The Foreign Service Journal, April 2021

72 APRIL 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL RETIREMENT SUPPLEMENT Abbreviations ALDAC all diplomatic and consular posts FEGLI Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance FSPS Foreign Service Pension System FSRDS Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System (the “old” system) HRSC Human Resources Service Center (at the Department of State) IRA Individual Retirement Account JSP Job Search Program MRA minimum retirement age PCS permanent change of station RMD required minimum distribution SCD service computation date TIC time in class TSP Thrift Savings Plan is at www.afsa.org/financial-planners- tax-help-and-estate-planners. 3. Estate Planning. Most Foreign Ser- vice members and retirees have estate planning documents such as a will, trust, power of attorney and/or medical directive. But if 10 or more years have passed since your documents were writ- ten, most estate planners suggest getting an attorney to review them to determine if they need updating due to changes in your state’s laws or procedures. An immediate review is advised if you move to a different state, gain or lose a family member, or have significant changes in assets. A list of estate planners who have assisted Foreign Service members is at www.afsa.org/financial-planners-tax- help-and-estate-planners. For Active-Duty Employees 4. Prior Service Credit. If you worked elsewhere in the federal government prior to joining the Foreign Service, the service computation date listed in your records may be wrong for retirement purposes. The SCD that you have seen on your SF-50s over the years (documenting promotions, reassignments, etc.) is for leave purposes only. While employees get leave credit for almost any federal employment, we get retirement credit only for certain employment. If your retirement SCD is inaccurate when you apply for retirement, the State Department’s Office of Retirement may have to inform you that you are not yet eligible to retire, or that your monthly pension payment will be lower than