Q2: What will my net monthly pension benefit be?
-ANSWER:
This depends on the amount of federal and state income taxes you elect to have withheld from your pension check as well as any benefit premium deductions that you elect.

Q4: Do I need to send in an original Death Certificate?
-ANSWER:
If it's the death of a pensioner and/or survivor pensioner we would need the original Death Certificate. If it's the death of a spouse and they just need to be removed from the insurance we would just need a copy of the Death Certificate.

Q6: How long before a pensioner's contributions are exhausted?
-ANSWER:
For the purpose of a death benefit, the total pension benefit paid to the pensioner is subtracted from the amount of employee contributions paid into the pension fund by the pensioner prior to his/her retirement. Interest is also applied and any residual contributions are paid to the named beneficiary provided that there are no eligible survivors. For tax purposes, the Internal Revenue Services' Safe Harbor Tax Method is used to determine the taxable percentage of monthly pension benefit. In this case, the after-tax contributions of the employee are used and amortized over the pensioners expected lifetime.

Q8: How do I notify your office of an address change?
-ANSWER:
You must complete a change of address form or notify our office in writing with your live signature. You may mail the form or fax to our office at (302)739-6129.

Q10: When can I make changes to my health or dental insurance?
-ANSWER:
Unless it is a life changing event (ex: marriage, divorce, new birth, etc) you can not make changes until our Open Enrollment period which is always in May of every year and changes will take effect July 1st. You will receive an Open Enrollment packet usually around the first week of May, if you do not receive one please contact our office immediately.

Q14: EMPLID - What is it and where did it come from?
-ANSWER:
EMPLID stands for Employee Identification number. The Office of Pensions Comprehensive Retirement Information System (CRIS) uses EMPLID rather than Social Security Number to identify members. The EMPLID provides privacy for the employee. If you do not know your EMPLID number, we are also able to reference your account with your Social Security Number.

Rather than print someone's Social Security Number on a report, we use an EMPLID. The Office of Pensions can locate each member in the system by the EMPLID and unauthorized persons do not have ability to view the member's Social Security Number. Each member of the Delaware Public Employees' Retirement System has their own unique EMPLID, separate from any other system, and retains that number throughout their service and/or retirement. The EMPLID is a system-generated number that is assigned to the member when they are first entered into CRIS.

Q16: Since I have health insurance through the Pension Office, do I need to keep Part B of Medicare?
-ANSWER:
Yes, you need to keep Part B of Medicare and you need to call our office to notify us of your eligibility. Social Security's reference to having other health insurance pertains to health insurance that you receive while you are actively working or retired but covered by a spouse who is actively working.

It is necessary to have Part A and B to participate in the State's retiree health coverage.

If you refuse Part B when you are eligible, two things will happen to you:

1. Our health insurance will no longer be effective, and
2. Social Security will set a penalty for picking up Part B later.