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Return to Article: Lawmakers rap OPM on underpaid retirement annuities

• 11650
  

  I heard horror stories throughout my career as to how long you would be without money while your retirement was being processed. I heard 4 months, 6 months, you better have 6 months salary in the bank. When I retired on Jan 2 04 (and eligible for a pension effective the following day, payable on Feb 1), I was pleasently surprised. I received my first payment on time, in an amount approx 80% of what I was entitled to, another check on March 1 for approximately another 80% of what I was entitled to, a "catch up" check sometime in the 3rd week of March, and a statement of everything on April 1, with my check almost to the penny. Everything jibed within pennies, including my gross contribution, not subject to taxation, interim health insurance deductions, which included not only the 7% of salary as per my final pay stub, but also the 7% of military pay which I paid back to "buy back" my military time. Of course, I had all my "ducks in a row" long before I was getting out. I complained about a lot of things during my 33 years, and mostly rightly so, but I have to give my agency, and OPM credit where credit is due for this one.

  GovExec.com reader Posted August 16, 2005 4:35 PM
• 11606
  

  The article doesn't say how long the problem has existed. I'll wager the problem is a old one. Ms. Springer says the problem is at the top of her list. That type of statement is sort of lame. Why not say I have a plan to assure the problem is corrected and 3-6 months from today's date it will be fixed. Again no accountability is at the root of the problem.

  GovExec.com reader Posted August 15, 2005 7:40 AM
• 11538
  

  Dear Taxpayer,

  I don't know why anyone is surprised over the competency of OPM. For years OPM has given up its authority and its leadership in the HR community. In my opinion, OPM allowed the accountants at OMB to take over the HR functions across the entire federal government. I'm sure OPM scored very highly on their report card for handling retirement issues because on paper I'm sure the program looks great.

  This is only one small symptom of the much larger problem with HR across the federal government and until HR takes back a central role, we will have a government mired in waste and incompetence on personnel issues.

  All the CHCOs across the federal government need to be HR Professionals, not accountants. And HR Departments, including OPM, need to get back its authority and its leadership roles.

  Or-- you can enjoy wrestling with the GS-5 HR assistants at OPM over mishandling your retirement accounts. Or worse, with contractors who could care less with helping resolve your problems.

  HR Specialist

  GovExec.com reader Posted August 11, 2005 9:19 AM
• 11512
  

  I have been working with OPM for over a year at this point to get my retirement correct. They are very difficult to work with. You are the one that has to work with them, they are very deceptive in their dealings with me. If you don't ask the right question, you get screwed. Even asking the right question is not a guarantee of getting the right answer.

  Shameful bunch of people

  GovExec.com reader Posted August 10, 2005 7:34 AM
• 11478
  

  An interim fix would have OPM grant the full initial retirement annuity to those who file early and, if the annuity is eventually found to be overly generous, to recover the overpayments over a period of months equal to the actual time it took to determine the final annuity amount (the article indicated a current possibility of up to six months). Such a process would both encourage OPM to get it right as quickly as possible and encourage retirees to file early to allow OPM sufficient time to overcome their paper work backlog.

  Norman Edwards Posted August 9, 2005 1:47 PM
• 11472
  

  As one who is eligible to retire at this very moment under CSRS, this kind of nonsense gives me great concern. I wonder if retiring Presidents, Congressman and other high level Political appointees face the same delay as us lowly civil servants in their annuities? The article did not address politicians or other high level political appointees and how this gross imcompetence by OPM may impact their retirement? For some reason I dont see someone like Ted Kennedy tolerating a delay in his retirement check, though as a Kennedy he really does not need the retirement income to live on. Along with upcoming MAXHR and pay banding, nothing the government does to screw the gov. employee surprises me anymore.

  GovExec.com reader Posted August 9, 2005 7:51 AM
• 11467
  

  There absolutely is no excuse for this type of delay other than OPM is incompetent! Congress should reduce her appropriation until she gets her act together. There is no accountability in government and this is a good place to start!

  taxpayer Posted August 9, 2005 6:16 AM