Retiree & Annuitant Frequently Asked Questions

National Retiree Hotline

The National Retiree Hotline (Help Desk) is available to assist and/or to answer any questions that a retiree or a retiree spouse has regarding benefits (other than those relating to pay), health care issues, assistance in obtaining important forms and/or papers, etc. The Help Desk can be contacted as follows:

Questions concerning pay should be directed to the PCS (RAS) in lieu of the Help Desk, since the Help Desk does not have access to pay records. Use the link on the left side of this page to , or call (800) 772-8724 (toll free) or (785) 339-3415 -- 0730-1600 M-F (central time).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How do I change my home mailing address or my financial institution or account number for my direct deposit?

A You may make the requests listed above by calling either Toll Free at 1-800-772-8724 or Commercial at 785-339-3415 or you can E-mail us at . You can also fax your request in writing to 785-339-3770.

Q. Will my retired pay be offset by Social Security?

A. Receipt of Social Security does not affect your retired pay.

Q. How can I find the location of my nearest TRICARE Service Center?

A. You can locate TRICARE Service Centers and contractors by going to www.tricare.osd.mil and entering your ZIP code or clicking on the map regions and following the links for your state or overseas location.

Q. If I entered the service after 7 September 1980 and was promoted within the warrant officer ranks to W-4 while concurrently holding rank of LT, how is my retired pay calculated?

A. Because High-36 Month Average Basic Pay is calculated based on pay received by the member, the member's promotion within the warrant officer ranks, while concurrently serving as a LT, has no impact on calculation of retired pay. (Ref: 14 USC 423(b); 10 USC 1407; CG Personnel Manual Articles 12.C.16.a.2 and 12.C.16.a.3; DOD Financial Management Regulation Vol 7-B, section 030108)

Q. I received a retroactive disability rating from the VA and I believe my 1099R form should show less taxable income, can you send me a corrected 1099R?

A. Your IRS 1099R form for last year is correct. It shows the income (a.k.a. Distributions) paid last year. There's a special procedure you'll need to follow to subtract the non-taxable portion of your retired pay from your total taxable income when you prepare your tax return. We've prepared this short article to help explain the policy...(read entire article)

Q. I've been told that my account is in "Held Pay" status. What is Held Pay?

A. Held pay results when we lose contact with our customer. Pay in Held Status is your disposable income, including Voluntary Support Allotments! We've prepared this short article to help explain the policy...(read entire article)

Global Pay Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is an Employee ID and why do I need it?

A. The Employee ID is the number we use to identify each retiree/annuitant. You will use it instead of your social security number when requesting changes be made to your pay. Once the self service portion of the pay system is established, you will use your Employee ID number to log onto the system and make the changes.

Q. Why did my pay change a few cents with Global Pay?

A. Your net pay decreased by a few cents as a result of an increase in your federal income tax withholding (FITW). This is due to the annualized tax table method used by the Global Pay System. FITW from your pay is deposited in your tax account with the IRS, then applied toward your annual tax liability when you file your tax return.

Q. I have a FSPA deduction. Why did my FITW change so much?

A. With the new Global Pay System, your FSPA deduction will reduce your taxable gross before the FITW is applied. This reduction in taxable gross will decrease the FITW withheld. To make a change to the FITW, complete a new W4 and submit it to PSC (RAS).

Q. On the Pay Statement, my Pay Grade and/or Rank was incorrect. Is that going to be fixed?

A. Approximately one percent of the Pay Statements issued in April 2008 showed an incorrect Pay Grade or Rank. This was due to a data migration problem, which has now been corrected. If you receive a future Pay Statement with an incorrect Pay Grade or Rank, please notify PSC (RAS) immediately.

Q. I don't receive pay from the Coast Guard. Why did I receive a Pay Statement the end of April 2008?

A. In April 2008, a Pay Statement was sent to every retiree, annuitant, and former spouse, even those not receiving pay from the Coast Guard. We wanted to notify you that we still have you on our rolls and that your pay is being offset or waived due to receipt of VA or Social Security benefits.

Q. Why is my VA amount the same as my CRDP or gross pay?

A. There may be instances where a retiree's VA compensation (offset) can be greater than the retiree's net pay compensation or greater than retiree's pay compensation plus their CRDP/CRSC entitlement. In these situations, Global Pay does not show the whole VA compensation amount. It only shows the amount that will zero out the retiree's retired pay compensation. If we include the full amount of VA compensation in these situations, the member's net pay would have a negative number, which is an invalid condition.

Q. Why is my net pay amount more on my pay slip than what is deposited in my financial institution?

A. The net pay amount is the accumulative total of your actual net pay and any savings allotments you have going out. If you have a savings allotment, on the Pay Statement, to the right of YOUR NET PAY, you will see two lines: one shows the amount deposited into your savings account; the other shows the amount deposited to your primary bank account (or mailed to you if you are not on direct deposit).

Also see: How to read the new retiree/annuitant payslip.

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Last Modified 5/15/2008