Whether your retirement occurs in the next few years or the distant future it is never too early to start planning. All you have to do is get to the on-line retirement seminar which is available 24 hours a day, seven days per week on LiteBlue. To access the seininar segments, simply click on the My Life tab and then the My Benefit selection. A workbook designed to be a learning back up and accompany the seminar, is available to download fiom the web. This seminar and workbook are also available on a DVD for home viewing. These may be checked out from your Human Resources local service office. The New York District Postal Service Retirement Planning Information Session, will present a seminar on Wednesday, February 13,2008 at 2:00 p.m..at James A. Farley Building in Room 4502A. You may enter the building through the 380 West 33rd Street entrance. Participation is voluntary and off-the-clock. You must call to make reservations. The duration of this session is approximately two hours and you are encouraged to bring your vspouse. You may contact Local Service (212) 330-2834 or (212) 330-3634 in advance.

Full-time career employees who are within three years of eligibility. or who are already eligible for optional retirement may request their individual National Retirement Counseling System (NARECS) annuity estimates on-line through PostalEase. To request an estimate, click on the benefits tab and then NARECS, To access PostalEase, you will need EIN and Pin. For more information, please visit the PostalPeopIe website at http:/blue.usps.gov/hrisp/hce/welcorne.htm

I recently attended the NALC Health Benefits seminar and I was very favorably impressed with how the NALC is able to find new ways to help improve the health plan for the active letter carriers, and do the same for retirees. Health care in America is changing rapidly. When it comes to choosing the right health insurance plan for you and your family, challenges include spending time evaluating the material provided as well as striking the right balance between quality of care and your wallet, especially if you are a retiree with a fixed monthly income. With the rising cost of health care, an unforeseen illness or accident could put you and your family at serious financial risk. I strongly recommend that all letter carriers and retirees join the NALC HEALTH PLAN. WITH THE NEW PPO NETWORK, CIGNA HEALTH CARE SHARE ADMINISTRATIVE NETWORK.

This is a great opportunity for active letter carriers and retired carriers to join your own union health plan, our health plan called NALC Health Benefit Plan. Our Postal Record magazine has plenty of information to help you fully comprehend. Take time to read through all the material with your family, before ,making your once a year decision. If you are a current enrollee in the NALC Plan, you need to do nothing further. You will automatically have your membership extended for another year. If you are not currently an enrollee in the NALC Health Benefit Plan, you can join during this "open season" period and alter your health benefits package. If you plan to retire next year, you must join now, otherwise you must wait until next year's "open season." Compare other health plans with ours and you will see the difference.

Employee contribution rates effective in January, 2008 for active letter carriers and annuitants in the NALC Health Benefit Plan (with the reduction from the current 2007 rate in parenthesis) are:

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR

Quoted herein is an excellent informative article about the subject matter which appeared in the Postal Record:
One of the many elections letter carriers make when they retire is the election of survivor benefits. When completing the retirement application, most unmarried applicants elect an annuity payable only during their lifetime whle those married most .often elect a reduced annuity with maximum survivor annuity benefits for their spouses.

After retirement, there may be a need for further survivor elections. If, for example the retiree was unmarried at retirement, but later acquires a spouse, the retiree may elect, within two years after the marriage, a reduced annuity to provide a survivor annuity for the spouse.

Another event where a survivor election can be made after retirement is the case where the retiree was married at retirement but that marriage terminated and the retiree married again. In this instance, the retiree may elect within two years of marriage, a
reduced annuity to provide a survivor annuity for the new spouse.

There is, however, an additional reduction in the retiree's annuity in order to provide survivor benefits for a spouse acquired after retirement. The retiree must agree to pay a deposit equal to the difference between the amount of annuity actually paid and the amount of annuity that would have been paid if the survivor election had been in effect continuously since the time of retirement or since the date the reduction terminated, whichever is applicable. Interest is also assessed against the amount of deposit. The deposit paid by a permanent actuarial reduction that, in most cases, is less than five percent of the retiree's annuity.

There are a few other points to keep in mind with regard to the value and cost of electing a survivor annuity:
The reduction in annuity for providing a survivor benefit will reduce taxable income. Cost-of-living adjustments for the survivor's benefits are applied before and after the death of the retiree.

The surviving spouse, when entitled to a survivor benefit, can continue health benefits coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (provided, of course, the retiree had a family plan at the time of hls or her death).

The retiree's annuity is restored (except the permanent actuarial reduction) if his or her spouse dies first.

With regard to the final point mentioned above, retirees whether they elected survivor benefits for their spouse at retirement or for a spouse acquired after retirement) should notify the Office of Personnel Management if the marriage terminates by death, divorce or annulment. The retiree should send a copy of the death certificate or decree dissolving the marriage to OPM, Retirement Operations Center, Boyers, PA 160 17 and ask that their annuity be restored (rate without survivor benefits).

In addition to the requested annuity adjustment, retirees whose marriages terminate should also request OPM to change their enrollment under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program from family coverage to self-only coverage (unless there is some other family member eligible for coverage).

Finally, these retirees may want to request designation of beneficiary forms to change designations for any retirement or life insurance benefits that may become payable after their death. These forms may also be requested from our retirement department.

OPM website
Retirees with Internet access can now visit OPM's 24-hour information website. The site was created after a survey conducted by OPM revealed that an increasing number of retirees have computers or access to them. The site is: http://opm.gov/retire

I address myself to those members who witnessed the solemn ceremony and to those others who, for some reason, were absent. Those who voted us into offlce are also obligated by the oath of office, in that you elected us and as such, should also accord us your support during our term in office so that we know strong unity as we work to acquire continuation of the best benefits, the finest workplace, and fair results concerning grievances. We also need the wherewithal, meaning the funds, to carry out the duties of office.

That support I refer to also means you should completely fill the union meeting hall with your regular attendance and input. Decide to become a fabulous shop steward. Show new carriers "the ropes." Help them to do their best. Read the contract and understand it. Study it and ask us questions about its interpretation. Read the Outlook and the Postal . Record. Be really active. Sign up to be a NALC activist. Donate to COLCPE, and become a participating member in our Branch activities, such as helping to raise funds for the M.D.A. The aforesaid makes mention of some of the activities that are available which would grant you an opportunity to make this Branch even better.

If the elected officers taking the oaths were certain that they would receive the needed cooperation of the membership, they could face the tenure of office with-sure confidence and the knowledge that they are representing capable union members, the end result of which would be that the members will reap greater benefits. All of the officers are elected to make wise decisions and plan programs that solidify the strength of Branch 36 and the goals of its members.

As a retired letter carrier; it is my honest opinion that if all of us work shoulder to shoulder with the thought in mind that we will follow all the rules and reguiations pertaining to our positions, we will be taking the first step toward making our jobs a better job, There is no intelligent reason why letter carriers should get ulcers and built up frustration by arguing with supervisors, who, in all too many instances do not seem to know their jobs because they misuse job authority.

We will do our utmost to fulfill the obligations of our newly elected jobs. We feel honored far having taken the following oath:

"You will each raise your right hand and repeat after me the following obligation. I do solemnly promise on my honor that I will faithfully attend the meetings of the Branch, observe and faithfully execute the laws of the National Association of Letter Carriers and the Bylaws of this Branch. I will perform, to the best of my ability the duties of the office to which I have been elected, guard all property placed in my charge, and at the expiration of my term of office turn the same over to my successor. I will do everything in my power to promote the welfare of the National Association of Letter Carriers and its members."

I will abide by the oath I have taken and again, I am proud that you have elected me to the position of Director of Retirees.

Happy Mothers Day

I am sure many of you have plans for retirement in the near future. It is a great feeling when you realize that you are getting closer to that day for which intelligent plans must be made in advance. Hopehlly, you have done your homework, and are in a good position to fully enjoy a good retirement, despite the constant ongoing increase in the cost of living. Yet, the dues for a retired member stays at $2.00 per month! The benefits are many. A retired member is entitled to participation in the Branch 36 Eyeglass Plan. The eyeglass voucher refund for both active and retired members of Branch 36 remains at $35.00, for which you are eligible once every two years. A brunch is given every year for retired members. There is one given at the Sheraton Center in the Imperial Ballroom in New York City, whereas the retirees brunch given in Florida is held at Tropical Acres in Fort Lauderdale.

One of the good things our retirement benefits include is that we receive a yearly cost of living adjustment which we refer to as COLA. The most recent adjustment amounted to 3.2% into our annuity at the beginning of the year. The NALC retirement manual has recently been updated and is now available in CD format.

It is hard to believe but we have carriers who, after thuty years of union membership, drop out when they retire. For the sake of two dollars per month, they desert the organization which fought so hard for them and gained every benefit they have, and continue to fight after carriers retire.

SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS TO CHARLIE HEEGE OUR NEW PRESIDENT OF BRANCH 36

In September 2000, Frank hired me as a full time employee at our Branch. I want thank him and wish him the best of everything in his retirement years.

I would like to urge everyone not presently enrolled in the NALC Health Plan to look care:fuIly at it, especially our retired letter carriers. I believe the new plan has a great deal to offer. There is no need to sign up for Medicare D if you are enrolled in a Federal Health Benefit Plan (FEHBP), which includes the NALC Health Plan.

Happy Thanksgiving and the Best Regarding the Upcoming Holiday Season

I'll never forget my first day of work. I was sent to do a run of Special Delivery. The temperature outdoors was freezing. When I came back from the run, another run awaited me. I didfi't know then that I was going to make a career of working in the U.S. Postal Service. My dream was to play professional baseball. Little did I know then that I would work 34 years in the Postal Service. In retrospect, concerning on-the-job help and friendship, I want to offer my thanks to the many shop stewards, Bany Weiner, Booker Rue, Luis Delgado, my good friend and longtime colleague Rasul Muhammad, and there were many others.

Today, in the present, thanks to our President Frank M. Orapello, and our Executive Vice-President Charlie Heege, I have been given the opportunity to be the Director of Retirees at Branch 36. I'm proud to have such a title, so that I can serve all my current and future Branch 36 brothers and sisters.

Retirees who are part of the National Association of Letter Carriers Health Benefit Plan should be very careful of making any decision regarding MedicarePart D. The Office of Personnel Management has advised that the prescription drug coverage offered by our NALC plan will, for all participants, pay as much or more than the Medicare prescription drug coverage will pay. This means that if you are a participant in the NALC plan, it is not necessary to enroll in Medicare Part D. The NALC will coordinate benefits with Medicare and you can keep your FEHB (Federal Employee Health Benefit Program).

There is a toll-free number, 1-800-424-5 186 for retirees which is available on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10:OO a.m. to 12 noon and from 2:00 p.m. to 4 p.m. There is also a number, 1 888-636-6252 which deals solely with questions regarding the NALC Health Benefit Plan. Do not hesitate to ask questions. Being informed is your greatest protection.

Of all who work, live. and play in thc boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx, the letter carriers of Branch 36 have access physically to more places than anyone else.

There are countless examples of letter carriers giving needed assistance, sometimes at personal riak and danger to their patrons, who find themselves in trouble of one kind or another. So it is not unreasonable to fccl that we can depend upon our carriers during this period of terrorism which has descended upon not only us. but people all around the world. We carriers, because of the fact that we are everywhere, can be a great help in preventing acts of terrorism by simply being there. We know who lives and works on our routes and morc than anyone else, know when things aren't what they should be.

If you see anything out of the ordinary, don't hesitate to let the proper authorities know. We are all in this together and it is better to be safe than sorry.