Benefits Newsletter: March, 2024

The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement savings and investment plan for Federal employees and members of the uniformed services.  If you are covered under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS, FERS-RAE, and FERS-FRAE), contributing to the TSP is extremely important, as the TSP will be a very large part of your retirement income.  To learn about the importance of contributing to the TSP, take a few minutes to view the following short, informative videos:

The cost for Basic insurance is shared between you and the Federal government, and your age does not affect the cost for Basic coverage.   For Optional insurance, you pay the full cost and the cost depends on your age.  The change in premiums resulting from age begins at age 35 and continues to increase in five year increments.  If you notice a change in your FEGLI premiums on your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), you should verify the cost based on your sa

When was the last time you checked your beneficiary designations?  There are four beneficiary forms to keep current.

If there is a valid court order pertaining to your Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) benefits, benefits must be paid in accordance with the terms of the court order, regardless of whether you complete a designation of beneficiary form complying with the court order.  The court order supersedes any of your designations.

If you are entitled to Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) at age 65, you should enroll, even if you are still working. This may help cover some of the costs that your Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) plan may not cover, such as deductibles, coinsurance, and charges that exceed the plan's allowable charges.  There is no premium for Part A. The Medicare taxes you pay while working entitles you to Part A.   

Access to your Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) is just a click away.   You have the ability to easily view and monitor your personnel record.  For information on how to log into your eOPF and for the eOPF log-in link, click here.

If you have social security questions and want the convenience of viewing a presentation at your leisure, view a recorded social security overview presentation, which was conducted by the Social Security Administration (SSA). 

If you have questions, refer them to the SSA at 800-772-1213, during 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.

Periodically, the Retirement & Employee Benefits Branch of the Office of Human Resources (OHR) receives calls from NIH employees who have been contacted by financial planning company representatives by telephone or mailings.  The representatives are asking to meet to discuss benefits and are implying they represent the NIH or the Federal Government in an attempt to target employees as clients.  The OHR Retirement & Employee Benefits Branch administers the Federal benefits program for NIH.  It is not the practice of OHR to contact employees in any manner to sell financ