The Foreign Service Journal, November 2012

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2012 63 FS KNOW-HOW John K. Naland is the director of the Office of Retirement at the Department of State. A 26-year Foreign Service veteran, his overseas assignments include Colombia, Mexico and Iraq. He has twice served as AFSA president and published more than 80 articles and columns in these pages. M any retirees spend longer in retirement than they spent in the active-duty Foreign Ser- vice. During this second phase of their For- eign Service careers, retirees can no longer call on a general services officer to replace a broken appliance, but they can still turn to several Department of State offices for assistance with a variety of issues. This article summarizes the most common of those post- retirement issues and points to resources for additional infor- mation. This guidance is applicable to Foreign Service retirees from all five foreign affairs agencies. Stay Informed Each fall, the Department of State’s Office of Retirement mails to all 15,500 Foreign Service annuitants and survivors a 24-page newsletter containing information on topics including re-employment, survivor benefits and the health benefits open season. It includes copies of commonly needed forms and lists contact information for nearly a dozen offices that annuitants may need to contact. More detailed retirement-related information can be found on HR/RET’s “RNet-Retirement Network” at www.rnet.state. gov. Resources available there include downloadable forms, a searchable database of frequently asked questions, and a copy of the most recent HR/RET annual newsletter (found under “What’s New”). If you still have questions, you can contact a Department of State human resources specialist. As part of the department’s shared services initiative to improve management operations, your initial point-of-contact is the Bureau of Human Resources’ Service Center in Charleston, S.C. The HR Service Center can quickly answer most retirement- related inquiries. If a question is complex, it will be forwarded to a HR/RET retirement counselor for response. The HR Service Center can be reached at HRSC@state.gov, (8 66) 300-7419 (toll- free), and (843) 308-5539 (from outside the U.S.). Update Your Records If you move to a new address or change where your annuity is electronically deposited, you will need to provide the new information to the Department of State. The best way to do so is via the Annuitant Express Web site at www.employeeexpress. gov. There you can instantaneously update your annuity account to change your mailing address, modify your direct deposit account and routing numbers, change federal and state tax The Office of Retirement is here to assist Foreign Service annuitants with a host of issues. BY JOHN K . NALAND ASSISTANCE AFTER RETIREMENT