RETIREMENT HANDBOOK A GUIDE TO BENEFITS & INFORMATION “The past is history, |
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revised August 2005 DEDICATION Presented in memory of Sgt. Patrick Thomas Landry, Phoenix Police Officer, 1970 to 1990, out of whose untimely passing, the inspiration for this handbook was born. INTRODUCTION This article provides a guide to benefits and information for all retired Phoenix Police Officers. There are several different retirement plans for General Employees and the differences in each plan are too varied and too numerous to include in this publication. Aside from benefits, it does contain a considerable amount of information which is beneficial to all Phoenix Police retirees. All information was compiled and is being presented by retirees, for retirees and their families. It is designed to provide a basic guide for survivors in procuring benefits. This communication is not endorsed by the City Benefits Office or the Public Safety Personnel Retirement Office. Both agencies prefer that survivors and their families contact each office directly, upon the death of any retiree. This information was obtained by calling each office and asking general questions. This is meant only as a guide. Contact the appropriate office for specific information pertaining to you. THIS HANDBOOK ADDRESSES THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
Please keep in mind that, while information contained in this booklet was current at time of development, benefits and information may change. It is suggested, therefore, that any questions pertaining to your personal retirement plan, be referred to the appropriate office for clarification. This booklet is meant as a guide only. It is important that each retiree provide up to date information to the Police Employment Services Bureau, concerning their current address and phone number. It is also recommended that PESB be informed of any grave illness or impending death of a retiree, if a police chaplain or other assistance is needed and whether or not visitors would be desirable. All personnel are reminded to update the beneficiary status of all pension benefits Retirees meet for breakfast at the Big Apple restaurant, 19th Avenue and Bell Road, at 9am, on the first Wednesday in each month. This meeting provides an opportunity to exchange information as well as to keep in touch with old friends. PHONE NUMBERS OF OFFICES: Police Employment Services Bureau City Benefits Office Arizona Public Safety Personnel The following steps are necessary, for the family to take, following the death of a retiree: Step 1 Notify the Police Employment Services Bureau at 602-262-6925. Provide the full name and serial number of the deceased. Provide the address, phone number and name of the person to contact regarding the retiree and family. Advise PESB if assistance is needed in making funeral arrangements, if a police chaplain is desired to comfort the family and help with the funeral, or if there are any other immediate needs. Step 2 Notify City Benefits office at 602-262-4777. They will need the name of the deceased, Social Security number, department retired from, name, address and phone number of surviving spouse or beneficiary. Step 3 Notify the Public Safety Personnel Retirement Office at 602-255-5575. Step 4 Notify Social Security of the name, social security number and date of death. Social Security pays a one time death benefit of $255 to the surviving spouse, or to a child who was eligible for benefits on the beneficiary’s earnings record in the month of death. Phone 1-800-772-1213. Q-1 Is there any kind of lump sum payment by either the City or Pension Fund, upon an employee’s death? Ans: No! Upon receiving notification, City Benefits Office will check to see if there is a life insurance policy still in force with the City. It is up to the beneficiary to determine if any other life insurance polices exist. It is suggested that canceled checks and bank statements be reviewed to see if payments were made for life insurance. Q-2 Is the beneficiary permitted to keep the entire amount of pension for the month in which the retiree died, even if the death occurred on the first of the month Ans: Yes! The beneficiary will begin receiving a reduced amount on the next months check if all paper work is submitted by the 12th of the month following the death. If paperwork is not submitted in time, deductions will be made from future payments until the deficit is satisfied. Q-3 Will the spouse continue to receive the monthly Medical Expense Re- imbursement check from the City, even if remarried? Ans: Yes! If the retiree is entitled to this payment, it will continue, unless the retiree took single medical coverage. See “insurance information” or check with the City Benefits Office for specific information. Q-4 What happens to any deferred comp, upon retirement? Ans: Upon notification of death, The Benefits Office will notify listed beneficiaries to make application for payment within 60 days following the death. Q-5 What amount of pension will the spouse receive, upon the death of the retiree? Ans: The spouse will receive 80% of the amount the retiree was receiving at the time of death. Q-6 Is there a time period that a retiree must be married before the spouse is eligible to receive a pension? Ans: Yes! If the marriage takes place after retirement, the retiree must be married for a minimum of two year prior to death, before the spouse is eligible to receive pension benefits. Q-7 Will minor children of the retiree receive benefits, upon the police retiree’s death? Ans: Yes! Each child will receive 1/10th of the amount that the retiree was receiving. They will continue to receive benefits for a specific period of time. Check with the PSPRS for information pertaining to your family. Q-8 Will all pension benefits for the spouse continue upon remarriage? Ans: Yes! The spouse will continue to receive pension benefits for life. Q-9 If the spouse marries another retiree who dies, will the spouse get two pensions? Ans: Yes! There is no limit to the number of pensions that a spouse can receive. The only restriction is the two year time period that a retiree must be married before the spouse is eligible for a pension. Q-10 Will benefits continue for the minor children if the spouse remarries? Ans: Yes! The marital status of the spouse has no affect on benefits of the children. Q-11 Will adoption by the spouse’s new marriage partner, affect the benefits of minor children who were eligible at the time of the retiree’s death? Ans: No! Q-12 Will any minor children of the spouse, but not of the retiree and who were not adopted by the retiree, be eligible to receive pension benefits? Ans: No! Only minor children who were legally adopted by the retiree, prior to the retiree’s death, will be eligible for pension benefits. Q-13 Will any other income, affect the amount of pension that either the spouse or minor children receive? Ans: No! Pension benefits will remain the same regardless of other income. Q-14 What happens to spousal pension benefits if the couple divorce or the spouse is deceased? Ans: Spousal pension benefits stop. Only legally married couples who meet all other eligibility requirements are eligible for spousal benefits. (Check with the City Benefits office for medical coverage or MERP information). If the surviving spouse of a police retiree is covered by the City’s medical plan at the time of the retiree’s death, the surviving spouse may elect to continue coverage for an indefinite period of time and continue receiving Medical Expense Reimbursement Program (MERP) payments as well. If the retiree had waived medical coverage through the City, and was receiving only the MERP payment, the surviving spouse may continue to receive MERP payments for an indefinite period of time. The surviving spouse may also be eligible to enroll in the City medical plan(s) during a future open enrollment with proof of continuous, comparable coverage. If at the time of death, the retiree had only single medical coverage, no further benefits are available for the surviving spouse. MERP payments will stop. No medical election is available in the future. All questions must be referred to the City Benefits Office. COORDINATION: Coordination is what occurs when you have Medicare as your primary carrier. When a claim is processed, CIGNA must determine how much Medicare has paid before they can process the balance of their contracted payment to the provider. Your doctor must file his/her charges for services with Medicare first, then bill CIGNA for any balance, up to the contract amount. Your doctor or contracted medical facility, cannot charge you any more than your $10 co-pay, if the medical provider is in network. Some doctors are on capitation. That means they are paid a fixed amount monthly, per person, whether you go in or not. In this situation, your doctor can still only charge you $10 co-pay, if he/she is in network. CIGNA has already paid. Many doctors show balances on their books while all of this coordination process takes place. Some doctors do not bother to collect a co-pay even though they are entitled to it each time you visit their office. In many cases, billing departments for CIGNA providers don’t bother to determine which patients should receive “balance billings”. They just send out bills for everything that is on their books, whether you owe it or not. If the medical provider is in network, you owe nothing more than your co-pay. If the mattercannot be resolved by phone, you may want to return the bill, with a written reminder that their contract with CIGNA prohibits them from collecting more than the authorized amount. If the billing persists, you may want to request intervention from CIGNA. In some cases, it may require a phone call or a letter from CIGNA, reminding the medical facility of their contractual agreement. Contact the office of City Benefits or your insurance representative at the Public Safety Retirement Office for advice specific to your situation. SUBROGATION: Subrogation is when one insurance carrier has to repay another for its loss. For example, if you have CIGNA and also have automobile medical coverage, CIGNA would not subrogate. In other words, CIGNA will pay medical claims without coordinating with the auto insurance carrier. The auto insurance carrier would not have to pay CIGNA back for any of the medical claims that CIGNA paid. You can use a personal auto policy and CIGNA coverage separately. This means that you would not have to reimburse CIGNA even though you also collected from your auto insurance. CHANGING INSURANCE PLANS A retiree who selects other than the city health insurance plan at time of retirement, may later change back to the city insurance during a period of open enrollment, if the retiree was continuously covered by a comparable health insurance plan with no break in coverage from date of retirement. Contact City Benefits or the Public Safety Retirement office for specific information. LIVING OUT OF STATE At the present time, CIGNA, appears to be the most economical while still maintaining the most benefits for those living out of state. CIGNA has several plans to consider in order to fit individual needs. PacificCare is the only company that Public Safety Retirement is presently contracted with. It also has several plans to consider. Premiums, however, can cost more than $1,600 per month, in some instances. Contact City Benefits, as well as the Public Safety Retirement office for information concerning the health insurance that is right for you. MEDICARE A person is eligible for Medicare at age 65. Medicare has two parts: Hospitalization Insurance (Part A), covers inpatient hospital care and certain follow-up care. Medical Insurance (Part B), pays for physician’s services and some other services not covered by hospital insurance. There is no charge for Part A, but for Part B, beginning 2005, $78.20 is deducted monthly from your Social Security check. Certain aged or disabled people who do not qualify for Medicare hospital insurance (Part A), may be able to get it by paying a monthly premium. Most people do not pay a monthly Part A premium because they or a spouse has 40 or more quarters of Medicare covered employment. Effective in 2005, the monthly premium is $375 per month for individuals who are not otherwise eligible for premium-free hospital insurance and have less than 30 quarters of Medicare covered employment. The Part A premium is $206 for those individuals having 30-39 quarters of Medicare covered employment. If you keep the City insurance (CIGNA) or the State insurance (PacificCare), you must have both Part A and Part B Medicare. The Social Security Administration will normally send you Medicare information prior to your 65th birthday. If you do not receive this information, or for any questions pertaining to your specific situation, contact the Social Security office at 1-800-772-1213 or online at http://www.ssa.gov. LONG TERM CARE It is strongly suggested that retirees consider a Long Term Care insurance plan, in addition to Medicare and any other health insurance that you may have. Neither Medicare, CIGNA, or any other general health insurance plan, will pay for indefinite care in a nursing home or long term care facility. The following Social Security information is an unofficial interpretation obtained from a factsheet provided by the Social Security office, under the heading, “A PENSION FROM WORK NOT COVERED BY SOCIAL SECURITY” and the sub-heading, “WHO IS AFFECTED”: “This provision primarily affects people (any employee) who earned a pension while working for a government agency and also worked at other jobs where they paid Social Security taxes long enough to qualify for retirement or disability benefits”. “The modified formula applies to you IF (meaning, pension from your government job will count as income when figuring how much Social Security pension you will receive) you reach 62 or become disabled AFTER 1985 and first become ELIGIBLE after 1985, for a monthly pension based in whole or in part on work where you did not pay any Social Security taxes. You are considered eligible to receive a pension if you meet the requirements of a pension, even if you continue to work”. In other words, if you were ELIGIBLE to retire from a government agency PRIOR to 1986, (regardless of when you actually retired) and you meet all requirements for a Social Security pension, the pension that you receive from that government agency, will not be considered as income, when computing your Social Security pension. You will need a letter from the Public Safety Personnel Retirement Office, stating your name, Social Security number, dates of employment, in what capacity you were employed and the date that you were first eligible for retirement. This letter must be presented to your local Social Security office. The Glendale office may be the most familiar with this provision. The Federal Trade Commission mandates that funeral directors nationwide adhere to the following rules: (Arizona Republic 4-10-01)
The following prices are the national average. Prices do not include those for grave space, for opening and closing a grave, for a crypt or mausoleum, or for a monument or marker. For example, the average price of a cemetery vault alone is $757.
NOTE: Most reputable mortuaries will allow 30 days before payment is due to allow you time to process benefits. DEATH CERTIFICATES Death certificates are needed as soon as possible. All agencies associated with the retiree require a death certificate in order to process benefits. These include City Benefits, State Retirement, Social Security and Insurance Companies. It is usually a good idea to order 6 to 10 copies, which presently cost $10 each. One copy stamped, For Government Use Only , is free and is to be sent to Social Security. The County in which the person died, issues death certificates but the State maintains the files. In Maricopa County, copies of death certificates may be obtained at the Office of Vital Statistics, 1801 E. Roosevelt, Phoenix. Phone 602- 506-6800. The mortuary normally mails or takes the completed application to the county office. The requested number of official death certificates are then mailed back to the mortuary or picked up by mortuary personnel. This process usually takes about 2 weeks. If they are needed sooner, check with the mortuary to see if you can pick them up yourself from the county office. After 45 days from time of death, copies of a death certificate can only be obtained from the State Office of Vital Records, by person, by phone at 602-255-3260, or by e-mail with credit card at www.vitalchek.com. It may take two to three weeks to obtain them. Copies are restricted to: Spouse listed on death certificate, immediate family member with proof of relationship, or an individual with documentation to prove legal interest. • Make sure your loved ones discuss their wishes with you. • Call on your faith. If you plan to have a religious service, contact your religious leader before you talk to a funeral director. (Call PESB to request a police chaplain). Much of what you would pay a funeral home for, such as a viewing or a service, can take place at your house of worship at no cost, although some contribution is often customary. • Call several funeral homes for prices. Ask whether the home is independent, part of a local chain or part of a national chain. • When you visit a prospective funeral home, assess the staff and the size, location and ambiance of the facilities. Sometimes a lower price means a smaller facility and fewer amenities. When you are ready to make arrangements, bring a clergy member or savvy friend. • Consider contacting non-profit funeral consumer groups (co-ops that offer advice)and negotiate member discounts with certain funeral homes. Contact the Funeral Consumers Alliance at 1-800-765-0107 or www.funerals.org for a group near you. The following list of mortuaries, funeral and cremation information is provided as a source of reference in order to reduce the stress and confusion accompanied by the passing of a loved one. It is recommended that all arrangements for final rest be made well in advance, when a person can think more rationally and with less emotion than during a period of grief and mourning. These businesses have been researched and the information updated by a retired Phoenix Police Officer. Changes in this industry however, occur quickly and often without notice. The first group is believed to be the most economical, while still maintaining dignity. This is only a partial list. There may be others, not listed, which are also acceptable. GROUP I Economically Priced All Care Cremation & Burial Service Best Funeral Service & Chapel Best Funeral Service & Chapel Botimer-Harper Funeral Home La Paz Funeral Home Lowman s Arizona Funeral Home Palm Funeral Home Preston Funeral Home Regency Mortuary Rude Family Northwest Mortuary Universal Sunset Chapel Wyman Cremation & Burial GROUP II Corporations Some of the following funeral homes were previously family owned and would provide reduced rates for families of police employees. However, the listed Group II funeral homes and cemeteries are now owned by large corporations, such as Service Corporation International (SCI), Stewart Enterprises, or Alderwoods. Quite often, higher prices are expected from corporation owned facilities. The following funeral homes/mortuaries are owned by Service Corporation International, (SCI), the largest funeral corporation in the world, and are listed in the yellow pages as Dignity. Some of the facilities are still listed under the same names as when privately owned: Advantage Funeral & Cremation Services - Colonial Chapel Advantage Funeral & Cremation Services - Golden Door Chapel Advantage Funeral & Cremation Services - Maryvale Chapel Advantage Funeral & Cremation Services - Sunnyslope Chapel A.L. Moore-Grimshaw Mortuaries Chapel of the Chimes Mortuary Green Acres Glendale Mortuary Green Acres Mortuary & Cemetery Greenwood Memory Lawn Mortuary Lakeshore Mortuary Lundberg Mortuary - White Rose Chapel Mariposa Gardens Memorial Park& Funeral Care Mariposa Gardens & Memorial Park Melcher Mortuary - Chapel of the Roses Melcher Mortuary - Mission Chapel & Crematory Mortensen Kings Funeral Center National Cremation Society Resthaven Park Mortuary & Cemetery Shadow Mountain Mortuary Sunland Memorial Park Mortuary/Cremation Valley of The Sun Mortuary Service Corporation International (SCI) Green Acres, 401 N. Hayden, 480-945-2654 Alderwoods Group currently owns the following funeral facilities: Carr-Tenney Mortuary Phoenix Memorial Park & Mortuary Bunker Family Funeral Homes own these: Desert View Chapel Garden Chapel Life-Paths by Bunker University Chapel Family Service Group owns the following: Valley West Funeral Chapel Weber s Eastlake Mortuary Hansen Mortuaries own these facilities: Chapel of Prayer Desert Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary Hansen Arrowhead Funeral Center At Joy Greer Wilson Funeral Home Hansen Mortuary Mercer Mortuary Paradise Chapel Funeral Home Stan Stobierski owns the following: Apache Junction Mortuary & Crematory Heritage Funeral Chapel Mesa Heritage Mortuary Sun West Funeral Home & Cemetery Memorial Estates Mortuaries, Arizona Division, owns these: Adobe Chapel Funeral Home Camelback Sunset Funeral Home Crystal Rose Funeral Home Messinger Mortuaries & Chapels own these: Messinger Fountain Hills Messinger Indian School Messinger Pinnacle Peak Neptune Society, Inc., owns this facility: Neptune Society (Cremation Only) GROUP III Family/Independent Owned Funeral Homes The following are independently owned with varying prices: Able Funeral Services & Chapel Arizona Cremation & Funeral Services Buckeye Funeral Home Bueler Chandler Mortuary Camino Del Sol Funeral Chapel & Crematory Falconer Funeral Home Family Burial & Cremation Center Meldrum Mortuary Menke Funeral Home Mountain View Memorial Gardens Samaritan Funeral Home Sinai Mortuary (Predominantly Jewish) Tempe Mortuary Universal Memorial Centers Whitney & Murphey Arcadia Funeral Home CEMETERIES SCI owns most of the cemeteries in the valley. Sunwest Funeral Home and Cemetery, at 15399 Grand Avenue, Surprise is owned by Stan Stobierski. The Catholic Diocese of Phoenix also Has at least two. Consult the yellow pages for complete listings. Arrowhead Memorial Garden 21000 N. 75th Avenue 623-362-3255 Catholic Cemeteries & Mausoleums 2033 N. 48th St. 602-267-1329 City of Mesa Cemetery 1212 N. Center St., Mesa 480-644-2335 Desert Hills Memorial Park 6500 E. Bell 480-991-5800 Eternal Remembrance Gravesite Care 602-234-5704 Garden of Memories 9380 W. Peoria Ave., Peoria 623-486-1955 Mountain View Memorial Gardens 7900 E. Apache Dr. 480-832-2850 National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona 480-513-3600 Phoenix Memorial Park 200 W. Beardsley Rd. 623-434-7000 Pinnacle Cemeteries 24210 N. 68th St. 480-585-6060 Sun West Cemetery 12473 N.W. Grand Ave. 623-974-2054 VETERANS CEMETERY National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, Provides free burial plats for veterans, spouse and in some cases, their children. Cremations have become quite common due to the high cost of traditional funerals which usually cost between $4,000 and $10,000. The average cremation can cost from $600 to $5,000. The Hassett family, former owners of Camelback Sunset Mortuary, provided discounts to police families for many years. That mortuary has been sold to an out of State Corporation and no longer gives police family discounts. Tim Hassett, one of the former owners of Camelback Sunset, now operates Serenity Crematory and was most helpful in providing information regarding the funeral business. All cremations must be conducted through a mortuary. According to Mr. Hassett, actual cremation costs are about $200 to $250 and mortuaries add their own fees to these prices. A fair price for direct cremation is around $600 to $700. With Direct Cremation, the body goes from the place of death, to a mortuary, then directly to a crematory, after a death certificate is obtained. This usually takes 2 to 3 days. The ashes are then given to the survivor and it becomes their responsibility for place of final rest. In non-direct cremations, everything is handled by a mortuary and can include a Viewing. This may cost nearly as much as a traditional funeral. Those who choose cremation but still wish to have a traditional funeral service, can usually find a mortuary that provides rental caskets to be used just for this service. Tim Hassett will help police families, putting them in touch with mortuaries who will treat them with respect and fairness. He can be contacted at: Serenity Crematory Services REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST It is recommended that a Revocable Living Trust be established for the beneficiaries. This Trust accomplishes the following:
HEAVENS GATE And Heavens gate swung wide And there to my astonishment Indignant words rose to my lips |
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