Finance

REMINDER

Migratory Bird Stamp Destruction

The following table contains the deadlines that you must follow when returning unsold migratory bird stamps for destruction.

Additional instructions can be found in Handbook F-1, Post Office Accounting Procedures, section 427, Handling Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps. Handbook F-1 is available online via the corporate intranet at http://blue.usps.gov (click on Information, then Policies and Procedures, and then Handbooks).

District customer service and sales offices must establish a schedule for submitting all unsold migratory bird stamps. They must submit these stamps to the stamp destruction committee as follows:

• For Stamp Distribution Offices (SDOs) - no later than accounting period (AP) 8.

• For Stamp Services Center (SSC) offices - no later than AP 7.

Notes:

1. Submit all unsold migratory bird stamps that are more than 2 years old to the stamp destruction committee as follows:

• SDOs that have Philatelic Retail Units - no later than AP 8.

• Post Offices that are serviced by an SSC - no later than AP 7.

2. Offices designated as philatelic outlets are the only outlets that should have an ending bird stamp inventory on the AP 9/PQ 3 statement of account. These offices should list inventory of migratory bird stamps by year of issue and face value in the remarks section of the statement of account.

- Revenue and Field Accounting, Finance, 1-10-02

NOTICE

Revenue Unit for Fiscal Year 2001

The revenue unit for Fiscal Year 2001 is $315.21. This is the average revenue for 1,000 pieces of originating mail and special service transactions. The revenue unit is used to determine the proper cost ascertainment grouping (CAG) for Post Offices.

- Revenue and Field Accounting, Finance, 1-10-02

International Mail

PUBLICATION 141 REVISION

Global Express GuaranteedTM Service Guide

Publication 141, Global Express GuaranteedTM Service Guide, Volume 8, dated November 1, 2001, is revised. The references to expected delivery days for 2- and 3-day Western Europe destinations are deleted.

We will incorporate these revisions into the next printed version of Publication 141, as well as into the online version, available on the corporate intranet at http://blue.usps.gov/cpim; click on PUBs.

All acceptance employees should refer to the two tables ("2-Business Day Delivery" and "3-Business Day Delivery") on page 3 of Publication 141 to determine expected delivery dates for Western Europe and all other destinations.

Publication 141, Global Express GuaranteedTM Service Guide

* * * * *

General Information - Section I

Service Description

* * * * *

[In the "2-Business Day Delivery" table, delete the asterisk symbols.]

[In the "3-Business Day Delivery" table, delete the asterisk symbols.]

[In the Notes below the tables, delete the asterisk symbols and delete the accompanying sentences.]

* * * * *

- Business Initiatives,Expedited/Package Services, 1-10-02

Philately

NOTICE

2002 Commemorative Stamp Poster

In the centerfold, you will find a full-color poster featuring a reproduction of each of the stamps in the 2002 Commemorative Stamp Program.

The 2002 Commemorative Stamp Program includes something for all our customers, whether they want stamps for mail use or as collectibles. Household mailers, com- mercial mailers, and casual and serious collectors will be excited about these great new designs.

This year's program features the following commemorative stamps:

• American Bats

• Andy Warhol

• Duke Kahanamoku

• Greetings From America

• Happy Birthday

• Harry Houdini

• Hawaiian Missionaries

• Holiday: Snowmen

• Irving Berlin

• John James Audubon

• Langston Hughes

• Longleaf Pine Forest

• Masters of American Photography

• Mentoring a Child

• Neuter or Spay

• Ogden Nash

• Teddy Bears

• United States Military Academy

• Winter Sports

• Women in Journalism

• Year of the Horse

The stamps are tentatively scheduled for issuance in various months throughout the year. The issue dates, formats, denominations, and design elements are subject to change. The date of issuance and design format for each stamp will be announced in the Postal Bulletin prior to its release.

- Stamp Services,Government Relations and Public Policy, 1-10-02

CORRECTION

Stamp Announcement 02-02 - Winter Sports Commemorative Stamps

The Winter Sports commemorative stamps announcement in Postal Bulletin 22065 (12-13-01, pages 55-56) incorrectly listed the ZIP+4 Code in the "How to Order the First Day Issue Postmark" section as 9998. The correct ZIP+4 Code is 6000.

- Stamp Services,Government Relations and Public Policy, 1-10-02

Pictorial Cancellations Announcement

As a community service, the Postal Service offers pictorial cancellations to commemorate local events celebrated in communities throughout the nation. A list of events for which pictorial cancellations are authorized appears below. If available, the sponsor of the pictorial cancellation appears in italics under the date. Also provided, as space permits, are illustrations of those cancellations that were reproducible and available at press time.

People attending these local events may obtain the cancellation in person at the temporary post office station established there. Those who cannot attend the event, but who wish to obtain the cancellation, may submit a mail order request. Pictorial cancellations are available only for the dates indicated, and requests must be postmarked no later than 30 days following the requested pictorial cancellation date.

All requests must include a stamped envelope or postcard bearing at least the minimum First-Class Mail postage. Items submitted for cancellation may not include postage issued after the date of the requested cancellation. Such items will be returned unserviced.

Customers wishing to obtain a cancellation should affix stamps to any envelope or postcard of their choice, address the envelope or postcard to themselves or others,insert a card of postcard thickness in envelopes for sturdiness, and tuck in the flap. Place the envelope or postcard in a larger envelope and address it to: PICTORIAL CANCELLATIONS, followed by the NAME OF THE STATION,ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP + 4 CODE, exactly as listed below (using all capitals and no punctuation, except thehyphen in the ZIP + 4 code).

Customers can also send stamped envelopes and postcards without addresses for cancellation, as long as they supply a larger envelope with adequate postage and their return address. After applying the pictorial cancellation, the Postal Service returns the items (with or without addresses) under addressed protective cover.

- Stamp Services,Government Relations and Public Policy, 1-10-02

Post Offices

REMINDER

Securing Registry/Accountable Cages

All postmasters and Postal Service employees are responsible for following current policies and procedures concerning registry/accountable cages.

Review Handbook DM-901, Registered Mail, and pay particular attention to section 72, Protection, which outlines the requirements concerning registry mail activities.

Use PS Form 1625, Record of Entry into Registry Section, to keep a daily record of all employees working in the registry section.

- Retail Operations Support,Delivery and Retail, 1-10-02

This office will be closed Monday, January 21, 2002, to observe Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday.

Postal Employees

ALL POSTAL EMPLOYEES

2001 Tax Information - Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement

1. Current Mailing Address

To facilitate processing of 2001 tax information and to ensure correct and timely receipt of a 2001 Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, all employees must have a current mailing address on file at the distributed data entry/distributed reporting (DDE/DR) site. Current employees, as well as employees who have left the Postal Service, who have changed their address in 2001 and have not submitted PS Form 1216, Employee's Current Mailing Address, to their DDE/DR site or through the Postal Service intranet blue page should do so immediately. All Form W-2s are sent to the address on file at the time of printing and will not be forwarded.

2. General W-2 Information

If an employee has earnings for more than one state or locality, a separate Form W-2 will be issued for each. The format of the 2001 Form W-2 has been modified from the 2000 version to more closely follow the federal form.

Additions include:

1. Instructions for Box 12.

2. Box 13 "Statutory retirement 3rd party."

Renumbered from the 2000 form:

1. Box 15, "State employer's state ID No."

2. Box 16, "State wages tips, etc."

3. Box 17, "State income tax."

4. Box 18, "Local wages, tips, etc."

5. Box 19, "Local income tax."

6. Box 20, "Locality name."

7. Box 30, "Prior year TSP contributions."

8. Box 40, "FSA health care."

Renamed from the 2000 form:

1. Box 14 from "Employee contributions (TSP)" to "Other (current year TSP)."

Side one of Form W-2 is shown on pages 18-19 of this Postal Bulletin.

3. Inquiries

All inquiries concerning payroll items, such as employee business expense, equipment maintenance, rent, T-COLA, money differences between earnings statement and W-2, leave buy backs, erroneous state or local tax deductions, TSP, FSA, etc., should be sent to Payroll Adjustments.

All questions regarding Form W-2 must be submitted in writing. The request must include:

1. Employee's name.

2. Current mailing address.

3. Social Security number.

4. Name of office where employed (or where previously employed if not a current Postal Service employee).

5. Year(s) involved.

6. Specific question.

7. Employee's signature.

General questions:

Imputed Income Life Insurance

The imputed income life insurance amount shown in Box 35 of the 2001 Form W-2 is the net result of the IRS computation for taxable insurance benefits less the amount an employee pays for optional insurance in the calendar year.

The IRS requires the Postal Service to report as income the cost of group term life insurance in excess of $50,000 that is paid by the employer. The formula is based on an employee's age, salary, and life insurance coverage.

Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

The following facts will clarify some of the common tax questions regarding TSP:

• Box 14, "Other (current year TSP)," will contain employee TSP contributions only.

• Box 1, "Wages, tips, other compensation," has been reduced by the amount of the employee's TSP contributions shown in Box 14.

• Box 16, "State wages, tips, etc.," has been reduced by the amount of employee TSP contributions in Box 14 for all states except New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico.

• New York City; Kansas City, MO; Detroit; andSt. Louis are the only localities that allow income deferral for TSP. Box 18, "Local wages, tips, etc.," will be reduced by the amount of employee TSP contributions only if New York City, Kansas City, Detroit, or St. Louis is indicated in Box 20, "Locality name."

Employee Business Expense (EBE)

Equipment maintenance allowance (EMA), carrier drive-out, vehicle hire, supervisor vehicle usage, and special delivery are all considered employee expenses. Box 32, "Employee business expense," will contain the non-taxable (not the total) EBE amount, while Box 33, "Taxable employee business expense," will contain the taxable EBE amount. The taxable amount shown in Box 33 will also be included inBox 1, "Wages, tips, other compensation."

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

The amount contributed to an employee's Flexible Spending Account for health care will be included in Box 40, "FSA health care," and the amount contributed to dependent care will be included in Box 10, "FSA dependent care benefits," and has been deducted from Box 1, "Wages, tips, other compensation."

Health Benefit Pre-Tax

The amount contributed for health benefit premiums is considered pre-tax unless the employee declined the pre-tax benefit. The health benefit pre-tax amount is shown in Box 37 and has been deducted fromBox 1, "Wages, tips, other compensation."

State/Territory Gross Wages

The amount in Box 16, "State wages, tips, etc.," will equal Box 1 with the following exceptions:

New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico do not allow income deferral. Therefore, employee TSP, FSA, and health benefit pre-tax contributions are not deducted from their state gross. (Pennsylvania law was changed in 1997 to allow income deferral for flexible spending account health care (FSAHC) and health benefits pre-tax. Therefore, only these two amounts are deducted from Pennsylvania state gross.)

Pennsylvania is the only state that does not require the imputed income life insurance to be added into the state gross.

Annuity Protection Program

Form W-2s are issued to former employees who receive payments from the Postal Service under the Annuity Protection Program. Any questions regarding these Form W-2s should be directed to:

Specialized Payroll and Benefits
Eagan Accounting Service Center
2825 Lone Oak Pkwy
Eagan MN 55121-9620

4. Obtaining Duplicate Forms

All requests for duplicate W-2s must be submitted in writing. The request must include:

1. Employee's name.

2. Current mailing address.

3. Social Security number.

4. Name of office where employed (or where previously employed if not a current Postal Service employee).

5. Year(s) requested.

6. Employee's signature.

* If unsuccessful requesting duplicate W-2s from the DDE/DR site, duplicates can also be requested in writing from: Control Section (W-2s), Accounting Service Center, 2825 Lone Oak Pkwy, Eagan MN 55121-9611.

Form W-2c, Corrected Wage and Tax Statement

1. General W-2c Information

Form W-2c is used by the Postal Service to correct errors previously filed on a Form W-2. The Form W-2c will report only the corrections and should be used in conjunction with the original Form W-2 issued when filing taxes and/or other related information.

2. Requesting a W-2c

All requests for a corrected W-2 must be submitted in writing. The request must include:

1. Employee's name.

2. Current mailing address.

3. Social Security number.

4. Name of office where employed (or where previously employed if not a current Postal Service employee).

5. Year(s) requested.

6. Reason for request.

7. Employee's signature.

3. Obtaining Duplicate W-2c Forms

All requests for a duplicate W-2c must be submitted in writing. The request must include:

1. Employee's name.

2. Current mailing address.

3. Social Security number.

4. Name of office where employed (or where previously employed if not a current Postal Service employee).

5. Year(s) requested.

6. Employee's signature.

IRS Form 1099

Depending on your specific circumstances, up to three different IRS Form 1099s may be issued to you. They are:

IRS Form 1099MISC, Statement for Recipients of Miscellaneous Income
IRS Form 1099R, Distributions From Pensions, Annuities, Retirement, or Profit Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc.
IRS Form 1099INT, Interest Income

Form 1099MISC

These forms originate from all three Accounting Service Centers (ASCs). Please determine the nature of the payments and contact the appropriate office/ASC.

Form 1099R

This year, both the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Eagan Accounting Service Center are sending out Form 1099R: Eagan for Annuity Protection checks and OPM for monthly annuity checks. The originating agency should be listed on the Form 1099R. Try to determine which agency made the payments before making an inquiry.

Form 1099INT

This form is used to report interest payments that were the result of employment-related settlements against the Postal Service.

- Payroll Accounting, Finance, 1-10-02