March 2016 NARFE Magazine

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COVER STORY

P.30

NARFE-PAc aims high in 2016

P.46

convention speaker Announced Volume 92 • Number 3

FERS at 30

A strong program for federal employees

P.24

If you are a federal employee or retiree with Blue Cross Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan insurance coverage you may be eligible for:

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Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan will pay a hearing aid benefit up to $2,500 every 3 calendar years for adults age 22 and over, and up to a $2,500 total per calendar year for members up to age 22. Do not rely on this communication piece alone for complete benefit information. All benefits are subject to the definitions, limitations, and exclusions in your Service Benefit Plan brochure. The Blue365® Discount Program offers access to savings on items that you may purchase directly from independent vendors, which may be different from items covered under your Service Benefit Plan or any other applicable federal healthcare program. For hearing aids, acupuncture, chiropractic and vision services, you must exhaust your Service Benefit Plan benefits first. To find out what is covered under your policy, contact the Service Benefit Plan. The products and services described herein are neither offered not guaranteed under any local Blue company’s contract with the Medicare program. In addition, these items are not subject to the Medicare appeals process. Any disputes regarding these products and services are not subject to the Service Benefit Plan’s Disputed Claims process. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) may receive payments from Blue365 vendors. Neither the Service Benefit Plan, BCBSA, nor any local Blue company recommends, endorses, warrants or guarantees any specific Blue365 vendor or item. The Service Benefit Plan reserves the right to change, modify, or terminate any item and vendors made available through Blue365, at any time. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is an association of independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield Companies. State and local taxes and/or fees may apply. Available at participating locations until December 31, 2016.

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WashingTon Watch

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NARFE Opposes Elements of Postal Reform Bill in Senate Hearing

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House Committee OKs Federal Employee Bills

7

FECA Recipients To Get 0.4% COLA

8

Regular Order in the Budget Process?

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Fiduciary Rule Faces Additional Threats

10 NARFE Bill Tracker

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Columns

4

Cover Story fers at 30. The Federal Employees Retirement System, enacted in 1986, has demonstrated considerable strength. Its three-legged benefit structure has done well in meeting the goals of the law.

From the President

36 Managing Money 38 The Informed Citizen 40 Alzheimer’s Update DEPARTMENTS

30

16 Questions & Answers 42 For the Record: TSP

Returns, Retirement Claims Status, Countdown to COLA

NARFE-PAC. The Association’s political action committee is aiming high and seeking to get the support necessary for success.

44 NARFE News, 2016

Scholarship Application

On the Web special section

visit us online at:

www.narfe.org

46 National Convention: Featured Speaker

like us on facebook:

NARFE National Headquarters follow us on twitter:

@narfehq

ON THE COVER

Illustration by Bill Pragluski, Critical Stages, LLC

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march 2016 | Volume 92 | Number 3

Editor Margaret M. Carter Assistant Editor Ken Fanelli Editorial Administrator Toni Vallario

National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association NATIONAL OFFICERS RICHARD G. THISSEN, President; natpres@narfe.org JON DOWIE, Secretary/Treasurer; natsectreas@narfe.org

Graphic Design Charlene Gridley Editorial Board Richard G. Thissen, Jon Dowie

Editorial Office: narfe magazine 606 North Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 Phone: 703-838-7760 Fax: 703-838-7781 Email: communications@narfe.org Advertising Sales: Warren Berger Media People Inc. 122 East 42nd St., Suite 1622 New York, NY 10168 Phone: 212-779-7172, ext. 223 Email: wberger@mediapeople.com NARFE for the Visually Impaired On the Telephone: This publication can be heard on the telephone by persons who have trouble seeing or reading the print edition. For more information, contact the National Federation of the Blind NFB-NEWSLINE® service at 866-5047300 or go to www.nfbnewsline.org.

On digital audio: Issues of narfe magazine are also available in audio format through the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). For availability, call 202-727-2142 or your local NLS service provider.

The Association, since July 1970, has been classified by the IRS as a tax-exempt labor organization [not a union]; however, dues and gifts or contributions to the Association are not deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS

REGION I James P. Crawford (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont) Tel: 603-630-5191 Email: crawfordjim62@gmail.com REGION II Evelyn Kirby (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) Tel: 410-604-1141 Email: ekirby@atlanticbb.net REGION III Jerry Janci (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina and Virgin Islands) Tel: 662-412-2029 Email: lettermanj@aol.com REGION IV Edward J. Konys (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin) Tel: 937-470-0566 Email: region4vp@gmail.com REGION V Carol R. Ek (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota) Tel: 620-241-1131, CELL: 620-504-2202 Email: ek617@att.net

Here’s How to Contact Us… to join NARFE:

Call (toll-free) 800-627-3394 OR GO TO www.narfe.org To change your mailing address, phone number or email address:

CALL (TOLL-FREE) 800-456-8410, EMAIL memberrecords@narfe.org OR LOG ON TO www.narfe.org and go to “My Account”

REGION VI Marshall L. Richards (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Republic of Panama and Texas) Tel: 903-660-2784 Email: pappysdad@cobridge.tv REGION VII Rodney L. Adelman (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) Tel: 623-505-4719 Email: narfe7vp@cox.net REGION VIII Helen L. Zajac (California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada and Republic of Philippines) Tel: 707-644-7565 Email: hlz17@aol.com REGION IX Lanny G. Ross (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington) Tel: 360-692-9741 Email: lannyjean@comcast.net REGION X William Shackelford (Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia) Tel: 703-830-6590, CELL: 703-201-6304 Email: wshack1951@aol.com

TO REACH A FEDERAL BENEFITS Specialist:

Email fedbenefits@narfe.org NARFE HEADQUARTERS

606 N. Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314 703-838-7760

www.narfe.org

narfe (ISSN 1948-4453) is published monthly 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 $45. 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 © 2016, 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, but at the same time we will not undertake to guarantee the reliability of our advertisers.

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Not getting the sleep you need?

Is your pillow the problem?

On its 10 year anniversary and with over five million satisfied customers, MyPillow® has been selected the Official Pillow of the National Sleep Foundation!

How Well Did You Sleep Last Night?

Did you toss and turn all night? Did you wake up with a sore neck, head ache, or was your arm asleep?

Do you feel like you need a nap even though you slept for eight hours? Just like you, I would wake up in the morning with all of those problems and I couldn’t figure out why. Like many people who have trouble getting a good night’s sleep, my lack of sleep was affecting the quality of my life. I wanted to do something about my sleep problems, but nothing that I tried worked.

Mike Lindell Inventor of MyPillow®

The Pillow Was the Problem I bought every pillow on the market that promised to give me a better night’s sleep. No matter how many pillows I used, I couldn’t find one that worked and finally I decided to invent one myself. I began asking everyone I knew what qualities they’d like to see in their “perfect pillow”, and got many responses: “I’d like a pillow that never goes flat”, “I’d like my pillow to stay cool” and “I’d like a pillow that adjusts to me regardless of my sleep position.” After hearing everyone had the same problems that I did, I spent the next two years of my life inventing MyPillow.

MyPillow® to the Rescue Flash forward ten years and MyPillow, Mike Lindell’s revolutionary pillow design, has helped 5 million people improve the quality of their sleep. MyPillow has received thousands of testimonials about the relief MyPillow has brought to people who suffered from migraines, snoring, fibromyalgia, neck pain and many other common issues.

Lindell has been featured on numerous talk shows, including Fox Business News and Imus in the Morning. Lindell and MyPillow have also appeared in feature stories in The New York Times and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. MyPillow has received the coveted “Q Star Award” for Product Concept of the Year from QVC, and has been selected as the Official Pillow of the National Sleep Foundation.

MyPillow’s patented technology can help with all of the most common causes of sleep loss and allows you to adjust it to any sleeping position.

You can even wash and dry MyPillow as easily as your favorite pair of blue jeans!

“Until I was diagnosed with various sleep issues, I had no idea why my sleep was so interrupted throughout the night. I watch Imus each morning and heard endless testimonials about MyPillow.

I took his advice and ordered a MyPillow. Now I wake up rested and ready to conquer the day ahead. Thank you for helping me remember what it’s like to sleep like a baby!”

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Unprecedented Guarantee and Warranty I do all of my own manufacturing in my home state of Minnesota and all materials are 100% made in the U.S.A. I’m so confident MyPillow will help you, I’m offering an unprecedented 60-day money back guarantee and a 10-year warranty not to go flat! I truly believe MyPillow is the best pillow in the world and that if everyone had one, they would get better Michael J. Lindell CEO, MyPillow, Inc. sleep and the world would be a much happier place.

Get the Sleep You’ve Been Dreaming About Save 50% today when you use promo code: “NARFE7” BUY NOW AT:

mypillow.com OR call 800.856.9340

From the President

NARFE-PAC Furthers our Goals

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arch is NARFE-PAC Month! The Association highlights its political action committee every year at

this time. And despite NARFE-PAC’s long history, I continue to receive questions from members who want to know why it’s important to our advocacy efforts.

By its nature, NARFE-PAC is political. Its function is to contribute to the campaigns of members of Congress and those running for the House and Senate who support the federal community. Political, however, does not mean partisan. NARFEPAC contributions are extended to Republican, Democratic and Independent candidates.

NARFE-PAC also contributes equally to the party campaign committees. It’s important to note, however, that NARFE-PAC participates neither in the presidential election nor state elections.

So, how does NARFE-PAC further the As-

sociation’s legislative goals? It’s really as simple as this: NARFE-PAC is another way NARFE officers, staff and members can interact with and voice their concerns to members of Congress and congressional leadership. It also is an important channel through which Association members can begin to build relationships with candidates before they even take office. This access contributed greatly to NARFE’s success in fending off attacks on federal pay and benefits in 2015.

You may hear that we “pick and choose” who receives PAC contributions; this is absolutely true. We just don’t have the funds to contribute to a candidate in every race for Congress. So yes, we “choose” whom we support based on a list of criteria, which you can read about in the story beginning on p. 30.

Our goal is to raise $1 million in this election cycle (2015-2016), and we are on our way to hitting that target. We should not be complacent, however. If you have not done so already, I encourage you to contribute to NARFE-PAC via the envelope in the “wrap” around this issue. Better yet, sign up to be a NARFE-PAC Sustainer.

NARFE-PAC – in tandem with our Headquarters’ lobbying efforts and member grass-roots advocacy − ensures that NARFE continues to be a force to be reckoned with on Capitol Hill.

Richard G. Thissen NARFE national President natpres@narfe.org

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DID YOU KNOW?

NARFE members could get a special discount on GEICO car insurance.

Tell GEICO you’re a member of NARFE and see how much more you could save!

Call 1-800-368-2734 or visit geico.com/fed/narfe for your free quote on GEICO auto insurance today!

geico.com/fed/narfe 1-800-368-2734

#MemberDiscount Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. Discount amount varies in some states. One group discount applicable per policy. Coverage is individual. In New York a premium reduction may be available.

GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. GEICO Gecko image © 1999-2016. © 2016 GEICO

Washington Watch

NARFE Opposes elements of postal reform bill in senate hearing

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ARFE told a Senate committee that it continues to oppose provisions in the latest version of postal reform legislation pending before the panel. NARFE President Richard

G. Thissen explained the Association’s objections to S. 2051, the Improving Postal Operations, Services and Transparency (iPost) Act, in a January 20 letter to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. That committee held a hearing, “Laying Out the Reality of the United States Postal Service,” on January 21. The author of S. 2051, Sen. Thomas R. Carper, D-DE, is the ranking Democrat on the committee.

Thissen said NARFE opposes requiring U.S. Postal Service (USPS) retirees to enroll in Medicare as a condition of continuing their Federal Employees Health Benefits Program health insurance. Postal retirees should not be forced to take health care coverage they do not want or need as a condition of keeping their current plan, he said.

The so-called “mandatory Medicare integration” is supported by USPS management. “Requiring full participation in Medicare by eligible annuitants is a universal 6

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practice among nearly all privatesector and state and local government employers who provide health benefits to retirees,” said Postmaster General Megan Brennan in her written testimony for the hearing. Brennan said mandatory Medicare integration would save USPS money while only having minor effects on Medicare.

She asserted that retirees would see their health care costs reduced and benefits at least as generous as those they currently have.

NARFE’s Thissen said the Association also opposes reducing

Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) benefits for postal and federal employees. S. 2051 would cut compensation benefits by 25-35 percent for injured workers at retirement age and eliminate supplemental benefits for FECA beneficiaries with dependents.

Despite objections to those provisions, NARFE said the bill is a significant improvement over Carper’s postal reform legislation in the 113th Congress because the new bill applies the workers’ compensation changes prospectively only and does not allow collective bargaining over the retirement benefits of new postal employees.

Other concerns Thissen expressed in the letter included the USPS’ congressional mandate to fully prefund all of its future retirees’ health care obligations within a 10-year time frame (fiscal years 2007-2016). “No other federal agency or private-sector company fully prefunds its retiree health benefits, let alone within such a time frame,” he said. “Without this obligation, the USPS would have made a profit during the last

two fiscal years (2014 and 2015).”

The prefunding requirement was set by the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 to remedy a budget “scoring” problem and has caused the Postal Service to make cuts that reduce delivery standards and other infrastructure needs in order to balance the budget.

Congress has an “easy fix” for the USPS’ perceived financial crisis, Thissen said. “Eliminate the prefunding requirement.”

The letter reaffirmed NARFE’s commitment to six-day delivery, to-the-door delivery and the importance of maintaining rural postal services.

—By John Hatton, Deputy Legislative Director

Legislative Resources • Legislative Hotline: A weekly update of legislative news, compiled by the NARFE Legislative Department staff, distributed via email and available by phone (toll-free) at 877-217-8234 and online at www.narfe.org.

• Legislative Action Center: A one-stop site to send a letter to Congress, and more, at www.narfe.org.

HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES FEDERAL EMPLOYEE BILLS

T

he House Oversight and Government Reform Committee approved three federal employee bills January 12. No further action had been scheduled at press time.

• H.R. 4360, Official Personnel File Enhancement Act, introduced

by Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-UT, would require federal agencies to include any findings from a federal investigation in an employee’s personnel file. This rule applies to employees who are accused of misconduct and leave federal employment or change jobs before an investigation is complete.

• H.R. 4358, Senior Executive Service Accountability Act, introduced by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-MI, would make it easier to suspend and fire Senior Executive Service (SES) employees for misconduct, while giving them less notice of suspension. It would make these senior federal executives subject to up to a 14-day suspension, expand the criteria

that could be used to justify the suspension or firing, and accelerate the removal and appeal process.

• H.R. 3023, introduced by Rep. Ken Buck, R-CO, would extend the federal employee probationary period from one year to two across the board. Many on the Democratic side of the aisle argued that the one-year probationary period is long enough to assess employees in most positions. Some called for a study of whether the change is necessary. Employees have no due process rights while in probationary status.

NARFE joined with the Government Managers Coalition (GMC) in expressing concerns about a two-year, across-the-board probationary period, while also supporting a provision in the bill that would allow the probationary period to start once formal training has been completed. In many complex federal jobs, training can take up to three years.

—By Jessica Klement, Legislative Director

FECA Recipients to Get 0.4% COLA Individuals receiving benefits under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) will receive a 0.4 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in their benefits effective March 1 and paid in the April electronic funds transfer. FECA covers individuals who are unable to work because of on-the-job injuries or illnesses. Last year’s FECA COLA was 0.3 percent. Additional COLA information is available in For the Record, p. 42.

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Washington Watch

Regular Order in the budget process?

M

embers of the federal civil service community may make it through this year’s budget cycle without a clear and present threat! This follows a year in which they survived a 2015 budget process that started with a budget blueprint calling for more than $300 billion in cuts for federal employees and retirees.

Why is this year different? It’s because the 2015 budget deal may have rendered the need for the traditional budget process unnecessary in 2016.

Following submission of the president’s budget (scheduled for February 9 this year), the House and Senate Budget Committees traditionally hold hearings on the president’s proposals, craft their own budgets and then consider a concurrent budget resolution that sets spending authority for the next fiscal year, as well as aggregate spending and revenue levels for the next five years. This resolution, once adopted, is not law, as

it is not signed by the president.

But its allocations establish the framework to consider spending and revenue bills.

The budget resolution also may include “reconciliation” instructions, requiring authorizing committees of the House and Senate to recommend changes in laws within their jurisdiction to achieve budget savings (and policy goals).

Following adoption of the budget resolution, the House and Senate begin consideration of the 12 annual appropriations bills that fund government agencies as well as programs, projects and activities they administer.

The 2015 budget deal, the Balanced Budget Act, established committee allocations for fiscal year (FY) 2017. Therefore, there is no need for an FY 2017 budget resolution. That is good news for civil servants.

Still, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, pledged a major effort to pass a budget reso-

MYTH vs.

REALITY Myth: Membership dues, general NARFE funds and money raised through notecard, calendar and holiday card solicitations fund NARFE-PAC and the Association’s political work.

Reality: Federal campaign laws prohibit dues money and other general funds (including funds from the solicitations mentioned above) from being directed to NARFE-PAC. NARFE-PAC is a separate, segregated fund of the Association. All NARFE-PAC funds come from members’ voluntary contributions made explicitly for political purposes.

lution for FY 2017 – to prove that the Republican majority can govern. His colleagues, particularly those up for re-election who could face some tough budget votes, might not agree. Stay tuned!

—By Alan Lopatin, legislative counsel

FIDUCIARY RULE FACES ADDITIONAL THREATS

I

n December, a proposed rule by the Department of Labor (DOL) to protect individuals saving for retirement from conflicted investment advice survived one of its stiffest challenges. Proposals to defund finalization of the proposed rule were seriously considered as a “policy rider” to the fiscal year 2016 omnibus appropriations bill, but no provision to do so was included in the bill.

Currently, some financial advisers can legally provide financial recommendations that serve their

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own interests instead of their clients’ interests. NARFE has been supportive of the proposed DOL rule, which would help to ensure retirement investment advice regarding federal employees’ and retirees’ Thrift Savings Plan holdings is in their best interests.

While that was the best chance for the financial industry to kill the rule through the legislative process, efforts continue to derail it. Two bills, H.R. 4293 and H.R. 4294, introduced in December, would require congressional

approval before the DOL fiduciary rule could take effect. In the absence of such approval, it would substitute an alternative standard that is even weaker than current legal protections. If these bills become law, financial advisers still would legally be allowed to recommend that clients paying them for their financial expertise make investments that pay the advisers better commissions, but leave the paying client worse off.

NARFE opposes these bills.

—By John Hatton, Deputy Legislative Director

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Washington Watch

narfe bill tracker The NARFE bill TRACKER is your monthly guide to the congressional legislation that NARFE is following. Check back each issue for updates.

ISSUE

HEALTH CARE

Bill Number / Name / Sponsor H.R. 2175: FEHBP Prescription Drug Oversight and Cost Savings Act / Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, D-MA Cosponsors: 2 (D)

H.R. 3351: CPI-E Act of 2015 / Rep. Mike Honda, D-CA Cosponsors: 30 (D)

What Bill Would Do

Latest Action(s)

Provides the Office of Personnel Management greater oversight authority over the prescription drug contracting and pricing methods of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Requires Social Security and many federal retirement programs to use the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) to calculate cost-ofliving adjustments in retirement benefits.

Referred to the House committees on Ways and Means, Veterans’ Affairs, Oversight and Government Reform, and Armed Services narfe, October 2015

COLA

S. 2251: Seniors and Veterans Emergency (SAVE) Benefits Act / Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA Cosponsors: 20 (D), 1 (I) H.R. 4012: Seniors and Veterans Emergency (SAVE) Benefits Act / Rep. Alan Grayson, D-FL

Provides a $581 “emergency” payment to those receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits, railroad retirement benefits or veterans benefits; grants a refundable tax credit of the same amount to federal and state government retirees.

Referred to the Senate Committee on Finance

Gives the president the authority to provide Wage Grade, or hourly, employees a pay raise.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Cosponsors: 3 (D)

Federal Compensation

H.R. 485: Wage Grade Employee Parity Act / Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-PA Cosponsors: 9 (D), 3 (R) H.Res. 12: Expresses the sense of the House that the Postal Service should take measures to ensure continuation of six-day delivery / Rep. Sam Graves, R-MO

narfe, January 2016

Referred to the House committees on Ways and Means, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Veterans’ Affairs

narfe, April 2015 Expresses the sense of the House that the U.S. Postal Service should maintain six-day mail delivery. As a resolution, it will not be sent to the president and, therefore, cannot become law.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Repeals the service standards implemented by the Postal Service on 1/5/15 and directs the Postal Service to reinstate 12/31/2011 service standards.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Cosponsors: 175 (D), 52 Postal Reform (R) H.R. 784: Protect Overnight Delivery Act / Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-CT Cosponsors: 99 (D), 3 (R)

NARFE’s Position: 10

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Support

Oppose

No position

Editor’s Note: Several items have been removed from the NARFE Bill Tracker. Those bills are all listed online at cqrcengage.com/narfe/home.

ISSUE

Postal Reform

Bill Number / Name / Sponsor

What Bill Would Do

Latest action(s)

S. 1742: Rural Postal Act of Returns to service standards 2015 / Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, of July 2012, preserves six-day delivery and puts a two-year D-ND moratorium on plant closures.

Cosponsors: 7 (D)

Referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

S. 2051: The Improving Postal Operations, Service and Transparency Act (iPost) of 2015 / Sen. Thomas R. Carper, D-DE

Referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Cosponsors: 1 (D), 3 (R)

Requires postal employees and retirees to enroll in Medicare in order to continue receiving their current federal health insurance coverage and cuts workers’ compensation benefits for injured federal employees.

H.Res. 54: Expresses the sense of the House that the Postal Service should take all measures to restore service standards in effect on July 1, 2012 / Rep. Dave McKinley, R-WI

Expresses the sense of the House that the U.S. Postal Service should restore service standards as of July 1, 2012. As a resolution, it will not be sent to the president and, therefore, cannot become law.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

See story, p. 6

Cosponsors: 183 (D), 46 (R)

Campaign finance

H.R. 20: The Government By the People Act / Rep. John Sarbanes, D-MD Cosponsors: 156 (D), 1 (R) H.R. 973: Social Security Fairness Act of 2015 / Rep. Rodney Davis, R-IL Cosponsors: 103 (D), 33 (R)

GPO/wEP

Reforms campaign finance laws Referred to three to put small donors on par with House committees wealthier donors. Provides a tax credit for contributions and government matching contributions.

Repeals the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP).

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means

S. 1651: Social Security Fairness Act of 2015 / Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH

Referred to the Senate Finance Committee

Cosponsors: 15 (D), 5 (R), 1 (I)

narfe, September 2015

H.R. 711: Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act of 2015 / Rep. Kevin Brady, R-TX Cosponsors: 23 (D), 28 (R)

Amends the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). For individuals who turn 62 in 2017 or later, it provides a new formula that would decrease the WEP penalty, on average, for those affected. For those who turn(ed) 62 before 2017, it would reduce the WEP penalty by up to 50%, based on savings derived from improved enforcement of WEP, as determined by the Social Security actuary.

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means narfe, February 2016

(Continued on p. 12) w w w. n a r f e . o r g

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Washington Watch

narfe bill tracker

(Continued from p. 11) ISSUE

Bill Number / Name / Sponsor

H.R. 3029: RECOVER Act / Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-DC Cosponsors: 27 (D), 1 (R) OPM Security breach

S. 1746: RECOVER Act / Sen.

What Bill Would Do

Latest Action(s)

Expands lifetime coverage of credit monitoring and identity theft protection of no less than $5 million to all individuals affected by the security breaches at the Office of Personnel Management.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Allows federal agencies to review and select job candidates from other federal agencies’ “best qualified list” of applicants.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Benjamin J. Cardin, D-MD

Cosponsors: 5 (D), 1 (I) H.R. 2827: Competitive Service Act / Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, D-VA Cosponsors: 1 (R) federal hiring

S. 1580: Competitive Service Act / Sen. Jon Tester, D-MT

Passed the Senate on 9/17/15 narfe, November 2015

Cosponsors: 2 (D), 4 (R) H.R. 532: Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act / Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-NY

Allows federal employees six weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child.

Cosponsors: 57 (D), 1 (R) Paid parental leave

Pension Scam Protection

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Referred to the House committees on Administration, and Oversight and Government Reform narfe, May 2015

S. 2033: Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act / Sen. Brian Schatz, D-HI

Referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Govern. Affairs

Cosponsors: 2 (D)

DC Statehood

Referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

narfe, November 2015

Sets forth procedures that H.R. 317: New Columbia Admission Act / Del. Eleanor would allow the District of Columbia to become a Holmes Norton, D-DC state known as New Columbia.

Cosponsors: 129 (D)

Referred to the House committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Administration

H.R. 3850: Annuity Safety and Security Under Reasonable Enforcement (ASSURE) Act / Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-PA

Referred to four House committees

Cosponsors: 24 (D), 1 (R)

Requires appropriate disclosures regarding “pension advance” schemes and caps the interest rates on these advances. Also creates a private right-ofaction to allow individuals to enforce these laws in court.

NARFE’s Position:

Support

narfe, January 2016

Oppose

No position

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Questions & Answers

The following Questions & Answers were compiled by NARFE’s Federal Benefits Service Department staff.

NARFE does not provide advice or assistance on legal, financial planning or tax matters.

employees converting sick leave hours to months, days

Q

I am a Civil Service Retirement System employee and plan to retire at the end of next year. At that time, I will have over the maximum 41 years and 11 months of creditable federal service time for retirement purposes.

Assuming I do not use any sick leave between now and then, how much service time will be added in my annuity calculation for my unused sick leave?

A

As you know, federal employees accrue sick leave at the rate of four hours a biweekly pay period, and there are 26 pay periods in a calendar year, so an employee can accrue up to 104 hours of sick leave a year. When the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) converts unused sick leave hours to years and months of service, it uses 2,087 as the number of hours in a calendar year. Months are 30 days (174 hours), no matter how many days are actually in a month.

OPM uses a chart to convert 16

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hours to months and days. This chart is available in Chapter 50 of the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) Handbook for Personnel and Payroll Offices, which can be viewed online at www.opm.gov/ retirement-services/publicationsforms/csrsfers-handbook/c050. pdf. In addition, OPM publishes a short pamphlet on crediting unused sick leave, which you can view at www.opm.gov/retirementservices/publications-forms/ pamphlets/ri83-8.pdf.

Health Premium When a part-timer retires

Q

I will retire at age 56 with about 33 years in federal government service. I have been a part-time employee for the last third of my career. Will that affect the ratio of government/employee contributions toward my Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) premium in retirement?

A

While you were working part-time (more than 16 hours a week but fewer than 32 hours a week), the government share of the total FEHBP premium was prorated to the number of hours you were scheduled to work in a pay period.

The amount of the government share was then subtracted from the total premium, and you, as a part-time employee, paid the remainder. However, when you retire, the government share of

your monthly premium will be the same as all retirees, and you will pay the same enrollee share of premium every other retiree enrolled in your plan/option pays.

Unused sick leave used in computation only

Q

I am a federal employee with a service computation date of December 20, 1988. My minimum retirement age is 56. Currently, I have 2,054 hours of accrued sick leave and expect to have more than one year of sick leave by the time I am 56 years old.

If I retire at the end of 2017 at age 56, will my accrued unused sick leave add to my years of service to give me 30 years of service, thereby allowing me to take my pension immediately and without penalty? Or do I need to have 30 years of service accrued (without the sick leave) to retire and take my pension immediately and without penalty?

A

Unused sick leave can be used only to increase your service time for annuity computation purposes; it cannot be used to meet the years of service eligibility requirements for an immediate retirement. You will need to meet the 30 years of creditable service in order to retire without a reduction.

Once you have met the service requirement, the Office of Personnel Management will include your unused sick leave in the computation of your annuity benefit.

retirees Reporting the death of an annuitant

Q A

How do I report the death of an annuitant? I can’t find a phone number that

works.

For retirees receiving annuities from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the toll-free 888-767-6738 telephone number is the only one available to use. We frequently hear from NARFE members that it is difficult to get through, especially at the beginning of a month when retirees are calling about their annuity payments. Alternatively, we suggest writing to OPM at P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017; sending an email to retire@opm. gov; or going online to www. servicesonline.opm.gov/RSR/ AnnuitantDeath, where a report of death can be completed and sent electronically.

survivor annuity for new spouse

Q

I am twice divorced and elected a court-ordered annuity for my first wife and am paying my second wife a monthly amount. If I marry my current companion, would she be entitled to any portion of my retirement if I die first?

A

You can elect to provide a survivor annuity for a new spouse, but you must do so in writing to the Office of Personnel Management within

two years of your marriage. If and when your new spouse can be paid a survivor annuity after your death depends on what your divorce decrees from your previous marriages have awarded your former spouses in the event of your death.

If a court order awards part of the total survivor annuity to a former spouse, the current spouse will receive the remainder.

spousal social security benefits

Q

As a Civil Service Retirement System employee, I never paid into Social Security and was credited for my military time when I came into government service. Can I receive Social Security spousal benefits from my wife’s Social Security without hurting my annuity?

A

Yes. Receipt of Social Security benefits from your wife’s Social Security record will not have any effect on the amount of your federal annuity. However, your Social Security benefits may be reduced by the Government Pension Offset.

retirees can reduce to self plus one anytime

Q

I missed Open Season but want to switch from a high option Self and Family plan to a high option Self Plus One plan to take advantage of the reduced cost of a Self Plus One. I am retired. Can I do the change now, and what event code would I use?

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Questions & Answers

A

As a retiree, you can change your enrollment type from a higher level of coverage to a lower level of coverage at any time. You do not need to wait for Open Season or a life event to do so. If you want to go from Self and Family to Self Plus One or to Self Only, contact the Office of Personnel Management to request the change by calling 888-767-6738 or writing to P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017.

Schedule of annuity payment Dates

Q

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) apparently has halted

publishing the previously available annual Annuity Check Payment Schedule on its website. I know that, generally, the payment schedule is simply the first of the month. However, there are times when the pay date is different (off by a day, usually, so payments are made on the second day of the month). I found it a useful and reassuring reference.

A

You are correct. OPM has discontinued publishing the schedule after finding that unscrupulous individuals were using the information to manipulate bank accounts and steal from annuitants. We suggest you continue to expect your

monthly annuity to be credited to your account on the first business day of each month.

FEHBP costs for Medicare participants

Q

Looking at page 41 of the December 2015 issue of narfe magazine, I find that the total premium for a Self Plus One plan is $1,500 per month, or $18,000 per year, under my current Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) plan.

Now that I have Medicare Part B, which is my primary insurer, wouldn’t you expect the premium to drop substantially because the FEHBP is now my secondary

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Questions & Answers

insurer? It looks like a real windfall for that insurance company. As secondary, they pay very little for my health care now. Shouldn’t the premiums be adjusted downward?

A

We get this question a lot from Medicare-enrolled federal retirees. Part of the answer lies in the purpose of an employer-sponsored group health insurance program such as the FEHBP. Under a group health plan, everyone enrolled pays the same premium rate, no matter what their age, whether they are sick or healthy, and no matter what other health insurance coverage they may have. This type of coverage protects those who have

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serious illnesses from financial ruin. The other part of the answer is that the FEHBP law does not allow plans to offer a so-called Medicare option with a different premium to those enrollees also enrolled in Medicare.

Salary Offset for Re-employed annuitant

Q

I retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 2011. I now want to return to the workplace and work for the Internal Revenue Service. They are telling me that my retirement benefits will cause my salary to be reduced dollar-for-dollar. Is this true?

A

Yes, in most cases. The law requires that if you are re-employed in a covered position, your pay is subject to offset by the amount of your annuity during the period of reemployment. However, there are exceptions. If you are re-employed full time, the agency can ask the Office of Personnel Management for a waiver of the offset under unusual or exceptional circumstances and, if approved, no offset to your salary will be made. The law also allows for annuitants who are re-employed on a part-time, limited basis to receive both their annuity and part-time salary without seeking the OPM waiver.

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NARFE at Your Service Needs Proof of annuity amount

Q

I am at a rehab center recovering from surgery. I need proof of the amount of the monthly civil service annuity check I receive. How do I get this?

A

Upon request, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will provide annuitants with a Verification of Income that provides the current amount of gross to net annuity paid. You can contact OPM by phone, 888-767-6738; by postal mail, OPM, P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017; or by fax, 202-606-3071.

The fax option is important if you

have a form furnished by a mortgage/loan company or apartment management company that must be completed and returned in a short amount of time. Make sure your fax has a cover letter signed by you and requesting that OPM complete the form. Also, make sure you include your retirement claim number (CSA or CSF) so that OPM can identify your records.

To obtain an answer to a federal benefits question, NARFE members should call 703-838-7760 and ask for the Federal Benefits Service Department; send the question by postal mail to NARFE Headquarters, ATTN: Federal Benefits; or submit it by email to fedbenefits@narfe.org.

NARFE service officers are available to answer questions and to assist in helping with a variety of benefit matters. Check your chapter newsletter for the name and phone number of your service officer. For the nearest service officer, call NARFE (toll-free) at:

800-456-8410.

NARFE Service Centers also are available in some areas. Use the Service Center listings on the NARFE website,

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Cover Story

sizing up FERS

30

Years Later

ThIS YEAR marks 30 years since Congress enacted the law creating the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) to replace the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) for new employees. So, how well has FERS done for employees and the federal government?

The answer, many experts say, is that FERS, a grand compromise forced on the federal employment system by events of that period, has worked out reasonably well, all things considered, for employees. Nonetheless, it has yielded some unexpected outcomes.

FERS basically replaced the annuity-only CSRS system with a three-legged retirement stool that includes a reduced annuity; Social Security benefits; and a defined-contribution 401(k)-type product, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). FERS took effect for employees joining the federal government in 1984 and after.

Perhaps the greatest irony is that a system that was disparaged by some employee advocates as stingy at the time of the legislation is now criticized by many as too rich, given the subsequent demise of defined-benefits programs in the private sector.

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FERS has turned out to be a strong program for federal employees.

Illustration by Bill Pragluski, Critical Stages, LLC

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But the overriding message from a variety of individuals involved with or affected by FERS is that, even allowing for recent legislation increasing required payroll deductions for newer employees to fund the annuity, a step most criticize, the system is working well and should not be modified further.

“In terms of what it was created to do, which was to provide federal employees retirement benefits similar to private industry while offering the safeguard of a basic annuity, FERS has done well,” says David Snell, NARFE’s director of federal benefits service.

A Grand Bargain

FERS, established through the Federal Employees Retirement System Act of 1986, is now one of the largest retirement systems in the country and covers the majority of current federal civil service employees. Of 2,751,000 federal civilian and U.S. Postal Service employees enrolled in federal retirement plans as of September 30, 2013, 2,477,000 (90 percent) were participating in FERS and 274,000 (10 percent) were under CSRS, according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

The launch of the program was largely caused by legislative reform to the Social Security system in 1983, which made it clear that federal employees would be included in the Social Security system. Such benefits on top of the CSRS benefit would have made the program too costly for many federal employees, since they would have paid 7 percent of their salaries for the CSRS annuity and 6.2 percent for Social Security. In addition, there was a widespread perception that the benefits of the CSRS program were too expansive.

What emerged was a remarkable bipartisan effort to craft a reasonable alternative, says Jamie Cowen, who from 1978-1986 was chief counsel to the Subcommittee on Civil Service of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee and also served as assistant to then Senate Majority Whip Ted Stevens, R-AK, and is an architects of the plan.

NARFE also played a major role in the creation of FERS, conducting a study with other federal and postal organizations that resulted in the blueprint for the new system.

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The FERS legislation reduced the payout of the annuity. For example, for a worker retiring after 30 years of federal service, a CSRS annuity equals 56.25 percent of the average of his or her highest three consecutive years of basic pay. For an equivalent FERS employee, if he or she retired at or after age 62, the benefit would amount to 33 percent of his or her high three years of compensation.

Enter the TSP: A Remarkable Defined-Contribution Addition

The most remarkable innovation of FERS was the addition of the TSP program, which includes a match of up to 5 percent of pay from the employee’s federal agency. That program allows federal employees to contribute to four index-based funds (large-company domestic stocks, small-company domestic stocks, international stocks, and bonds) and a government securities fund, as well as to Lifecycle funds that automatically adjust the risk level of a blended investment portfolio from more aggressive to more conservative as retirement approaches.

The TSP program has proved popular with federal employees. In June 1987, when FERS launched, the participation rate was 28.9 percent, with that number electing to put something in their account, according to Kim Weaver, director of external affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB), the agency that oversees the TSP. As of December 2015, the FERS TSP participation rate was 88.1 percent, Weaver says. A 2013 FRTIB survey of TSP participants found that 87 percent of those surveyed were satisfied with the TSP. As for the amount they contribute, as of 2013, the most recent data available, the average FERS employee contributed 8.2 percent of pay that year to the TSP. Cowen notes this is a success, given projections done just prior to the legislation’s enactment estimated average contribution rates would be near 4 percent.

The third leg of the FERS stool, Social Security, largely functions for federal employees as it would for any other American, with regular deductions from salary.

FERS Compared to Alternatives

FERS was designed to offer a strong combined benefits package while reducing the annuity benefits burden to the federal government. While employees were allowed to convert from CSRS to FERS, only a small minority did so during two windows. About 5 percent of eligible employees switched in 1987, and fewer than 2 percent switched in 1998, according to a March 2015 Congressional Research Service study. “When we modeled the two programs, the only people in the model who were definitely better off in the CSRS were those with a lot of government service, since it would be hard for them to accumulate a lot of TSP benefits, or those who were going to retire in their 50s,” says Cowen. “For everyone else, they would have been better in FERS.” “I would say it was surprising that more didn’t convert,” says Nancy Kichak, a retired former OPM associate director and chief human capital officer. “They would have had more control over their assets. I can remember talking to other people making that decision, and they had to decide, ‘Will I make this a career, or do I value the flexibility of relying more on the Thrift Plan and not contributing more to the annuity?’ It was very stressful for folks. I think for many it was hard to envision not being long-term employees.”

The TSP is praised by many as both well-run and superior to many private-sector 401(k) plans.

The FRTIB survey, for example, found that 58 percent of those surveyed said the TSP is better than other employer savings plans.

“The TSP is a good model for a 401(k) plan,” notes Diane Oakley, executive director of the National Institute on Retirement Security. “The federal government makes a 1 percent mandatory contribution for everyone, whereas a lot of plans don’t have that 1 percent mandatory employer contribution, then a 100 percent match on first dollars in, then 50 percent. Most private-sector matches are not as attractive. And the investment fees for the TSP, because it is such a huge plan, are extremely low. No other plan anywhere comes close to it. That is important because a 1 percent savings in investment fees could generate 30 percent more income in retirement.”

A key question is whether FERS employees give enough to the TSP to adequately fund their retirements. It is unclear, for example, if there is a consistent relationship between economic fluctuations and TSP contributions. Weaver notes that from September 2000 through September 2002, roughly corresponding to the dotcom-bust-related stock market decline, the FERS participation rate actually rose from 86.8 percent to 87.2 percent.

On the other hand, there was a participation rate dip during the recent financial-crisis-triggered stock market decline. From September 2007 to September 2009, the participation rate fell from 85.7 percent to 82.1 percent, says Weaver. She notes, however, that by two years later, in September 2011, the participation rate had rebounded to 85.5 percent. “People do get spooked by market declines,” she says.

A related question is whether insufficient savings could force FERS federal employees who would like to retire to continue to work. “HR consulting firms examining the private sector are finding that private-sector employees are not retiring because they are now predominantly in defined-contribution plans and don’t have adequate resources,” Oakley says.

Still, OPM numbers suggest only a slight increase in average retirement age for retir-

The system is working well and should not be modified further.

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ing employees and little difference between the retirement age of FERS and CSRS employees. For retiring CSRS employees, the average age at their annuity commencement date (ACD) rose from 59.6 years in fiscal 1981, before FERS existed, to a FY 2015 CSRS average age of retirement at ACD of 61.5. The FY 2015 FERS average age of retirement at ACD was 60.8, according to OPM data.

Another question is whether FERS has been a financially good deal for the federal government. Cowen notes that some anticipated that it would reduce the scope of the federal government’s obligations and, in fact, the final FERS bill was projected to reduce costs by 12 percent over the CSRS. “If that is the case, it is not clear that that has come to pass,” Cowen says. Part of that reflects that while CSRS payouts are tightly tied to inflation rates, which fell after the legislation passed, FERS benefits are less so, given that TSP and Social Security program payouts are less sensitive to inflation levels, he says.

The 2015 CRS study reported that the federal government’s share of the estimated normal cost of CSRS is 22.3 percent of payroll, whereas the normal cost of the total FERS benefits package to the federal government is at least 20.4 percent (13.2 [FERS annuity]+ 6.2 [Social Security]+ 1 [TSP] = 20.4) of pay for employees first hired before 2013 and 18.3 per-cent (11.1 + 6.2 + 1 = 18.3) for employees hired in 2013 or later, while federal matching contributions to the TSP can add up to 4 percentage points to that amount.

Tweaks along the way

With a few modest modifications, the FERS design has stayed largely the same. The changes include the following: • Employees retiring under FERS are now given service credit for their unused sick leave balances at the time of retirement (under legislation passed in 2009).

• FERS employees may now repay refunds that they may have received of FERS retirement deductions in order to restore retirement credit for the period of service covered by the refund, also under legislation passed in 2009.

• Phased retirement, introduced in 2014, allows employees to work part time and receive a por28

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tion of their annuity at the same time.

Perhaps most dramatically, in recent years, Congress has increased the percentage of salary that newer federal employees must pay to receive the same FERS annuity benefits. While those hired before 2013 contribute .8 percent of pay to fund those benefits, those hired in 2013 pay 3.1 percent of their pay, and those hired after 2013 pay 4.4 percent of their pay.

Workforce shaping

An unanswered question is how great the effect of retirement benefits generally, and the specifics of FERS in particular, have been in shaping federal employee workforce behavior.

One goal of FERS’ creation was to increase flexibility for employees to leave and enter federal service, given that under CSRS, departing before service, age and years requirements were met would have essentially eliminated their retirement savings, Cowen notes.

Cowen’s research suggests that there has been an increase in flexibility caused by the shift to FERS. Based on OPM responses to his questions, for 1982 through 1986, the average number of nonseasonal full-time permanent new hires at the GS-11 and higher levels (excluding political appointees) was 9,871. For the 2006 through 2010 period, the average number of these new hires was 48,726. “Admittedly, there could be many other factors influencing this dramatic change, but FERS certainly is a factor in the hiring of a substantially larger number of high-grade professional employees,” Cowen concludes.

On the other hand, fears of some opponents of the switch that it would decimate the federal service due to a lack of golden handcuffs “have not been borne out,” says John Palguta, vice president at the Partnership for Public Service (PPS), which advocates for a strong civil service.

Much depends on whether one believes that employee retirement benefits, rather than salary, other benefits and work experience, are a motivating factor in employees’ decisionmaking. Generally, Kichak says in her years at OPM, she did not see a large impact on recruitment or retention caused by the switch from CSRS benefits to FERS benefits.

More recently, have the increases in payroll deductions to fund the annuity of newer employees affected recruitment and retention of federal employees? Nearly all the experts consulted, including OPM, agreed that it is too soon to tell.

Caveat Emptor

A large factor in whether FERS provides adequate retirement savings for federal employees is employee behavior.

“Many FERS employees may not understand that the basic annuity benefit is not as generous as under CSRS,” says NARFE’s Snell. “They fail to look at the whole package of their benefits.” While almost 75 percent of FERS participants contribute at least 5 percent to get the full employer match, the remaining one quarter of FERS employees don’t max out on the TSP portion, “which is important.”

In addition, FERS is more complicated than CSRS, particularly for disabled employees whose benefits are tied to Social Security, Snell continues. “Many FERS employees are not well counseled about what will happen to their disability benefits over the years, and we hear from folks that they are not prepared for a reduction in FERS due to the receipt of Social Security disability benefits,” he says.

Recent Developments

Pressure to reduce the federal deficit has led to calls to tighten the belts of the system. Some in Congress have called for further increasing employee contributions to their annuities or completely eliminating the annuity aspect of the program.

Experts interviewed were unanimous that that would be undesirable.

“The system was designed with some safeguards, that even if you do nothing to save, you will get your Social Security contributions and the annuity,” says Palguta of PPS. “If you get rid of the defined benefit, that would not be advantageous to employees to have a comfortable retirement. They would have to double down to save enough money in the TSP. “In my view, for those who wish to ‘fix’ FERS, it is not broken. It is, rather, the envy of the private sector.”

Research suggests there has been an increase in flexibility for employees.

Cowen says that if further cuts must be made, he would prefer a reduction in the agency match in the TSP plan, rather than an increased employee payroll contribution to fund the annuity. “Increased payroll deductions reduce employee salaries and reduce the amount of income employees can put into the Thrift Plan,” he explains. “A fairer approach across the board is to trim TSP matching. You get immediate savings, and you are not reducing anyone’s disposable income.” NARFE, it should be pointed out, objects to a reduction in the agency match.

Some legislators have paid TSP the ultimate indirect compliment by calling for it to be opened up to the general public. Weaver notes that the FERS design received another implied vote of confidence from the current Congress, given that the National Defense Authorization Act of 2016 will, starting on January 1, 2018, alter the current CSRS-like, 20-years-for-full-pension-benefitsor-nothing plan for the uniformed services to a FERS-like, three-part system that includes a 40 percent, rather than 50 percent, of high-three annuity, and an employer match to TSP participation. (Unlike CSRS, uniformed services employees have always contributed to and been eligible for Social Security benefits.)

Federal employees should be grateful that the creation of FERS played out as it did, Cowen says.

“This type of outcome would be much less likely today,” he says. “Part of what made it successful was that Sen. Stevens was both a huge supporter of federal employees and a Republican. He had enough sway that he was able to push through a moderate plan. Today, with one party in control of both houses of Congress and with pressure to cut costs, if they pushed through a package today, its benefits would likely be pretty sparse. Many states have been tackling replacing defined-benefit plans with alternate plans, and what they come up with is generally far less generous than FERS.” —David Tobenkin is a freelance writer based in the greater Washington, DC, area. w w w. n a r f e . o r g

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A Million Reasons to Support

This Election Year Buoyed by enthusiastic member response to appeals in 2015, NARFE-PAC entered the 2016 election year within sight of its goal of raising $1 million or more by Election Day in November.

While giving has been robust, to maintain and bolster NARFE’s political clout, additional contributions are needed.

“NARFE’s political influence relies on a strong NARFE-PAC,” says Jessica Klement, NARFE legislative director. “In order to elect fed-friendly members of Congress and to defeat threats to federal employees’ and retirees’ earned pay and benefits, NARFE-PAC must have the resources necessary to succeed.”

As the political arm of the Association, NARFE-PAC protects NARFE members’ pay and benefits by raising and contributing money to elect members of Congress who understand and support the federal community. Contributions to NARFE-PAC are used to elect fed-friendly lawmakers, to help build relationships with key policy makers and to help supportive lawmakers rise to leadership positions.

Serious threats to the pay and benefits of federal employees and retirees continue to emerge, in part because NARFE has been successful in defeating them previously.

By Jason Freeman

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These threats include proposals to increase Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) premiums for all employees and retirees; to reduce the rate of return on the Thrift Savings Plan’s most secure investment, the G Fund; and to increase retirement contributions for all current employees.

“NARFE-PAC helps NARFE fight back,” says NARFE President Richard G. Thissen. “With so much at stake, it is critical that NARFE-PAC is well funded.”

WHAT IS NARFE-PAC?

NARFE-PAC is a separate, segregated fund of the Association financed solely through voluntary contributions by NARFE members made explicitly for political purposes. Membership dues and other general funds cannot be used by NARFEPAC. Only direct contributions to NARFE-PAC fund the Association’s political work.

In turn, NARFE-PAC contributes the money collected to candidates who support NARFE’s mission. These contributions are made only to

Goals for 2015-2016 Election Cycle In 2015, NARFE-PAC surpassed one of its goals and made impressive strides toward achieving its other objectives for the current two-year election cycle. Goals, and progress toward them, are: • Raise $1 million over two years.

Raised $725,921 in 2015.

• Increase the number of members in the NARFE-PAC Sustainer program by 25 percent over two years. Exceeded the goal by increasing Sustainers by 98 percent in 2015.

• Send NARFE members to at least 30 local fundraisers over two years. Sent 12 in 2015.

• Contribute $525,000 to candidates over two years. Contributed $96,000 in 2015.

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candidates – incumbents and challengers – who are running for Congress. NARFE-PAC does not contribute to presidential candidates.

NARFE-PAC is political, but not partisan.

“All candidates, whether they are Republican, Democrat or Independent, are eligible to receive NARFE-PAC funds,” Klement emphasizes. The process for deciding which candidates receive NARFE-PAC funds is explained on page 33.

A LOOK BACK: NARFE-PAC IN 2015

At the beginning of the 2015-2016 election cycle, NARFE-PAC set ambitious goals to increase contributions and grow NARFE’s political influence.

NARFE members generously responded, contributing more than double the amount raised in the first year of the 2013-2014 cycle. The 2015 amount also exceeds NARFE-PAC contributions made in the first half of the past five cycles.

In addition to increased contributions, NARFE members also signed up for the NARFEPAC Sustainer program in greater numbers than

NARFE-PAC CONTRIBUTIONS BY election cycle total

$1,345,160

total $1,270,470 $1,200,000

total

total

$991,434

$958,753

$1,000,000

total

$920,310

2016

$800,000

$600,000

Goal:

$1,000,000

$1,112,374

$802,528

$1,204,284

2006

2008

2010

$158,096

$156,225

$140,876

$804,394 2012

$590,947 2014

$400,000

$200,000

2005

2007

2009

$187,040 2011

$329,363 2013

$725,921 2015

Election Cycle The chart shows NARFE member contributions to NARFE-PAC by year and cycle.

Contributions are typically lower in the first year of an election cycle and higher in the second year. In 2015, NARFE-PAC increased contributions substantially compared to previous first years of an election cycle, a trend NARFE-PAC hopes to continue in 2016.

THE PROCESS: HOW NARFE-PAC DECIDES WHICH CANDIDATES RECEIVE NARFE-PAC FUNDS The NARFE-PAC Board, which is made up of the two elected National Officers and NARFE’s legislative director, determines how to disburse NARFE-PAC funds. The board engages in a consultative process with NARFE leaders in the field in making its decision.

Each state federation has a NARFE-PAC coordinator who is responsible for providing a consensus recommendation from his or her state. The federation PAC coordinator recommendation should include an evaluation of the amount and quality of communication and accessibility of the candidate to NARFE members, chapters and federation.

In addition to the state PAC coordinator’s recommendation, the NARFE-PAC Board considers

several other factors, including, but not limited to: • The candidate’s support on NARFE issues, indicated primarily by his or her NARFE voting record. Statements on NARFE issues, bill cosponsorships and personal meetings also are used to determine support. Challengers and open-seat candidates who do not have a NARFE voting record are asked to fill out a Candidate Questionnaire (available on the NARFE website, www. narfe.org).

• The influence a legislator can exert in support of NARFE’s goals, whether it is through a party leadership position, committee assignment or a particular area of expertise.

• The competitiveness of the candidate’s race.

• The overall NARFE-PAC budget.

Show Off Your NARFE-PAC Pride!

NARFE-PAC recognizes generous contributors based on the following giving levels (made over the course of the 2015-2016 election cycle): $25 - $49.99: Basic lapel pin $50 - $99.99: Bronze lapel pin $100 - $249.99: Silver lapel pin $250 or more: Gold lapel pin and a NARFE duffle bag NARFE-PAC Sustainers, those who make monthly credit card contributions of $10 or more, will receive the Sustainer lapel pin and a NARFE duffle bag. Sustainers maximize their support of NARFE-PAC by continually growing NARFE’s political influence!

Contributors who do not want to receive a gift from NARFE-PAC should mark the “Please do not send any gifts for my contribution” box on the contribution form. This reduces NARFE-PAC costs and maximizes your contribution in defense of the federal community!

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ever before. Sustainers make monthly NARFEPAC contributions via credit card. NARFE-PAC quickly surpassed the original 25 percent growth goal, and increased the Sustainer program by 98 percent by the end of 2015.

NARFE-PAC IN 2016

In 2016, NARFE-PAC is striving to build on this positive momentum and reach or surpass its million-dollar goal by Election Day, November 8.

With more funds, NARFE-PAC can contribute more to candidates. “Election years are typically the time when NARFE-PAC contributes more to candidates, so most of our contributions will be made in 2016,” Klement says.

“All 435 House seats and 34 Senate seats are up for election, providing NARFE-PAC with many opportunities to elect fed-friendly members of Congress across the country.” NARFE-PAC pays special attention to close races where NARFE-PAC support could make the difference between electing, or not electing, a supporter

of the federal community, she says.

As NARFE-PAC fundraising grows and NARFE-PAC contributes to more candidates, Association members will be able to take a more active role in NARFE-PAC. A NARFE-PAC contribution to a particular candidate is often made in conjunction with a fundraising event.

NARFE-PAC frequently asks local NARFE members to attend the event and represent the Association. Attending local fundraisers provides members with the opportunity to strengthen relationships with members of Congress. “Building strong working relationships with members of Congress is critical to our legislative success,” Klement says.

NARFE-PAC is working hard to protect members’ benefits. But it all begins with member contributions, Thissen says. “Please consider contributing to NARFE-PAC today via the cover wrap of this magazine.”

—Jason Freeman is NARFE’s political and legislative specialist.

NARFE-PAC FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How does NARFE-PAC defend my benefits?

NARFE-PAC exists to elect fed-friendly members of Congress in order to defeat threats to your earned pay and benefits. NARFE-PAC also builds relationships with members of Congress and helps our strongest supporters rise to leadership positions. Congressional leaders have substantial influence on the legislative agenda in Congress.

How is NARFE-PAC funded?

NARFE-PAC is funded solely through voluntary contributions from NARFE members. Federal campaign finance laws prohibit dues money and other general funds from being directed to NARFE-PAC. Efforts to defend your earned pay and benefits depend on your voluntary contributions to NARFE-PAC, so your support is critical to our success.

Can I see which candidates receive NARFE-PAC funds?

Yes. NARFE members can access NARFE-PAC 34

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disbursement information on the NARFE-PAC section of the NARFE website, www.narfe.org.

This information is updated quarterly.

Does NARFE-PAC limit its contributions to candidates based on the Amount of NARFE-PAC contributions received from NARFE members in that state?

No. NARFE-PAC uses a “strength in numbers” approach to ensure contributions go where they can make the biggest difference. On a national level, NARFE-PAC can play a deciding role in campaigns where electing a fed-friendly member of Congress is critical.

Where can I learn more about NARFE-PAC?

Go to the NARFE-PAC-specific page on the NARFE website, www.narfe.org, to access the NARFE-PAC Toolkit, which details NARFE-PAC policies and procedures, and contains materials and resources for NARFE-PAC leaders.

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Managing Money

How to avoid the early withdrawal penalty

Q

ualified retirement plans, including the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), offer tax benefits and provide an incentive for individuals to save for

retirement. But nothing is perfect, including qualified retirement plans, which have an ugly side if you need access to your money before what the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) deems “normal retirement.”

Generally speaking, the IRS considers normal retirement to begin at age 59½, and any distributions taken before this age are subject to a 10 percent early distribution penalty.

There are certain exceptions to this, and understanding these exceptions may save you thousands of dollars in unnecessary taxes.

In all, there are 12 exceptions to the early distribution penalty. The following six relate to all qualified plans (which are, generally, employer-sponsored plans, including the TSP) and to individual retirement accounts (IRAs), and apply when a distribution is: 1. Made to a beneficiary or estate because of the account owner’s death; 2. Made due to disability; 3. Made as part of a series of substantially equal periodic payments for your life (or life expectancy) or the joint lives (or joint life expectancies) of you and your designated beneficiary; 4. Not in excess of your un-

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reimbursed medical expenses that are more than a certain percentage of your adjusted gross income; 5. Due to an IRS levy; or 6. A qualified reservist distribution.

There are three more exceptions applying only to IRAs and another three applying only to qualified plans other than IRAs. You can find additional details on all exceptions in IRS Publication 590(b) and IRS Publication 575.

In this article, we’re going to focus on the third exception noted above and one other exception not listed, but useful to many retiring before age 59½.

This is commonly referred to as the “age 55 exception,” which applies to distributions taken when you separate from service in or after the year you reach age 55 (or age 50 for qualified state or local government public safety employees).

Note, that’s retire at age 55 or later. The exception doesn’t apply if you retire at age 53 and wait until age 55 or later to take

By Mark A. Keen,

CFP®

a distribution. Also, be aware that this exception does not apply to IRAs. If you roll over your employer-based retirement plan to an IRA, you’ll lose the age 55 exemption.

As noted, for certain qualified public safety employees, the age exception is 50 rather than 55. Until now, the age 50 exception applied only to defined-benefit plans and qualified state and local government public safety employees. Beginning in 2016, however, the Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 broadens the scope of this exception to include definedcontribution plans, such as the TSP. In addition, certain federal public safety workers now also will be eligible for the age 50 exception, including specified law enforcement officers, customs and border protection officials, firefighters and air traffic controllers.

If you separate from service prior to age 55 and don’t qualify for the age 55 exception (or age 50, if applicable), or want to tap an IRA prior to age 59½, you may still take advantage of the substantially equal periodic payments (SEPP) exception to avoid the 10 percent early distribution penalty. Many refer to this as a 72(t) distribution, named after Internal Revenue Code Section 72(t), which specifies the rules

FINANCIAL TOOLS NARFE offers an online retirement calculator and other financial planning tools. Find out more at www.narfe.org/ federalbenefits.

for these types of withdrawals.

The rules for 72(t) distributions require you to receive the SEPP for five years or until you turn age 59½, whichever is longer. Furthermore, the SEPP must be calculated using one of three IRSapproved methods: the life expectancy method, the fixed amortization method or the fixed annuitization method.

The life expectancy method, which is the same

calculation used for required minimum distributions, is the simplest, but typically produces the smallest payment. If you are looking to establish a SEPP from the TSP, you can easily use the life expectancy method, as this is one of the fulldistribution options within the TSP. It’s still possible to use the amortization and annuitization methods, but you’ll need to run the calculation on your own and set up a monthly distribution from the TSP. Tapping a retirement plan early can be a painful proposition, but knowing the exceptions to the early distribution penalty can help you avoid costly mistakes.

Mark A. Keen, CFP®, is partner, Keen & Pocock, 10300 Eaton place, Fairfax, VA, and an investment adviser representative and registered principal of The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. (SFA). Securities and advisory services are offered through SFA. Email: mkeen@keenpocock.com.

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w w w. n a r f e . o r g

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37

The Informed Citizen

Plan to have an impact on the elections

N

ARFE-PAC, the Association’s political action committee and a focus of this issue, is a powerful tool in NARFE’s congressional arsenal. However, the votes of NARFE members are still NARFE’s most potent electoral advantage. The federal family is more than five million strong. Informing candidates of counts in their states and districts and maximizing our vote impact require advanced planning. This planning requires a new take on the Chicago adage, vote early, vote often.

Vote Early NARFE members, especially federation and chapter leaders, should take full advantage of early voting to be sure each NARFE member has the opportunity to cast his or her ballot.

Providing timely information about, and assisting members with, absentee and early-voting laws and procedures is a first step. Arranging or providing transportation to an early-voting site is even better. NARFE-led voter registration drives can earn media coverage and attract new members.

Vote Often Primary elections are often just as or more important than general elections. Both major

parties use primaries to elect and caucuses to select delegates to their presidential nominating conventions. Partisan gerrymanders create districts dominated by one party. In these districts, voting early in the election year, in the primary, is a voter’s only opportunity to impact the race.

Here again, knowledge and planning are crucial. Is the primary open to all voters, “closed” (available to just registered partisans) or somewhere in between?

Invite Your Governor and Senators to Convention Governors and U.S. senators are elected statewide. The federation conventions, when NARFE’s heaviest hitters are together, are the ideal forums to host state-

MARK YOUR CALENDAR Presidential and Vice Presidential Debate Dates and Sites: First presidential debate: September 26, Wright State University, Dayton, OH First vice presidential debate: October 4, Longwood University, Farmville, VA Second presidential debate: October 9, Washington University, St. Louis, MO Third presidential debate: October 19, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV

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By Christopher Farrell, senior analyst

wide officials. When inviting public officials, stress the number of voters NARFE represents.

Use the Federal Family section of NARFE’s Protect America’s Heartbeat website, www.narfe. org/heartbeat, to show your governor and senators the number of federal employees, postal employees and federal retirees for your state. This year represents a special opportunity in several states. Half of the dozen gubernatorial elections and at least five Senate elections will not have an incumbent. Use the counts when inviting candidates in these generally more competitive open-seat races.

Plan Forums for State Legislative Candidates Candidate forums conducted by one or more NARFE chapters inform members, provide voterich environments for candidates for the state legislature and earn media attention.

State legislative districts are almost always smaller than congressional districts, and turnover is much higher in the state legislatures than in Congress.

Taken together, these features should make forums for state legislative candidates somewhat easier to organize than those for congressional candidates. Remember that half the members of the current Congress previously served in the state legislature or as governor.

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Alzheimer’s Update

when Alzheimer’s strikes early

A

lzheimer’s is not just a disease of old age. Early-onset (also known as younger-onset) Alzheimer’s affects people younger than age 65. The Alzheimer’s Associa-

tion estimates that about 200,000 people in the United States have early-onset, with many victims in their 40s and 50s. Doctors do not understand why most cases of younger-onset Alzheimer’s appear so early.

Since health care providers generally don’t look for Alzheimer’s disease in younger people, getting an accurate diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s can be a long and frustrating process. Age or medical history can cause doctors to overlook or rule out Alzheimer’s disease.

Symptoms may be incorrectly attributed to stress, or there may be conflicting diagnoses from different health care professionals. People who have early-onset Alzheimer’s may be in any stage of dementia – early-, middle- or late-stage. The disease affects each person differently, and symptoms will vary. For most, however, early-onset Alzheimer’s runs in families. Someone diagnosed with early-onset is likely to have a parent or grandparent who also developed Alzheimer’s at a younger age.

Genes linked to Alzheimer’s The 23 human chromosome pairs contain all of the 30,000 genes that code a person’s biological blueprint. Researchers know genetics play a role in 40

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Alzheimer’s. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the following gene mutations have been found to be present with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease: • Amyloid precursor protein (APP), discovered in 1987, is the first gene with mutations found to cause an inherited form of Alzheimer’s.

• Presenlin-1 (PS-1), identified in 1992, is the second gene with mutations found to cause earlyonset Alzheimer’s. Variations in this gene are the most common cause of early-onset Alzheimer’s.

• Presenlin-2 (PS-2), discovered in 1993, is the third gene with mutations found to cause early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Early-onset Alzheimer’s that runs in families is linked to these three genes. The genetic path of inheritance is much stronger in early-onset Alzheimer’s than it is in the more common late-onset Alzheimer’s. If a person has a genetic mutation in one of those three genes − the APP, PS-1 or PS-2 − there is a 95100 percent chance of developing Alzheimer’s before age 65.

By Merv Stuckey, NARFE-alzheimer’s Chair

An ongoing research trial at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, called Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit, or DIAN TU, focuses on the prevention of early-onset Alzheimer’s. DIAN TU tracks changes in the brains of people with those rare Alzheimer’s gene mutations who have not yet developed the disease. In addition, researchers are studying two drug candidates (gantenerumab and solanezumab) that may slow or stop brain changes and prevent symptoms, such as memory loss, from occurring. Because of the way the study is structured, 75 percent of people participating in it are getting one of the candidate drugs, while 25 percent are receiving a placebo. The study is “blinded,” which means participants don’t know which of the drug candidates they are getting, if any.

NARFE Fundraising At its 2014 National Convention, NARFE set a new goal for Alzheimer’s fundraising: to reach $12 million in 2016, which would add another million dollars to our cumulative total. We are more than halfway there. Please use the donation form on p. 43 to help us achieve that goal! merv stuckey is chair of the NARFEAlzheimer’s National Committee. email: narferoadrunner@comcast.net. This column appears quarterly.

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2015

’16

G FUND

F FUND

C FUND

S FUND

I FUND

January

0.19%

1.49%

-4.96%

-8.72%

-5.62%

December

0.18%

-0.30%

-1.57%

-3.91%

-2.03%

November

0.17%

-0.24%

0.31%

1.75%

-0.86%

YTD

0.19%

1.49%

-4.96%

-8.72%

-5.62%

1 year

2.06%

0.28%

-0.59%

-9.72%

-7.21%

3 year*

2.10%

2.62%

11.38%

7.31%

1.32%

5 year*

2.02%

3.85%

10.97%

8.38%

2.11%

10 year*

2.93%

4.89%

6.53%

6.36%

1.99%

L INCOME

L 2020

L 2030

L 2040

L 2050

January

-0.91%

-2.55%

-3.58%

-4.21%

-4.86%

December

-0.28%

-0.92%

-1.32%

-1.61%

-1.85%

November

0.17%

0.17%

0.20%

0.24%

0.24%

-0.91%

-2.55%

-3.58%

-4.21%

-4.86%

2015

’16

*Annualized

YTD 1 Year

1.01%

-0.66%

-1.76%

-2.52%

-3.29%

3 year*

3.48%

5.40%

6.13%

6.65%

7.03%

5 year*

3.58%

5.66%

6.47%

7.03%

7.41%

10 year*

3.92%

4.84%

5.16%

5.33%

N/A

*Annualized

RETURNS are net of the effect of accrued administrative expenses and investment expenses/costs. Source: TSP (For additional monthly returns, go to www.tsp.gov.)

G Fund: Government securities (specially issued to the TSP) F Fund: Government, corporate and mortgage-backed bonds C Fund: Stocks of large- and medium-size U.S. companies S Fund: Stocks of small- to medium-size U.S. companies (not included in the C Fund) I Fund: International stocks of 21 developed countries L Fund: (Lifecycle) Invested in the G, F, C, S and I Funds (The proportion of L Fund balance invested in each of the individual TSP funds depends on the L Fund chosen.)

OPM Retirement Claims Processing status

2015

For the Record

Stock funds fell sharply in january on China, Oil news

Thrift savings Plan fund returns

—BY Ravindra Deo, Chief Investment Officer, Thrift Savings Plan

Countdown to COLA

T

he Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) decreased 0.40 percent in December 2015.

To calculate the 2017 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), the indices of July, August and September 2016 will be averaged and compared with the 2014 third-quarter average of 234.242. The percentage increase, if any, determines the COLA. December’s index, 230.791, is down 1.47 percent from the base.

Benefits awarded under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) to individuals suffering work-related injuries or illnesses are adjusted according to each calendar year’s change in the CPI-W (rounded to the nearest 1/10th of a percent).

December 2015’s index is 0.38 percent higher than the December 2014 index of 229.909. FECA recipients will receive a 0.4 percent COLA, effective March 1.

The CPI represents purchases of food and beverages, housing, apparel, transportation, medical care, recreation, education and communication, and other goods and services. Included are various government fees, such as water charges, auto registration fees, and sales and excise taxes.

Month

Claims Received Inventory

JanUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST September OctOBER November December

18,629 9,219 5,478 6,292 7,845 6,920 9,862 7,341 6,300 8,374 6,019 4,753

22,636 24,014 20,594 18,226 15,374 14,511 16,455 16,350 14,706 12,642 12,562 11,399

Avg # of Days % Processed in to Process Case in 60 Days or Less More Than 90 Days

80% 81% 82% 73% 68% 69% 69% 70% 70% 74% 76% 78%

91 103 99 74 79 99 97 98 94 86 98 104

FOR THE NUMBER of new retirement cases the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) receives each month by agency and the percent with errors that it returns to those agencies, go to www.opm.gov/retirement-services/. Source: OPM 42

Continued weakness in the Chinese economy and oil prices negatively influenced stock prices globally. The C, S and I Funds all fell sharply in January, despite the Bank of Japan, Peoples Bank of China and the European Central Bank all announcing stimulus and pushing stocks higher during the last week of the month. Yields fell as expectations of the Federal Reserve raising rates this year diminished sharply, causing the F Fund to climb. The L Funds did as expected.

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CPI-W

Monthly % Change

% Change from 234.242

October 2015

232.373

-0.12

-0.80

November

231.721

-0.28

-1.08

December

230.791

-0.40

-1.47

January 2016 February March April May June July August September

Donate to NARFE Programs Support Alzheimer’s Research

Your charitable contribution is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Write your chapter number on check; make it payable to: NARFE-Alzheimer’s Research

Enclosed is my NARFE-Alzheimer’s contribution: $ Every cent that is contributed is used for research.

Please circle: Mr. Mrs. Miss Ms. and mail to: Name: Alzheimer’s Association Address: 225 N. Michigan Ave., 17th Floor City: State: ZIP: Chicago, IL 60601-7633 Chapter Number: Credit Card Information:

MasterCard VISA NARFE members contributed for If you have any questions, write to:

Discover AMEX Alzheimer’s research: $12 Million Fund National Committee Chair Card Number: Merv Stuckey, 2272 E. Buster Mountain Dr. Expiration Date: (mm)/ (yy) Oro Valley, AZ 85755-4709 *Total as of December 31, 2015 3-Digit Security Code: 100% of all contributed funds go to Name: (please print) Email: narferoadrunner@comcast.net

$11,629,668* Alzheimer’s research.

Signature

Join the Silver CIrcle Clip this contribution form and mail to: NARFE Silver Circle, 606 N. Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314

•For a contribution of $25 or more, you will receive a Silver Circle pin, and your name will be listed in narfe magazine with other contributors.

•For a contribution of $1,000 or more, your name will be placed on the “Wall of Fame” at NARFE Headquarters.

YOUR CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION IS TAX-DEDUCTIBLE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW.

/

Enclosed is my Silver Circle contribution: $ ID # (ID # may be found on your narfe magazine label or your NARFE membership card)

Name: Address: City: State: ZIP: Silver Circle contributions are NOT deductible for federal income tax purposes.

Installment Plan Wall of Fame 12-month installment plan

Give to the Scholarship and Disaster Funds

Please mail coupon and check to: FEEA 3333 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Suite 300 Lakewood, CO 80227

/

All donations go to the NARFE General Fund to support NARFE programs and operations.

My check is enclosed

(Please make check payable to NARFE Silver Circle.)

Please charge my credit card Card type MasterCard VISA

Discover AMEX Card Number: Expiration Date: (mm)/ (yy) Name: (please print)

Signature

Make check payable to: NARFE-FEEA Disaster Fund or NARFE-FEEA Scholarship Fund.

Date

YES!

Date

/

/

I would like to help with my contribution.

Please check appropriate box(es). To make credit card contributions, call 800-338-0755. Scholarships are available to children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of federal civilian retirees and current federal employees who are NARFE members.

NARFE-FEEA Disaster Fund

Amount: $

NARFE-FEEA Scholarship Fund

Amount: $

Name: Address: City: State: ZIP:

NARFE News

Scholarship APP This is the last month in which the NARFE 2016 Scholarship Application appears in narfe magazine (p. 47). However, it will continue to be available in electronic form for downloading on the NARFE website, www.narfe.org. To access the application, click on the Scholarship Program graphic on the home page. Applications must be postmarked no later than April 29.

Federation convention dates

T

hirty-five NARFE federaMN, 5/24-25, Willmar; MS, 4/1-3, tions will hold conventions Louisville; MO, 4/19-21, Columbia; this year. Dates and locaMT, 5/10-12, Billings; NE, 5/1-3, tions are: AK, 4/23-24, Fairbanks; North Platte; NH, 5/18, RochesAR, 5/19-20, Pine Bluff; CT, 6/ ter; NM, 4/21-23, Albuquerque; TBD, Cromwell; ID, 5/23-25, Idaho NY, 5/11, Rochester; NC, 5/3-5, Falls; IL, 5/11-13, Rockford; IN, Clemmons; ND, 5/4-6, Fargo; OR, 4/19-20, Fort Wayne; IA, 5/16-18, 5/1-3, Canyonville; Panama, 3/12, Tama; KS, 4/24-26, Salina; ME, Panama City; PA, 5/1-4, Valley 4/27-28, Caribou; MA, 5/5-6, Forge; Philippines, 12/09, MaLife Membership Design 3/26/13 3:49 PM PageCity; 1 Devens; MI,Apl_New 5/25-27, Marquette; balacat RI, 5/2, North Provi-

dence; SC, 5/2-4, Columbia; SD, 5/10-12, Sioux Falls; TN, 4/25-26, Pigeon Forge; UT, 5/12-13, West Valley City; VT, 5/19, Berlin; VA, 4/17-20, Richmond; WA, 5/15-17, Kennewick; WI, 5/2-4, Eau Claire; WY, 5/19-21, Sheridan.

Many federations hold conventions every other year. The 19 federations not listed here will hold their next conventions in 2017.

NARFE NATIONAL LIFE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Life Membership Fee Schedule Ages

Contact Information n Mr. n Mrs. n Miss n Ms. Full Name _____________________________________________ Street Address _________________________________________ Apt./Unit______________________________________________ City _______________________ State _____ ZIP _____________ Phone (__________) ____________________________________ Email_________________________________________________ Date of Birth _________ /_________ /___________________ dd

mm

yyyy

Recruiter ID # (if applicable) _________________________________ Chapter Number _______________________________________ (call 800-456-8410 for chapter information) Membership Information Member Number: ______________________________________ (New members) Membership is open to civilians in any agency of the federal or D.C. (before Oct. 1, 1987) governments eligible for a federal annuity.

Thank you for becoming a National Member for Life. You will receive a membership card, certificate and special lapel pin.

Please allow six weeks for processing. Dues payments & gift contributions to NARFE are not deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.

44

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Single or Quarterly Payment Installments 30-39 $1,796 $450.25 40-50 1,408 353.25 51-55 1,127 283.00 56-60 960 241.25 61-65 801 201.50 66-70 653 164.50 71-75 514 129.75 76-80 392 99.25 81-90 251 64.00 91-100+ 127 33.00

I am a (check all that apply) n Active Federal Employee n Active Federal Employee Spouse n Annuitant n Annuitant Spouse n Survivor Annuitant

PAYMENT INFORMATION n Single Payment or n Quarterly Installments (4 payments) Life Membership fee amount: $ ______________________ PAYMENT OPTIONS n Check or Money Order (Payable to NARFE) n Charge my: n MasterCard n VISA n Discover n American Express Card No. __________________________________________ Expiration Date _________ /_________ mm

yyyy

Name on Card ______________________________________ Signature ____________________________ Date ________ MAIL THIS APPLICATION TO NARFE Member Records 606 N. Washington St. / Alexandria, VA 22314-1914

Strategic Planning Process Moves Ahead With Awareness Campaign

T

ber. A communications he final stage of program has begun the strategic to ensure that every planning promember is aware cess is underway of the plan, underand will culminate stands its purpose at the NARFE Naand intent, and is tional Convention secure prepared to make August 28-Septemthe their own deciber 1 in Reno, NV. future sion about the bylaw The Strategic changes being supportPlanning Team preed by the NEB. sented the final draft The communications of the Strategic Plan to the program includes electronic preNARFE National Executive Board sentations from Headquarters to (NEB) in November. At that meetfederation board meetings and ing, Board members voted in support of bylaw changes recommended regional meetings. These presentations also will be posted online. in the plan. (For the minutes of the National officers traveling to federameeting, go to www.narfe.org/pdf/ tion conventions around the country NEB_Nov2015_Minutes.pdf). will discuss the plan and resolutions The key steps in this stage of the process are making sure that memat those meetings. In addition, a webinar will be presented; further bers know what is in the plan, what articles on the plan will appear in resolutions for bylaw changes will come to the convention and drafting narfe magazine; and, finally, sessions will be held at the National those resolutions.

The Strategic Plan was made avail- Convention to discuss specific pieces of the plan. able to the membership in Decem-

s t rat e g i c p l an N I N G

NARFE Regions will stay at 10 At its November meeting, the NARFE National Executive Board (NEB) voted to rescind a previous vote to move from 10 to five regions.

The issue of Board composition has been debated since March 2014, when the NEB voted to reduce the number of regions from 10 to five as of November 2014. Subsequently, it voted in June 2014 to delay the reduction until November 2016. Regional vice presidents take office in November of even-numbered years, after being elected at the National Convention that year.

NARFE members seeking election as regional vice presidents at the upcoming National Convention should submit statements by March 1 for inclusion in the May issue of narfe magazine.

“My goal is to make sure that everyone in my region has read the plan,” said Rodney L. Adelman, Region VII vice president. “If anyone has any questions, we want to be sure they get a chance to ask them. If anyone disagrees with any of the solutions to problems proposed in the plan, we want them Rodney Adelman to feel comfortable in participating in open dialogue.”

Adelman is working with federation presidents in his region, urging them to get the word out quickly and encourage feedback from members.

In the coming months, he will go to three federation conventions, where a discussion of the plan is on the agenda at all of them. (Two other Region VII federations don’t have conventions this year, but the Strategic Plan will be discussed in other meetings in those federations.)

“We need to get the word out and have people on board with this process by the end of May so that the bylaw proposals can be understood and supported well ahead of the convention,” said Adelman. “I am really upbeat about how well NARFE’s Federal Benefits Institute webinars are going. Lots of people are attending them. It shows that when something is important, the membership comes out. I think we will see something similar with the Strategic Plan.” w w w. n a r f e . o r g

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45

Convention Flanagan Featured Speaker

N

ationally recognized federal benefits and retirement expert Tammy Flanagan tops the bill at the 34th NARFE National Convention with a presentation on “The Five Things You Can Change After You Retire.”

Whether you have been retired for a short time or many years, or even if you are just starting to think about retirement, you will want to be in the audience as Flanagan dispels myths Tammy Flanagan and provides presents “The Five eye-opening Things You Can revelations about Change After You post-retirement Retire” on Tuesday, options that you August 30, at the have today and NARFE National in the future that Convention. will save you money, provide security for your loved ones and ensure a worry-free retirement.

The time you spend on Tues-

Convention Website NARE’s 2016 National Convention website is www.narfe.org/ convention2016. It features responsive design, which enables it to be viewed easily using a computer, tablet or smartphone.

On the website, NARFE members can request to be on a convention committee, as well as view important convention information.

Chapter officers can visit the website to designate a delegate or proxy starting in March.

Registration for the Convention and banquet will be available for everyone starting March 1.

46

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day, August 30, in Reno, NV, with Tammy Flanagan may be the most worthwhile 60 minutes of the year, as you learn: • Why keeping your contact information current with the Office of Personnel Management is so important; • How changing tax laws can affect your withholding – both state and federal; • When and how to adjust your insurance options as your needs change; • What you need to know about Thrift Savings Plan withdrawals; and • What steps you need to take before and after major life events.

Widely recognized as the federal retirement benefits expert who is able to handle the tough questions by providing easy-to-understand answers, Flanagan consults with and trains federal community members at every stage of their lives to help set and achieve their retirement goals. A regular contributor to narfe magazine, columnist for Government Executive and senior benefits director for the NITP, she offers the guidance and information you need to ensure a secure federal retirement.

Learn more at www.narfe.org/ convention2016.

DEADLINES • Candidate Statements: March 1 for publication in the May issue of narfe magazine • Committee Assignment Requests: March 4 • Resolutions: No later than May 13 • Delegate Forms: June 1 • Registration: August 1 • Proxy Forms: August 1

HOTEL Arrangements Grand Sierra Resort and Casino 2500 E. Second St., Reno, NV 89595 800-648-5080 NARFE Rate: Single/Double Tier 1: $79 + tax; Luxury Summit Single/Double: $129 + tax. Additional person, more than two per room: $20 each For the NARFE Rate when calling, use Group Code: NRF16 Visit convention website for link to book hotel online. Cutoff date: July 24

AIRLINE DISCOUNTS Delta Airlines: www.delta.com/meetings. When booking online, select “Book Your Flight” and enter meeting ID NMMM5. A $25 charge will apply if booking by phone (800-328-1111).

United Airlines: www.united.com. When booking online, select “All Search Options” and enter Offer code ZVVB272256. A $25 per ticket charge will apply if booking by phone through United Meeting Reservations, 800-426-1122.

NARFE 2016 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

Applicants: • Must be high school seniors planning to attend an accredited college full-time in a degree program in the fall/winter of 2016.

• Must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 on an unweighted 4.0 scale.

• Must be sponsored by a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent who is a current NARFE member. (Step-parents, step-grandparents, etc., can also sponsor.) Sponsor must be living at the time application is submitted.

• Must provide your email address on the application. Your application receipt will be sent to this email address; please add “confirmation@feea.org” to your address book.

• Must provide the following materials in your packet: r Official 2016 NARFE scholarship application (below).

Photocopies are acceptable. r Full transcript, including fall/winter 2015 grades. Report cards and photocopies are acceptable. If mailed separately by the school, must arrive by program deadline. r Copies of American College Testing (ACT) or Scholastic Aptitude Testing (SAT), or other entrance examination scores. (Homeschooled students must provide equivalent of transcript and test scores as applicable.) r List and brief description of any awards or volunteer/ community service activities (not to exceed two pages). Indicate amount of time spent for each activity. r Written recommendation from a teacher or counselor, on school or other official letterhead. r One stamped, self-addressed #10 envelope (used to notify you in the event you do not win). r Essay

ESSAY TOPIC INFORMATION The essay must be typed, double-spaced, not more than two pages on the following topic: How is the agency in which your sponsor works/worked important in the daily life of an average citizen?

All of the materials (except transcript, if necessary) must be mailed in the same 9”x12” (or larger) envelope, postmarked no later than April 29, 2016, to: NARFE Scholarship Awards, c/o FEEA, 3333 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Suite 300, Lakewood, CO 80227. DO NOT FOLD MATERIALS. DO NOT USE STAPLES OR PAPER CLIPS. Please note: All materials submitted with the application will become the property of FEEA and will not be returned under any circumstances. If needed, make a copy of the information for yourself before mailing.

The NARFE Scholarship Program is administered by the Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund (FEEA) and is made possible by your tax-deductible contributions to the NARFE-FEEA Scholarship Fund, 3333 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Suite 300, Lakewood, CO 80227.

For more information, obtain the Guide to NARFE’S Annual Scholarship Awards Program (F-105). To get your copy, send an email to scholarship@narfe.org; download it from the NARFE website, www.narfe.org; or call Headquarters and request scholarship information.

Acknowledgement receipts are emailed to eligible applicants who submit a complete application packet by the April 29 deadline.

Emailing of receipts may take 8-12 weeks after the deadline, due to the volume of applications received. Applicants desiring earlier confirmation of delivery should use a mailing service that provides delivery confirmation. Please add confirmation@feea.org to your address book to ensure receipt of your confirmation email.

APPLICATION

Please complete the following. Incomplete applications and applications sent to NARFE Headquarters will not be considered.

Student’s Name:______________________________________

I am taking college courses in high school: o Yes

Complete Home Address:

NARFE Member’s Name: ______________________________

____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________

Relationship to Applicant: o Father o Mother o Grandfather o Grandmother

Home Telephone: _____________________________________

NARFE Member No.: __________________________________

Email Address: _______________________________________

Chapter No.: ________________________________________

Applicant’s Grade Point Average (GPA): __________________ (Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on an unweighted 4.0 scale)

Member’s Complete Home Address:

College or University (planning to attend): ________________ ____________________________________________________ (Must be a college freshman by fall/winter 2016)

o No

____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ Member’s Telephone: _________________________________ Member’s Email Address: ______________________________ w w w. n a r f e . o r g

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Active and Retired Federal Employees ...

JOIN NARFE TODAY!

National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association 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 benefit questions.

Who Should Join?

Three Easy Ways To Join

If your future security is tied to federal retirement benefits — 1. Complete this application and return by mail with your payment. federal retirees, current employees, spouses, and individual 2. Join online at www.narfe.org. survivors — you should join NARFE. 3. Call 800-627-3394, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

NARFE MEMBERSHIP APPLIC ATION

1Q5

q YES. I want to join NARFE.

I am a (check all that apply) q Active Federal Employee q Active Federal Employee Spouse q Annuitant q Annuitant Spouse q Survivor Annuitant

Street Address _____________________________________

Apt./Unit __________________________________________

q Please enroll my spouse

City _______________________ State _____ ZIP __________

Spouse’s Full Name ________________________________

Phone (__________) _________________________________

Spouse’s Email

Email _____________________________________________

NARFE respects the privacy of our members. Personal information is used to provide content and relevant communications to our members, and will not be sold or rented to third parties without your express permission.

q Mr. q Mrs. q Miss q Ms.

Full Name _________________________________________

Choose Your Membership Type

All NARFE members receive narfe magazine, access to federal benefits specialists, NARFE’s News Watch, legislative Hotline, and exclusive member discounts, along with professional lobbyists advocating on your behalf. Members choose one of two chapter options.

q Local Chapter

Under the direction of local leadership, chapters offer regular meetings often with invited speakers, as well as networking, volunteer and grass-roots lobbying opportunities. Annual chapter dues, determined by the locality, are charged in subsequent years.

Chapter Affiliation: Chapter # __ __ __ __

OR

_____________________________

PAYMENT OPTIONS q Check, Money Order or Bill Pay (Payable to NARFE) q Bill me (NARFE membership will start when payment is received.) q Charge my: q MasterCard q VISA q Discover q American Express Card No. ____________________________________ Expiration Date _____ /_________ mm yyyy Name on Card ________________________________

q eNARFE

The eNARFE Chapter provides a place for members to keep active in and informed about the federal community without the formality of a local chapter. Advocacy is encouraged within the e-community, and members may join with local groups for grass-roots participation. There are no additional dues for the eNARFE Chapter.

TOTAL DUES $40 First-Year Dues X __________ = __________ Per Person # Enrolling Total Dues

Signature ____________________________________ Date ________________________________________ MAY WE THANK SOMEONE? If applicable, please provide the name, membership and chapter number of the member who introduced you to NARFE: Recruiter’s Name_________________________________ Recruiter’s Membership ID _________________________ Recruiter’s Chapter Number ________________________

MAIL THIS APPLICATION TO NARFE Member Records 606 N. Washington St. / Alexandria, VA 22314-1914

Int S ro ho du ck cto in ry g Pr ice !

$1

7 95 ea ch

Actual size is 40.6 mm

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Member Perks

SAVE MONEY WITH NARFE Perks NARFE appreciates your service, and so do businesses across the country.

Whether you are planning your next vacation or planning for retirement, members can save money on everyday purchases, thanks to our Affinity Partners.

It’s just one more way we’re able to say “thank you” for being a NARFE member. union puts members first by offering low-rate loans and a high-interest checking account. Members have access to 5,000+ shared branches and 56,000 surcharge-free ATMs.

finance and Legal

new

ID Shield 571-830-5489 www.legalshield.com/info/narfe LegalShield along with Kroll will monitor your identity from every angle, not just your Social Security number, credit cards and bank accounts. This takes the work required to restore your identity off your shoulders, placing it in the hands of a licensed fraud investigator.

NARFE members receive the discounted monthly rate of $8.95 for individuals or $17.95 for families when you sign up through the website above.

w

ne LegalShield 571-830-5489 www.legalshield.com/info/narfe Whether it’s big, small or somewhere in between, you have affordable legal help when you need it. With your legal plan, you or your family members can contact your law firm anytime you need legal advice or assistance.

NARFE members receive the discounted rate of $16.95 for individuals or $18.95 for families of 10 (two adults and up to 8 children) when you sign up through the website above.

InFirst Federal Credit Union 800-328-1500 www.infirstfcu.org As a member of NARFE, you are eligible to join InFirst Federal Credit Union, formerly NARFE Premier FCU, serving active and retired federal employees and their families since 1935. The credit 50

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insurance

Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program 800-LTC FEDS www.LTCFEDS.com Make long-term care insurance part of your retirement plan. With benefits designed specifically for the federal family, the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program offers a smart way to help protect savings and assets, and remain independent should you need long-term care services someday. Start planning for the future. Visit www.

LTCFEDS.com today.

GEICO 800-368-2734 www.geico.com/fed/narfe GEICO offers a special discount opportunity for NARFE members. To find out how much you could save, visit our website or call today and mention that you are a NARFE member. Have your current coverage information available in order to secure a comparable quote. Your completed quote will help benefit NARFE! For complete terms and conditions, visit www.narfe.org/memberperks.

NARFE Insurance Services 800-233-5764 www.narfeinsurance.com Designed and administered by Mercer Consumer, exclusively for NARFE members: senior age whole life, term

life, Medicare supplements, hospital income plan, short-term recovery insurance, pet insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, cancer care, enhanced dental insurance and long-term care.

Moving services

Bekins Van Lines 800-248-4810 narfe@bekins.com All NARFE members will receive contracted pricing for all interstate shipments. This will apply to packing, transportation and full-value coverage against damages. Please mention you are a NARFE member.

Wheaton World Wide Moving 800-248-7960 narfe@wvlcorp.com At Wheaton, we know interstate relocating is much more than trucks and boxes. Moving is not simply an address change. It’s a life change. With a network of top-quality agents throughout the United States, Wheaton provides peace of mind with every relocation.

We offer you, as a NARFE member, benefits to help you have a positive interstate relocation experience. Call today and mention you are a NARFE member to start the moving process.

narfe merchandise

NARFE General Store 855-99NARFE (855-996-2733) www.narfegeneralstore.com As the official provider of NARFE merchandise, the NARFE General Store

offers NARFE-approved name badges, business cards, clothing, accessories, cups and mugs, plaques and clocks, and much, much more. Check out our online catalog for our customizable product line.

Telecommunications

new

Sprint 877-746-8249 www.sprint.com/fed NARFE members receive a 15% discount with Sprint! Access www.sprint. com/fed, call 877-746-8249 or visit the Sprint store nearest you to take advantage of this offer. Please bring your member ID card with you to our stores to sign up for the discount, and provide code GNARF_ZMB.

new

Verizon FiOS www.narfe.org/memberperks NARFE members can save up to $10 a month on a new qualifying Triple Play bundle with Verizon FiOS Internet, TV and home phone service – savings of up to $120 per year. The FiOS 100% fiberoptic network delivers award-winning broadband and entertainment to your home. Only FiOS Internet customers get upload speeds as fast as their download speeds. With FiOS TV, 625+ channels are available, including 185+ in HD, and over 130,000 On Demand titles, thousands free. This exclusive online-only savings is only available to new Verizon customers or those upgrading to the Triple Play Package.

travel

Alamo 800-462-5266 www.alamo.com Drive Happy® with Alamo® where NARFE members receive year-round discounts. Call or visit our website today and reference Contract ID 262544.

Choice Hotels International 800-258-2847 www.choicehotels.com With 6,200 hotels in the United States and throughout the world, Choice Hotels® offers something for everyone. Join the Choice Privileges® rewards program and earn points with every qualifying stay toward free nights, Airline Rewards, gift cards, charitable donations and more. As a NARFE member, receive 20% off your next stay at participating hotels when you use Special Rate ID 00801967. This offer is subject to availability and cannot be combined with any other offer. Advance reservations required through phone number or website above; cannot be redeemed at individual hotels.

ticipating locations. Call and give the agent your special discount ID number, 8000002694, at time of booking to receive discount. Whether you are looking for an upscale hotel, an all-inclusive resort or something more costeffective, we have the right hotel for you ... and at the right price. Call to reserve your room today at one of these fine hotels: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts®, Days Inn®, Ramada Worldwide®, Baymont Inns and Suites®, Hawthorn Suites® By Wyndham, Microtel Inns and Suites®, Howard Johnson®, Travelodge® and Knights Inn®. Advance reservations required through phone number above; cannot be redeemed at individual hotels.

Wellness

Beltone Hearing Care 888-418-6763

Local Hospitality www.narfe.org/travel

new

NARFE is pleased to offer its members an exclusive travel discount service.

Savings may exceed 50% and average 10-20% below market on all hotels and car rental suppliers around the world.

Any hotel, any car, anywhere, anytime!

National 800-CAR-RENT www.nationalcarrental.com You Drive A Hard Bargain. Receive up to 20% off rentals at National Car Rental. To make a reservation, call National Car Rental at 1-800-CARRENT® and reference Contract ID 5282909. For complete terms and conditions, visit www.narfe.org/ memberperks.

Wyndham Hotel Group 877-670-7088 NARFE members receive up to 20% off the “Best Available Rate” at par-

Beltone has been helping the world hear better for 75 years. NARFE members receive 25% off, and those with Blue Cross Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan insurance coverage may be eligible for two Beltone True 3™ hearing aids for ZERO out-of-pocket.

Life Line Screening 800-324-9906 www.lifelinescreening.com/ NARFE Life Line Screening, America’s leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings, will conduct health screenings using state-ofthe-art ultrasound technology in your neighborhood. To schedule an appointment, please call the number above and give the operator code number BKHN075 or visit the website.

NARFE Member Perks are designed to provide NARFE members with a quality option in their search for commonly used products and services. NARFE makes no guarantee on any products and services listed and encourages its members to shop and compare before making a decision on any financial matter. w w w. n a r f e . o r g

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The Way We Worked

shining symbol of decorum In this 1955 photo, House Sergeant at Arms Zeke W. Johnson, Jr., right, supervises as House Messenger Leo Glascoe polishes the House mace. The mace is placed by the sergeant at arms on a green marble pedestal on the rostrum each time the House of Representatives convenes. The sergeant at arms is the House’s principal law enforcement official and, at the direction of the speaker of the House, can restore order in the chamber by presenting the mace in front of an unruly member.

Photo from the Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives; courtesy of Felicia Wivchar, assistant curator of the House of Representatives; 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 http://shfg.org.

52

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Did you know?

The sergeant at arms of the House of Representatives is an elected officer of the House.

The position currently is occupied by Paul D. Irving, the 36th sergeant at arms since 1789. One of several support offices in the House, the office of the sergeant at arms is in charge of House chamber security, issues ID badges, and oversees the House parking garages and parking security.

Co N nt o ra ct

ife et e G bl r L K. ou fo TAL D es ut E in W M ith w

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