Employee Benefits - NIH Benefits Information - Did You Know? September 2007
What's New?
Topics of Interest:
- If I Don't Use All The Funds In My Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Can I Roll The Remaining Balance Over Into Next Year?
- What Are My Investment Options For The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)?
- On-line Access To Your Official Personnel Folder (OPF) Is Just A Click Away!
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Changing Federal Employees’ Health Benefits (FEHB) Plans
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Increasing Or Decreasing Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Coverage
- I Have Misplaced My myPay PIN. How Do I Obtain A New One?
Where Do I Go If I Have Questions About My Benefits?
1. BENEFITS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
2. NEW SECURITY MEASURES IMPLEMENTED TO PROTECT YOUR THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN (TSP) ACCOUNT!
The TSP has taken a major step to help keep your account secure. In May 2007, the TSP switched from using Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) to longer, more complex passwords. If your TSP account was established prior to May 2007, you have the option of requesting that a computer-generated password be mailed to you, or you may establish your own password. To request or establish your own password, use the Account Access feature on the TSP website. If you elect to establish your password, you will need your TSP PIN. Once your password has been established, your PIN will no longer work on the website. However, you will still need it to access your account by telephone via the ThriftLine. If your TSP account was established after May, the TSP will send you an initial password once your first contribution has been posted to your TSP account.
In October 2007, the TSP will be introducing an additional security measure. You will no longer use your Social Security number as your primary identifier on the TSP website or the ThriftLine. Instead, you will use a TSP account number. In September, watch your mail for a bright blue mailer containing this important information.
3.IF YOU ARE ENROLLED IN A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN (HDHP) WITH A HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT (HSA), YOU WILL SOON BE ABLE TO MAKE PRE-TAX ALLOTMENTS!
Effective September 10, 2007, you will be able to use myPay (DFAS) on-line or by phone to make pre-tax allotments to your HSA. There are IRS limits to the amounts that can be set aside each year. The 2007 HSA maximum contribution limit is $2,850 for single coverage and $5,650 for family coverage. Individuals who are age 55 or older may make an additional catch-up contribution of $800 in 2007. It is important to note that the premium pass-through amounts from the health plan provider counts toward the IRS limits. Please also note that it is your responsibility to ensure that your enrollment and contributions are in accordance with IRS rules. DFAS will not verify employee eligibility or check to ensure employee contributions are within annual limits
To establish an HSA allotment, you must use myPay (DFAS) or call 1-877-363-3677. In the coming days, watch your e-mails for a DHHS broadcast message with important information pertaining to HSA allotments. If you establish an allotment, you may modify or revoke your allotment election at any time.
4.IF I DON'T USE ALL THE FUNDS IN MY FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT (FSA), CAN I ROLL THE REMAINING BALANCE OVER INTO NEXT YEAR?
You have 14 ½ months to use the money allotted in your FSA account. Any funds in an account established for 2007 will be available for eligible expenses until March 15, 2008. You have until April 30, 2008 to submit claims for expenses incurred by the March 15th deadline. Any unused balance will be forfeited.
5. WHAT ARE MY INVESTMENT OPTIONS FOR THE THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN (TSP)?
You may invest your TSP contributions in any of the following funds: Government Securities (G-fund), Fixed Income Index (F-Fund), Common Stock Index (C-Fund), Small Capitalization Stock Index (S-fund), International Stock Index (I-Fund), and/or the Lifecycle Funds (L-Fund). L-funds are a way to diversify your account among the G, F, C, S, and I Funds using professionally determined investment mixes. To obtain additional information on your different options, refer to the Managing Your Account booklet and the TSP Comparison chart.
Once your TSP account has been established, all of your contributions will be invested in the G-Fund until you make a contribution allocation. A contribution allocation specifies the way future contributions to your account will be invested among the TSP funds. An interfund transfer is the movement of some or all of your existing account balance. An interfund transfer applies to past contributions. You may make a contribution allocation and/or interfund transfer at any time via the TSP web site under Account Access or via the ThriftLine.
6. ON-LINE ACCESS TO YOUR OFFICIAL PERSONNEL FOLDER (OPF) IS JUST A CLICK AWAY!
In August 2005, NIH in collaboration with HHS, implemented use of the Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) system. eOPF provides you with easier and faster access to your Official Personnel Folder (OPF), the file covering the Federal Government employment history of all civil service employees. Some of the benefits of having eOPF include:
- Ability to monitor your own records, which ensures greater accuracy and integrity.
- E-mail notification to you each time a document is added to your eOPF.
- Pre-defined access roles to prevent unauthorized access to your folder, resulting in greater security and protection of your privacy. There is no change in policy regarding who has the authority to access your OPF.
- Reduced cost associated with storage, maintenance and retrieval of records.
- Improved security with state-of-the-art firewall protection. eOPFs are more secure than paper, have a longer "shelf life," and provide easy backup and recovery capability. Incremental eOPF data backups are taken on a daily basis and full system backups are performed weekly.
- Ability to print or save documents using Adobe Acrobat.
- Access at any time (24 hours a day!) through a secure Internet connection. You won't have to request your file and wait several days for it to become available for review in the HR office.
- Elimination of the potential for loss of your OPF during filing and routing.
In order to access eOPF, you will need your login ID and password. If you have problems with logging in, you can contact the eOPF Help Desk at 1-877-275-8518 or you can e-mail them at eOPF.helpdesk@usda.gov.
7. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs) ABOUT CHANGING FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' HEALTH BENEFIT (FEHB) PLANS
Do you have questions regarding what events will allow you to change your health plan? If so, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) FAQs may answer your questions. If you have additional questions, your Benefits Contact will be able to assist you.
8. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs) ABOUT INCREASING OR DECREASING FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE (FEGLI) COVERAGE
Do you have questions regarding increasing or decreasing your life insurance coverage? If so, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) FAQs may answer your questions. If you have additional questions, your Benefits Contact will be able to assist you.
9. I HAVE MISPLACED MY myPAY PIN. HOW DO I OBTAIN A NEW ONE?
You can request a new PIN in one of two ways. One of which is by selecting “New Pin” on the myPay (DFAS) website. Please make sure you use the “Go” button to finalize your request. Using this method your PIN will be mailed to your current record of address within 7 to 10 business days.
If you need it sooner, your second option 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, and you must sign the fax. Upon receiving your fax, the Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS) will reset your PIN using the last 5 numbers of your SSN as your temporary PIN. You will then be able to log in within 3 days using your temporary PIN. Upon logging in, you will be prompted to reset your PIN.
If you encounter problems with your PIN or 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 7:30 P.M. Eastern Standard Time. The Centralized Customer Support Unit can provide assistance on how to use the options available to you in myPay. The Centralized Customer Support Unit will also provide support for establishing and changing your PIN.
10. 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 a wealth of information regarding your Federal benefits.
Human resource topics not related to your benefits are normally handled by your Client Services Division HR Representative.
