its job.”
However, it is unclear whether renewed efforts to reform will succeed where past reform efforts have failed.
Budget and CR Basics
Unlike some countries, the federal government must fund ongoing operations through Congress's appropriations acts before expenditures.
“One of the biggest wastes of government resources comes from having to react to the inability of Congress to be able to do its job.”
– Marcus Hill, president of the Senior Executives Association."
Generally, the federal fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30 of the following year. While federal law requires expenditures on specific programs and gives the formula for the level of such spending, called mandatory spending, about 25% of government spending is discretionary and must be approved by Congress through 12 bills that are scheduled to be passed by October 1 each year, according to a Bipartisan Policy Center analysis, “What You Need to Know About Continuing Resolutions.”
First, the president proposes a federal budget with spending goals and priorities. Congress then considers that proposal and the budget more generally and then votes for appropriate funding. However, Congress has completed this process before the beginning of the new fiscal year only three times in the last 47 years, most recently for the 1997 fiscal year budget, according to a 2022 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
As for CRs, they are congressional legislation that provides interim budget authority for federal agencies, specific activities, or both to continue operating when Congress and the president have not completed action on regular appropriation acts by the beginning of the fiscal year or within the fiscal year after the expiration of a preceding CR. Generally, CRs extend the level of funding in place for a prior period. The GAO study counted 47 CRs between fiscal years 2010 and 2022,
ranging from one to 176 days (just under six months). And on three occasions—in fiscal years 2014, 2018, and 2019—no CR was approved, resulting in a shutdown.
A February 2024 analysis by Alessandra Zimmermann, senior manager of R&D policy for the R&D Budget and Policy Program for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, titled “Research on R&D Funding: Impacts of a Continuing Resolution,” noted the use of CRs often spikes in election years, in part reflecting that legislators have even less time than usual to work out budget details given time spent campaigning, and in the lame duck period after elections when defeated yet still incumbent lawmakers are preoccupied with lining up new jobs.
The Costs of Continuing Resolutions
Continuing resolutions are harmful in several ways.
At a legislative level, CRs absorb congressmembers’ time and energy, crowding out their ability to focus limited resources and attention upon consideration of more substantive and carefully calibrated annual appropriations bills and other legislation.
Perhaps the worst effect is a failure to implement a CR at all, resulting in the government’s shutdown. In shutdowns, only
Congress has completed the spending budget vote before the beginning of the new fiscal year only three times in the last 47 years, most recently for the 1997 fiscal year budget. There have been 47 continuing resolutions between fiscal years 2010 and 2022, ranging from one to 176 days (just under six months). And on three occasions—in fiscal years 2014, 2018, and 2019—no CR was approved, resulting in a shutdown, according to a 2022 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
services deemed as essential continue. That can interrupt agency operations and public services, resulting in, for example, the closure of national parks, federal lands, and museums, longer waits for many federal services, such as access to customer service representatives and airline security checks, and delays in the delivery of federal grants. Shutdowns have bottomline implications for the federal government. According to a 2019 report by the Congressional Budget Office, a 2018-2019 shutdown reduced Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $11 billion, including $3 billion that will never be recovered.
The approach of the end of a fiscal year with no appropriations for the new year in place or an expiring CR with no plan for the rest of the fiscal year can send federal agency leadership, mainly financial and human resources staff, into frantic activities planning and preparing for a potential shutdown instead of doing their regular duties. Discretionary activities, such as travel, internal training, and public outreach activities, are often curtailed at agencies. New hiring, even for positions that may be urgently needed, is frequently delayed.
Short-term CR budgeting can frustrate longer-term initiatives. Agencies will sometimes decline to initiate approved long-term, highercost initiatives, such as IT modernizations or office redesigns, for fear that annual increments of monies needed for the reforms will not be approved. That can frustrate and delay the achievement of the efficiencies and cost savings such measures can bring.
Continuing resolutions can also contribute to lumpy and/or inefficient spending. Sometimes, agencies will spend money they have at
According to a 2019 report by the Congressional Budget Office, a 2018-2019 shutdown reduced Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $11 billion, including $3 billion that will never be recovered.
the end of a particular period for fear that it will not be reallocated or that they will be given only a few months to spend a more extended period of allocation that is finally approved. This has led agencies to backload expenditures and the operations they fund toward the end of fiscal years; by this time, they presume they will have obtained the entire year’s funding.
CRs also often carry forward existing spending without accounting for the differing levels of needs, resulting in inefficient budgeting.
In its 2022 report, the GAO examined how CRs impacted three federal departments. Officials from the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Agriculture (USDA), and Education told the GAO that CRs “have resulted in administrative inefficiencies and limited management options in areas such as hiring and travel for their agencies.”
Adaptation Strategies
The GAO report noted that agencies studied had adopted strategies to mitigate the harmful effects of CR funding.
For example, GAO noted that, according to HHS, “Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) officials, the agency can request and receive an exception apportionment that allows grantees to receive 90% of the previous year’s funding at the beginning of the next fiscal year, rather than the standard apportionment that is provided during the CR. Some LIHEAP grantees have access to additional funding, like state utility funds or funding from the state budget. This can help if disruptions occur at the beginning of the fiscal year.”
Some agencies also retain discretionary funds to carry them through possible budget shortfalls. Zimmermann noted some agencies have shifted toward writing text to guide spending “instead of specific dollar amounts for projects, giving them more flexibility in the use of appropriated funds.”
Some CRs are also designed to avoid worstcase outcomes. Zimmermann noted that some CRs include adjustments – referred to as anomalies – “that allow for increases for specific accounts so that they can continue operations. These are typically must-fund agencies like the Department of Defense or long-term projects for whom a funding cut would mean significant problems – like NASA missions.”
In addition, Zimmermann noted that there are fewer CRs for agencies whose ongoing operations
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“There’s no inherent reason why it should take a year-and-a-half to do a year’s appropriations. The situation has gotten incrementally worse as Congress thinks, ‘yeah, we have always used CRs,’ so it becomes a familiar practice.”
– David Reich, senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities are seen as crucial, such as the Department of Defense and Homeland Security, with their funding prioritized in negotiations and thus resolved more quickly than others.
“This resulted in the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense spending less than a month under CR on average between 1999 and 2009,” she said.
Proposals to Eliminate Continuing Resolutions
The challenge to avoiding reliance on CRs is that Congress is sovereign–only it can decide not to rely upon CRs. Congress’ ability to set aside partisan differences to pass legislation has generally diminished in recent decades. Various solutions have been floated.
The Partnership for Public Service has proposed Congressional reliance upon multi-year budgeting under the theory that if the budgeting efforts are inherently contentious, it would be better if the result would provide certainty for a more extended period than one year. It added that longer budgeting periods could encourage Congress and the executive branch to move to a longer-term perspective within which a program could be operated and appropriations determined.
Some agencies already have received multiyear funding for some of their operations. HHS officials told the GAO that their unaccompanied children and refugee programs are two of the few programs within the department with multi-year appropriations.
Sen. James Lankford, R-OK, has repeatedly introduced budgeting legislation to avoid shutdowns. Lankford’s currently introduced Prevent Government Shutdown Act would keep the government running at the previous year’s levels if Congress fails to pass appropriations bills on time and would require members of Congress to stay in Washington, D.C., until a new funding agreement is reached.
However, such automatic CRs, which other CR critics have proposed, would have several harmful effects, argued senior fellows Richard Kogan and
Paul N. Van De Water in a 2019 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) analysis “Portman Proposal for Automatic Continuing Resolution Not a Good Solution for Government Shutdowns.”
“By allowing the government to keep operating without any action by Congress and the president, an automatic CR mechanism would significantly reduce pressure to reach agreement on full-year appropriation bills and thus would tend to prolong budgetary uncertainty,” Van De Water and Kogan wrote. “Most importantly, it likely would significantly increase the instances in which the previous year’s appropriation levels and priorities remain in place for a year or more while pressing, new needs go unattended, and areas that no longer need as much funding are overfunded.”
David Reich, a CBPP senior fellow working on issues related to federal appropriations and the federal budget process, said their view is that Congress basically needs to get its bills done on time.
“There’s no inherent reason why it should take a year-and-a-half to do a year’s appropriations,” he said. “The situation has gotten incrementally worse as Congress thinks, ‘yeah, we have always used CRs,’ so it becomes a familiar practice.”
Reich says agreement on basic [budget] totals and elements is the prerequisite for more timely decisions.
“The first step is some sort of agreement on the top line,” he said. “Because appropriations are largely a process of division, you have to know what you're dividing, and it is becoming, I think, harder and harder to get that kind of agreement so that the process can start.”
Reich notes that many appropriations bills are hamstrung by extreme content, such as deep budget cuts, that may satisfy some constituencies but are unlikely to become law ultimately.
As of late February 2025, when this article was written, it was unclear whether any of the solutions above or new solutions, would gain traction before the end of the current CR in March 2025.
—DAVID TOBENKIN IS A FREELANCE JOURNALIST BASED IN THE GREATER WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA.
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Did you know that NARFE rewards our members for recruiting new members? Think of it as a special thank you from Headquarters for increasing our numbers and voices. $8 for every active fed!
Enrollment Submission Requirements:
• Recruiter’s Membership ID must be included on each application.
HOW DOES THIS AWESOME INCENTIVE WORK?
January-August
• Recruiter receives $8 for any new (never joined) active federal employee enrollment only September-December Fall Membership Recruitment Drive
• Recruiter receives $10 for new enrollment (any member type—active or retired federal employee)
New members can join by:
• Mailing in the application from the F-135 brochure
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• Mailing in the application that appears in every issue of NARFE Magazine
State Tax Treatment of Federal Annuities
TTAX YEAR 2024
he latest edition of the NARFE state tax roundup contains the most up-to-date information on your state’s tax situation. You can use this guide to learn if there have been any changes to the way your state treats your federal annuity or retirement income as you prepare to file your 2024 taxes. The NARFE team combed through every state’s filing instructions to provide a comprehensive guide in the pages that follow, so give it a good, thorough read.
Thinking about a move? Use the information contained in the guide to help determine which locations would have the biggest tax advantages for your situation. And don’t forget to share the information with others so they don’t miss out on potential savings.
This roundup of state tax treatment of federal annuities and other tax information is presented for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional tax advice. NARFE has taken all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in this roundup is accurate at the time of publication; however, NARFE cannot guarantee the completeness or accuracy of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions. Please consult a tax professional for advice in preparing tax returns.
A word about timing: NARFE members have asked, Why is this package published in April, right before taxes are due? The information in this guide is based on the tax filing instructions published by each state, the last of which were released in late January. Publishing this in April allows NARFE Magazine to incorporate legislative changes specific to the 2024 tax year, allowing readers to double-check their current returns, while also providing an overview of tax treatment for those who might move in the future.
States With No Personal Income Taxes
1 New Hampshire taxes interest/dividend income. See p. 42.
States Exempting Total Amount of Civil Service Annuities*
* In addition, the states listed below exempt certain federal civil service annuities from taxation. Some exemptions depend on the taxpayer’s age or dates of government service.
IOWA: Retirement income exempt for taxpayers who meet eligibility. See p. 41
KENTUCKY: Amount attributable to service prior to January 1, 1998, is exempt. See p. 41
MICHIGAN: Full exemption only applicable to taxpayers born before 1946. See p. 41
NORTH CAROLINA: Annuities not taxed if the individual had
five years of federal government service as of August 12, 1989. See p. 42
OKLAHOMA: CSRS annuities excluded from taxation. Taxpayers with annuities with both FERS and CSRS components may exclude the portion attributable to CSRS service. See p. 42
OREGON: Annuities earned for service before October 1, 1991, are not taxed. See p. 42
Other Exemptions
ALABAMA: SS, federal retirement, military retirement and state pension income are exempt. Income from all defined-benefit pension plans is exempt. Income from distributions from accounts like IRAs and 401(k)s is partially taxable. The first $6,000 of otherwise taxable retirement income is exempt for those 65 and older.
ARIZONA: SS is exempt. Income from benefits, annuities or pension as retired or retainer pay of the uniformed services is exempt. Up to $2,500 total of civil service and Arizona state and local government pensions are exempt per taxpayer. Additional personal exemption for all residents age 65+.
ARKANSAS: SS and military retirement benefits are exempt. Up to $6,000 is exempt from public or private employment-related pension plan. Up to $6,000 in IRA distributions is exempt if the taxpayer is age 59.5+.
CALIFORNIA: SS is exempt. All private, public and military pensions are taxed. Up to $1,806 may be exempt for taxpayers 65 and older who qualify for senior head of household credit. Additional $149 to $298 exemption for those age 65 or older or blind.
COLORADO: SS income that is not taxed by the federal government is exempt. There is a $24,000 pension/ annuity exemption for all taxpayers age 65+, $20,000 pension/annuity exemption for all taxpayers between ages 55 and 64. There is a $15,000 military retirement exemption for retirees 54 or younger and their spouse.
CONNECTICUT: SS and income from a pension or annuity is exempt if federal AGI is below $100,000 for those single or MFS and AGI of $150,000 or less if MFJ; taxpayers with AGIs equal to or above these thresholds qualify for a partial deduction. Military retirement pay is exempt.
DELAWARE: SS is exempt. Taxpayers age 60+ may exclude $12,500 of investment and qualified pension income, as well as IRAs and 401(k)s, and qualify for an additional tax credit of $110. Taxpayers under age 60 may exclude $2,000. Taxpayers age 65+ and/or blind are entitled to additional standard deductions of $2,500.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: SS is exempt. Other retirement income is not exempt. If born before January 2, 1960, or blind, an additional standard deduction of $1,550; ($1,950 if single or head of household).
GEORGIA: SS is exempt. Taxpayers age 65+ may exclude $65,000 of retirement income. Taxpayers age 62 to 64, or those permanently and totally disabled regardless of age, may exclude $35,000 of retirement income. Up to $4,000 of the maximum allowable exclusion may be earned income. Up to $17,500 of military retirement income can be excluded for taxpayers younger than 62; an additional $17,500 can be excluded for such taxpayers with more than $17,500 of earned income in Georgia. New for 2024, taxpayers can now exclude up to $5,000 of earned income when they claim the retirement income exclusion.
HAWAII: SS is exempt. Federal retirement, military retirement, state
Key to Abbreviations
AGI=Adjusted Gross Income
CSRS=Civil Service Retirement System
FERS=Federal Employees
Retirement System
HH=Head of Household
IRA=Individual Retirement Account
MFJ=Married Filing Jointly
MFS=Married Filing Separately
QW=Qualified Widow(er)
RR=Railroad Retirement*
SS=Social Security
*Federal law does not permit states to tax Railroad Retirement income. Exemption is not noted in roundup except where it affects provisions.
or county retirement system pension income, and distributions from exclusively employer-funded pensions are exempt. Additional personal exemption of $1,144 per person age 65 and older, or $7,000 exemption for qualifying taxpayer who is blind, deaf or totally disabled.
IDAHO: SS is exempt. Retirement benefits deduction available for CSRS annuitants who established CSRS eligibility prior to 1984 and are age 65+, or 62+ and disabled, in the amount of $45,864 (if single) or $68,796 (if MFJ) minus SS and RR received. Deduction includes workers under the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System (FSRDS). Retirement benefits deduction also available for military retirees. Persons using MFS status are not eligible for the retirement benefits deduction. Grocery tax credit for persons age 65+ on Dec. 31, 2024 is $140, with an additional $20 if your spouse is age 65+.
ILLINOIS: SS and income from any qualified employee benefit plan
TAX YEAR 2024
(including federal government plans) are exempt. Pension or retirement savings accounts like 401(k) plans, an IRA, or a traditional IRA that has been converted to a Roth IRA are exempt. Additional $1,000 personal exemption credit for those age 65 or older; an additional $1,000 exemption is available for those who are blind.
INDIANA: SS is exempt. Taxpayers age 62+ (or surviving spouses) may deduct up to $16,000 from a federal civil service annuity minus the total amount of any SS or RR benefits. Military retirement pay is fully deductible. Taxpayers can take a $1,000 personal exemption, while taxpayers who are blind or age 65+ can take an additional personal exemption of $1,000 for each. An additional personal exemption of $500 can be taken by a spouse age 65+ with a federal AGI that is less than $40,000 ($20,000 for MFS).
IOWA: SS and military retirement benefits are exempt. Additional $20 personal credit for those age 65 or older; an additional $20 personal credit is available for those who are blind. Retirement income tax exclusion for taxpayers 55 or older on December 31 of the tax year, or who are disabled or a surviving spouse or survivor having an insurable interest in an individual who has qualified for the exclusion in the tax year on the basis of age or disability.
KANSAS: SS is exempt if federal AGI is $75,000 or less. Federal, military and in-state/local pensions are exempt. For those age 65+ and/ or blind, an additional deduction of up to $10,800 is available; amount is dependent on tax filing status and whether the resident and/or
spouse is blind. The Homestead Refund program offers property tax rebates of up to $700 for homeowners. To qualify, the claimant must be a Kansas resident age 55+ with a 2024 household income of $42,600 or less. The property tax refund is also available to qualified Kansas homeowners age 65+ with a household income of $24,500 or less.
KENTUCKY: SS is exempt. Federal civilian and military retirement annuities attributable to service prior to Jan. 1, 1998, are excluded. Annuities attributable to service after Jan. 1, 1998, are included as pension income, of which taxpayers may exclude up to $31,110. An additional credit of $40 is available for each individual age 65 or older, and $40 for those who are blind.
LOUISIANA: SS is exempt. Federal retirement annuities are exempt. In addition, persons age 65+ may exclude up to $6,000 of annual retirement income, including distributions from retirement accounts, if single, $12,000 if MFJ and both are receiving retirement income. If only one spouse has retirement income, the exclusion is limited to $6,000. New for 2024, a space was added on the face of the tax return for deceased taxpayer(s) date of death.
MAINE: SS and military retirement benefits, including survivor benefits are exempt. The taxpayer and spouse may each deduct $30,000 of eligible pension income, including federal civil service annuity income in the 2024 tax year; the deduction increases to $35,000 for tax years 2025 and beyond.
MARYLAND: SS is exempt. If age 65+ or totally disabled, you may exclude up to $39,500 in pension income, under certain conditions. Additional $1,000 exemption for residents who are blind or age 65+. If a dependent over 65 is claimed, you can also receive an extra exemption of up to $3,200 based on AGI. Military retirement subtraction up to $20,000 if 55 or older; $12,500 for those under age 55.
MASSACHUSETTS: SS, federal civil service and military pensions are exempt. Tax reciprocity with local/state governments that do not tax pension income from Massachusetts public employees. Additional exemption of $700 for each individual age 65+. Additional exemption of $2,200 for each individual who is blind.
MICHIGAN: SS and military pensions are exempt. Federal retirement annuities are exempt for individuals born before 1946, as are private pension and retirement benefits, up to $64,040 if filing single or MFS, or $128,080 if MFJ. New for 2024 in expanded retirement and pension benefits deductions, taxpayers born in 1953 through 1958 may deduct up to $32,020 if filing single or MFS, or $64,040 if MFJ. Retirement and pension benefits from SSA exempt employment who were born between 1958 and 1963 may deduct up to $15,000 if filing single or MFS, or up to $30,000 if MFJ. Retirement and pension benefits from SSA exempt employment who were born after 1958 and retired as of Jan. 1, 2013, may deduct up to $35,000 if filing single or MFS, or up to $55,000 if MFJ, and if both spouses on a joint return qualify,
the maximum deduction increases to $70,000. These amounts will increase annually until the 2026 tax year, when all retirement income will be subject to the same limits regardless of birth year.
MINNESOTA: The standard deduction is reduced up to 80% if your AGI exceeds $116,250 for single/ HH, and $232,500 for MFJ. Certain types of military retirement pay may be subtracted from taxable income if included in your federal AGI. Additional standard deduction of $1,950 for residents who are blind or age 65 or older.
MISSISSIPPI: SS and retirement income from federal, state and private retirement systems are exempt, along with qualified retirement income. Additional exemption of $1,500 for residents who are blind or age 65+.
MISSOURI: Military retirement income exempt. Taxpayers with AGI under $85,000 (single, HH, MFS, QW) or $100,000 (MFJ) may exempt federal, state or local pension income and the taxable portion of SS benefits. Taxpayers with AGI exceeding the limitation may qualify for a partial exemption.
MONTANA: Additional exemptions if age 65+ and/or blind. New for 2024, taxpayers age 65+ may exempt $5,500 ($11,000 if MFJ) of interest income reported in Montana AGI. The subtraction will be adjusted annually for inflation beginning in 2025. Partial pension reductions are repealed. Certain taxpayers may be eligible for an exemption of part of their military retirement income.
NEBRASKA: New for 2024, there is a federal CSRS exclusion that limits
the decreasing adjustment from the federal AGI for amounts received as annuities. This exclusion does not apply for FERS annuitants. Beginning in tax year 2024, taxation of SS benefits is completely excluded and no longer has a federal AGI threshold. Military retirement benefits may be excluded from Nebraska taxable income to the extent included in federal AGI. Other pension income is fully taxed.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: No tax on earned income. However, a 5% tax is applied to interest and dividend income exceeding $2,400 ($4,800 for joint filers). Residents age 65 and older—as well as those of any age who are blind, and those under 65 who are disabled and unable to work—qualify for an additional $1,200 exemption for taxable dividends and interest.
NEW JERSEY: SS and military pensions are exempt. Taxpayers age 62 and older may exclude all or part of their taxable pensions, annuities and IRA withdrawals if their gross income for the entire year before subtracting any pension exclusion does not exceed $150,000; the maximum amount excluded depends on filing status. Additional amounts from retirement plans may be eligible for special exclusion if you (and your spouse if MFJ) will never be able to receive SS or railroad benefits because your employer did not participate in either program. You can claim $6,000 if MFJ, or $3,000 if S/ MFS. Additional $1,000 personal exemption for individuals age 65 and older or blind.
NEW MEXICO: SS is exempt for taxpayers with an AGI of $100,000
(S), $150,000 (MFJ) or $75,000 (MFS). For 2024, $30,000 of military retirement benefits is exempt, rising to $40,000 in 2025. Taxpayers age 65 and older may qualify for a deduction of $8,000. If age 100+, all income exempt from state income tax if centenarian is single or spouse is also 100+ and no other dependents can be claimed.
NEW YORK: SS and state, local and federal pensions, including military and civil service, are exempt. An additional pension and annuity income exclusion of up to $20,000 is available to individuals age 59½ or older.
NORTH CAROLINA: SS is exempt. Under the Bailey Settlement (Bailey vs. North Carolina), federal retirement benefits and military benefits are exempt only for those who had five or more years of creditable service as of August 12, 1989.
NORTH DAKOTA: SS exempt. Military retirement benefits are exempt. All other retirement income is fully taxed.
OHIO: SS and military pensions are exempt. General retirement income tops out at $200 if qualifying retirement income is $8,001 or more. Residents age 65 and older are entitled to a $50 tax credit per return. Taxpayers who served in the military and receive a federal civil service retirement pension are eligible for a limited deduction if any portion of their federal retirement pay is based on credit for their military service. These retirees can deduct the percentage (in terms of years of
TAX YEAR 2024
service) of the amount of their federal retirement pay that is attributable to their military service.
OKLAHOMA: SS is exempt. Each individual may exclude 100% of retirement benefits received from CSRS, including survivor benefits, paid in lieu of SS to the extent that these benefits are included in the federal AGI. Retirement benefits paid under FERS do not qualify for this exclusion. However, the CSRS component will qualify for the exclusion for retirement benefits containing both a FERS and a CSRS component. Individuals may exclude their FERS retirement benefits or other qualifying retirement income up to $10,000. Military retirement benefits are exempt. Additional personal exemption of $1,000 for age 65+ if federal AGI is $15,000 or less (single), $25,000 or less (MFJ), $12,500 or less (MFS), or $19,000 or less (HH). Additional personal exemption of $1,000 for legally blind individuals.
OREGON: SS is exempt. Federal pension income of those individuals who retired before Oct. 1, 1991, are not taxed, including annuities earned out of state. Taxpayers age 62 and older may qualify for retirement income credit if household income is below $22,500 (or $45,000 if MFJ). Additional standard deduction if age 65+ of $1,200 (single, HH), $1,000 each spouse age 65+ (MFJ, MFS and QW). Additional exemption if blind or severely disabled.
PENNSYLVANIA: SS, federal civil
service retirement benefits, military retirement benefits and employersponsored retirement plan benefits are exempt. Distributions from a 401(k) plan, IRA or Thrift Savings Plan are exempt for retirees 59½ and older.
RHODE ISLAND: SS is only exempt for MFJ with federal AGI of $130,250 or less; $104,225 or less for MFS; or $104,200 or less for single. Those born on or before May 1, 1958, may exempt up to $20,000 of qualified pension or retirement income if they have a federal AGI of $130,250 or less (MFJ), $104,225 or less (MFS), or $104,200 or less (single or head of household).
SOUTH CAROLINA: SS is exempt. Those 65 or older may deduct $10,000 of qualified retirement income, while those under age 65 may deduct $3,000 of qualified retirement income (including federal retirement plans). All individuals age 65 or older are entitled to a $15,000 (single) or $30,000 (MFJ) senior deduction from income, reduced by any deduction claimed for qualified retirement income. All military retirement income included in South Carolina taxable income may be deducted.
UTAH: Taxpayers born on or before Dec. 31, 1952, may be entitled to a retirement credit of up to $450 ($900 MFJ). The credit is phased out at 2.5 cents per dollar of modified AGI over $16,000 (MFS), $25,000 (single) and $32,000 (MFJ, QW, HH).
VERMONT: SS and CSRS only exempt for single filers making less than $50,000 a year ($65,000
MFJ); partially exempt with income up to $60,000 ($75,000 MFJ). With the exception of RR benefits, pensions and retirement income are fully taxed. Additional exemption of $1,200 for residents who are age 65 or older; additional $1,200 exemption if blind.
VIRGINIA: SS is exempt; any portion of SS benefits taxed at the federal level can be subtracted on your Virginia return. Taxpayers age 65+ may claim an age deduction: Those born on or before Jan. 1, 1939, may claim an age deduction of $12,000. Those born Jan. 2, 1939, through Jan. 1, 1960, will have the $12,000 deduction reduced by $1 for every $1 that federal AGI exceeds $50,000 (single) or $75,000 (MFJ, MFS). Additional personal exemption of $800 if age 65 or older; additional $800 exemption if blind.
WEST VIRGINIA: Residents can exempt $2,000 of civil and state pensions. Military retirement income and federal law enforcement income is exempt. Taxpayers age 65+ or disabled may exclude up to $8,000 (S) or $16,000 (MFJ) of remaining nonexempt income.
WISCONSIN: SS and military retirement benefits are exempt. CSRS/FERS pay is exempt if the individual’s account was established prior to 1964 or if the individual is receiving payments from the system as a beneficiary of such an account. If age 65+, may exempt up to $5,000 of retirement income if federal AGI is less than $15,000 (S, HH) or $30,000 (MFJ or MFS). Personal exemption of $700 and additional exemption of $250 if age 65 or older.
WTSP To Roll Out Another Feature: Roth In-Plan Conversions
ith more than 7 million participants and nearly $900 billion in assets, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) stands as the world’s largest defined contribution retirement plan. The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB), the agency administering this Goliath, does so with a mission to act in the best interests of its participants and beneficiaries. To that end, the FRTIB has implemented significant enhancements over the years to provide TSP participants with a best-in-class retirement plan. Beginning in 2026, the FRTIB will continue its mission by adding another feature – Roth in-plan conversions – that will simplify Roth conversions for many TSP participants.
The FRTIB has made great strides in recent years to keep the TSP’s features and benefits competitive with private sectordefined contribution plans, such as 401(k) plans. In 2019, the TSP Modernization Act of 2017 greatly increased the options for TSP participants to access their money. Prior to this, withdrawal options were severely limited, allowing only one partial withdrawal during a participant’s lifetime among other limitations.
Now, participants may take unlimited partial withdrawals, set up installment payments, and even take partial withdrawals while receiving installment payments. Furthermore, if a participant has both a traditional and Roth balance, they may specify what balance the withdrawal comes from rather than being forced to take a withdrawal proportionally from both balances.
The enhancements keep coming – in 2022, a mutual fund window was introduced, providing TSP participants access to thousands of mutual funds in
THE FRTIB HAS IMPLEMENTED SIGNIFICANT ENHANCEMENTS OVER THE YEARS TO PROVIDE TSP PARTICIPANTS WITH A BEST-IN-CLASS RETIREMENT PLAN.
addition to the core funds. Also, in 2022, the TSP rolled out a new online system to modernize the recordkeeping infrastructure, website, and mobile app (initially a tumultuous rollout, but going forward, it will allow for new features the old technology would not). And last year, the one per 30-day withdrawal restriction was eliminated, further enhancing participant’s access to their money.
The upcoming Roth in-plan conversion feature builds on this trend of modernization, simplifying a process that
previously required transferring funds away from the TSP. Without the Roth in-plan conversion feature, TSP participants who wish to convert any of their traditional TSP to Roth must transfer funds from their TSP to a Roth IRA. This process can be daunting, especially for participants who lack financial experience or whose only retirement savings vehicle is the TSP. By allowing conversions within the TSP itself, the Roth in-plan conversion feature will make conversions more accessible for many.
Depending on the circumstances, Roth conversions may offer long-term benefits but require careful consideration due to their tax implications. A Roth conversion is a taxable event, with the converted amount treated as income for that tax year. However, once in a Roth account, future growth will be tax-free with a qualified withdrawal. Many believe tax rates will increase in the future and see Roth conversions as a strategic move to pay taxes now, at lower tax rates, in exchange for tax-free withdrawals in the future when they believe tax rates will be higher.
While no details have been released yet, it was noted in the FRTIB meeting that participants will not be allowed to use TSP funds to cover the tax liability resulting from the conversion. Instead, they must have other sources of funds to pay the taxes. This differs from converting to a Roth IRA, where participants can elect to have federal taxes
BENEFITS RESOURCES
withheld from the conversion amount, reducing the balance transferred into the Roth account. Additionally, the TSP does not withhold state income taxes, so participants must address any state tax obligations independently.
Although paying taxes with outside funds is generally considered the best approach to maximize the value of a conversion, there are circumstances when using conversion dollars to cover the taxes still makes sense. Participants should evaluate their financial situation and consult with a financial adviser to determine the best course of action.
The introduction of Roth in-plan conversions marks a significant milestone for the TSP, bringing it in line with many private-sector retirement plans. By allowing participants to convert funds within the TSP, this change simplifies the process and helps
participants maintain a consolidated approach to their retirement assets. However, as with any financial decision, participants must carefully analyze whether a Roth conversion aligns with their long-term goals, considering current and future tax rates, goals and objectives, and the availability of funds to cover taxes.
MARK A. KEEN, CFP®, PARTNER, KEEN & POCOCK. SECURITIES OFFERED THROUGH THE STRATEGIC FINANCIAL ALLIANCE, INC. (SFA), MEMBER FINRA/ SIPC. ADVISORY SERVICES OFFERED THROUGH STRATEGIC BLUEPRINT, LLC AND THE STRATEGIC FINANCIAL ALLIANCE, INC. MARK KEEN IS A REGISTERED PRINCIPAL OF SFA AND AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR REPRESENTATIVE OF SFA AND STRATEGIC BLUEPRINT, LLC. SFA AND STRATEGIC BLUEPRINT ARE AFFILIATED THROUGH COMMON OWNERSHIP BUT OTHERWISE UNAFFILIATED WITH KEEN & POCOCK. NEITHER STRATEGIC BLUEPRINT NOR SFA PROVIDE TAX
IAre You Taking Advantage of All Your NARFE Member Resources?
n a survey of a segment of the NARFE membership, respondents listed “to get the most out of my federal benefits” as the No. 1 reason they joined NARFE. They also rated NARFE Magazine as the most valuable NARFE member benefit, followed closely by Federal Benefits Institute articles and webinars. Of course, you’re reading your magazine now, but what if you need the important information from this issue (or a previous one) a few months from now and your magazine has long since been recycled? Not to worry! Just log in at NARFE.org and visit www. narfe.org/magazine-issues/ to access the archive containing digital versions of every issue published for the last 15 years.
And while you’re there, pop over to www.narfe.org/federalbenefits-institute, where you’ll find links to dozens of valuable webinars presented by leading federal benefits experts that you can watch on demand, anytime, anywhere. Between the vital information contained in the articles and the expert advice from the webinars, you’ll learn to enhance your federal savings plans and save money as you take charge of your federal benefits.
Join the conversation on FEDHub, the only online community where active and retired Feds connect to share ideas, information and solutions. NARFE launched FEDHub in November 2021 to support your success by
bringing you the knowledge and expertise of our entire community. At present, there are more than 70 active public communities on FEDHub, including an Open Forum where members can start or respond to discussions in any topic area, targeted communities covering topics such as advocacy, Social Security and retirement, and 54 federation communities. Visit fedhub.narfe.org to join the conversation and start making real connections today. FEDHub can be accessed by using your NARFE Member Portal login credentials.
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PREVIOUS ISSUES OF NARFE MAGAZINE
NARFE Magazine is the best source for the news and information affecting active and retired Feds. Members can find every issue online at www. narfe.org/magazine-issues
on travel, health services, insurance and more! To find out more details about your exclusive discounts from nearly 30 partners, just go to www.narfe.org/narfe-perksfor-members and start saving today.
In addition to taking advantage of our most popular member benefits, are you staying current on the latest federal benefits news that affects you? You are if you’re receiving NARFE NewsLine in your email inbox every week. NewsLine is NARFE’s weekly e-newsletter with advocacy and federal benefits updates, information about association activities, and other relevant news items. NARFE’s Daily News Clips features breaking news and informative articles from various outlets curated just for NARFE members, as well as NARFE media statements, op-eds and more.
If you are not receiving NARFE NewsLine or NARFE Daily News Clips, visit www. narfe.org/communications/ enewsletter to update your email subscription preferences. Let NARFE keep you informed and help you get more out of all of your federal benefits—because it pays to be a NARFE member.
CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
Information as of February 3, 2025.
REGION X: conference October 20-23, Staybridge Suites, Pigeon Forge, TN. Please contact Region X Vice President Robert Allen, rvp10@narfe.org, for more information.
ALABAMA: federation conference April 10-11, Hunstville, AL. Please contact Rafael Brathwaite, rafaelbrathwaite@gmail.com
ALASKA: virtual federation annual meeting Sept. 27. Please contact Federation Secretary David Epstein, dave1013@gmail.com, for more information.
COLORADO: federation conference June 21, Winsor Gardens, Denver, CO. Visit http://www. narfe-colorado.com or contact Federation President Frank Impinna, impinna@gmail.com
CALIFORNIA: conference June 23-25, Silver Legacy, Reno NV. Please contact Federation President Ronald Griffin, rsdgriffin@sbcglobal. net, for more information.
FLORIDA: federation election August 19-31. Please Federation President Evelyn J. Seabrook, brooklyn_seav48@hotmail.com, for more information.
GEORGIA: biennial conference June 9, Hilton Garden Inn, Columbus, GA. Please contact Conference Chair C. Jacquie Beatty-Sammons, 404-290-0815 or jacquie3613@comcast.net, for more information.
HAWAII: 38th biennial state conference May 14. Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, 2454 South Beretania Street, Honolulu, HI. Please visit http://tinyurl.com/narfehi or contact Federation President Joyce Matsuo, jmatsuo368@gmail.com, for more information.
ILLINOIS: annual federation conference and election Sept. 16-17, Thelma Keller Convention Center, Holiday Inn, Effingham, IL 62401. Please contact Corresponding Secretary Linda Glasgow, glasgowljg43@aol.com, or visit www. narfe.org/il/ for more information.
IOWA: conference and election September 16-17, Meskawki Casino & Conference Center, Tama, Iowa. Please contact Federation President Droman Otte at 515-971-0290 or email dormanotte@gmail.com
KANSAS: Conference April 28-29, Hilton Garden Inn, 3320 S. 9th Street, Salina, Kansas 67401. Election of officers March 1 to April 10. Please contact Federation President John Ourada, ljourada@outlook.com, or visit www. narfe.org/ks/ for more information.
LOUISIANA: conference April 9-11, Jackson Barracks, 1-209 Jackson Barracks, New Orleans LA 70117. Please contact Federation
President Sabrina Martin-Watley, sab53055@ cs.com, or visit www.narfe.org/la for more information.
MARYLAND: biennial conference May 5-7, Aloft Hotel, 4501 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD. Please contact conference chair Larry Walton, lrwalto@yahoo.com, for more information. Voting for federation officers April 7-29. Please contact P.A. Jeffries, pjeffries2010@comcast.net, for more information.
MASSACHUSETTS: virtual federation conference, May 8; virtual annual meeting, June 19. Please contact Federation Secretary and Elections Committee Chairperson W. G. Holt, Jr., wgholtjr@verizon.net, or visit www. narfe.org/ma for more information.
MICHIGAN: conference, election and board meeting May 20-22, Doherty Hotel, Clare, MI. Please contact Federation Secretary Sallye McGill, mcgill-s@sbcglobal.net or 248 5614385, or visit www.narfe.org/mi/ for more information.
MINNESOTA: conference May 20-21, Holiday Inn Alexandria, 5637 MN-29 S., Alexandria, MN 56308. Election of officers online/by mail March 1 to May 10. Please contact Federation President Jim Ryan, ryangv@msn.com, or visit www.narfe.org/mn/ for more information.
MISSISSIPPI: virtual conference April 12. Please contact Federation Secretary Rhett Hamiter, katrdh90@currently.com, for more information.
MISSOURI: virtual federation annual meeting, April 24. Please contact Federation President Patricia Barrett, 573-372-8101 or email triciabarrett@sbcglobal.net.
NEW JERSEY: biennial conference April 23, Lakeside Manor, Hazlet, NJ. Please contact Federation President John Szpyhulsky, 732208-3585 or email ukijs@aol.com, for more information.
NEW YORK: annual conference May 7, Century House, 997 Loudon Rd, Latham, NY. Please visit www.narfe.org/ny or contact Federation Secretary Linda Suchocki, narfenyfederation@ gmail.com, for more information.
NORTH CAROLINA: 69th annual conference/ meeting April 15-17, Hyatt Place at Streets of Southpoint, Durham, NC. Please visit https:// sites.google.com/view/ncnarfefederation/ or contact Federation President Thomas Link, link.thom@gmail.com, for more information.
OHIO: conference and election May 2-3, Der Dutchman, 720 St Rt 97 W., Bellville, Oh 44813. Please contact Federation President Tim Gartner, narfetim48@gmail.com, or visit
Continued on next page
www.narfe.net/site/OH for more information.
OKLAHOMA: conference May 2-3, St, Luke’s Methodist Church, 900 N Sooner Rd, Edmond, OK. Please visit www.narfe.org/ok or contact Federation President Pamela Burnett, lwb1940@fidnet.com, for more information.
OREGON: conference/annual meeting & election, May 18-20, Agate Beach Inn Newport, OR. Voting via mail, email or in-person at conference; ballots will be available no later than April 1 for download in the Oregon Federation FEDHub community. Please contact Federation Secretary Colleen Hewes, hewcol@ gmail.com, for more information.
PENNSYLVANIA: federation general membership meeting May 12-13, Harrisburg, PA. Please contact William Krouse, 717-7744031 or email BKrouse.narfe@gmail.com
SOUTHWEST (formerly ARIZONA and NEW MEXICO): conference May 16-17, The Las Cruces Village, Las Cruces, NM. Please contact Federation President Mark Mickelsen, mmickelsen@aol.com, for more information.
TENNESSEE: annual meeting April 15-16, Holiday Inn Express & Suites LebanonNashville Area ,826 S. Cumberland St., Lebanon, TN 37087. Please contact Federation President Linda Heaton, lmheaton83@gmail. com, for more information.
TEXAS: conference/meeting April 26-30, 2025, Hilton Houston NASA Clear Lake, 3000 NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX 77058-4322. Please visit www.narfe.org/tx or contact Federation Secretary Steven Johnson, steven27232@ gmail.com, for more information.
VIRGINIA: annual meeting and election, April 6-9, 2025, Hotel Madison/Shenandoah Conference Center, 710 S. Main St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801. Details about the conference can be found at https://vanarfe.org/ conf2025. Paper registration forms and ballot available upon request. Please contact Jim Little, jlittle@vanarfe.org, for more information.
For the complete list, visit https://www.narfe. org/2025-chapter-conferences-and-meetings/
Did you recently join NARFE and looking for a way to get involved with local feds in your community? Are you missing the friends you used to work with every day in the office? Find a local chapter convenient to you!
Visit www.narfe.org/chapters to find the chapter that’s right for you, and then call us between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET at 800-456-8410. Then dial 1 for membership and we’ll get you signed up right away.
Become a Silver Circle Contributor Today
NARFE offers members a way to give to the association’s General Fund through its donor recognition program, the Silver Circle.
Your contribution to the Silver Circle supports the direct work of NARFE as we continue to provide you resources and advocacy that you rely on and that member dues alone cannot support. When you donate to the Silver Circle, you are ensuring that NARFE has the resources to continue to fight for the financial security and earned benefits for you and the federal community.
NARFE appreciates all financial support you provide to us and would like to recognize you for your generous contributions to our cause. Donate now to the Silver Circle at narfe.org/silvercircle.
With NARFE’s thanks, you will receive:
• A Silver Circle pin and recognition on NARFE.ORG with a donation of $100 or more.
• A Silver Circle pin, your name plate placed on the Silver Circle plaque at NARFE Headquarters, recognition on NARFE.ORG and recognition at the NARFE yearly conference with a donation of $1,000 or more.
To learn more about the Silver Circle donor recognition program or how to recommend an outstanding NARFE member to the Silver Circle, please visit www.narfe.org/silvercircle or email us at donatenow@narfe.org
Enclosed is my NARFE donation: $ q Mr. q Mrs. q Miss q Ms.
(yy) 3-Digit Security Code: Date: Signature: Name: (please print)
Member Number:
PLEASE MAIL COUPON AND CHECK TO: NARFE, Attn: Silver Circle, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314 Donations to NARFE are not tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes.
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INSURANCE
NARFE Insurance Services | 800-233-5764 | www.narfeinsurance.com
Designed exclusively for NARFE members, (plans administered by AMBA Administrators, Inc.) Senior Age Whole Life Insurance, Senior Term Life Insurance, Hospital Indemnity and Short Term Recovery Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, AssistPlus, Discount Prescription Plan and Pet Insurance.
Member Options | 833-378-8224 | https://www.member-options.com/narfe
Member Options Auto and Home Insurance Program - Save Money with Multiple Quotes! Get quotes from top-rated insurance carriers on Auto, Home, Renters, Pet insurance and more in a matter of minutes. Answer a few simple questions online or over the phone with our licensed insurance experts to compare multiple options that meet your specific needs. To review and choose what’s best for you, go to the link above or call 833-378-8224.
ADDITIONAL PERKS
Interviewing Immigrants
Here, officials engage in an immigration interview at Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco in 1923. Since 1892, the federal government has been responsible for inspecting all immigrants seeking entry to the country. At immigration stations such as Angel Island, arriving immigrants met immigration inspectors, who determined if they met the legal requirements for admission, and medical officers from the U.S. Public Health Service, who examined them for evidence of conditions that could be grounds for exclusion. Today, immigrants must have their medical examination by an authorized physician before arriving in the United States.
PHOTO from the Records of the National Archives, courtesy of the National Archives History Office, in collaboration with the Society for History in the Federal Government (SHFG), bringing together government professionals, academics, consultants, students and citizens interested in understanding federal history work and the historical development of the federal government. To join, visit www.shfg.org.
DID YOU KNOW?
Though initially welcomed, when the local economy took a downturn in the 1870s, economic problems were laid at the feet of Chinese immigrants by organized labor, newspapers, and in short order, politicians. Several laws were passed at the local and state levels targeting the Chinese, soon attracting national attention. To secure the crucial Western states’ votes, both parties in Congress supported the first of several acts targeting immigration from Asia. With the passing of this first act, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, America had limited immigration based on nationality or race for the first time, and it would not be the last, as subsequent acts severely curtailed each successive wave of immigration from Asia which came to replace Chinese immigrant workers.
Visit https://www.aiisf.org/history
Active and Retired Federal Employees–Join NARFE (or Renew) Today!
The only organization dedicated solely to protecting and preserving the benefits of all federal workers and retirees, NARFE informs you of any developments and proposals that affect your compensation, retirement and health benefits, AND provides clear answers to your questions.
Who Should Join NARFE?
If your future security is tied to federal retirement benefits—federal retirees, current employees, spouses and individual survivors—you should join NARFE. Membership expiring? Renew now!
NARFE MEMBER BENEFITS
• Understand benefit changes and key aspects to stay on top of with NARFE’s monthly webinars, held on a variety of topics such as TSP’s, health insurance options and long term care insurance updates
• Direct access to Federal Benefits Institute experts who can answer your most pressing questions and help you get answers you need from OPM
• Topical and robust articles on new legislation, and topics like car buying tips and finding your path in retirement, and the ever popular Q&A section addressing your most burning benefit questions in NARFE Magazine
• Support from your peers with access to FEDHub, the only national online community for the federal community, and local chapters, where you can meet feds in a neighborhood near you
• Weekly news roundup email called Newsline, with helpful tips and updates from NARFE on the work we are doing to support you
• Discounts on popular national brands with NARFE Perks
• Powerful advocacy and alerts to take action on important legislation pending in Congress and our advocacy team that protects your benefits every day!
NARFE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
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NARFE respects the privacy of our members. Personal information is used to provide content and relevant communications to our members. Some NARFE member benefits are provided by third parties (NARFE Perks), and not NARFE. (02/24)
1 The Service Benefit Plan may pay a hearing aid benefit for Basic and Standard Option of up to $2,500 total, with prior approval, every 5 calendar years for adults age 22 and up to $2,500 total per calendar year for members up to age 22.
2 Price shown does not include cost of comprehensive hearing exam. Examination and testing for prescribing of hearing aids is covered under the Service Benefit Plan. The member should confirm that the provider rendering the hearing exam is a Preferred provider. If the provider is Non-preferred, the member may be charged a maximum fee of $75 for the exam, and the member may need to submit a claim for reimbursement.
3 Smartphone-compatible hearing aids connect directly to iPhone®, iPad®, and iPod® Touch devices. Some TruHearing models connect to Android® phones directly. Connectivity also available to many Android phones with use of an accessory.
Do not rely on this communication piece alone for complete benefit information. All benefits are subject to the definitions, limitations, and exclusions in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan brochure. Blue365 offers access to savings on health and wellness products and services that members may purchase from independent vendors, which are not covered benefits under the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program, Blue Cross Blue Shield FEP Dental® and/or Blue Cross Blue Shield FEP Vision®. These products and services will be offered to you through the entire benefit year.
During the year, the independent vendors may offer additional discounts on these products and services. To find out what is covered under your policy, contact the customer service number on your member ID card. Any disputes regarding your health insurance products and services may be subject to your plan’s grievance process. BCBSA may receive payments from vendors
any Blue Company recommends, endorses, warrants, or guarantees any specific vendor,
