September 2012-Benefits Newsletter
What's New?
Topics Of Interest:
- Where Can I Find Answers To Frequently Asked Benefits Questions?
- Where Can I Find Answers To Frequently Asked Medicare Questions?
- What Happens To My Health Benefits And Life Insurance Coverage If I Go Into Leave Without Pay (LWOP) Status?
- Employment And Income Verification – Use TALX – The Work Number®
- Why Do I Need A myPay PIN And How Can I Get One?
- Where Can I Find Information On Pay And Leave?
Where Do I Go If I Have Questions About My Benefits?
1. Benefits Calendar of Events
2. Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) Roth Highlights!
With the recent addition of the TSP Roth feature, you have the option of using myPay 
(DFAS) to make traditional TSP and/or Roth contributions . TSP Roth gives you the flexibility to diversify the tax treatment of your contributions. With Roth contributions, you pay taxes now. You may want to consult a qualified tax or financial advisor to help you decide if Roth is for you. Some TSP Roth highlights are as follows:
- Money already in your TSP account when you begin making Roth contributions will remain part of your traditional balance. You will not be able to convert it to Roth.
- The combined total of your TSP Roth and tax-deferred traditional contributions in 2012 cannot exceed the IRS annual limit of $17,000, or the catch-up contribution limit of $5,500.
- If you are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System, your Agency Matching Contributions are based on the total amount of money (traditional and Roth) that you contribute each pay period. All agency contributions are deposited into your traditional balance.
- The TSP will keep your traditional balance and your Roth balance in separate “buckets” in your TSP account for the purposes of tracking contributions and transfers into your account. However, you cannot just tap one or the other balance when you request transactions such as contribution allocation changes, interfund transfers, loans, and withdrawals. All transactions will include a proportional amount from each balance.
- You will be able to transfer Roth 401(k), Roth 403(b), and Roth 457(b) (but not Roth IRA) money into the Roth balance in your TSP account. Pre-tax transfers will continue to be placed in your traditional balance.
3. Where Can I Find Answers To Frequently Asked Benefits Questions?
You can view answers to a variety of benefits FAQs on-line.
4. Where Can I Find Answers To Frequently Asked Medicare Questions?
You can view answers to Medicare FAQs on the Medicare website .
5. What Happens To My Health Benefits And Life Insurance Coverage If I Go Into Leave Without Pay (LWOP) Status?
Your health benefits coverage will continue for up to 365 days of non-pay status. You have the option of terminating your coverage during the period of non-pay status or continuing the coverage. If you elect to continue your coverage, you will incur a debt or must make direct payments to DFAS while in non-pay status. You will need to sign a Notice of Intent Agreement for LWOP Status 
and submit it to your Benefits Contact.
This does not apply if you are claiming compensation from the Department of Labor because of a work-related injury or illness. For more information on LWOP and health benefits under these circumstances, please contact the NIH Workers’ Compensation Specialist on 301- 496-2404.
Your life insurance coverage will continue for up to 365 days of non-pay status. You do not have to pay for the coverage while in non-pay status. The agency will pay for you, and you will not be required to reimburse the agency for this benefit. If you do not return within 365 days of non-pay status, your FEGLI coverage will be terminated; however, you have the option of converting to an individual policy. For additional information on the impact of LWOP on your Federal benefits, refer to the Impact of Non-Pay Status on Benefits 
. Prior to going on LWOP, it is very important that you notify your Benefits Contact. If you are claiming compensation from the Department of Labor, please contact the NIH Workers’ Compensation Specialist for additional information.
6. Employment And Income Verification – Use TALX – The Work Number®
TALX – The Work Number®, is an automated system that provides proof of employment and income to verifiers. TALX is widely known and used by over 50,000 entities including most major financial institutions, mortgage lenders, leasing companies, and private corporations to verify employment and income status of employees. The system provides a secure way for verifiers to obtain your employment information and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Before your information can be released to a verifier, you must give your authorization. NIH employees can use TALX The Work Number® in two easy steps:
- Authorize the verification by completing the verifier’s (lender, bank, etc.) authorization form.
- Provide the verifier with:
- TALX –The Work Number® access options - www.theworknumber.com or 1-800-367-5690
- HHS Employer Code: 14775
- Salary Key (if needed) (A salary key is a six digit electronic signature created by the employee that is good for a one time use by a verifier)
7. Why Do I Need A myPay PIN And How Can I Get One?
It is very important to have access to your myPay (DFAS) account so that you can view your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) each pay day to verify that the correct deductions are being withheld and that your leave balances on your LES match the balances in ITAS. You must also use myPay to make changes to your home address, TSP contributions, direct deposit of pay, allotments, Federal tax withholdings, and Open Season health benefits elections. Additionally, some state tax withholdings must be made via myPay (DFAS). If you move to or from Maryland, you must complete a state tax form for your new state and submit it to the Benefits and Payroll Liaison Branch (Bldg 31/Rm B3C23) for processing. However, for movement between other states and/or the District, you must use myPay (DFAS).
To access the system, you will need your Login and Password. If you have forgotten your Login or Password, click the “Forgot Your Login ID?” or “Forgot or Need a Password?” link on the left side of the myPay (DFAS) screen. Using this method, your Password can be e-mailed to you if you pre-registered your e-mail address, or it can be mailed to your current home address of record within 7 to 10 business days.
A second option for requesting a Password is to send a fax to 216-367-3549. You will need to include in your request your name, SSN, a daytime phone number, a copy of your NIH ID Card, and you must sign the fax. Upon receiving your fax, the Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS) will reset your Password using a temporary Password. Your temporary Password will be 8 numbers, the last 4 numbers of your SSN twice. You will not receive a notice from DFAS that your Password has been reset. Simply wait at least two business days before logging into myPay (DFAS) to use your temporary Password. Upon logging in, you will be prompted to reset your Password. Information pertaining to establishing an acceptable Login and Password can be obtained at myPay FAQs (DFAS).
If you encounter problems with your Login and/or Password or technical issues using myPay (DFAS), contact the DFAS Centralized Customer Support Unit toll-free at 1-888-332-7411. This support line is available Monday through Friday, 7:00 A.M. to 6:30 P.M. Eastern Standard Time. They can provide assistance on how to use the options available to you in myPay. They will also provide support for establishing and changing your Login and/or Password.
8. Where Can I Find Information On Pay And Leave?
You can find a wealth of pay and leave information on our website. Additionally, you can find information on the most frequently asked payroll questions.
9. How Can I Get In Touch With My Benefits Contact?
Your contact in the Benefits and Payroll Liaison Branch will be able to help you with a variety of issues pertaining to the health and life insurance programs, designating beneficiaries, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), calculating your retirement annuity estimate, working with you to pay a redeposit for prior civilian service if you previously withdrew your retirement funds, paying a deposit for prior civilian or military service for which retirement deductions were not withheld, etc. To find your benefits contact, review our list of contacts. In addition, the Benefits and Payroll Liaison Branch (BPLB) website has an abundance of information regarding your Federal benefits. Don’t forget to check out the Benefits FAQs section.
Human resource topics not related to your benefits are normally handled by your Client Services Division HR Representative .
