COOL NO-IRON SLACKS
l a u Cas Joe d Haban
XS Inseams ! Waists to 62
NEW! Grey
Full Elastic Waist with Front Zipper & Snap Close!
You’ll love the comfort! Waist gives & takes with your every move! Light weight, quick-dry cotton & polyester is 100% NO IRON PERMANENT PRESS! • 4 Deep No-Hole pockets • Snap Closure • Indestructible nylon Zipper Fly • XTRA Sturdy Belt Loops • Convenient Golfer’s Locker Loop! It’s all MACHINE WASH & WEAR! COOL, COMFORTABLE, S-T-R-E-T-C-H COMFORT! If you wonder how other men look so good, ask them about Haband! Better yet, see for yourself! Be amazed at our Fast Reliable Service! $14.991⁄2 per pair! No Risk Guarantee!! Hurry!
Black
2 Big Side Pockets! 2 Button-Flap Back Pockets!
Khaki
Belt Loops too, including Center Back!
pai rs y l f or on *
NEW
Brown
Shirts!
and Blue
Haband #1 Bargain Place, Jessup, PA 18434-1834 Send _____ shirts & _____ slacks. I enclose $________ purchase Postage is FREE on this order! price plus $7.99 toward postage.
Cadet Blue
In GA add sales tax.
On-Line Quick Order
FOR MAXIMUM COMFORT, ORDER YOUR USUAL WAIST SIZE!
Waists: 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 *Big Men ($4 more per pair): 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 Inseams: XS(25-26) S(27-28) M(29-30) L(31-32) XL (33-34) (XL inseam available in 32-44 waists only) SLACKS 2 for $29.99* SHIRTS $9.99 each WHAT
WHAT
HOW
7FL–0754T WAIST? INSEAM? MANY?
Matching Shirts
KHAKI 2E 5J CADET BLUE BLACK 01 GREY 06 BROWN 04
Khaki
s All Sizeow Same Le! Pric
9.99 each
Imported
Burgundy
Black
FREE Postage! New Customer Offer
3 for 42.97 4 for 55.95 5 for 67.87
WHAT HO
7FL–13406 SIZE? MA EB BURGUNDY 05 BLUE BLACK 01 2E KHAKI
$
Handsome vertical striping makes you look slimmer! Rib knit collar, roomy fit, handy chest pocket and banded bottom. Dyed to match the pants. Stretchy cotton/polyester knit. Imported. 100% Wash & Wear. Sizes: S(34-36) M(38-40) L(42-44) XL(46-48) 2XL(50-52) 3XL(54-56) & 4XL(58-60) When you pay by check, you authorize us to use information from your check to clear it electronically. Funds may be withdrawn from your account as soon as the same day we receive your payment, and you will not receive your check back from your financial institution.
Check
Card # _____________________________________Exp.: ______/_____ Mr. Mrs. Ms. ________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________ Apt. # ______ City & State __________________________________ Zip ___________ Duke Habernickel #1 Bargain Place Jessup, PA 18434
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed or Full Refund of merchandise purchase price.
Shop Online: Haband.com
For Active and Retired Federal Employees
RETIREMENT LIFE
MAY 2011, Volume 87, Number 5
LEGISLATIVE REPORT 8 12
House Panel Debates Federal Pay Levels
16 18 20
Bill Would End FERS Pensions for New Hires
Benefits Battle Imminent in Debate Over Raising Debt Limit
Member Says: Don’t Cut Tsunami Warning Center Civics 101: Meet Your Representative
COVER STORY 22
34 40 42 48 51 54
Standing Up, Speaking Out on Capitol Hill: Turnout was high for NARFE’s 2011 Legislative Training Conference. Attendees listened, learned, and then made their case to Congress.
Cover Photos by MikeTheiler Cover design by Jim Richards
COLUMNS 6 Message From the National President
28 Managing Money 30 Live Well 32 Civil Service Career Coach
NARFE Resources
DEPARTMENTS
NARFE-PAC Coupon . . . . . . . .16
Questions & Answers
Alzheimer’s Coupon . . . . . . . . .48
Retirement Benefits
Membership Application . . . . . .49
NARFE News
DuesWithholdingApplication . .50
Out & About
Life MembershipApplication . . .51
Letters For the Record: TSP Investments, COLA Chart
visit us online at www.narfe.org
NARFE Member Perks . . . . . . .52
NATIONAL OFFICERS
Here’s How to Contact NARFE ...
JOSEPH A. BEAUDOIN, President; natpres@narfe.org PAUL H. CAREW, Vice President; natvp@narfe.org ELAINE HUGHES, Secretary; natsec@narfe.org RICHARD G. THISSEN, Treasurer; nattreas@narfe.org
If you want to: • Join NARFE Call (toll-free):
800-627-3394 or 800-456-8410 Or go to:
www.narfe.org If you want to: • Change your address • Check your membership status • Find out dues owed • Provide a death notification Call (toll-free):
800-456-8410 E-mail:
memberrecords@narfe.org If you want to: • Add your e-mail address to your record (to receive GEMS e-mail messages, the Legislative Hotline and NARFE NewsWatch): Call (toll-free):
800-456-8410 E-mail:
memberrecords@narfe.org E-mail: memberrecords@narfeorg
If you want to:
• Hear the Legislative Hotline Call (toll-free):
877-217-8234 If you want to: • Get materials to recruit new members: Call (toll-free):
800-627-3394 E-mail:
rr@narfe.org For any other NARFE matter: Call NARFE Headquarters
703-838-7760 E-mail:
hq@narfe.org
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS REGION I Gilbert W. Blaisdell (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont) Tel: 978-388-1830 E-mail: narf1568@comcast.net REGION II Ronald P. Bowers (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) Tel: 410-308-0420 E-mail: narferbowers@msn.com REGION III Donald Stewart (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina and Virgin Islands) Tel: 305-442-6388 E-mail: dejs33149@aol.com REGION IV Paul E. Johnson (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin) Tel: 812-306-5137 E-mail: pejohnson@tds.net REGION V Carol R. Ek (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota) Tel: 620-241-1131 E-mail: ek617@att.net
REGION VI Jerome S. Smith (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Republic of Panama and Texas) Tel: 903-534-5849 E-mail: retiredjer@aol.com REGION VII Betty Lucero-Turner (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) Tel: 719-583-0910 E-mail: blturner2311@aol.com REGION VIII Helen L. Zajac (California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada and Republic of Philippines) Tel: 707-644-7565 E-mail: hlz17@aol.com REGION IX Lanny G. Ross (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington) Tel: 360-692-9741 E-mail: lannyjean@comcast.net REGION X William F. Martin (Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia) Tel: 540-872-3345 E-mail: narfe2065@hughes.net
NARFE MAGAZINE Volume 87,Number 5 Editor, Margaret M. Carter Assistant Editor, Donna J. St. John Editorial Administrator, Toni Vallario Graphic Designer, Beth Bedard Contributing Designers, Charlene Gridley, Jim Richards Editorial Board: Joseph A. Beaudoin, Paul H. Carew, Elaine Hughes, Richard G. Thissen Editorial Office: NARFE, Attn: NARFE magazine, 606 North Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314-1914; Phone: 703-838-7760; Fax: 703-838-7781; E-mail: rl@narfe.org Advertising Sales: Warren Berger, Media People Inc., 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 725, New York, NY 10168; 212-779-7172, ext. 223; E-mail: 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 866-504-7300 or go to www.nfbnewsline.org. On Tape: Issues of NARFE magazine are also available on cassette through the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. To find out about availability in your area, call 800-424-8567 and ask for the Reference Section. 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.
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. Non-member subscription rate $45. Postmaster: Send address change to: NARFE Attn:Member Records,NARFE 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. Contents of this magazine are copyrighted © 2011.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.
4
MAY 2011 | NARFE
AS95
W LO 43 $
When they’re gone, they’re gone. Get 2011 Silver Pandas while our supplies last! China’s Silver Panda is one Troy ounce of precious silver. But it’s hard to get your hands on this elusive coin! By ordering directly from us, you get our best price plus a full 30-day money-back guarantee. Last year, 2010 Silver Pandas sold out. Now they’re selling for as much as $69.95 each in the marketplace. The 2011 Silver Pandas are already hard to find. So call now while our supplies last to avoid disappointment.
2010
SOLD OUT!
The more you buy, the more you save! One 2011 Silver Panda for only $49.95 each + s/h Five for only $48.95 each + s/h Save $5 Half Roll (10) for only $46.95 each + s/h Save $30 Bankers Roll (20) for only $43.95 each + s/h Save $120
Toll-Free 24 hours a day
1-888-870-7381
Offer Code PSL129 Please mention this code when you call.
14101 Southcross Drive W., Dept. PSL129, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337
www.GovMint.com/2011Panda Prices and availability subject to change without notice. Actual size is 40 mm. Note: GovMint.com is a private distributor of worldwide government coin issues and is not affiliated with the United States Government. Facts and figures were deemed accurate as of January 2011. ©GovMint.com, 2011
®
A Message From the National President
A Life Celebrated
T
his is a very difficult column to write. By now, most of you have learned of the death of National Treasurer Charles W. Saylor on March 7. While Charley had been ill for several weeks, his death came as a shock to all of us. To say that he will be missed at Headquarters doesn’t truly convey his contributions to NARFE. Even though the current administration has only been on board since November 1, 2010, the four of us have become very close friends and worked well together. Charley served NARFE for many, many years at the chapter, federation and national levels. His love and labors for NARFE were boundless, and we mourn his passing. Ironically, the National Executive Board (NEB) was together at the time Charley died, having held its regularly scheduled meeting, followed by attendance at the NARFE Legislative Training Conference in Arlington, VA. Instead of joining the conference attendees on their trip to Capitol Hill to meet with their members of Congress and staffs, the board met at Headquarters to discuss how to fill the National Treasurer position. The feeling of the NEB was that the position should be filled as quickly as possible. After some discussion, Region V Vice President Richard G. Thissen of Missouri was nominated for the office of National Treasurer and was elected unanimously by the NEB. Dick will fill the unexpired term until the next National Convention in Reno in 2012. I had planned to use this column to talk about the March NEB meeting and the NARFE Legislative Training Conference. Much of our time was spent on the new NARFE initiative, “Protect America’s Heartbeat,” to defend our earned benefits and promote the value of federal employees and retirees to our nation’s growth and security. We heard a very detailed report from our advisers in this effort, M+R Strategic Services, on accomplishments to date and plans for future activities. The success of future activities will depend, in part, on our members’ support, and I will
have more on this later. As valuable as NARFE magazine is in keeping members informed, we may find ourselves in crisis mode at times in the days ahead. It is more important now than ever that we have immediate access to our grass-roots legislative activists. To do this, we need the e-mail addresses of as many members as possible. Please consider supplying your address to NARFE HQ so that we can alert you to fast-breaking news on the legislative front and provide information on how you can assist in protecting your benefits and retirement security. The NARFE Legislative Training Conference following the NEB meeting was outstanding, with more attendees than at any conference in recent memory. And I was most gratified to see that nearly 60 percent were at their first Legislative Conference. This tells me that more members are coming to understand that our benefits are in jeopardy, and they’re willing to join us in our fight to protect them. We were honored to have a number of members and former members of Congress appear at the conference, either during the formal sessions or at the Protect America’s Heartbeat campaign kickoff in the Rayburn House Office Building. Again, please share your e-mail address with us to stay informed and be in a position to respond to urgent calls for action. To add your email address to your membership record, go to www.narfe.org; sign in as a member; then click on “Join GEMS” in the left panel on the Members Home Page; or call Member Records at 800-456-8410. We also need your support in our Protect America’s Heartbeat campaign. To learn more and find out how you can participate, go to www.ProtectAmericasHeartbeat.org. Together, we can emerge from our 90th year in existence as a stronger, more vital Association.
CHARLEY SAYLOR’S love and labors for NARFE were boundless, and we mourn his passing.
6
Joseph A. Beaudoin natpres@narfe.org
MAY 2011 | NARFE
Presenting the Acoustic Wave ® music system II. Our best-performing all-in-one music system.
When we introduced the original Acoustic Wave® music system, Sound & Vision said it delivered “possibly the bestreproduced sound many people have ever heard.” And the Oregonian reported it had “changed the way many Americans listen to music.” Today, the improved Acoustic Wave® music system II builds on our more than 40 years of industry-leading innovation to deliver even better sound. This is the bestperforming all-in-one music system we’ve ever made, with sound that rivals large and complicated stereos. There’s no stack of equipment. No tangle of wires. Just all-in-one convenience and lifelike sound. Even better sound than its award-winning predecessor. With recently developed Bose® technologies, our engineers were able to make the acclaimed sound even more natural. We believe you’ll appreciate the quality even at volume levels approaching that of a live performance. Use it where you like. This small system fits almost anywhere. You can move it from room to room, or take it outside. It has what you need to enjoy your music, including a built-in CD player and digital FM/AM tuner. You also can easily connect additional sources like your iPod,® iPad® or TV.
Hear it yourself risk free for 30 days. Use our 30-day, risk-free trial to try it in your home. When you call, ask about making 12 easy payments, with no interest charges from Bose.* And if you order now, you’ll receive the optional 5-CD Changer free – a $299 value. The changer lets you enjoy your music for hours without stopping to change CDs. And a slim, credit card-style remote lets you conveniently control both the Acoustic Wave® music system II and the changer. Compare the performance with large, multiFREE 5-CD Changer component stereos costing much when you order by more. And discover why Bose is May 31, 2011. the most respected name in sound. To order or learn more:
1-800-475-2073,
ext. G8949 www.Bose.com/AWMS2
Name________________________________________________________ Address______________________________________________________ City_________________________________ State_____Zip____________ Phone_________________ E-mail (Optional)_________________________ Mail to: DMG Customer Service, Bose Corp., PO Box 9168, Framingham, MA 01701-9168
Shown in Graphite Gray with optional 5-CD Changer.
I N
T H E
H O M E
•
A R O U N D
T H E
H O M E
•
A W A Y
F R O M
H O M E
*Bose payment plan available on orders of $299-$1500 paid by major credit card. Separate financing offers may be available for select products. See website for details. Down payment is 1/12 the product price plus applicable tax and shipping charges, charged when your order is shipped. Then, your credit card will be billed for 11 equal monthly installments beginning approximately one month from the date your order is shipped, with 0% APR and no interest charges from Bose. Credit card rules and interest may apply. U.S. residents only. Limit one active financing program per customer. ©2011 Bose Corporation. The Acoustic Wave® music system II design is a registered trademark of Bose Corporation. Financing and free 5-CD Changer offers not to be combined with other offers or applied to previous purchases, and subject to change without notice. If the Acoustic Wave® music system II is returned, the 5-CD Changer must be returned for a full refund. Offers are limited to purchases made from Bose and participating authorized dealers. Offer valid 4/1/11-5/31/11. Risk free refers to 30-day trial only, requires product purchase and does not include return shipping. Delivery is subject to product availability. iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Quotes reprinted with permission: Sound & Vision, 3/85; Wayne Thompson, Oregonian, 9/10/96.
LEGISLATIVE REPORT
House Panel Debates Calls Federal Pay Levels NARFE Data Skewed,
T
he House Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, U.S.
Postal Service and Labor Policy held a hearing on March 9 titled “Are Federal Workers Underpaid?” It was clear that, before he even banged the gavel to begin the
hearing, Subcommittee Chairman Dennis A. Ross, R-FL, thought he had the answer – unequivocally no. Two posters were hung prominently behind him. One poster said that the average compensation for a government worker in 2010 was $101,628, compared with $60,000 for a private-sector worker.
Oddly, Ross later claimed that federal employees earn “four times more than the average private-sector worker,” a confusing conclusion, even based on his own dubious data, originally from the Cato Institute, a Washington, DC, think tank that advocates smaller government. Unusual for this subcommittee, all of the members of the subcommittee, from both parties, attended the hearing, signaling the gravity of the question at hand and its importance to budget fights ahead. Subcommittee hearings typically are attended by only the chairman and ranking member, with occasional cameo appearances by other members. The Federal Workforce Subcommittee may play a leading role in pushing through cuts to federal retirement and health benefits. In the con-
8
gressional budget process, the subcommittee may be instructed to reduce mandatory spending programs under its jurisdiction by a specific dollar amount in the billions of dollars. Because the major mandatory spending programs under its jurisdiction are civil service retirement and health benefits programs, such an instruction would require billions of dollars in cuts to those benefits. The March 9 hearing was about setting the stage for significant cuts ahead, and every subcommittee member knew it.
OPM DIRECTOR TESTIFIES The hearing’s first witness, John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management, acknowledged that the federal pay system could be improved, but said that he rejected the “mis-
Outdated ■ With 287 participants
representing 46 federations, the 2011 NARFE Legislative Training Conference was one of the largest in recent memory. ■ The conference was held
March 5-8 in Arlington, VA. NARFE members traveled from near and far to attend, including registrants from Alaska and Puerto Rico. ■ Almost 60 percent of
attendees were participating in their first Legislative Conference. ■ Six attendees had participated
in at least the last seven conferences (which are held every two years). ■ See pp.22-27 for full
conference coverage.
LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE Toll-free! (24 Hours): 877-217-8234 Legislative Action Center: www.narfe.org MAY 2011 | NARFE
Own a piece of the Wild West An exclus exclusive, sive heirloom heirloom-quality quality ring featuring a genuine U.S. Indian Head Nickel
ACT
) CRAFTED
N
OW! SUPP LIES A RE LIMI TED.
OF
SOLID STERLING SILVER WITH
24K
GOLD
PLATING AND TURQUOISE ENAMELIN ENAMELING G
CENTERPIECE IS A GENUINE U.S. INDIAN HEAD NICKEL
X OUR
COIN RING IS A STRICT LIMITED EDITION DUE TO THE SCARCITY OF INDIAN HEAD NICKELS
X Sides feature a dramatic buffalo portrait recalling the Indian Head Nickel’s reverse design
A BRADFORD EXCHANGE MINT EXCLUSIVE— NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE ... AND ONLY FOR A LIMITED TIME!
Honor the spirit of America’s West Long a collector’s favorite, the classic obverse design of the Indian Head Nickel was chosen to honor the proud Native American heritage and spirit of America’s West. Expertly crafted in solid sterling silver plated in 24K gold with turquoise enameling, the Indian Head Nickel Ring features a genuine—and increasingly scarce—U.S. Indian Head Nickel as its centerpiece. Because each coin has its own unique characteristics, each ring is a true one-of-a-kind! Engraved inside is the inscription: “Indian Head Nickel: Honoring the American West.� A hand-crafted jewelry exclusive ... and a superb value
LIMITED TIME OFFER
Comes om me es in nah handsome an a nds som presentation case
RESERVATION APPLICATION
SEND NO MONEY NOW
the
M i nt
9345 Milwaukee Avenue ¡ Niles, IL 60714-1393 Please reserve the Indian Head Nickel Ring for me as described in this announcement. Limit: one per order. Please Respond Promptly
YES.
Actual Size Your Complete Satisfaction Guaranteed To assure a proper fit, a ring sizer will be sent to you after your reservation has been accepted.
Act now, and this genuine piece of American history can be yours for just $129, payable in three convenient installments of $43 each. To reserve your ring, backed by our unconditional, 120-day guarantee, send no money now. Just return the Reservation Certificate. But hurry—this is a limited www.bradfordexchange.com/ring Š2010 BGE 17-00087-001-BIV2 time offer!
Mrs. Mr. Ms.
Name (Please Print Clearly)
Address City State
Zip
17-00087-001-E40931
$9.00 shipping and service per item. Please allow 4-6 weeks after initial payment for shipment. Sales subject to product availability and order acceptance.
Legislative Report leading” data that perpetuate the myth that federal employees are overcompensated. “As a whole, the wages that the federal government pays its employees are fair, and the benefits it offers are competitive,” he said. Berry said that any comparison between federal and private-sector workers must take into account “important differences in the skill levels, complexity of work, scope of responsibility, size of organization, location, experience level and special requirements, as well as exposure to personal danger.” For example, he said, data from the Current Population Survey, produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau, show that half of federal employees work in the nine highest-paying occupation groups, such as judges, engineers, scientists and nuclear plant inspectors. In comparison, he said, less than a third of private-sector workers were in those same nine highest-paying groups. In fact, when taking into account important differences in skill level, etc., the President’s Pay Agent (the Secretary of Labor, and the directors of the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management) finds that federal employees are paid an average of 24 percent less than their private-sector counterparts. Berry also presented an argument for paying federal employees adequately. “Federal employees hold lives in their hands and oversee large sums of taxpayer money. We need talented people at the Department of Defense supporting our war fighters. We need great doctors, nurses and scientists at our veterans’ hospitals and the National Institutes of Health doing life-saving work. We need creative and tough men and women at the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to protect us from another terrorist attack. These are highly skilled jobs, and the people who fill them cost money.”
BAN ON MERIT-BASED RAISES SOUGHT If it was not already clear that the hearing was being used to set the stage for cuts to federal pay, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-UT, removed any confusion. In questioning Berry, Chaffetz challenged the effectiveness of the two-year pay freeze imposed on federal employees. Particularly, he complained that employees can still get bonuses and awards for good performance, as well as performance and longevity-based “step” increases to their salary. Rep. Darrell E. Issa, R-CA, chairman of the full Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, also dismissed the seriousness of the pay freeze, calling again for a ban on step increases. (On February 19, the House rejected an amendment offered by Issa that would have done just that.)
10
STORY HIGHLIGHTS ■ The House Subcommittee on the Federal
Workforce,U.S.Postal Service and Labor Policy held a hearing on the issue of federal pay levels. ■ Subcommittee Chairman DennisA.Ross,R-FL, appeared to have already made up his mind,with a poster that claimed that feds are paid more than private-sector workers. ■ NARFE said such claims are false and based on data that are skewed,outdated and don’t tell the full story. Berry rejected the notion that the pay freeze did not amount to a sacrifice by federal employees, noting that it will save $28 billion over five years. He also pointed out that the average bonus was less than $1,000, and that bonuses and awards amounted to less than 2 percent of payroll costs.
NARFE REJECTS FALSE CLAIMS In a written statement entered into the record, NARFE President Joseph A. Beaudoin expressed concern that federal employees who perform vital services are being vilified in the public’s eyes. He argued that these portrayals “stem from the false claims that federal employees are paid more than their private-sector counterparts. These claims are based on studies that use data that is skewed, outdated and don’t tell the full story.”
THE BATTLE CONTINUES James Sherk, a senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation (another think tank advocating small government); and Andrew Biggs, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (a free enterprise think tank), defended their conclusions that feds are overpaid. Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, defended the government method of comparing pay, which finds federal employees are paid 24 percent less. She also challenged the reliability of Sherk’s and Biggs’ conclusions. “The witnesses who will claim today that federal employees are overpaid have clear ideological views that I believe should raise serious questions about the reliability of their findings,” Kelley said in her statement. Attempting to find a middle ground, Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, rejected the question of whether federal employees are overpaid or underpaid, on average. Instead, he suggested moving to a more market-based compensation system that better aligns pay with the market on a job-to-job basis.
By John Hatton,Legislative Specialist MAY 2011 | NARFE
THE MOST COMFORTABLE SOCKS YOU’LL EVER WEAR!
RECEIVE A
WITH EVERY ORDER
Dept. 64202 © 2011 Dream Products, Inc.
NON-BINDING SOCKS NOT JUST FOR DIABETICS •Improve Circulation •24 Hour Comfort & Support •Cool Breathable Cotton •Unique Knit Keeps Feet Cool & Dry •Extra Long Generous Cut
WON’T BIND OR FALL DOWN!
ONLY
4
$ 97
Recommended For Diabetics, Chronic Foot Problems, Edema, Poor Circulation, Cold & Sensitive Feet
A PAIR!
Natural White
Extra Soft Cushioned Sole
Black
Order Toll Free 1-800-530-2689
www.DreamProductsCatalog.com (website offers may vary) If you suffer from Diabetes or have any other foot or circulation problems, these socks are just for you. Non-binding top is specially designed to reduce pressure on sensitive legs and feet. Unique weave of Non Binding Top 95% cotton, 5% elastic allows circulation of air that provides extra “breathing” power for increased energy to your legs for 24 hour comfort and support. Imported or made in the USA. Hurry and order today! Satisfaction Guaranteed or Return For Your Money Back
K VISA K MasterCard K Discover®/NOVUSSMCards
Diabetic Socks
Cool, Durable, Comfortable
90653 90668 90669 90654 90666 90667
Natural Men’s Sz. 10-13 Qty____
White Men’s Sz. 10-13 Qty____
Black Men’s Sz. 10-13 Qty____
Natural Ladies’ Sz. 9-11 Qty____
White Black Ladies’ Ladies’ Sz. 9-11 Sz. 9-11 Qty____ Qty___
Card#
Expiration Date
/
Dept. 64202
Name Address
_____ Pair(s) Diabetic Socks @ $4.97 each pair $ City
CA residents must add 8.25% sales tax $
K
Add $2.95 Shipping & Handling for first pair Add $1.00 for each additional pairs ordered $ FOR EXPEDITED SHIPPING (optional) (receive your order 5-7 days from shipment) $ PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY
TOTAL $
ST
Zip
Daytime Phone #
2.95
Email Address
Check or money order payable to: Dream Products, Inc.
Send Order To: 412 Dream Lane, Van Nuys, CA 91496
Legislative Report
Benefits Battle Imminent in Debate Over Raising Debt Limit
W
hile the media have focused on the seemingly never-ending battle in Congress over current year funding (annual appropriations), what is not being discussed – but is very much on the minds of fiscal experts – is the upcoming fight over increasing the statutory limit on the public debt. During this process, federal retirement, pay and health benefits are likely to be targeted. According to the Treasury Department, the debt limit will be reached sometime between April 15 and May 31. This will be the crucial point when budget hawks in Congress will be at the height of their leverage by withholding their vote for a debt limit increase until there is consensus on making unprecedented cuts in entitlement and other direct-spending programs. Reductions in the earned retirement, pay and health benefits of federal employees and annuitants are likely to receive serious consideration. The starting point for discussions could be as high as $70 billion in savings from federal civil service benefits over 10 years.
CURRENT YEAR FUNDING On March 17, the Senate passed the sixth temporary continuing resolution (H.J. Res. 48), which kept the government running until April 8 at funding slightly below fiscal year (FY) 2010 levels. The Senate voted 87-13 to pass the measure. On March 15, the House of Representatives approved H.J. Res. 48 by a vote of 271-158. Fifty-four Republicans and 104 Democrats voted against the stopgap spending bill. Although 186 Republicans voted for the measure, House Speaker John A. Boehner, R-OH, needed the votes of 85 Democrats to get the measure passed. Of the 54 Republicans who voted against the bill, many said afterward that they would not support compromise 2011 spending legislation that would be acceptable to Senate Democrats. Absent enough votes in the House, an impasse on the 2011 budget, resulting in a government shutdown, seemed possible at press time. Behind the scenes, Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV, and the White House were working on another continuing appropriations bill that would extend
12
STORY HIGHLIGHTS ■ Federal retirement,pay and benefits will likely be
targeted when Congress begins to debate legislation to raise the statutory debt limit. ■ The debt limit will be reached before May 31. ■ Exactly what legislative vehicle will be used to bring federal benefits into the crosshairs is not known at this time. ■ NARFE members will be notified immediately by e-mail if a threat is imminent and advised how to act to defend benefits.Members should provide their e-mail addresses to NARFE HQ. spending through the balance of the fiscal year, which ends on September 30. In March, key leaders said they hoped to negotiate a compromise before Congress adjourns for the two-week Easter-Passover recess, which starts on April 18.
DEBT LIMIT AND 2012 BUDGET Before leaving Washington for the April recess, legislators also must increase the debt limit to avoid a government default. But many freshmen members of the House have said that they will not support the debt limit hike unless there are substantial cuts in next year’s FY 2012 budget. This means that lawmakers could be haggling over 2011 and 2012 spending and the debt limit increase all before April 18. The fight over current year spending is limited to 12 percent of the federal budget – annual funding measures that pay for the day-to-day operation of government, also known as “discretionary spending.” Consideration of the 2012 budget would mean that lawmakers, for the first time in the 112th Congress (2011-2012), would deliberate over entitlement spending, which makes up about 65 percent of the federal budget. An entitlement is a legal obligation of the government to make specific payments based on the eligibility criteria set in law. Federal retirees are entitled to a civil service annuity and health benefits because they worked a sufficient number of years for the government and made contributions to the retirement system. Entitlements also are referred to as “mandatory spending.” Other examples include Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and military retirement. Given MAY 2011 | NARFE
Legislative Report considered, including a voucher system for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program in which enrollees would pay a higher percentage of premiums each year, to the point that many could ugust, NARFE’s Grass-Roots Advocacy Month, is fast coming upon us, no longer afford health insurance. In adand members are encouraged to begin planning. dition, proposals to lower federal civilian The August congressional “recesses,” currently scheduled for August 5cost-of-living adjustments, calculate anSeptember 7, provide the perfect opportunity to meet with members of nuities based on the high-five years of Congress in their home districts.(See story,p.20.) salary instead of the high-three years NARFE’s local presence during these work periods can have a tremendous and significantly increase employee impact on advancing our legislative agenda. It is vital that chapters and fedcontributions to the retirement trust erations schedule meetings with their representatives and senators, as well fund would be on the table. as plan for letter-writing campaigns. NARFE has repeatedly pointed to Federation,district and chapter officers are encouraged to begin planning the commission’s proposals to cut fedoutreach efforts. Toolkits and helpful information are available on NARFE’s eral retirement, pay and health benefits website,www.narfe.org. as the likely starting point for the budget cuts Congress will consider for fiscal year 2012. the loaded meaning sometimes attached to the word “entiThe proposal in a bill introduced by Sen. Richard Burr (Rtlement,” NARFE often more properly refers to federal NC) to end the Federal Employees Retirement System ancivilian retirement as an “earned entitlement.“ nuity for newly hired workers will probably receive serious consideration, too (see p. 16). PATH TOWARD 2012 CUTS Sen. Burr’s bill and the Fiscal Commission’s proposals to If negotiators on the 2011 spending bill also try to tackle cut federal employee and annuity compensation are unthe debt limit and the 2012 budget, the first attempts to cut likely to move as separate pieces of legislation. Instead, the entitlement spending – including federal retirement and reduction proposals could be added by congressional health benefits – might take two different paths. leaders as part of a budget compromise in April or May with First, they might instruct the House Committee on Overlittle warning. This is why NARFE has been asking lawsight and Government Reform and the Senate Committee on makers to defend the integrity of the earned compensation Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs to reduce of federal workers and annuitants since the commission’s mandatory programs under their jurisdiction by a specific proposals were first made several months ago. You can help amount in the billions of dollars. The two committees would send that message to your members of Congress today by likely react by approving reductions to civil service retirement participating in NARFE’s “Protect America’s Heartbeat” camand health benefits because they are the only entitlement paign and visiting www.ProtectAmericasHeartbeat.org. programs under their respective jurisdictions. Key players would include House Committee Chairman Darrell E. Issa, RCA; Ranking Democratic Member Elijah E. Cummings, DSTAY IN THE LOOP MD; House Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce NARFE will immediately notify members about action Chairman Dennis A. Ross, R-FL; Subcommittee Ranking on proposals to cut their benefits or pay and provide inMember Stephen F. Lynch, D-MA; Senate Committee structions on how best to respond. That is all the more Chairman Joseph I. Lieberman, I-CT; Ranking Republican reason to become part of our online network by sending Member Susan M. Collins, R-ME; Senate Subcommittee on your e-mail address to the NARFE Member Records Dethe Federal Workforce Chairman Daniel K. Akaka, D-HI; and partment at memberrecords@narfe.org. Be sure to mention Subcommittee Ranking Member Ron Johnson, R-WI. that you want your e-mail address added to your memberSecond, budget negotiators could make their own proship record. You also can add your e-mail address to your posals to cut federal retirement and health benefits to record online at www.narfe.org. Click on Membership, log achieve a particular spending reduction goal. Recommenin as a member, then click on “Join GEMS” in the left panel. dations made by the National Commission on Fiscal ReBy Dan Adcock,Legislative Director sponsibility and Reform in December 2010 are likely to be Legislative Counsel Alan Lopatin contributed to this article.
MarkYour Calendars – August Is NARFEAdvocacy Month
A
14
MAY 2011 | NARFE
Sa vin Off gs er Ca rd
“
We have had the Sleep Number bed for a few years now and can say it is the
Bo nu s
very best investment we have ever made. Back pain was a fact of life for me for years. After sleeping on the Sleep Number bed, I have improved significantly. It is amazing
to go to bed in pain and wake up refreshed and pain free.
”
$5 0
Janet D., Mt. Vernon, WA
Take Control Of Your Sleep
®
Are You Frustrated by the Quality of Your Sleep?
The Sleep Number® Bed Makes Innersprings Obsolete
Do you toss and turn at night? Can’t seem to find a comfortable position? Does your back ache when you awake? These are signs that your mattress may not be supporting you properly, robbing you of the sleep you need. SUFFER NO MORE!
A traditional innerspring mattress offers only hard metal coils for support. By contrast, the Sleep Number bed features adjustable air-chamber technology to decrease pressure and increase comfort.
You Customize the Firmness
IndividualFitSM 3-D imaging lets you see how the Sleep Number bed adjusts to your precise zone of firmness and support.
SOFTER
FIRMER
BEFORE… Your Body on an Innerspring Mattress
®
The SLEEP NUMBER bed is unlike any other. It’s the bed you adjust to your FIRMNESS ADJUSTS exact comfort and firmness preference, your SLEEP NUMBER® setting. Our easy-to-use handheld remote and advanced air-chamber technology allow you to quickly adjust the firmness from extra firm to feather soft at the touch of a button.
More Pressure
ON EACH SIDE
Less Pressure
AFTER… Your Body on a Sleep Number® Bed
TRY IT FOR 30 NIGHTS, RISK FREE!† We’re so sure you’ll sleep better, you can take up to one month to decide, or your money back!† You’ve got to sleep on it
Each Side of the Bed Adjusts Independently Best of all, each side of the Sleep Number bed adjusts independently, making it the perfect bed for couples.
Get Relief from Back Pain
to believe it.
Receive a Special Thank You Gift! For a limited time, inquire about our revolutionary bed and we’ll send you a special $50 Savings Card to use toward the purchase of any Sleep Number bed or accessory items of $100 or more.‡
For better sleep, CALL NOW! 1-800-831-1211 ext 39670 sleepnumber50.com
T
YES! Please send me a FREE Brochure, DVD and Pricing.
T It’s the bed clinically proven to relieve back pain and improve sleep quality. Clinical studies show an amazing 93% of participants reported back-pain relief while 90% said other aches and pains were reduced.*
Limited-Time Bonus! $50 Thank You Savings Card!‡
Name_________________________________________________________________ (Please print)
Address_______________________________________________________________ City_________________________________ State______________ Zip___________ Daytime Phone________________________ Email___________________________
*For a summary of independent clinical studies, call 1-800-831-1211. †If not satisfied after 30 nights, call within 45 days of delivery to arrange return. We’ll reimburse the purchase price less your initial shipping or Home Delivery and Setup fees. You pay return shipping. No returns or exchanges on adjustable bases, closeout or demo bed models. ‡Restrictions apply. See savings card for details and expiration date. ©2008 Select Comfort
ext. 39670
Mail to: Select Comfort, 9800 59th Avenue N., Minneapolis, MN 55442-9971
Legislative Report
Bill Would End FERS Pensions For New Federal Hires
F
ederal Employees Retirement System (FERS) defined-benefit annuities would be eliminated for all new government hires under a bill introduced March 17 by Sen. Richard Burr, R-NC. S. 644, the Public-Private Employee Retirement Parity Act of 2011, would be effective in 2013. Currently, FERS has three parts: a defined-benefit annuity, the Thrift Savings Plan and Social Security. Sen. Tom A. Coburn, M.D., R-OK, one of the bill’s cosponsors, claimed that the federal retirement system is underfunded and implied that it was in danger of going “bellyup.” But the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service reports that the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund is in no danger of becoming insolvent and will be able to meet its obligations “in perpetuity.” NARFE President Joseph A. Beaudoin publicly denounced the bill: “This bill is another unfair and unwise attack on federal employees at a time when the country desperately needs a high quality and vigilant work force. Some politicians claim that these pensions are unsustainable, but, in actuality, the federal pension program is fully funded, actuarially sound and paid for largely by federal employees themselves.” In addition, if there is no FERS annuity, there will be no FERS survivor benefit. Without this modest income, survivors would have a greater challenge making ends meet.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS ■ A bill introduced in the Senate would eliminate the
defined-benefit portion of the Federal Employees Retirement System for all new federal hires. ■ A similar bill is expected to be introduced in the House. ■ NARFE labeled the bill as“another unfair and unwise attack on federal employees,” and said the federal pension program is“fully funded,actuarially sound and paid for largely by federal employees themselves.” Under the Burr bill, future retirees and survivors would not be eligible to participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). That’s because, under current law, retirees and survivors must be annuitants to receive health insurance under FEHBP. Bill cosponsors include: Sens. Saxby Chambliss, R-GA; Coburn, R-OK; John Cornyn, R-TX; John Ensign, R-NV; James M. Inhofe, R-OK; Ron Johnson, R-WI; Jon Kyl, R-AZ; Mike Lee, R-UT; John McCain, R-AZ; Jeff Sessions, R-AL; John Thune, R-SD; and Patrick J. Toomey, R-PA. A similar bill is expected to be introduced in the House of Representatives.
I support NARFE¥PAC, the Retirees? Fund for the Future Enclosed is my NARFE-PAC contribu tion: $ Federal law requires political committees to report the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer for each individual whose contributions aggregate in excess of $200 in a calendar year.
Please circle: Name
Mr.
Mrs.
Miss
Ms.
By John Hatton,Legislative Specialist
Please send check, money order or credit card information to: Attn: Budget & Finance NARFE 606 N. Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 Card Type:
❍ Mastercard ❍ Discover
❍ VISA ❍ AMEX
Card # Expiration Date
Address City, State, ZIP
Name on Card (Print)
Only members of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association may contribute to NARFE-PAC. NARFE will neither favor nor disadvantage anyone based on the amount of a contribution, or the failure to make a voluntary contribution to this non-partisan political action fund. NARFE-PAC contributions are not deductible for federal income tax purposes.
16
MAY 2011 | NARFE
NARFE’s Congressional Directory for the 112th Congress (2011-2012) Congressional Information: • Listing of members of Congress by state delegation, with color photos, biographical data and congressional district maps. • Members’ contact information, including addresses, phone and fax numbers, website addresses, district offices and key staffers. • How Congress is organized and operates, with complete listing of committees, subcommittees and leadership. • Contact information for the White House, Cabinet, Supreme Court and federal agencies. … And customized for NARFE members with a special insert with NARFE-specific information and data to be used for grass-roots advocacy.
Order your copy of the new Congressional Directory today! Clip and mail to: NARFE Congressional Directory, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 Name __________________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________________
Quantity ___________
City __________________________________________State ______ZIP ___________
$20 each (includes shipping and handling)
Member ID# (As it appears on NARFE magazine label) ________________________
❏ Charge to my credit card
❏ MasterCard
❏ Visa
❏ Discover
❏ AMEX
Card # _________________________________________________________________ Exp. Date
________ / _______ (mm)
VA sales tax ________ VA residents add 5% tax ($1) per book
(yy)
Name on card (print) ____________________________________________________
Total cost __________
Signature ____________________________________________ Date _____________
MAIL ORDER ONLY—NO PHONE ORDERS PLEASE. Make checks payable to NARFE. *Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.
Legislative Report
Don’t Cut Tsunami Warning Center Editor’s note: This story was published online March 16 by Politico, a Washington, DC, daily newspaper that specializes in congressional coverage. It is part of NARFE’s “Protect America’s Heartbeat” campaign. Please submit your story of federal service to www.ProtectAmericasHeartbeat.org.
By Robert Muller
T
he tsunami in Japan that caused a ripple effect of concern across the Pacific is a tragic reminder of the importance of America’s National Weather Service, which I proudly served during my 37 years of federal service for the federal government. This sad reminder arrives less than a month after all but three Republicans in the House of Representatives voted to remove nearly a third of the funding for the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. If this had happened, the important alerts that Americans woke up to on the Pacific coast early Friday morning would have been slowed and impaired. I served two years in the Pacific Missile Range Weather Station at Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands, which included the time of the 1964 Anchorage, AK, earthquake, and its attendant tsunami. I am well aware of the importance of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center to the Pacific Rim. It’s these real-world consequences that accompany the rhetoric of politicians like Speaker John Boehner who recently declared, “So be it,” if hundreds of thousands of vital federal employees lose their jobs. Despite the vital contributions of America’s meteorologists and my fellow federal employees, there is a growing sentiment on America’s airwaves and in our town halls that our country can make do without a federal work force. America’s public servants are starting to be viewed as America’s public enemy. This reckless thinking must cease. As a now-retired meteorologist for the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, I can vouch for the value of the work still being done by my federal colleagues. Through the years, my career took me to a variety of positions from Detroit to North Carolina and Hawaii. Today’s incident in the Pacific calls to mind my service in the Marshall Islands where I issued weather forecasts and
18
briefings for aircraft traversing the Pacific during the Vietnam War and specialized forecasts for the anti-missile missile-testing program. As a manager, I saw, firsthand, budget cuts that led to weather radar observations not being available during a critical outbreak, resulting in inadequate tornado warnings in central North Carolina in 1988. As a retiree, I watched with great interest the work of the National Hurricane Center in 2005, with its excellent forecasts and warning coverage of the Gulf hurricanes and wondered what would have happened if it had been subject to these same budget cuts. It’s not just America’s federal meteorologists whose impact on our lives needs to be recognized before we make a mistake that cripples our ability to prevent the next disaster. Our whole federal work force goes to work every day in every state to ensure our most basic needs as a society are met. Federal employees protect us. Whether they’re the federal food inspectors who guarantee the safety of the meat in our grocery stores or the scientists at the Centers for Disease Control who prevent deadly infections from sweeping across our nation, they perform their jobs on behalf of all of us. That’s why we must not be hasty and allow federal employees to become the “fall guy” in the raging budget battle. It’s not just the cutting and shrinking of programs that endangers our security. Changes to policies that affect federal employees also threaten the future of the vital services they perform. Without competitive employment packages that match the value of our federal work force, our government will struggle to attract the best workers and retain the most knowledgeable staff to serve our country. Do we really want these critical jobs to go to the lowest bidder? I understand that our nation is enduring a fiscal storm. But even during these continued tough economic times, we cannot afford to give up our protections. I’m thankful that the new guard at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center was on such strong alert Friday morning to prevent the most recent Pacific tragedy from spreading to our shores. And I send my heartfelt condolences to the people in Japan whose lives have been turned upside down.
Robert Muller of Simpsonville, SC, is a member of NARFE Chapter 121 in Greenville. MAY 2011 | NARFE
Greece & the Aegean Islands 13 Days
Join other NARFE members departing September 14, 2011
from
$1458*
Designed for the first time visitor – see all the highlights in one vacation! ! " # $ % % # " & # ' " ( $ ( ) * # ( # # "
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Autumn Leaves� Tour Visits Historical East 15 Days
Join other NARFE members departing October 15, 2011
$1448*
from
, " # )- . / , * 0 1 %
2 1 & 0 # 0 3- & " 0 # % 4 " 0 & 5 $ 6 7 8 , ) , * " / 9 01: 0 6 " 1 # % $ % 5 $ , , " ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hawaiian Kings Tour 15 Days
Join other NARFE members departing November 3, 2011
from
$1768*
; , + % + " 5 % % . , " 5 % % - < % , 5 3 " 0 & % - ; & / " 9, + + + : 3 , 5 " 6 < " + , % , ; 0 % # / # , < 2 - => ? , & 2 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Rose Parade Tour + Vegas 10 Days
Join other NARFE members departing December 30, 2011
from
$1298*
$ % @ + , A , 0 1 0 1 ( 2 / )> * /" " & + , , 6 6 & " 5 , , , 2 @ B BC=B A
# @ D / " 5 % 1 #
! " / ; ( ; E ' 0 % " # ? , & " ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
*Prices per person, based on double occupancy, includes taxes, airfare is extra, call for details.
Legislative Report CIVICS 101:
THE INFORMED CITIZEN
MeetYour Representative
R
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
ecess, a favorite time for kindergartners and Capitol Hill staff, is formally known in the House of Representatives as “Constituent Work Weeks” and in the Senate as “State Work Periods.” These week-long or longer blocks of time are specifically designed to allow representatives to meet constituents and constituent groups. Meetings with NARFE members and chapters are perfectly appropriate during these periods or on any weekend the member is back home. However, for a meeting to occur, NARFE leaders need to make the request in writing and organize the NARFE participation. Many of the newest representatives are using similar websites with a “Contact Me” option that leads to an “Invite Me to Speak” option. NARFE members will find a meeting request sample letter as part of the “action toolkit” on NARFE’s ProtectAmericasHeartbeat.org website (see p. 44).
Once you have a firm commitment from your legislator or their staff on a date, time and location of a meeting or forum, please provide the details to the NARFE Legislative Department by e-mailing us at leg@narfe.org, or calling 703-838-7760, ext. 201. We are planning to share this information with our federal-postal coalition partners to coordinate our grass-roots advocacy and to build state and locally based coalitions.
UPCOMING RECESS SCHEDULES
FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS
Use the schedule below of week-long recesses to plan meetings with your senators and representative.
NARFE’s Legislative Conference was highly successful. Large attendance (almost 60 percent attending for the first time) concluded with visits on Capitol Hill. Most of these visits involved only congressional staff. Now, NARFE members, especially with good leadership, can experience a more productive meeting “back home” by being flexible but persistent in their efforts to organize a face-to-face meeting during an upcoming congressional recess.
SENATE StateWork Periods April 18-April 29 May 30-June 3 July 4-July 8 August 8-September 5 September 26-30
HOUSE Constituent Work Weeks April 16-May 1 May 16-May 20 June 6-June 10 June 27-July 1 July 18-July 22 August 5-September 7
PROTOTYPE MEETING PLAN Officers from each of the chapters with members in a specific congressional district, in consultation/ coordination with federation district or area officer(s) or the congressional district liaison, must submit a written request for a meeting. This may involve a letter or completing a web form on the lawmaker’s website. Rather than ask for a specific date, the invitation should leave the specific date and venue up to the member of Congress, with a proviso that the date, time and place must allow NARFE activists sufficient time to organize a potentially large attendance by members from all of the chapters that have members in that congressional district.
20
■ Congressional“recesses” are the perfect time for
NARFE chapters and federations to meet with members of their congressional delegation. ■ NARFE has lots of resources to help you schedule a visit to a member of Congress’ office or host a member at a meeting or other event.
PROTECT AMERICA’S HEARTBEAT Shortly after the Legislative Conference concluded, NARFE opened another front to defend our earned benefits. Since its launch on March 14, NARFE’s campaign, “Protect America’s Heartbeat,” is benefiting from a record number of activists (11,876) who are producing historic volume (62,686 messages). New enlistments, persons who had never before used the NARFE Legislative Action Center, reached 4,888 in the first week. NARFE’s campaign to Protect America’s Heartbeat continues. Point your browser or ask your librarian to take you to www.narfe.org or go directly to www.ProtectAmericasHeartbeat.org. Simply fill in the required information and send your congressional delegation NARFE’s message.
By Christopher Farrell,Legislative Representative MAY 2011 | NARFE
NARFE Legislative Training Conference 2011
Above: Rep. Frank R. Wolf, R-VA, addresses NARFE members at the rally in a House hearing room before they began scheduled meetings with members of Congress. Left: Rep. Donna F. Edwards, D-MD, advised, “It doesn’t really matter how somebody voted in the past. That can give you a little bit of instruction. But you want to make sure they are doing the right thing in the future.”
S
peaker after speaker told attendees at NARFE’s Legislative Training Conference
that they had come to Washington, DC, at the right time. Benefits of federal
workers and retirees are threatened. The image of the federal worker is being
undermined. “Never have I seen a situation, a political struggle, where the very
role of the federal government in people’s lives was being so questioned and the work of every civil servant was being challenged,” said Rep. James P. Moran, D-VA, at a rally on Capitol Hill on the final day of the conference. The March 5-8 conference in Arlington, VA, drew 287 attendees, the most in recent memory. The large turnout undoubtedly reflected the threats to federal retirement, pay and health benefits, organizers say. In the first two days of the conference, attendees learned more about the federal budget proposals and the deficit debate that are precipitating the threats, and they attended nuts-and-bolts workshops designed to hone their advocacy skills (see stories, pp. 25-27). Then it was on to Capitol Hill for the rally and scheduled meetings with their members
22
of Congress. The rally was intended to promote NARFE’s “Protect America’s Heartbeat” campaign. Rally speakers included Moran and three other federal-friendly members of Congress: Frank R. Wolf, R-VA; Donna F. Edwards, D-MD; and John P. Sarbanes, DMD; and representatives of several of NARFE’s federal-postal coalition partners. “There are elements that don’t appreciate how government functions and the positive role the government can play,” said Rep. John P. Sarbanes, D-MD, in his remarks to participants at the Capitol Hill rally.
MAY 2011 | NARFE
‘Stand Up, Speak Out,’ To Congress
“I’m going to wear this with pride all day long,” Rep. James P. Moran said about the “Proud To Be a Federal Employee” button presented to him by a NARFE member.
“It’s important, as you go around, to talk in terms of the mission – of what you all do and what federal employees do,” Wolf advised. The Secret Service agent who stopped the bullet that would have killed President Ronald Reagan, the CIA agent who was the first American killed in the fighting in Afghanistan, the scientists mapping the human genome and tracking hurricanes, and the astronauts circling the globe in the international space station – “all federal employees,” he said. Although the four congressional speakers all hailed from the Washington, DC, area, Edwards pointed out that the Washington metropolitan area is the home of only 700,000 of the nation’s 2.8 million federal employees. “What that means is that, in every state and probably every congressional district, there is a federal employee who should put on a pair of sneakers and go see a member of Congress and talk to them about the important and unique role that federal employees play,” she said. “As much as anything else, Photos by Mike Theiler
members of Congress need to put a face and a name to a job, so that they understand who you are and what you represent. It is so different from just getting a piece of paper in the office – and that is why your being here today is so important.” Sarbanes urged the NARFE reps to go forward with confidence. Most Americans understand that federal employees are the ones who write Social Security checks and process veterans’ claims, he said, “which just goes to show how hard the critics and those on the other side who are trying to demonize the federal worker are working every day to undermine that image.” Federal employees and retirees need to work hard, too, the speakers said. “Stand up and speak out,” urged Moran. “Make clear to members of Congress that you are going to hold them accountable for the attitudes they have and, most important, the votes that they cast for or against the strength of this country.” ★
23
Jerome S. Smith, right, NARFE Region VI vice president and a member of Chapter 344 in Tyler, TX, and Marshall L. Richards, left, of Chapter 801 of Longview, TX, meet with Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-TX.
Donald Stewart, NARFE Region III vice president and a member of Chapter 1405 in Coral Gables, FL, walks down a Senate hallway with Cesar Conda, chief of staff to Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL.
NARFE Legislative Representative Christopher Farrell, left, joins Lynn and Larry R. Harper, Georgia Federation legislative chair.
Viraj Mirani, left, legislative director for Sen. Dan Coats, R-IN, pins on a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Proud To Be a Federal Employeeâ&#x20AC;? button presented by Paul E. Johnson, NARFE Region IV vice president and a member of Chapter 326 in Evansville, IN.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-WA, left, and her legislative director, Kimberly Betz, meet with NARFE representatives, from left to right, Isabel Beatty, Chris Boettger, Jo Steiger and Bill Beatty of Chapter 32 in Spokane, WA.
24
Photos by Mike Theiler
Don’t Make Feds Budget Scapegoats C
ongress must bring budget deficits down, but not by making federal employees and retirees budget scapegoats, said three current members of the House of Representatives and one former member in speeches to the NARFE conference. ”The way you hear it in some parts of the country, including Washington, you would think that the whole economic meltdown was all your fault – and the fault of the state and local employees around the country,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-MD, ranking minority member of the House Budget Committee. “Forget about the fact that we had a series of policies that created a problem; forget about the fact that there was a meltdown on Wall Street in the financial sector.” As the nation gets its fiscal house in order, federal employees are prepared to do their fair share, Van Hollen added. “But you need to have shared sacrifice. The solution cannot rest entirely on your shoulders, as some people pretend that it can be.”
Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, D-MD
Also addressing the conference were Reps. Steny H. Hoyer, D-MD, and Gerry E. Connolly, D-VA, and former Rep. Thomas M. Davis III, R-VA. In his 30 years in Congress, Hoyer said he had never seen such a “broadspread antipathy directed at public employees – federal, state and local.” The claim made by some in the congressional leadership that federal employees are overpaid relative to the private sector is “bunk,” he said. The Congressional Budget Office is doing a comparative study, at his request, and the Advisory Committee on Federal
Pay reports that federal employees’ pay is substantially behind their privatesector counterparts, he said. But Hoyer said the budget deficit is a problem that must be addressed. He asked NARFE members to “help us reason together as to how we get this budget deficit under control so my children and yours are not left 20 years from now with the question of how to meet the challenge of a terrorist in their time, a Katrina in their time, a great health hazard in their time. We Continued on p. 26
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-MD
Default Termed ‘Extremely Dangerous’ I
f the budget debate weren’t enough, before June the United States will hit the statutory debt limit – the total amount the country can borrow at one
G. William Hoagland
Photos by Margaret Carter
time – of $14.294 trillion, said G. William Hoagland, former staff director for the Senate Budget Committee. “I will go on record,” Hoagland said. “I think this is the silliest law we’ve got on the books. We’ve already incurred this.” There is nothing that Congress can do to change the level of debt that has been incurred, he explained. It can only slow the rate of growth, which is what the current budget debate is all about. The United States has never defaulted on its debt and should not start now, Hoagland insisted. “In this new
global world economy of major capital flows, it is extremely dangerous for us to default on our debt,” he said. “But there are those in the House of Representatives who feel so strongly about spending and controlling spending that they would go to the mat and not raise our statutory debt limit.” There are times when the federal government has to run a deficit, he said, including in times of war and in bad economic times when it has to step in as an “economic stabilizer.” But, Continued on p. 26
25
Default – Continued from p. 25 he added, he never thought the deficit would run as high as the $1.48 trillion it is estimated to run this year. (How big is a trillion? Hoagland offered this yardstick: If you begin now to count slowly – one thousand one, one thousand two, and so on – it will take you 34,000 years to count to one trillion.) Historically, the ratio of debt to gross domestic product (GDP) has been between 30 and 40 percent, he said. Today, it is close to 70 percent. The United States had that level of debt following World War II, Hoagland said, but it owed it to itself. Today, 50 percent of the debt is owed to foreign investors. “This is a serious situation for the country’s future,” he said. If the United States defaults on its debt, such things as military salaries and retirement benefits, Social Security and Medicare benefits, veterans’ benefits, federal civil service salaries and retirement benefits, individual and corporate tax refunds, unemployment benefits to states, student loan payments, and Medicaid payments to states all would end, Hoagland said. Tell members of Congress, he said, that defaulting on the debt “is not something you play around with.” ★
Above: Rep. Gerry E. Connolly, D-VA, addresses the conference as NARFE President Joseph A. Beaudoin, center, and Vice President Paul H. Carew listen. Right: Former Rep. Thomas M. Davis III, R-VA
Scapegoats – Continued from p. 25 cannot leave them bankrupt.” Van Hollen pointed out that when the country faces a crisis, such as the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico or the mining disaster in West Virginia, Americans ask why the federal government doesn’t have more food safety or mining inspectors. Then Congress turns around and cuts the resources for the very same things. “I believe that, when asked to make that choice, the American people will want to continue to provide the kinds of services
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Videos,Presentations Available:
F
or the first time,NARFE videotaped the major speeches delivered at the LegislativeTraining Conference. Video clips of the speeches are now available on the NARFE website for viewing by members. In addition,the PowerPoint presentations made by speakers at the conference’s five workshop sessions are available online. Presentations are available on the following topics: the U.S.Budget,Budget Threats,Contacting Congress, NARFE-PAC, and NARFE’s “Protect America’s Heartbeat” campaign. The PowerPoint slides used by G.William Hoagland on “The Federal Budget: Process,Challenges and Options” also are available (see story,p.25). To see the videos or access the PowerPoint presentations, go to www.narfe.org,log in as a member,then click on the 2011 LegislativeTraining Conference logo.
26
that the federal government has been able to provide, and strengthen them in certain areas,” he said, but do so in a “fiscally responsible manner.” Connolly also called for a “more reasonable” budget dialogue. “We have to differentiate between spending that can be curtailed and investments that must be made,” he said. “All spending is not the same. All spending is not bad.” Congress must use a “skillful scalpel, not a meat ax,” he said, because “people’s lives are affected and may very well depend on it.” Former Rep. Davis called it “shortsighted” when federal employees are looked at as “just a line item in the budget.” The federal government has to deliver services more efficiently, he said. “But you don’t do that with second-rate employees. You need topnotch people; you need to train them; you need to incentivize them; you need to keep them.” The speakers urged federal employees and retirees to educate Congress on the valuable work that federal employees do and defend their earned benefits. Said Hoyer: “We need to be energized, on guard and working hard.” ★ Photos by Margaret Carter
Congressional Spending Confrontation A
fter some “faux bipartisanship” demonstrated after the tragic shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson and a relatively calm debate over repealing the health care law, Congress is back to confrontation, observed political pundit Norman J. Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Congress now is in a “showdown” over spending, focused on the continuing resolution to fund government operations for the remainder of the current fiscal year, he said. There is a “sizable gulf” between the Democrats in the Senate and the Republicans in the House about what to do. The Republicans want to follow through on a pledge made before the November elections to cut $100 billion from that budget, he explained. But when the Republican leadership attempted to put forward a proposal to cut $40 billion, acknowledging that the
Norman J. Ornstein
fiscal year was already half over, it was shot down by new members, who insisted on cuts of $60 billion. Almost all of those cuts are in discretionary domestic spending, which means that “you are focusing on cutting one-half of one-eighth of the budget,” he said. “So you are taking a lot of flesh and muscle and bone out of a tiny share of the budget.” Congress is not so much debating what to cut as what “symbolic amounts” to cut.
The showdown will get increasingly strident, he predicted, in part because of freshmen Republicans who “came here to take a meat ax to the federal government and to do it right away.” However, he said an agreement is possible, perhaps after a partial or short government shutdown, but it will only put the battle off until Congress tackles entitlements and other big-ticket items in the budget. In the meantime, Ornstein expressed sympathy for federal workers who have to implement programs that are going through this budgetary process, even as they have their pay frozen for two years. He also said he worries about the effect of the cuts on recruitment. He imagined a scene on a college campus where federal agencies try to attract the best computer and engineering college graduates to work on cyber security – by offering a pay freeze and an uncertain job outlook. ★
Medicare Give and Take in New Law T
he new health reform law made “modest” improvements in the Medicare program, but Medicare’s primary role is to make available substantial amounts of savings to help the nation afford health care for the rest of the population, Marilyn Moon, Ph.D., an economist and expert on Medicare, told conference attendees. The improvements mentioned by Moon were: • Gradually eliminating the socalled “donut hole” in the Part D drug benefit, which requires beneficiaries to pay 100 percent of the cost of prescription drugs once they reach a certain coverage limit and until the catastrophic threshold is reached. Photos by Margaret Carter
• Eliminating co-pays and deductibles for most preventive services, including an annual wellness visit. Medicare will achieve savings, she said, by: • Cutting back on the amount paid to Medicare Advantage plans, which are private plans that had been paid an average of 14 percent more than it would have cost if people had stayed in traditional Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans are among the “losers” in health reform, Moon said. “But they were getting a windfall gain before.” • Requiring higher income beneficiaries to pay higher premiums for Part D coverage. • Slowing the growth in payments to
Marilyn Moon
providers (except doctors). “I hope that, when people start to talk about entitlement reforms, they don’t pile onto Medicare,” Moon said. “Medicare has given.” Fortunately, she added, “It has given for a pretty good cause, and that is to improve the health care system for everyone else.” ★
27
Managing Money
Roth IRA Tax-Free Distributions By Mark A. Keen, CFP®
Y
ou might be thinking that the whole point of a Roth individual retirement account (IRA) is the ability to take tax-free distributions, and you’d be right. But there are certain rules that must be followed. Otherwise, you may find what you thought was a tax-free distribution is not only taxable but also subject to a 10-percent early withdrawal penalty. The first rule to know is that you are always allowed to withdraw your regular contributions at any time without paying tax or a penalty. This is permitted because the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has specific ordering rules for distributions, which state regular contributions come out first. In fact, the IRS has defined four possible sources of assets that make up a Roth IRA’s value, as well as the order in which they are distributed: 1. Regular participant contributions. 2. Conversions of taxable assets (assets that you must pay tax on at the time of conversion, such as deductible traditional IRA assets and pretax amounts from employer-sponsored retirement plans, such as the Thrift Savings Plan). 3. Conversions of nontaxable assets (assets that you don’t have to pay tax on at the time of conversion, such as nondeductible traditional IRA assets and after-tax contributions to employer-sponsored retirement plans). 4. Earnings on all Roth IRA assets. It’s important to note that a Roth IRA owner has already paid tax on regular contributions, which is the reason you can pull them out tax-free. This
28
logic also holds true for assets coming from conversions of nontaxable assets; they, too, can come out tax- and penalty-free at any time. Distributions coming from earnings and conversions of taxable assets are a different story. Unless you meet the two tests for qualified distributions (discussed below), a distribution of earn-
made any time between January 1, 2010, and April 15, 2011), your fiveyear period begins January 1, 2010. This five-year rule only has to be satisfied once, regardless of how many Roth IRAs you may decide to open in the future. For example, if you contributed to a new Roth IRA in December 2011, your five-year period for
THE FIRST hurdle in determining whether your Roth IRA distribution is qualified for a tax-free distribution is the fiveyear rule. ings will be taxable and possibly subject to early withdrawal penalties. Furthermore, if your distribution is deemed nonqualified, and your Roth IRA has taxable conversion assets, you may have to pay an early withdrawal penalty on any distributed taxable conversion assets. We’ll cover the rules for distributions of conversion assets next month. Determining whether your distribution is qualified is a two-pronged test. The first hurdle is the five-year rule, which is met if the distribution occurs at least five years after the Roth IRA owner established and funded his or her Roth IRA. Regardless of when the contribution was made during the year, the five-year period begins the first day of the first year for which your first Roth IRA was funded. For example, if you opened and funded your first Roth IRA in 2010 (note: contributions for 2010 can be
this test still begins on January 1, 2010. Even when the five-year waiting period is satisfied, a distribution must meet one of the following four circumstances to be considered qualified: 1. Made on or after the date you reach age 59-1/2; 2. Made because you are disabled; 3. Made to a beneficiary or to your estate after your death; or 4. Meets the requirements listed under “First home” under “Exceptions” in Chapter 1 of IRS publication 590 (up to a $10,000 lifetime limit). If a distribution is not qualified, any distributed earnings will be subject to income taxes; and, if no exception applies (one example is older than age 59-1/2), they’ll be subject to a 10-percent early withdrawal penalty as well. Let’s take a look at a few examples to see how these rules work. MAY 2011 | NARFE
Jane opens and contributes $5,000 to a 2006 Roth IRA on March 10, 2007. In 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, she opens a new Roth IRA for each year, contributing $5,000 to each one. The total balance in Jane’s five Roth IRAs is $35,000 – which is comprised of $25,000 in contributions and $10,000 in earnings. In 2011, Jane, age 55, needs to withdraw $25,000 from her Roth IRA. Jane’s 2006 Roth IRA contribution meets the five-year requirement, but the distribution will be considered nonqualified because she is under age of 59-1/2 and doesn’t meet one of the other requirements. However, Jane’s contributions are the first to come out, so the entire distribution will be income tax- and penalty-free. Next, let’s assume Jane withdraws
NARFE | MAY 2011
$30,000. The first $25,000 (considered to come from contributions) still comes out income tax- and penaltyfree. However, the remaining $5,000 comes from earnings, and Jane must pay income tax, plus a 10-percent early withdrawal penalty. Now, let’s assume Jane is age 60 in 2011. Her distribution would be considered qualified because she meets the five-year rule and is over age 591/2. Thus, any amount distributed would be income tax- and penalty-free. Still assuming that Jane is age 60, let’s make her first Roth IRA contribution for 2007 instead of 2006. Her Roth IRA value is $35,000, with $20,000 in contributions and $15,000 in earnings. If Jane were to take a distribution from her Roth IRA in 2011, the distribution would be considered nonqualified be-
cause she doesn’t meet the five-year rule. As a result, any earnings would be subject to income tax; however, she would not have to pay the 10-percent early withdrawal penalty because she is over age 59-1/2. These are simply examples. Be sure to discuss your particular situation with your tax adviser. And stay tuned for next month’s column on the rules pertaining to Roth IRA distributions when conversions are involved.
Mark A. Keen, CFP®, is president and owner of Bennett Financial Advisors in Fairfax,VA, and an investment adviser representative and registered representative of The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. (SFA). Securities and advisory services are offered through SFA. E-mail: mkeen@tributaryadvisors.com.
29
LiveWell
TakeYour Medications Safely By Marilyn S. Radke, M.D.
P
eople age 65 and older take more prescription and over-the-counter medications than any other age group. Understanding how to use medications safely and effectively is vital to good health. Medications are absorbed into the body when they travel from their point of entry into the bloodstream. Medications taken by mouth move through the digestive tract to the liver, the organ that processes chemicals for the body, before entering the bloodstream. Medications bypass the liver and enter the bloodstream directly when taken by injection (needle) or through the skin (skin patch) or lungs (inhaler). As the blood carries a medication to its target organ, the medication often interacts with other organs and causes side effects. Eventually, the body breaks down (metabolizes) the medication into products called metabolites. While metabolites are usually less strong than the original medication, they can have effects that are stronger than the original medication. Most metabolites are broken down in the liver before being eliminated from the body in the urine or feces. Age-related changes in kidney function can affect how fast a medication is eliminated. The body’s ability to break down substances can decrease with age. Older adults, therefore, sometimes
30
need smaller doses of medication per pound of body weight than do younger adults. Of course, medications have helpful effects, such as curing infection or relieving pain. But they also can cause unwanted or unexpected symptoms or side effects. Side effects can occur when one medication interacts or interferes with another medication or with certain foods. Taking aspirin with blood-thinning medication, such as warfarin (Coumadin), can cause serious bleeding. Taking sildenafil (Viagra) with the heart medication nitroglycerin can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure. One glass of grapefruit juice can raise the level of some medications in the blood, which can cause health problems. Calcium-rich dairy foods or certain antacids can block antibiotics from entering the bloodstream properly. Ginkgo biloba can make bloodthinning medications less effective and raise your risk for stroke. Stomach upset, including diarrhea or constipation, is a side effect common to many medications. Taking the medication with food often can reduce this side effect, but check with your doctor because food can decrease the absorption of certain medications. When your doctor recommends a medication, do the following to avoid
side effects: • Report all medications that you are already taking, including herbal products and over-the-counter medications. • Report any past problems with medications, such as rashes, indigestion, dizziness or decreased appetite. • Ask whether the medication may interact with food, grapefruit juice, alcohol, other medications (prescription or over-thecounter medications) or supplements that you are taking. • Understand when to take the medication and how much to take each time. • If you find that swallowing tablets is difficult, ask if there is a liquid form of the medication available or if you could crush your tablets. Do not break, crush or chew tablets without asking your doctor first, and never break, crush or chew a capsule.
SIDE EFFECTS can occur when one medication interacts or interferes with another medication or with certain foods.
To Learn More
F
or more information, write to the National Institute on Aging, Building 31, Room 5C27, 31 Center Drive, MSC 2292, Bethesda, MD 20892; or call The National Institute on Aging Information Center at 800222-2225; or visit the website at www.nia.nih.gov.
MAY 2011 | NARFE
FR
lu GIF EE ed T at $3 5 va
Marilyn S. Radke, M.D., is board certified in preventive medicine and practices in Atlanta, GA. NARFE | MAY 2011
…and save your life!”
The Designed For Seniors® Medical Alarm provides emergency notification that is simple, reliable and affordable. It’s simply the best value on the market today.
Are you It’s reliable. From the concerned waterproof pendant to the “Good morning. This is about being sophisticated base unit to Nancy with Medical Alarm. helpless in an the state-of-the-art 24/7 call Do you need assistance emergency? center, the entire system is Mrs. Smith?” Are you and designed to give you the your loved ones peace of mind in anxious about what knowing you are would happen if you never alone in an emergency. were unable to get You get two-way to a phone? Have communication you considered with a live person moving out of in our Emergency the home you Response Center, and love and into some there’s a battery backup kind of assisted living in case of a power failure. because of these worries? If you answered “yes” to any of these Best of all, it’s affordable. You questions, you are not alone. Millions get the complete system for only of seniors are concerned about their pennies per day. No equipment safety. There are products out there charge, no activation fee, no long that claim to help, but they are difficult to use and even more difficult to term contract. Call now and within afford. Why mess with complicated a week you or someone you love installations and long term contracts will have the peace of mind and when there’s a product that’s simple, independence that comes with this reliable and affordable? The product remarkable system. is the Designed For Seniors® Medical Alarm, read on and we’ll explain Be one of the first 100 to order why every senior in America should have one. What will you do in case of and get FREE Shipping and a an emergency? If you have Designed FREE Gift– valued at $35. For Seniors® Medical Alarm, all you It’s yours to keep. do is push a button, and you’ll immediately get the help you need, Designed For Seniors® quickly and reliably. That’s because it MedicalAlarm has been “designed for seniors” by Please mention promotional code the industry leader in providing 42026. helpful and affordable solutions for millions of aging Americans. First of all, it’s simple to install and use. Unlike other products that require professional installation, this product is “plug and play.” The unit is designed for easy use in an emergency, with large, easy-to-identify buttons.
1-888-848-7421 www.DFSmedicalalarm.com
56788
• Report any concerns or side effects immediately. Your doctor may be able to change your medication to another one that will work just as well. • Ask whether the medication must be stored in the refrigerator. Medications contain chemical compounds (active ingredients) that work with your body to bring relief from your symptoms. Over-the-counter pain relievers often contain one or more of the following active pain relief ingredients: • Acetaminophen; • Ibuprofen; • Naproxen sodium; or • Aspirin. Many prescription and over-thecounter medications made to relieve multiple symptoms, such as cold and flu medications, include these active pain relief ingredients. Do not combine pain relievers, prescription medications or multisymptom medications that contain the same active pain relief ingredient. Taking too much of any one of these ingredients could damage your liver or cause other serious health problems. Check the active ingredients in your over-the-counter medications. Some over-the-counter medications contain antihistamines, which can cause drowsiness. Some contain caffeine, which can interact with certain medications or with underlying conditions, such as high blood pressure. Check the label on your medication before taking it to make sure that it is for the correct person – you – and ask your pharmacist to explain the directions on the label, if necessary. Learn all you can about your medications and take them safely.
“New medical alarm can save you money
Copyright © 200 by firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc. All rights reserved.
31
Civil Service Career Coach
Surviving Staff Cutbacks By Dale S. Brown
F
ederal agencies are facing budget cutbacks, and your agency could be affected. In many cases, there is the chance (usually small) of a reduction in force (RIF). But no matter how unlikely the worst-case scenario may be, you need to prepare for the possibility. So how do you handle your career in this challenging situation? To find out, the civil service career coach interviewed and e-mailed more than a dozen experts. Lee Salmon, executive coach and career consultant at Learning a Living, LLC, agreed to share his wisdom. In his last position, he managed a team of 100 executive coaches who worked with federal agencies.
HOW DO YOU PREPARE? The first step, he says, is to “create and justify your value.” To illustrate this, he told a story about a program support specialist. She studied her agency priorities, visited her division director, and asked him what he expected and wanted. She also solicited feedback from the people she supported. Then, she developed a spreadsheet with metrics, such as the time it took for her to respond to a request. She documented the speed and quality of her work, and was able to prove her value. She was later promoted. You can follow her example and assure that you are providing core services. Clarify your responsibilities with your superiors and people who use your work products. Salmon suggests questions such as: • What are the essential things you
32
need from me? • What functions must be provided, no matter what happens?
WHAT CHANGES ARE AHEAD? The second step, according to Salmon, is to “anticipate proactively the changes that will be rolling down.” Study your agency Intranet. Look at
• Less access to your manager; • Being excluded from key meetings or decisions; • A budget cut proposed for your division; • Having your responsibilities shifted; and • Vague comments in response to feedback, such as, “Oh, you’re doing fine,” or “Things are satisfactory.”
IF RETIREMENT won’t work for you,then position yourself as someone management wants to keep. Be the‘go to’ person. the budget, the strategic plan and the annual report. Read the statements of your senior officials. Ask your peers about their perceptions but don’t become part of the rumor mill. Salmon suggests validating what you hear by asking, “How did you come to that? What data or sources did you use to determine if it’s true?” You also can talk to your manager. “Don’t make the assumption that ‘They’ll figure it out and tell me,’ or ‘That’s their responsibility,’” explains Salmon. “Instead, realize that they don’t have easy answers and will require some thinking from everyone who is affected to solve the problems.” This research will help you assess where your agency is going – and where the ax might fall. But how do you know if your job is in serious jeopardy? Some signals mentioned by Salmon and other experts include:
Salmon suggests that you be very suspicious of what he calls “blanket, sweeping and meaningless comments. You need to get some grounding with data that are timely and accurate,” he advises. “You can say, ‘Can you tell me one or two things you have noticed that I do well?’ or ‘I’m not perfect, but please tell me how I can improve.’”
SHOULD YOU GO OR STAY? If you are eligible for retirement, use the answers to these questions and your own observations to help you determine if you want to go or stay. If you trust your manager, Salmon proposes saying something like “I am thinking about retirement. I’d like to know if there is something we can plan that will be helpful to the organization and me.” “You might go into a different status and role that allows you to prepare MAY 2011 | NARFE
Dale S. Brown, nationally recognized for her contributions during her 25 years in the civil service, is the author of five books, including one co-authored with Richard Nelson Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute? E-mail: civilservicecoach@yahoo.com.
NARFE Is on Facebook “Like” our page on Facebook today! After logging in to Facebook,search for “NARFE National Headquarters” and click “Like.” Check out the latest posts and discussions.
NARFE | MAY 2011
“Well, I finally did it. I finally decided to enter the digital age and get a cell phone. My kids have been bugging me, my book group made fun of me, and the last straw was when my car broke down, and I was stuck by the highway for an hour before someone stopped to help. But when I went to the cell phone store, I almost changed my mind. The phones are so small I can’t see the numbers, much less push the right one. They all have cameras, computers and a “global-positioning” something or other that’s supposed to spot me from space. Goodness, all I want to do is to be able to talk to my grandkids! The people at the store weren’t much help. They couldn’t understand why someone wouldn’t want a phone the size of a postage stamp. And the rate plans! They were complicated, confusing, and expensive… and the contract lasted for two years! I’d almost given up when a friend told me about her new Jitterbug phone. Now, I have the convenience and safety of being able to stay in touch… with a phone I can actually use.” The cell phone that’s right for me. Sometimes I think the people who designed this phone and the rate plans had me in mind. The phone fits easily in my pocket, but it flips open and reaches from my mouth to my ear. The display is large and backlit, so I can actually see who is calling. With a push of a button I can amplify the volume, and if I don’t know a number, I can simply push one for a friendly, helpful operator that will look it up and even dial it for me. The Jitterbug also reduces background noise, making the sound loud and clear. There’s even a dial tone, so I know the phone is ready to use.
8888622881
Affordable plans that I can understand – and no contract to sign! Unlike other cell phones, Jitterbug has plans that make sense. Why should I pay for minutes I’m never going to use? And if I do talk more than I plan, I won’t find myself with no minutes like my friend who has a prepaid phone. Best of all, there is no contract to sign – so I’m not locked in for years at a time or subject to termination fees. The U.S. – based customer service is second to none, and the phone gets service virtually anywhere in the country. Monthly Minutes Monthly Rate Operator Assistance 911 Access Long Distance Calls Voice Dial Nationwide Coverage Trial Period
50
100
$14.99 24/7 FREE No add’l charge FREE Yes 30 days
$19.99 24/7 FREE No add’l charge FREE Yes 30 days
More minute plans available. Ask your Jitterbug expert for details
Order now
and receive a FREE Car Charger and a FREE Leather Carrying Case for your Jitterbug– a $43.99 value. Call now!
Available in Red, White (shown), and Graphite.
Call now and get a FREE Car Charger and FREE Leather Carrying Case – a $43.99 value. Try Jitterbug for 30 days and if you don't love it, just return it. Why wait, the Jitterbug comes ready to use right out of the box. If you aren’t Jitterbug Cell Phone as happy with it as I am, you can return it for a refund of the purchase price. Call now, the Call now for our NEW low price. Jitterbug product experts are ready to answer Please mention promotional code 42028. your questions.
1-888-862-2881 www.jitterbugdirect.com
We proudly accept the following credit cards. 47458
someone to take your place,” he explains. “That makes transition easier. You could put together what I call a ‘hit by the bus’ document. If I got hit by a bus, what would someone need to know about my job? You can put together a notebook that has this information in it.” If retirement won’t work for you, then position yourself as someone management wants to keep. Frank Reeder, who has guided hundreds of high-potential federal employees, says, “Although RIFs are somewhat objective, the way a manager defines a competitive area can draw lines around the people who will be protected.” Reeder recommends, “Be the ‘go to’ person – the person who does the hard jobs and is willing to do whatever needs to be done. Superiors should feel that they can rely on you to pitch in when the going gets rough.” And we can expect the going to get rough. So use the information from the experts and prepare yourself so you can make the best decisions about your career.
Finally, a cell phone that’s… a phone!
ice ed Pr uc 8 d 4 Re y $ b
o t N rac nt Co
IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: All rate plans require the purchase of a Jitterbug phone and a one-time set up fee of $35.00. Coverage and service is not available everywhere. There are no additional fees to call Jitterbug’s 24-hour U.S. Based Customer Service. However, for calls to an Operator in which a service is completed, minutes will be deducted from your monthly balance equal to the length of the call and any call connected by the Operator, plus an additional 5 minutes. Rate plans do not include government taxes or assessment surcharges. Prices and fees are subject to change. Savings are based on marketing materials from nationally available cellular companies as of June, 2010 (not including family share plans). The full price of the Jitterbug Phone will be refunded if it is returned within 30 days of purchase, in like-new condition, and with less than 30 minutes of usage. A Jitterbug Phone purchased from a retail location is subject to the return policy of that retail location. The Jitterbug phone is created together with worldwide leader Samsung. Jitterbug is a registered trademark of GreatCall, Inc. Samsung is a registered trademark of Samsung Electronics America, Inc. and its related entities. Created together with worldwide leader Samsung. Copyright © 2010 by firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc. All rights reserved.
33
Questions & Answers NOTE: The following Questions & Answers were compiled by Retirement Benefits Service Department staff. These are real questions received by the Department and real answers, based on the members’ personal circumstances. The answers are not universal and may include information that is relevant to the correspondent’s particular situation. NARFE does not provide legal advice or assistance, does not provide financial planning advice or assistance, and does not provide tax advice or assistance. For legal, financial planning or tax advice/assistance, NARFE recommends members contact an attorney, financial planner or certified public accountant/tax adviser.
RETIREES TSP WITHDRAWALS QUESTION:I am currently receiving monthly payments for a specific dollar amount from myThrift Savings Plan (TSP) account. Would I be able to request a lump-sum payment from my account in a year or so instead of continuing to receive monthly payments? Response: Because you are currently receiving a monthly payment, you can go back at a future date and request a withdrawal of the entire amount in your TSP account. If you have an individual retirement account (IRA), you can ask the TSP to roll over a portion of your balance into your IRA account. You also may change the amount of your monthly payment once each year.
NEW SPOUSE BENEFITS QUESTION: How do I provide a sur-
34
vivor’s benefit for my new spouse? Response: If you get married after retirement, you can elect a reduced annuity to provide a survivor’s annuity for your spouse. You must make this election within two years of the date of your marriage. You would have to contact the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to determine the amount you would pay for survivor’s benefits. OPM would send you a statement describing the cost of the election and ask that you confirm your election. Under the Civil Service Retirement System, you can elect any portion of your annuity as a basis for the survivor’s benefit payable in the event of your death, and your spouse would receive 55 percent of the amount you elect. Under the Federal Employees Retirement System, a full benefit would be 50 percent of your unreduced annual basic annuity, and a partial benefit would be 25 percent of your unreduced annual basic annuity. There would be two reductions in your annuity if you elect to provide the survivor’s benefit. One would be the reduction to provide the survivor’s benefit. This reduction would depend on the amount you elect for the survivor’s annuity. Your annuity also would be reduced by a permanent actuarial reduction equal to the difference between the new annuity rate with the survivor’s benefit and the old one without the survivor’s benefit since your retirement, plus 6 percent interest. In most cases, the actuarial reduction amount would be less than 5 percent of your annuity. The actuarial reduction would continue, even if the marriage ends. Please keep in mind that one re-
quirement for your spouse to have health insurance benefits after your death is to elect a survivor’s benefit. The second requirement for your spouse to continue the health coverage after your death is for you to have been enrolled in a family health insurance plan on the date of your death.
DISABILITY RETIREMENT QUESTION:I am receiving disability retirement under the Civil Service Retirement System.Because my annuity will be recomputed at age 62,what formula will apply? Response: Your annuity is permanent and would not change, even at a later date. The only change in the amount of your gross disability annuity is due to cost-of-living adjustments.
DROP FEHBP? QUESTION: I am considering dropping my insurance coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) because it is so expensive. I would then like to pick it up during a future Open Season. Would this be possible?
QA &
Response: If you drop your FEHBP insurance plan after you retire from federal service, you cannot resume the coverage at a later date. Because the government pays approximately 70 percent of the premium, you probably do not want to drop your coverage. You might want to consider suspending your health insurance, which allows you to re-enroll during a future Open Season. There are only limited situations that allow you to suspend your health insurance. Some military retirees suspend their insurance for TRICARE MAY 2011 | NARFE
for Life or CHAMPVA coverage. You also can suspend your health insurance if you enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan. There is a special form to complete and mail to the Office of Personnel Management if you decide to suspend your health insurance.
LIFE INSURANCE QUESTION: When I retired,I had life insurance,which I carried into retirement. I would like to know the amount of money my loved ones will receive upon my death. Response: Your records are maintained by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Therefore, you need to contact OPM and request the information. You can call OPM at 888-767-6738; or write to the Office of Personnel Management, Retirement Information Center, P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017. Also, if you have insurance through NARFE, please make sure your loved ones know if you have a NARFE policy. The number for NARFE Insurance is 800-233-5764.
NARFE now offers an online retirement calculator and other financial planning tools for members only.Find out more about this new membership benefit at www.narfe.org. You can re-enroll but only during a general enrollment period (January 1March 31 each year). Coverage would not be effective until the following July 1. There would be a 10-percent penalty for each 12 months you did not have Part B. Your health premiums as a retiree are not pretax (excluded from taxable income). You can add the premiums to your other medical expenses and potentially accumulate enough to take a medical deduction on your federal income tax.
GPO QUESTION:I am a retiree under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). My monthly annuity payment is $1,344. My husband receives $1,714 per month in Social Security benefits. How much Social Security would I receive upon his death, based on these figures? I am aware of the offset,but I get conflicting answers from the Social SecurityAdministration (SSA). Response: The SSA makes these determinations, so you do need to deal with the SSA to get an authoritative answer to
MEDICARE QUESTION:I have several questions on Medicare coverage. If I enroll in Medicare Part B, can I cancel Part B coverage at any time? Is Medicare automatically cancelled if I cease being a resident of the United States, and can I restart Medicare if I return to the United States to again become a resident? Do Medicare Parts A and B pay medical costs incurred outside of the United States if I travel for less than one month? Do my Part B premiums reduce the amount of my Social Security payment that is taxable? Response: You can cancel Medicare at any time. It is not automatically cancelled if you leave the country. You cannot use it outside the United States. NARFE | MAY 2011
35
Questions & Answers NARFE SERVICE OFFICERS are available to answer questions and to your question. Here is some general information. You would be impacted by the Government Pension Offset (GPO). Without the GPO, you would be entitled to your husband’s full Social Security benefit when you reach your full retirement age. With the GPO, however, the SSA computes two-thirds of your annuity, which is about $887. Then, the SSA subtracts $887 from his full Social Security benefit of $1,714. Based on our understanding, you should receive about $800 in Social Security benefits. Most CSRS retirees do not receive any Social Security benefits based on their spouse’s work record. You appear to be an exception. But, again, only the SSA can answer this question. You can download a fact sheet on the GPO from the SSA website at www.socialsecurity. gov/pubs/10007.html.
ACTIVE EMPLOYEES SURVIVOR’S BENEFITS QUESTION: What happens to my survivor’s benefits if I die while I am still federally employed? Response: Under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), benefits would be paid to the eligible survivors of an employee who had at least 18 months of creditable civilian service. If you die while you are a federal employee under the CSRS, your eligible spouse would receive 55 percent of your accrued benefit. Or, if a larger benefit would result, your spouse would receive the smaller of the following computations: 55 percent of 40 percent of your high-three annual salary or 55 percent of what your annuity would have been if you had worked until age 60. Your eligible children would receive an annuity that would be based on how many children you have and whether your spouse is still living. This would be
36
assist in helping with a variety of benefit matters. Check your chapter newsletter for the name and phone number of your service officer. Call NARFE toll-free at
800-456-8410 for the nearest service officer. NARFE Service Centers are also available in some areas. Use the Service Center listings on the NARFE Web site, www.narfe.org.
true under the CSRS, whether you die as an employee or a retiree. If you are a CSRS Offset employee, and your spouse or children are eligible for survivor’s benefits based on your service, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may reduce the benefit that would be paid to your surviving spouse and children. This reduction would be computed in the same way as the reduction in a retirement annuity. Under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), if you die while you are a federal employee and have more than 18 months of creditable civilian service but less than 10 years of total service, your eligible spouse would receive a two-part FERS benefit. It would include a lump-sum payment that is adjusted each year for inflation ($29,722.95 for 2011), plus the greater of half of your high-three average pay or half of your annual rate of pay at death. Social Security and other survivor’s benefit payments would not affect this lump-sum benefit. In addition, if you had 10 years of service, your eligible spouse also would receive an annuity equal to one-half of your accrued basic benefit. FERS children’s benefits also depend on whether your spouse is still living and how many children are eligible for benefits. In addition, children’s benefits are reduced dollar for dollar by Social Security children’s benefits that may be payable. Social Security also provides survivor’s benefits to the eligible survivors
of an employee who meets the minimum Social Security eligibility requirements. Your contributions to the retirement fund are used to pay benefits for your spouse and/or your children. Therefore, you do not have to pay any additional money while you are actively employed to provide survivor’s benefits.
FERS SUPPLEMENT QUESTION: I have heard that, if I work in private industry after I retire, my Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuity supplement would decrease.Is this true? Response: The FERS annuity supplement is paid in addition to gross monthly FERS annuity benefits. It represents what you would receive for your FERS civilian service from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and is calculated as if you were eligible to receive SSA benefits on the day you retired. Eligibility for the annuity supplement continues until the earlier of: • The last day of the month before the first month for which you would be entitled to actual Social Security benefits; or • The last day of the month in which you reach age 62. As with Social Security benefits, the FERS annuity supplement is subject to an earnings test. It is reduced if you earn more than the Social Security-exempt amount of earnings in the immediately preceding year. The supplement is reduced by $1 for every $2 of MAY 2011 | NARFE
Vinson Hall Retirement Community
earnings over the minimum level ($14,160 for 2011). It is possible that the supplement could reduce to $0. If you are receiving a supplement, you need to report your earnings to the Office of Personnel Management. Once you begin receiving the annuity supplement, you would receive instructions on how to report your earnings.
CSRS COMPONENT QUESTION: I transferred from the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and will have a CSRS component to my annuity. Will the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) compute a high-three average salary using the salary I earned as a CSRS employee? Response: OPM uses the same highthree average salary to compute your CSRS component and your FERS component. This is probably good news for you since your highest high-three average salary normally occurs during the last three years of your career.
DISABILITY & INSURANCE QUESTION: If I retire on disability, would I have to pay the total cost of health insurance under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP)? Response: A retiree would be able to retain FEHBP coverage if he or she had the coverage for five years immediately prior to retirement, whether the employee retired based on an immediate voluntary retirement or based on a disability. The government share and cost would be the same. Voluntary retirements normally take less time to process because the retiree would not have to submit information on the disability to be reviewed by the Office of Personnel Management and wait for approval. If NARFE | MAY 2011
WHERE THE EXCEPTIONAL BECOME EXTRAORDINARY. Add your name to our Expansion Priority Program List Home since 1969 to commissioned military officers and their immediate family members, Vinson Hall is now also open to GS-14 and above federal employees from agencies such as the Departments of State and Defense, the CIA, and Foreign Service class level 1, 2 or 3. AN UNPRECEDENTED EXPANSION!
Duringg this new stagge of D growth th andd renovation, V nson Hall wi Vi will add 75 new w apartm mentt homes over the h nextt threee years, rangingg in sizee froom 1,200 too moree than an 2,100 square feeet, as well as a new comm munitty ceenter. This is a quiet communitty characterized byy mature trrees, walkiing paths annd loovely laandscapingg, located in McL cLean, Virgiinia, juust accross the Potomacc from m Wasshington, D.CC. The tim me to ac a t is now o ! Vinson Hall offers a residennt-focussed liifestyle p rfectly suuitedd to the ex pe extraordinary people who live heree.
CALL TODAY FOR A PERSONAL APPOINTMENT OR TO JOIN THE VINSON HALL PRIORITY PROGRAM LIST
(888) 434-4616 Also available now A ow: A limiite tedd nu numb mber er of existing apartment homes!
Dignity Security Friendship H
H
6251 Old Dominion Drive McLeann, Virginia 22101 â&#x20AC;˘ www.vinsonh nhall.org
NA2Q11
37
Pioneering audiologist invents “reading glasses” for your ears.
NEW
Neutronic Ear is the easy, virtually invisible and affordable way to turn up the sound on the world around you. You don’t have to pay through the nose to get Personal Sound Amplification Technology. It’s amazing how technology has changed the way we live. Since the end of the Second World War, more products have been invented than in all of recorded history. After WWII came the invention of the microwave oven, the pocket calculator, and the first wearable hearing aid. While the first two have gotten smaller and more affordable, hearing aids haven’t changed much. Now there’s an alternative… Neutronic Ear.
• Hard to see • Simple to use • Easy to afford
a state-of-the-art manufacturing process and superior design, we can make Neutronic Ear affordable and pass the savings on to you.
First of all, Neutronic Ear is not a hearing aid; it is a PSAP, or Personal Sound Amplification Product. Until PSAPs, everyone was required It works… to see the doctor, have Just think of the hearing tests, have places you’ll enjoy fitting appointments (numerous visits) and Neutronic Ear th e n p ay f o r t h e Parties instruments without Restaurants any insurance coverage. Church These devices can Lectures cost up to $5000 each! Book Groups The high cost and inconvenience drove an Bird-watching innovative scientist to Movies develop the Neutronic And almost Ear PSAP.
but don’t take our word for it. Why pay thousands to make everything sound louder when what you really need is a Personal Sound Amplification Product? We’re so sure you’ll be absolutely thrilled with the quality and effectiveness of this product that we are offering it to the public at a low introductory price with our exclusive trial offer. If, for any reason, you are not completely amazed by how this product improves your life, simply return it for a any daily activity “No Questions Asked” refund of Neutronic Ear has been designed with the the product purchase price within 30 days. finest micro-digital electronic components Call now. available to offer superb performance and Visit us on the web at years of use. Many years of engineering and www.neutronicear.com development have created a product that’s ready to use right out of the box. The patented ™ case design and unique clear tube make it practical and easy to use. The entire unit The Sound Dec ision ™ weighs only 1/10th of an ounce, and it hides comfortably behind either ear. The tube is Call now for the lowest price ever. designed to deliver clear crisp sound while leaving the ear canal open. The electronic Please mention promotional code 42027. components are safe from moisture and wax buildup, and you won’t feel like you have a Neutronic Ear is not a hearing aid. If you believe circus peanut jammed in your ear. Thanks to you need a hearing aid, please consult a physician.
NeutronicEar
80144
1-888-649-6824
38
Questions & Answers under age 60, the employee may be subject to a medical evaluation if on disability retirement, and income is limited to 80 percent of the current equivalent of the amount of pay at retirement. The amount of the annuity would be the same if the employee is entitled to an immediate voluntary retirement. Federal tax laws are the same, so there are no tax advantages. Each state varies on treatment of disability benefits, so you would need to contact your state tax office to determine if there are tax benefits. Considering the above, it may be better to retire voluntarily on an immediate annuity rather than file for disability retirement.
DEPENDENTS’ COMPENSATION QUESTION: My husband, who was under the Federal Employees Retirement System, died over a year ago. I have one dependent daughter who will be turning age 18 and, therefore, will lose her Social Security benefits. She plans to attend college. Is there any type of compensation available to her? Response: If she is a full-time student, your daughter can apply for benefits from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) when her Social Security benefit stops. The benefit from OPM would be significantly less than the amount she received from Social Security. She would be required to complete an application and provide certification that she is a full-time student.
REMARRIAGE QUESTION: I have been divorced from my first wife for seven years and have since remarried. My first wife will get part of my retirement as part of our divorce decree. If she remarries before she turns age 55,would she lose her share of my retirement? Response: If the divorce decree awards her a portion of your retirement benefit, MAY 2011 | NARFE
Regain the use of your second floor or basement today!
IRA ROLLOVER QUESTION: Can I roll over an individual retirement account (IRA) into my Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account? Response: The TSP can accept transfers (or rollovers) of eligible distributions from a traditional IRA if you are not currently receiving monthly payments from the TSP. This should be a direct rollover to avoid tax withholdings. Before making the transfer, you should consult with the administrator of your IRA to see if there are any different rules. You can use form TSP-60, Request for a Transfer into the TSP. This form is available at www.tsp.gov.
WEP QUESTION: I am under the Civil Service Retirement System and soon will retire.I have 36 credits under Social Security. Would it be worthwhile to earn another four credits after I retire so that I would be eligible for a Social Security benefit? I understand that I would be subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). Response: If you earn the additional quarters, you should be eligible for a Social Security benefit. Although the benefit would be reduced as a result of the WEP, it would not be completely eliminated.
To obtain an answer to a retirement benefits question, call 703-838-7760 and ask for the Retirement Benefits Service Department; send your question by postal mail to NARFE Headquarters, ATTN: Retirement Benefits; or submit it by e-mail to retbenefits@narfe.org. NARFE | MAY 2011
• Lifetime warranty* • 10 safety sensors • Swivel-style seat • 350 lb. capacity • Available in AC or DC models • Easy to use • Seat belt
firstSTREET exclusive not available in stores
Introducing Easy Climber™, the dependable and easy-to-install solution to stay safe in the home you love. Your doctor has told you to stop climbing the stairs in your home for health reasons. Your kids are worried you’ll fall on the stairs. Even you are concerned that you’ll trip and fall. Until now, your options were limited. You could try and sell the home you love in this shaky economic environment and move into a one-story home. Now, thanks to an innovative company specializing in developing products for Boomers and Beyond™, there’s a better way. The Easy Climber™ lets you take back your second floor or your basement, providing you with years of safety and security. Your home is where you raised your children, and is your most valuable investment, and adding Easy Climber™ can enhance its value. Why spend a lot for installation when this system has been designed to be installed by almost anyone, with only a drill and a screwdriver, in a matter of hours. You’ll get the satisfaction of knowing the job was done right… not to mention the money you’ll save. We’ll include a helpful booklet to walk you, or someone you trust through the simple installation process, and our helpful product experts will be standing by to help you at anytime. If you or someone you love lives in a home with more than one floor, the staircase can be more than an
inconvenience, it can be a health threat. Whether it's due to mobility issues or cardiac concerns, why risk your life climbing stairs when an easy solution is only a phone call away? You’ll be surprised how easy, simple, and affordable this system is. It features a reliable, aircraft-grade cable drive that’s been tested over 30,000 cycles, and comes with an exclusive lifetime warranty* on the drive train. Call our toll-free number now, and a friendly, knowledgeable product expert can answer all of your questions and help you get on the road to independence and safety in the home.
Easy Climber™ Call Now to SAVE $100 and get FREE Shipping! Please mention promotional code 42029. Because this item is customized for your home before shipping, it does not qualify for firstSTREET’s normal 90 day risk-free trial. For fastest service, call toll-free 24 hours a day.
1-888-481-4681
1998 Ruffin Mill Road Colonial Heights, VA 23834
55751 Copyright © 2009 by firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc. All rights reserved.
any restrictions on the length of time she receives it are stated in the divorce decree. If there is no limit in the order, then she is entitled to receive the benefit until she dies.
Millions of Americans have been trapped on the first floor of their home… until now.
39
Retirement Benefits
Thinking of Retirement? First, Get Your Paperwork in Order
T
here is nothing worse than being ready to retire and finding that your paperwork is not in order. The first thing that you should do is review your records. You
should check your Official Personnel Folder to make
sure that there is verification of all of your military and civilian service.
If any of the records are missing, your human resources office should help you document the service and obtain any missing records. DEPOSITS OR REDEPOSITS If you are covered under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), you should check your records to see if you have civilian service for which you must pay retirement contributions or repay a refund of contributions. For example, CSRS employees who were on a time-limited appointment (e.g., temporary appointment not to exceed one year) will not receive credit for service in the computation of their annuities if this service was performed after October 1, 1982. If this applies to you, you would have to make a deposit for this service. While CSRS employees are not required to make a deposit for this type of service prior to October 1, 1982, their annuities will be reduced by 10 percent of the deposit amount if the deposit is not paid. Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) employees also have the option to buy any noncovered service (e.g., temporary appointment not to exceed one year) performed prior to January 1, 1989. The contributions must be repaid in order to get credit for the service in the annuity computation. If you have this type of
40
service on or after January 1, 1989, you are not allowed to buy this service and will not receive credit for it in the computation of your annuity. You may have separated from federal service and taken a refund of your retirement contributions. CSRS employees who have refunded service prior to March 1, 1991, have the option to make a redeposit for this service. If the redeposit is not paid, it will impact the computation of your retirement benefits. CSRS employees with refunded service after March 1, 1991, must make a redeposit for this service in order to get the service credited toward their retirement. FERS employees who retire after October 28, 2009, may make a redeposit for refunded service in order to get credit for the service in the computation of their annuities. You also may have military service. Most CSRS and FERS employees are
required to pay a military deposit to receive credit for their military service performed after 1956. If you are a CSRS employee first hired before October 10, 1982, you have the option of making the military deposit or not making the deposit. If the deposit isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t paid, and you become eligible for a Social Security benefit when you turn age 62 or if you are over the age of 62 when you retire, your annuity is recomputed, and all of your military service is taken away. If you are retired from the military, you have the option of waiving your military retirement pay and having your military service included with your civilian service in the computation of your annuity. Usually, you will have to pay interest on your deposits and redeposits. If you have civilian service, you must decide if you want to pay the money before or immediately after retirement. Military deposits must be paid to the agency prior to retirement.
FEGLI AND FEHBP You may take your Federal Employees Health Benefits Program health insurance coverage with you into retirement if you have been covered for five years immediately prior to your retirement date. You pay the same amount as active federal employees unless you work for an agency that subsidizes your health insurance premiums, such as the Federal Deposit MAY 2011 | NARFE
Insurance Corporation or the U.S. Postal Service. You can carry your Federal Employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Group Life Insurance into retirement if you have been covered for five years prior to retirement. The cost of the coverage may increase once you are in retirement. You have to decide how much coverage you wish to carry into retirement. NARFE also recommends that you evaluate your coverage periodically to see if you have too much or too little coverage.
TSP You are not required to withdraw your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) funds until you turn age 70-1/2. FERS employees receive the largest portion of their retirement from the TSP, so it is important that they contribute as much as they can afford to their account. CSRS employees also may contribute to the TSP without any government matching contributions.
The exceptional lustre, texture and breathability of 100%
spun silk knits
SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICE...
Regularly $59.50
SOCIAL SECURITY You should apply for your Social Security benefit about three months before you want the benefits to begin. If you will be receiving a pension from work and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pay Social Security taxes on your wages, your Social Security benefit would be reduced because of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). The groups generally impacted are CSRS employees, CSRS Offset employees and employees who transferred from the CSRS to FERS.
$29.95
There is nothing more comfortable than a knit shirt and ours fits perfectly. We guarantee it. Your Fit: t 3FHVMBS 4J[FT 4 . - 9- 99- 9- 9t 5BMM 4J[FT -5 9-5 99-5 9-5 9-5
Your Style: t 4IPSU 4MFFWF 10-0 t 4IPSU 4MFFWF .0$, t DPMPST :FMMPX #FSSZ *WPSZ /BWZ #MBDL -BWFOEFS
SURVIVORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BENEFITS You must elect a survivorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benefit for your spouse when you retire, and you have to decide the amount that you would like to provide to your spouse.
Retirement Benefits Service Department NARFE | MAY 2011
*WPSZ 1PMP 4QFDJGZ QSPNPUJPOBM DPEF SYMSNA. /FX DVTUPNFS PGGFS -JNJU GPVS TIJSUT QFS DVTUPNFS 4IJQQJOH DIBSHFT FYUSB $BOOPU CF DPNCJOFE XJUI PUIFS PGGFST &YQJSFT
Order Today! Call 800-309-6000 or visit paulfredrick.com/spunsilk
41
NARFE News National Treasurer Charles W.SaylorDies
N
ARFE National Treasurer Charles W. Saylor died March 7. A long-time member of NARFE, Saylor was elected National Treasurer at NARFE’s 31st Biennial National Convention in Grand Rapids, MI, August 29-September 2, 2010. He had served in a number of NARFE chapter, federation and regional positions, Charles W. Saylor and was regional vice president of Region II prior to his election to National Treasurer. Saylor had a long and distinguished federal career. He worked for 2-1/2 years for the Department of the Interior and 37-1/2 years for the U.S. Postal Service. He was appointed Postmaster of Annapolis, MD, in October 1982, retiring from federal service in 1992. He
also served as president of the Maryland chapter of the National Association of Postmasters of the United States. In addition to his NARFE activities, he was involved in a number of volunteer efforts in his community. He had served as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and at the Carroll Hospital
Center, and was president of the Idlewood Little League. Born and raised in Baltimore, Saylor attended the University of Maryland, majoring in accounting. He had been married to the late Billie Russell Dickin. He is survived by two children, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. ■
Thissen,Ek Named to New Posts
F
ollowing the death of NationalTreasurer CharlesW.Saylor,the National Executive Board named Region V Regional Vice President Richard G.Thissen as NationalTreasurer,effectiveApril 1. Carol R. Ek, president of the Kansas Federation, became the RegionV Regional Vice President, effective April 15. A former officer of Chapter 1794 in McPherson, KS, Ek worked nearly 40 years for the U.S. DepartCarol R. Ek Richard G. Thissen ment ofAgriculture.
2011 Service Officer Award Winners Selected
N
ARFE has announced the winners of the 2011 Service Officer of the Year Awards. Service officers are nominated for the award by their chapter presidents. Nominations are judged at NARFE Headquarters. Winners will be recognized at their federation conventions. Sue Warner, service officer of Lincoln Home Chapter 402 in Springfield, IL, is the 2011 National Service Officer of the Year. She was selected from among all the winners in NARFE’s 10 administrative regions. Regional and federation winners and their chapters are: Region I, Sandra Desharnais, Chap. 1540; New Hampshire Federation, Sandra Desharnais, Chap. 1540. Region II, Harold Forst, Chap. 1522;
42
Maryland Federation, Harold Forst, Chap. 1522; Pennsylvania Federation, Ralph Powell, Chap. 1102. Region III, Ben Parzentny, Chap. 1305; Florida Federation, Ben Parzentny, Chap. 1305; Georgia Federation, Charles Hasty, Chap. 1435. Region IV, Sue Warner, Chap. 402; Illinois Federation, Sue Warner, Chap. 402; Indiana Federation, Rita Eades, Chap. 326; Wisconsin Federation, Robert Olson, Chap. 371. Region V, June Schnieder, Chap. 201; South Dakota Federation, June Schnieder, Chap. 201; Iowa Federation, Dan Carter, Chap. 133. Region VI, Bobbie Guillory, Chap. 1397; Louisiana Federation, Bobbie Guillory, Chap. 1397; Texas Federation, Charles Dechert, Chap. 778.
Region VII, Illene Harrison, Chap. 80; New Mexico Federation, Illene Harrison, Chap. 80; Colorado Federation, Carolyn Clark, Chap. 1085. Region VIII, Arthur Crognale, Chap. 352; California Federation, Arthur Crognale, Chap. 352; Hawaii Federation, Stephen Okamoto, Chap. 1656; Nevada Federation, Joseph Downs, Chap. 2031. Region IX, Marilyn Brower, Chap. 763; Idaho Federation, Marilyn Brower, Chap. 763; Washington Federation, V. Lennie Husa, Chap. 32; Montana Federation, Kathy Heinert, Chap. 459. Region X, Beulah Latta, Chap. 566; N. Carolina Federation, Beulah Latta, Chap. 566; Tennessee Federation, Herb Arnett, Chap. 204; Virginia Federation, Charles F. Shuler, Chap. 164. ■ MAY 2011 | NARFE
E L I M I N AT E
FOOT & LEG PAIN In One Easy Step! A-D-J-U-S-T-A-B-L-E
ARCH SUPPORT
FREE
Was $12.97
NOW ONLY
$
& 97 SHIPPING HANDLING
9
on orders of 2 or more! WALK AGAIN
PAIN-FREE!
A-D-J-U-S-T-A-B-L-E COMPRESSION AND SUPPORT
LIFTS ARCH TO A NATURAL POSITION
MAGIC TOUCH CLOSURE
To Help Relieve Foot, Leg And Back Pain While Reducing Inflammation!
For Customized Comfort And Support On Left Or Right Foot!
ORTHOTIC RELIEF
RECEIVE A
From Arch Pain And Discomfort Caused By:
Stress
Fallen Arches Flat Feet Plantar Fasciitis
Comfort
www.DreamProductsCatalog.com
INSTANT PAIN RELIEF For Your Aching Feet & Legs! Don’t let your flat feet or fallen arches force you to walk in pain! Adjustable Arch Support gently lifts problem arches to a natural position that evenly distributes pressure to help reduce inflammation of the Plantar Fascia tissue! Provides instant pain relief for your feet, legs and back, plus better balance and control. Made in the USA of breathable, stretchable, neoprene. 10" x 4½" size fits left or right foot. SAVE $3.00 and get a FREE SURPRISE GIFT with every order! Plus get FREE shipping & handling on 2 or more! Satisfaction Guaranteed or Return For Your Money Back
web offers may vary
OR
ORDER NOW TOLL-FREE
ADJUSTABLE ARCH SUPPORT (99820)
WITH EVERY ORDER
1-800-530-2689
K VISA K MasterCard K Discover®/NOVUSSMCards Card#
Expiration Date
Adjustable Arch Support(s) @ $9.97 each $
/
Dept. 64201
Name
CA residents must add 8.25% sales tax $
K
Add $4.95 Shipping and Handling 1st item FREE Shipping & Handling when buying 2 or more $
FOR EXPEDITED SHIPPING (optional) (receive your order 5-7 days from shipment) $ 2.95
PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY
TOTAL $
Address City
ST
Zip
Daytime Phone # Email Address
Check or money order payable to: Dream Products, Inc.
Send Order To: 412 Dream Lane, Van Nuys, CA 91496
NARFE News
NARFE Activistâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Action Toolkitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Available
P
oliticians are calling for cuts to federal employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and annuitantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; retirement, pay and health benefits to reduce the federal deficit. We all know that cutting pay and benefits ultimately has little effect on reducing the deficit. Instead, it merely hampers federal employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ability to do their jobs for the American people. The time to defend the earned retirement, pay and health benefits of federal workers and annuitants is now! That is why NARFE has launched an aggressive national campaign in response to
the attacks on federal employees: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Protect Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Heartbeat.â&#x20AC;? NARFE has been hard at work reframing the debate in Washington, developing advertising, and building an online presence. To help you join this fight and preserve the benefits you worked hard for and earned, NARFE has created an â&#x20AC;&#x153;action toolkitâ&#x20AC;? with materials designed to empower you to do just that. The toolkit includes a range of materials: â&#x20AC;˘ Talking points and fact sheets on federal pay and benefits,
â&#x20AC;˘ A media how-to guide, complete with template media materials and letters to the editor, â&#x20AC;˘ A comprehensive advocacy how-to guide, â&#x20AC;˘ Materials to use to request a meeting with your members of Congress, â&#x20AC;˘ State data to help you back up your arguments. The Association also will be using this toolkit to assist chapter and federation officers with NARFEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s August 2011 Grass-Roots Advocacy Month (see story, p. 14). You can find this toolkit and more useful information at www.Protect AmericasHeartbeat.org. â&#x2013;
Your credit union has credit card options for you! Make the smart choice. Apply for a NARFE Premier FCU credit card today. No balance transfer fees, no annual fees and low rates.
MasterCard Platinum
Visa Platinum Rewards
â&#x201E;˘
800.328.1500 NARFEpremierFCU.org r "131 PO CBMBODF USBOTGFST GPS UIF Ă STU ZFBS2 r 3BUFT BT MPX BT "131 GPS QVSDIBTFT r &BSO CPOVT SFXBSET QPJOUT3 XJUI ZPVS Ă STU QVSDIBTF r #POVT QPJOUT SFEFFNBCMF GPS USBWFM NFSDIBOEJTF BOE HJGU DBSET
r 3BUFT BT MPX BT "131 r ;FSP MJBCJMJUZ BOE QFBDF PG NJOE r 5SBWFM BTTJTUBODF r &NFSHFODZ SPBETJEF BTTJTUBODF DBSE SFQMBDFNFOU BOE DBTI BEWBODF
1"13 "OOVBM 1FSDFOUBHF 3BUF "MM UFSNT BOE DPOEJUJPOT TVCKFDU UP DIBOHF XJUIPVU OPUJDF 3BUFT CBTFE PO DSFEJU XPSUIJOFTT 23BUF BQQMJFT UP CBMBODF USBOTGFST DPNQMFUFE XJUIJO Ă STU EBZT PG DBSE JTTVF "13 GPS Ă STU NPOUIT PG UIF CBMBODF USBOTGFS 5IJT PGGFS NBZ OPU CF VTFE UP QBZ PS NBLF CBMBODF USBOTGFST GSPN BOZ FYJTUJOH /"3'& 1SFNJFS '$6 BDDPVOUT MPBOT PS DSFEJU DBSET 31PJOUT FYQJSF Ă WF ZFBST GSPN UJNF PG JTTVF
44
MAY 2011 | NARFE
8 6 *29·7 *2/' $7 &267 72'$< 7KH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV &RLQ *ROG 5HVHUYH KDV VFKHGXOHG WKH ¿QDO UHOHDVH RI 8 6 *RY¶W ,VVXHG *ROG &RLQV SUHYLRXVO\ KHOG DW WKH 8 6 0LQW DW :HVW 3RLQW 7KHVH *RY¶W ,VVXHG *ROG &RLQV DUH EHLQJ UHOHDVHG RQ D ¿UVW FRPH ¿UVW VHUYH EDVLV IRU WKH LQFUHGLEOH PDUNXS IUHH SULFH RI RQO\ HDFK 7KLV ³DW FRVW´ *RY¶W *ROG RIIHU ZLOO EH DYDLODEOH IRU RQO\ D OLPLWHG WLPH VR GR QRW GHOD\ &DOO D 6U *ROG 6SHFLDOLVW WRGD\
Own Govâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Issued Gold Coins DUE TO STRICT LIMITED AVAILABILITY, TELEPHONE ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVE BASIS ACCORDING TO THE TIME AND DATE OF THE ORDER.
0DUNXS )UHH 3ULFH RI 21/<
$
15385 ($&+
ED S TAT
ES
IN
V
â&#x20AC;&#x2122;
O
GO
S
â&#x20AC;¢
â&#x20AC;¢ U N
,I \RX¶YH EHHQ ZDLWLQJ WR PRYH \RXU KDUG HDUQHG PRQ H\ LQWR SUHFLRXV PHWDOV WKH WLPH LV QRZ WR FRQVLGHU WUDQV T IHUULQJ \RXU 8 6 GROODUV LQWR C GOLD 8QLWHG 6WDWHV *RYHUQPHQW *ROG 7KH *ROG PDUNHW LV RQ WKH PRYH XS PRUH WKDQ RYHU WKH SDVW \HDUV RXWSDFLQJ WKH '2: 1$6'$4 DQG 6 3 &DOO LPPHGLDWHO\ WR RUGHU \RXU 8QLWHG 6WDWHV *ROG &RLQV GLUHFW IURP RXU 0DLQ 9DXOW )DFLOLW\ ³DW FRVW´ IRU WKH DPD] LQJ SULFH RI RQO\ SHU FRLQ 6SHFLDO DUUDQJHPHQWV FDQ EH PDGH IRU *ROG SXU FKDVHV RYHU 2UGHU \RXU *ROG WRGD\ IT
± *RY¶W ,VVXHG *ROG &RLQ
73<: 05:<9(5*, :/07705. /(5+305.
± *RY¶W ,VVXHG *ROG &RLQV
73<: 05:<9(5*, :/07705. /(5+305.
± *RY¶W ,VVXHG *ROG &RLQV
73<: 05:<9(5*, :/07705. /(5+305. '8( 72 0$5.(7 )/8&78$7,216 $7 &267 35,&(6 $5( 9$/,' )25 $ 0$;,080 2) '$<6 )520 $' 38%/,&$7,21 '$7( 63(&,$/ $7 &267 2))(5 ,6 675,&7/< /,0,7(' 72 21/< 21( /,)(7,0( 385&+$6( 2) $7 &267 &2,16 5(*$5'/(66 2) 35,&( 3$,' 3(5 +286(+2/' 3/86 6+,33,1* $1' ,1685$1&( ',675,%8725 2) *29(510(17 *2/' 127 $)),/,$7(' :,7+ 7+( 8 6 *29(510(17
&$// 72// )5(( +RXUV $ 'D\ 'D\V $ :HHN
1-877-486-1610 CHECK OR BANK WIRE ONLY
&RLQV HQODUJHG &RLQV HQODUJHG WR VKRZ GHWDLO WR VKRZ GHWDLO
'LVWULEXWRU RI *RYHUQPHQW *ROG 1RW DI¿OLDWHG ZLWK WKH 8 6 *RYHUQPHQW
9DXOW 1R 1$5 1R RQH LQFOXGLQJ WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV &RLQ DQG *ROG 5HVHUYH FDQ JXDUDQWHH D *ROG &RLQ¶V IXWXUH YDOXH ZLOO JR XS RU GRZQ Â&#x2039; 8QLWHG 6WDWHV &RLQ DQG *ROG 5HVHUYH
NARFE News
Recognize Public Service
N
ARFE is a proud sponsor of Public Service Recognition Week, which takes place May 1-7. It is an annual celebration of the men and women who serve America as federal, state, county and local government employees. The week has been celebrated every year since 1985. The goals of this year’s observance are to educate citizens about the work of their government, to improve the perception and morale of federal workers and other public servants, and to help inspire a new generation
of public servants. Many NARFE chapters participate in this yearly event by requesting proclamations from local government officials. The Partnership for Public Service, which cohosts the event with the Public Employees Roundtable, has sample proclamation request letters and proclamation language available on its Public Service Recognition Week website, along with other suggestions for marking the week. Go to http://publicservicerecognitionweek. org. ■
Silver Circle Hits $100,000
N
ARFE’s Silver Circle Program has exceeded $100,000 in total donations. The program was established in 2007 as a way to recognize NARFE members, at every level, who are willing to support NARFE beyond the norm. For a minimum contribution of $25, members receive a Silver Circle pin and are recognized in NARFE magazine. Members who donate $1,000 or more have their names engraved on the Silver CircleWall of Fame at NARFE Headquarters. As of March 1, donations totaled $101,432.The latest givers will be recognized in the June issue.
Presenting NARFE’s ars Celebrating 90 Ye
Limited Edition 90th Anniversary Book
of Service
1 1921-201
Only $10
Order your copy of NARFE’s 90th Anniversary Book today! Clip and mail to: NARFE 90th Book, 606 N. Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 Name __________________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________________ City __________________________________________State ______ZIP ___________
Number of Books
____ x $10 = __________ (includes shipping & handling)
Member ID# (As it appears on NARFE magazine label) ________________________
Tax (if applicable) = _______
❏ Charge to my credit card
Virginia residents must add 5% tax ($0.50 per book)
❏ MasterCard
❏ Visa
❏ Discover
❏ AMEX
Card # _________________________________________________________________ Exp. Date
Total cost = ______________
________ / _______ (mm)
(yy)
MAIL ORDER ONLY NO PHONE ORDERS Signature ____________________________________________ Date _____________ Make checks payable to NARFE Name on card (print) ____________________________________________________
46
MAY 2011 | NARFE
Out & AW bout ith the Chapters
Visit our online gallery at www.narfe.org. Click on NARFE magazine.
U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, center in green jacket, met with a large contingent of NARFE members from Maryland chapters during NARFE’s Day on the Hill, part of the 2011 Legislative Training Conference. Mikulski assured the NARFE advocates of her opposition to cuts to benefits of federal retirees and survivors.
U.S. Rep. Howard Coble, second from right, met in his Greensboro, NC, office with NARFE members, from left, Jim Whitten, secretary of Chapter 668 in High Point; Betty Whitten, chapter president; and Ray Hilton, legislative chairman.
Celebrate NARFE’s 90th
N
ARFE has 90th Anniversary merchandise for sale: • 90th Anniversary Book, NARFE: Celebrating 90 Years of Service, 1921-2011, $10.
• 90th Anniversary PowerPoint Presentation, $5; • 90th Anniversary Lapel Pin, $3.
Go to www.narfe.org, click on Leadership at the top of the page, then click on NARFE 90th Anniversary Merchandise.
Chapter 1686 in Sunnyslope, AZ, celebrated NARFE’s 90th anniversary at its March meeting, then members in attendance posed for a photo.
To submit a photo: E-mail it to rl@narfe.org or send it by postal mail to NARFE Headquarters, ATTN: Out & About.
NARFE members contributed for Alzheimer’s research:
SUPPORT ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH
$10 Million Fund
$9,080,279* *Total as of February 28, 2011 100% of all contributed funds go to Alzheimer’s research. If you have any questions, write to: National Committee Chairman Barb L. Pretzer, 4817 Rockridge Ct. Manhattan, KS 66503
Enclosed is my NARFE-Alzheimer’s contribution: $ ___________. Every cent that is contributed is used for research. Please circle:
Mr.
Mrs.
NARFE-Alzheimer’s Research and mail to: Alzheimer’s Association 225 N. Michigan Ave., 17th Floor Chicago, IL 60601-7633
48
Ms.
Name _______________________________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________________ City _______________________________ State _________ ZIP ______________ Chapter number _______________________ Credit Card Information: ❑ Visa
Your charitable contribution is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Write your chapter number on check; make it payable to:
Miss
❑ MasterCard
❑ Discover
❑ AMEX
Card Number: __________________________________________________________ Expiration Date:________(mm)/_________(yy) 3-Digit Security Code: _________ Name on Card: (print) ___________________________________________________ Signature:_________________________________________ Date: _______________ MAY 2011 | NARFE
Join
NARFE
Who can join?
Today!
To apply:
Membership is open to civilians in any agency of the federal or D.C.* governments including: • Retirees • Active federal employees • Spouses and former spouses of active and retired federal employees • Former employees eligible for deferred annuity • Survivors of those eligible to join NARFE
• Complete the application below. • Enclose payment information, bill pay, check or money order payable to NARFE, or request to be billed. • Or go to our Web site at www.narfe.org. • Or call us at 800-627-3394 and join today! *Prior to October 1, 1987
Enrollment includes membership in a local chapter and the national association, plus a subscription to NARFE’s monthly publication, NARFE magazine.
NARFE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION For Active and Retired Federal Employees 1. Choose all that apply: Retiree Spouse Survivor
Active employee Former spouse Former employee
2. Also enroll my spouse __________________________
www.narfe.org
Contact Information:
Full Name: Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms.
full name
3. Please enroll me in NARFE chapter ______________
Street Address
4. __________ $45 x __________ Membership Fee # of People Per Person Enrolling
City/State/ZIP
= __________ Total Payment
Total payment (check, bill pay or money order payable to NARFE) Bill me (Membership starts when payment is received) Charge to my credit card The first year membership fee includes national and chapter dues. Credit Card Information: MasterCard Card type: Discover
VISA AMEX
Card no. ___________________________________________ Expiration Date ________________ (MM)
(YY)
Name on Card (Print) ________________________________ Signature ____________________________ Date __________ NARFE | MAY 2011
Apt./Unit
Phone Number E-mail Address Date of Birth Spouse’s Date of Birth (if applicable) Recruiter’s Membership and Chapter Number
MAIL TO:
NARFE Member Records 606 N. Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 Fax: 703-838-7783
1Q 49
NARFE Dues Withholding Application Retired Federal Employees Only If you are a Retired Federal Employee and you would like your NARFE dues to be deducted from your annuity payments, fill out the form below.
Dues Withholding Application (Retirees Only) Fill out this form completely and mail to: Attn: Member Records, NARFE, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314 (Do Not Send Money With This Form). (Please Print) —
—
C
—
—
S
—
Civil Service Annuity Number
Social Security Number (9-digits)
(Include prefix CSA or CSF) (Include any applicable suffix)
(Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms.) Address
Telephone
City, State, ZIP
Date of Birth
NARFE Membership Number
NARFE Chapter Number
Authorization I authorize the United States Office of Personnel Management to make appropriate deductions from my annuity payments, not to exceed the amount certified by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association as the amount of dues for which I am annually obligated, in accordance with elections I make below and to pay the deducted sum to the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE). This authorization shall also apply to any and all dues changes certified by NARFE membership in accordance with elections I make below:
Do You Authorize Your Spouse’s Dues to Be Withheld from Your Annuity? If YES, enter your spouse’s name and membership number below.
Name
Number
❑ Yes
❑ No
You authorize: Annual NARFE dues of $34.00 plus Chapter dues of record to be withheld annually.
I understand that this authorization shall be valid until NARFE receives & processes my written notice of cancellation in accordance with its agreement with the Office of Personnel Management & that any disputes regarding this authorization shall be a matter between NARFE & myself. I hold the Office of Personnel Management harmless for any erroneous allotment deduction made pursuant to this authorization. Signature of Annuitant or Survivor-Annuitant
50
Date
Dues payments & gifts or contributions to NARFE are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.
MAY 2011 | NARFE
Letters NARFE Made All the Difference
I
n reading the Questions & Answers section of the February issue of NARFE magazine, we realized that we were in the situation described in one of the questions regarding Medicare Part B coverage for my husband due to my retirement in 2010. Heightened concern set in as we figured out we only had days to act to avoid penalties! My first action was to call NARFE and speak with Debra Creeger of your Retirement Benefits Service Department. Debra knew exactly what resources and background information we needed to review to make our decisions. She collected the pertinent documents and had them in the mail to us the same day. She even called to let us know the informa-
REMINDER: Celebrate Public Service Recognition Week, May 1-7. See p. 46 for more information.
tion was on its way. After assessing our situation and making calls to my former HR office, the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Office of Personnel Management, I once again called NARFE for help. Al
Reeves, also in the Retirement Benefits Service Department, went all out to help us locate forms that the SSA said were only available by visiting its office (over two hours away from us). He had phone numbers, form numbers and website addresses. This letter is to express our thanks to these two individuals. If it had not been for them and your magazine, we would not have realized nor been able to get this situation back on track. Susan and Robert Hudson, Reedville, VA
Letters to the editor may be edited for grammar, clarity and length. All letters must be signed. Send by e-mail to rl@narfe.org or by postal mail to NARFE Headquarters, ATTN: Letters to the Editor.
NARFE National Life Membership Application National Life Membership offers a hedge against future dues increases and affirms a member’s ongoing support of NARFE’s mission to serve federal employees and retirees. National dues are paid for life; applicable chapter dues are billed annually. Life Membership Fee Schedule
Membership Information
Contact Information
Ages
(Active NARFE members)
Member Number:_______________________
Full Name: Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms.
Street Address
Single or Quarterly Payment Installments
Apt./Unit
City/State/ZIP
E-mail Address
30-39 $1,796 40-40 1,408 (New members) Membership is open to civilians in 1,127 any agency of the federal or D.C. (before Oct. 1, 1987) 51-55 56-60 960 governments eligible for a federal annuity. 61-65 801 Check one: 66-70 653 Retiree Active federal employee 71-75 514 Spouse Former federal employee 76-80 392 Former spouse Survivor 81-90 251 91-100+ 127
Payment Information Single payment
or
$450.25 353.25 283.00 241.25 201.50 164.50 129.75 99.25 64.00 33.00
Quarterly Installments (4 payments)
Life Membership fee amount: $____________ Date of Birth
Credit card
Check or money order (payable to NARFE)
Credit Card Info: MasterCard
Discover
Visa
AMEX
Recruiter’s ID # (if applicable)
Card Number:______________________________ Exp. Date:_____/_____ Chapter Number (call 800-456-8410 for chapter information)
Name on Card: (print) ___________________________________________________ Signature: __________________________________________ Date:______________
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.
Mail application and payment to: NARFE, Attn: Member Records, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314 NARFE | MAY 2011
51
NARFE Perks NARFE 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 below and encourages its members to shop and compare before making a decision on any financial matter.
MOVING SERVICES
INSURANCE
TRAVEL
NARFE INSURANCE SERVICES NARFE MEMBER HOMEBENEFITS 1-800-666-9203 http://narfe.myhomebenefits.com • Earn thousands in cash-back rewards when you buy or sell a home* • Shop competitive mortgage rates, receive discounts on closing costs, plus take advantage of your VA Loan Benefits • Receive preferred pricing on interesete moving services with the nation’s most trusted moving company – Allied Van Lines! *State restrictions apply. Call or visit website for details.
BEKINS VAN LINES 1-800-456-6832 (M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CT) narfe@bekins.com All NARFE members will receive discounted pricing for all interstate shipments. Discount will apply to packing and moving services and valuation protection. All intrastate shipments, locals and international moves will be competitive in cost based on your geographical location. Mention you are a NARFE member and transportation agreement #00930.
VACATION RENTALS .
Endless Vacation Rentals® As a member of NARFE, you will receive 10% off the “Best Available Rate” at vacation rental properties booked at www.evrentals.com/narfe or by calling 1877-670-7088, prompt 3, and providing promotion code 20672 at time of booking.
52
1-800-233-5764 Insurance plans designed and administered exclusively for NARFE members. Call for information on Whole and Term Life, Hospital Indemnity, Accidental Injury and Death Plan, Dental Plan and Cancer Care Plan. For information on Long Term Care call the Long Term Care Unit at 1800-358-3795.
GEICO: 1-800-368-2734 NARFE members with good driving records may be eligible for quality automobile insurance from GEICO. Ask about the NARFE discount now available to members in many states. Call today for your free, no-obligation rate quote. Be sure to mention that you’re a NARFE member! • Discount amount varies in some states • Discount not available in all states or in all GEICO companies • One group discount applicable per policy.
EMERGENCY SERVICES SINCE 1974 1-800-423-3226 Medical Air Services Association has been the industry leader in prepaid emergency assistance services for more than 30 years. NARFE members have experienced MASA’s “peace of mind” services since 2001. Now NARFE members are entitled to even more: air ambulance transportation, helicopter transportation, ground ambulance, vehicle return, mortal remains transport, and much more! Call MASA Today. It Could Save Your Life!
Escorted Group Cruise to
ALASKA August 27, 2011 ~ 7 nights Join your fellow NARFE members on this 7-night cruise conveniently sailing from Seattle, WA. Rates as low as $699. PLUS special amenities include $75 onboard credit, bottle of wine & hosted cocktail party. 1-800-607-4538
www.NARFEtravel.com
HEARING BENEFITS TRUHEARING The TruHearing program can save you hundreds of dollars: • Free hearing screening • 45-day, money-back guarantee • 3-year warranty • Free one-year supply of batteries • 1,400 hearing professionals nationwide • 12-months, no interest financing (available upon approved credit)
Call to schedule your appointment
877-360-2442 Operators available Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-9 p.m. (East Coast time)
MAY 2011 | NARFE
HOTELS
CAR RENTALS
CREDIT UNION
ALAMO/NATIONAL CAR RENTAL
NARFE’S OFFICIAL CREDIT UNION
CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL With 6,000 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 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. To book, visit choicehotels.com or call 800-258-2847.
1-800-354-2322 — www.alamo.com Welcome to Alamo Country. Where NARFE members get unlimited mileage and year-round discounts off Alamo’s already great rates. Book with your travel agent or Alamo®. Be sure to request I.D. Number 262544 and Rate Code BY (A-1 for weekend rentals) at the time of reservation. (Same ID number and code applies to National Car Rental.)
As a member of NARFE, you have the privilege of joining NARFE Premier Federal Credit Union, which has been serving members since 1935. We offer extensive services at competitive rates to members nationwide. Your savings are federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government. For more information, call 800-3281500, e-mail jparish@narfepremierfcu. org or visit us at NARFEpremierfcu.org.
CREDIT CARD AVIS: 1-800-331-1441 WYNDHAM HOTEL GROUP As a member of NARFE, you will receive up to 20% off the “Best Available Rate” at participating locations when you travel. Call and give agent your special discount ID number, #20672, at time of booking to receive discount. Whether you are looking for an upscale hotel, an all-inclusive resort or something more cost-effective, we have the right hotel for you... and at the right price. So start saving now. Call our special memberbenefits hotline 1-877-670-7088 and reserve your room today at one of these fine hotels: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts®, Days Inn®, Ramada Worldwide®, Super 8®, Wingate By Wyndham®, Baymont Inns and Suites®, Hawthorn Suites® By Wyndham, Microtel Inns and Suites®, Howard Johnson®, Travelodge® and Knights Inn®.
NARFE | MAY 2011
The employees/owners of Avis offer guaranteed low rates and quality services to members of NARFE. Mention ID# A991900.
HEALTH SCREENING
LIFE LINE SCREENING Life Line Screening, America’s leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings, will conduct the following screenings using state-of-the-art ultrasound technology in your neighborhood: 1. Stroke/Carotid Artery 2. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm 3. Atrial Fibrillation 4. Peripheral Arterial Disease. You will receive a confidential written report within 21 days. Life Line Screening and NARFE encourage you to share these test results with your doctor. All four screenings cost just $135. To schedule an appointment, please call 1-800-324-9906 and give the operator code number: BKHN075 or visit www.lifelinescreening. com/NARFE. Coverage may vary and may not be available in all states.
Bank of America now offers the officially approved credit card program for NARFE, featuring the Platinum Plus® MasterCard® with WorldPoints. This is the only credit card that helps support NARFE every time you use it to make a purchase–at no additional cost to you. Call toll-free 1-866-438-6262 Use NARFE’s full name, not NARFE. Use priority code: UABEWD.
NARFE MERCHANDISE NARFE GENERAL STORE
Order Official NARFE Name Badges. Coming soon, customizable NARFE logo products and plaques. See MEMBER PERKS on the NARFE Web site, or go to: www.narfegeneralstore.com. Toll-Free Phone: 877-866-0102 Fax: 301-371-6824
53
For the Record The chart below tracks the CPI-W, the monthly inflation change, and the cumulative percentage gain for the next CSRS and Social Security COLA. CPI-W October 2010 November December January 2011 February March April May June July August September
214.6 214.8 215.3 216.4 217.5
MONTHLY % CHANGE % CHANGE FROM 215.5 +0.1 +0.1 +0.2 +0.5 +0.5
March’s Roller Coaster Ride ByTracey Ray
A
t first glance, it looks like a relatively quiet month, with only the negative return of the I Fund to remind us of the devastation that struck Japan. And, yet, there was a real roller coaster ride in March, as the C Fund plunged 5.2 percent in midmonth only to gain it all back by month’s end. The S Fund also rallied from a decline of 4.5 percent, and the I Fund erased most of a 9.4-percent midmonth loss to close down just 2.2 percent. The market seemed to shrug off all bad news as growing radiation leaks in Japan, more fiscal problems in Europe and continued turmoil in the Middle East could not stop the second half of the month advance.
Tracey Ray is chief investment officer of the Thrift Savings Plan.
Track the TSP in NARFE 54
-0.4 -0.4 -0.1 +0.42 +0.95
CPI Rises Again in February
T
he Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 0.5 percent in February. To calculate the 2012 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), the indices of July, August and September 2011 will be averaged for a thirdquarter determinant, which will be compared with the 2008 thirdquarter base of 215.495 (because of price deflation in the past two measurement years, the 2008 third-quarter average is still the point of comparison). The February index of 217.535 is up 0.95 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 percentage change in the CPI-W. February’s index is 1.06 percent higher than the December 2010 base index of 215.262. ■
Thrift Savings Plan Investments* Month G Fund April 0.28% 2010 May 0.28% June 0.24% July 0.23% August 0.22% September 0.17% October 0.18% November 0.17% December 0.20% 0.24% 2011 January February 0.22% March 0.26% Last 12 Months 2.72%
F Fund 1.07% 0.85% 1.56% 1.07% 1.28% 0.17% 0.36% (0.57%) (1.05%) 0.13% 0.26% 0.06% 5.27%
C Fund 1.58% (7.99%) (5.24%) 7.01% (4.51%) 8.92% 3.80% 0.01% 6.68% 2.37% 3.42% 0.04% 15.62%
S Fund 4.82% (7.51%) (6.90%) 7.00% (5.59%) 11.47% 4.48% 3.00% 7.38% 1.23% 4.52% 2.06% 26.81%
Month 2010 April May June July August September October November December 2011 January February March Last 12 Months
L 2020 0.76% (4.98%) (2.34%) 4.82% (2.29%) 5.54% 2.29% (0.49%) 4.08% 1.35% 2.15% (0.03%) 10.82%
L 2030 0.94% (6.07%) (2.98%) 5.80% (2.88%) 6.77% 2.78% (0.56%) 4.96% 1.57% 2.60% (0.05%) 12.78%
L 2040 1.05% (6.97%) (3.47%) 6.60% (3.33%) 7.76% 3.16% (0.64%) 5.67% 1.75% 2.95% (0.08%) 14.25%
L Income 0.50% (1.50%) (0.61%) 1.81% (0.63%) 2.00% 0.92% (0.05%) 1.49% 0.63% 0.90% 0.17% 5.73%
I Fund (2.35%) (11.20%) (1.75%) 10.78% (3.14%) 9.81% 3.63% (4.84%) 8.12% 2.41% 3.33% (2.23%) 10.72% L 2050
3.28% (0.15%)
*This chart is provided as a service to NARFE members who enrolled in the Thrift Savings Plan while employed by the federal government. Retirees are not eligible for enrollment. These returns are net of the effect of accrued administrative expenses and investment expenses/costs. Percentages in ( ) are negative. Source: tsp.gov.
MAY 2011 | NARFE
Technology Simplified
WOW…A Computer Designed For YOU, Not Your Grandchildren! NEW Just plug it in!!! …It’s easy to read. It’s easy to see. It’s even easier to understand and use!.
NEW
Touch Screen Technology
®
designed for SENIORS
Big Bright Screen One-touch “zoom” magnification No bulky tower
Have you ever said to yourself “I’d love connection. Then you’ll see the to get a computer, if only I could figure out screen. This is a completely new how to use it.” Well, you’re not alone. operating system, without the Computers were supposed to make our cluttered look of the normal computer lives simpler, but they’ve gotten so screen. The “buttons” on the screen are easy complicated that they are not worth the to see and easy to understand. All you do is trouble. With all of the “pointing and touch one of them, from the Web, Email, clicking” and “dragging and dropping” Calendar to Games– you name it… and a you’re lucky if you can figure out where you new screen opens up. It’s so easy to use you are. Plus, you are constantly worrying about won’t have to ask your children or grandviruses, spam and freeze-ups. If this sounds children for help. familiar, we have great news for Until now the you. There is finally a computer very people who “I love this computer! that’s designed for simplicity could It is easy to read and to most frombenefit and ease of use. It’s the WOW Email, Computer, and it was designed use! I get photo updates and the Internet from my children and are the ones with you in mind. This computer is easy-to-use, that have had grandchildren all worry-free and literally puts the the hardest time the time.” world at your fingertips. From accessing it. Now, the moment you open the thanks to the –From Janet F. box, you’ll realize how different WOW Computer, the WOW computer is. The components countless older Americans are discovering are all connected; all you do is plug it into the wonderful world of the Internet every an outlet and your high-speed Internet day. Isn’t it time you took part? Call now, …send and receive emails Keep up with family and friends.
…”surf” the internet Get current weather & news.
and a patient, knowledgeable product expert will tell you how you can try it in your home for 30 days. Call today.
Call now for our special introductory price!
Please mention promotional code 42025.
1-877-699-6854
…play games online hundreds to choose from!
80192 Copyright © 2011 by firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc. All rights reserved.
Simple navigation, so you never get lost!
19FREE!
Hand-Stitched
99
LEATHER Loafers
per pair
(Reg. 24.99)
Last Chance!
Shipped
5 Colors to Choose! Cushioned for Comfort! Medium & WIDE Widths!
Light Taupe
Red
Twin elastic gores make ’em easy to slip on!
White
Indigo
© 2011 Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc. Manufactured for Brown Shoe Company, Inc., under license from Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc.
When you pay by check, you authorize us to use information from your check to clear it electronically. Funds may be withdrawn from your account as soon as the same day we receive your payment, and you will not receive your check back from your financial institution.
Hand-stitched “Star” Leather Loafers Loaded with Stellar Comfort! Genuine Leather uppers are meticulously hand-stitched with a star design. Perfs and side vents add style & cooling ventilation too. Complete with easy-on twin elastic gores at instep, padded ankle collar, and soft foam backed tricot lining. Flexible treaded outsole, perfect 1" heel. For Fast & Easy Service Available only from Haband! Shop Online: Haband.com Order now!
® ®
Duke Habernickel #1 Bargain Place, Jessup, PA 18434-1834
19
LEATHER Loafers
99 * per
pair
Haband #1 Bargain Place, Jessup, PA 18434-1834 Send ____ pairs. I enclose $________ purchase price plus $5.99 toward postage. In GA add sales tax. On-Line Quick Order
FREE!
Check
MEDIUM: 5 51⁄ 2 6 61⁄ 2 7 71⁄ 2 8 81⁄ 2 9 10 11 *WIDE $4 more per pair: 6 61⁄ 2 7 71⁄ 2 8 81⁄ 2 9 10 11
7WL –E6161
INDIGO 15 WHITE RH RED 25 DA LIGHT TAUPE Ø1 BLACK (Not Shown)
Now Shipped
FREE! 2 pairs 37.97 3 pairs 54.95
Imported WHAT WHAT HOW SIZE? WIDTH? MANY?
Card # ________________________________________Exp.: ______/_____ Mr. Mrs. Ms. ___________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________ Apt. # ______ City & State _____________________________________ Zip ___________ Email _________________________________________________________ 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed or Full Refund of merchandise purchase price.