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Benefits Officers Center

What's New in Retirement Benefits

Online Course

Benefits Officers Training and Development is very happy to announce the availability of our first on-line course—CSRS Offset.

OPM's CSRS Offset training covers the major aspects of the CSRS Offset program from a benefits officer's point of view including:

  • Coverage determinations
  • Decision factors
  • Service requirements and other benefits
  • Annuity provisions
  • Offset computations
  • Interrelationship with Social Security

Register for the course at our secure on-line registration site.

Recent Benefits Administration Letters
DateLetters
October 2012 Benefits Administration Letter 12-104 Federal Employees Retirement System-Revised Annuity Employees (RAE)
August 2012 Benefits Administration Letter 12-103 Submitting Healthy Retirement Application Packages
August 2012 Benefits Administration Letter 12-103 Attachment A: CSRS and FERS Development Checklist and Log
August 2012 Benefits Administration Letter 12-103 Attachment B: Annotated CSRS and FERS Development Checklist
August 2012 Benefits Administration Letter 12-103 Attachment C: CSA Document Order for Retirement Package Submissions
May 2012 Acceptance of Photocopies of Signed Documents in Retirement Application Packages and other Agency Submissions
March 2012 Benefits Administration Letter 12-306 FEHBP Cost Factor for Third Quarter of FY 2012
March 2012 Benefits Administration Letter 12-305 March 2012 Headcount
February 2012 Benefits Administration Letter 12-304 Instructions Regarding New Requirement for Agencies’ Payments to the CSRDF in FY 2012 for VSIPs and VERAs Processing Costs
Benefits Administration Letter 12-304 - Attachments 1A, 1B, 1C: Remittance Reports
January 2012 Benefits Administration Letter 12-303 Interim IRS Guidance on Informational Reporting to Employees Cost of Group Health Insurance Coverage - Now Mandatory for the 2012 Tax Year
January 2012 Benefits Administration Letter 12-302 New Requirements for Agencies' Payments to CSRDF in FY 2012 for VSIPs, VERAs Processing Costs Per P.L. 112-74
January 2012 Benefits Administration Letter 12-301 FEHBP Cost Factor for FY 2012

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Retirement In Focus

Federal Ballpark Estimate

OPM developed the Federal Ballpark Estimate,  a savings goal worksheet.  You can use the Federal Ballpark Estimate to automatically calculate estimates of future Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) retirement benefits and Thrift Savings Plan account balances.  It will also let you know how well you are doing in meeting your savings goal.  The Federal Ballpark Estimate was developed in partnership with the American Savings Education Council (ASEC) of the Employee Benefits Research Institute.

Retirement Financial Literacy and Education Strategy

OPM has developed a retirement financial literacy and education strategy for Federal employees.  The plan is designed to educate Federal employees on the need for retirement savings and investment, provide information on how to plan for retirement and how to calculate the retirement investment needed to meet their retirement goals.  View additional information on the Benefits Officers Training page.

Implementation of Retirement Coverage Error Corrections Legislation

The online FERCCA Database is now closed.  Agencies are encouraged to continue to notify and educate employees on FERCCA and to review employee's personnel records as needed.  Agencies are reminded to notify your agency's headquarters level Benefits Officer if you identify any individual(s) who have a retirement coverage error and are eligible for relief under FERCCA; the Benefits Officer will then notify OPM.

Visit our FERCCA Home Page for further information and to view the FERCCA FAQ's.   The FERCCA Homepage provides you with everything you need to know about FERCCA and it's implementation.  We suggest that you bookmark it for future reference.

Visit the Insure site for more information on the other part of this legislation, long-term care insurance.

Benefits Administration Information Online Mailing List

Are you registered for the Benefits Administration Information (BENEFTS INFO) online mailing list?  The Benefits Administration Information list emails information, primarily Benefits Administration Letters (BAL), to subscribers. While the primary customers for the Benefits Administration Information list are agency benefits officers, anyone, anywhere can subscribe to the list. Benefits Administration Letters will be sent to list subscribers automatically.

Information about this mailing list can be found in BAL 00-701.

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Retirement Resources Summary

This website provides theses resources for HR Specialists.

  • Benefits Officers Publications - Retirement and Insurance handbooks, administration letters, and pamphlets
  • FERRCA - Federal Erroneous Retirement Coverage Corrections Act (FERCCA) Homepage provides you with everything you need to know about FERCCA and it's implementation.
  • Resource Links - Quick links to retirement and insurance web pages at OPM and other agencies.
  • Tools and Aids - Federal retirement Tools and Aids for Federal Benefits Officers.
  • Training and Education - Retirement workshops for HR Specialists and education programs for agency staff.

Additional information is added to this page on a regular basis.  Suggestions for information and services that you would like to see added to these pages, should be directed to the Benefits Officers Training and Development at benefits@opm.gov.

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