Information for Federal Benefits Officers
Quick Links
Tools and Aids
This page provides Federal retirement resources for Federal
Benefits Officers.
What's New in Retirement Benefits
Retirement Services, Benefits Officers Training and Development (BOTD) announce their 2011 Fall Festival of
Training. We will be conducting an array of 21 workshops on November 29, 30 and December 1, 2011 at the Hyatt
Regency Hotel in Phoenix, AZ. These workshops consist of full and ½ day workshops.
During the Benefits Training, BOTD is offering these workshops to help you increase your knowledge of the
Federal benefits programs and to improve your counseling skills. These workshops will be led by OPM experts
and will offer an intensive, high-energy learning experience on selected topics. If you are responsible for
administering benefits in your agency or providing counseling to employees about their benefits, you don't
want to miss out on these informative workshops.
Attendance at the Benefits Training meets the requirement in 5 U.S.C 8350(3) that "once each
year, each retirement counselor of an agency shall successfully complete a training session conducted
under the [U.S. Office of Personnel Management] training program."
Be sure to register for the workshops early. When we have held this training in the past, workshops have
filled quickly.
As in the past we will have a Customer Service Center available for you to check status of cases you are
working on. Bring the identifying information with you to receive assistance on the questions you
have.
Workshop Descriptions and the complete registration announcement are available at
https://registration.golearnportal.org/index.aspx
Registration for those using a training form or purchase order is open now. Visit
https://registration.golearnportal.org/index.aspx or use the attached form.
Credit card registration will open on Monday, October 3, 2011.
REGISTRATION HAS BEEN
EXTENDED UNTIL NOVEMBER 18, 2011
FF 2011 Workshop Description
[200 KB]
FF 2011 Registration Form
[139 KB]
FF 2011 Annoucnement
[140 KB]
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: https://registration.golearnportal.org.
Recent Benefits Administration Letters
- December 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-112 - Cost of Living Adjustment [84 KB]
- December 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-111 - Revised Present Value Factors and Discount Factors [167 KB]
- August 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-106 - Fact Sheets on Retirement Scams [66 KB]
- August 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-106 - Temporarily Decrease in Social Security Employee Tax Rate [159 KB]
- August 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-105 - Documentation in Support of Disability Retirement, Standard Form 3112, dated May 2011 [79 KB]
- March 10, 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-203 - Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program and the Affordable Care Act: Covering Children until Age 26 [45 KB]
- March 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-303 - FEHBP Cost Factor for Third Quarter of FY 2011 [28 KB]
- February 24, 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-202 - Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program: Revisions of FE-6, Claim for Death Benefits and FE-6 DEP, Statement of Claim-Option C Family Life Insurance [44 KB]
- February 16, 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-801 - The Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS): 2011 Administrative Fees [27 KB]
- February 10, 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-302 - March 2011 Headcount [29 KB]
- February 5, 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-103 - Authority to Redeposit Refunds under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) [67 KB]
- February 3, 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-901 - The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program - Open Season April 4 - June 24, 2011 [29 KB]
- February 1, 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-201 - Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program: Announcing New FEGLI Regulations [193 KB]
- January 2011: Benefits Administration Letter 11-301 - FEHBP Cost Factor for Second Quarter of FY 2011 [32 KB]
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.
Subscribe to retirement benefits mailing lists.
Information about this mailing list can be found in BAL 00-701 [24 KB].
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.
Sales - Retirement videos and posters for purchase.
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 the Federal Benefits Officers 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 Group at benefits@opm.gov.