2004 International
and Military Mail Christmas Mailing Dates
To ensure delivery of holiday cards and packages by December 25 to military APO/FPO addresses overseas and to
international addresses, we suggest that mail be entered by the recommended mailing dates listed below. Beat the last
minute rush by bringing your mail to your Post OfficeTM by these suggested dates.
|
Military Mail Addressed To
|
Express Mail
Military Service
(EMMS)1/
|
First-Class
Mail®
Letters/Cards
|
Priority
Mail®
|
Parcel
Airlift Mail
(PAL) 2/
|
Space
Available Mail
(SAM) 3/
|
Parcel
Post®
|
|
APO/FPO AE ZIPs 090-092
|
Dec 20
|
Dec 11
|
Dec 11
|
Dec 4
|
Nov 27
|
Nov 13
|
|
APO/FPO AE ZIP 093
|
N/A
|
Dec 6
|
Dec 6
|
Dec 4
|
Nov 27
|
Nov 13
|
|
APO/FPO AE ZIPs 094-098
|
Dec 20
|
Dec 11
|
Dec 11
|
Dec 4
|
Nov 27
|
Nov 13
|
|
APO/FPO AA ZIPs 340
|
Dec 20
|
Dec 11
|
Dec 11
|
Dec 4
|
Nov 27
|
Nov 13
|
|
APO/FPO AP ZIPs 962-966
|
Dec 20
|
Dec 11
|
Dec 11
|
Dec 4
|
Nov 27
|
Nov 13
|
1/ EMMS: Express Mail Military Service is available to selected military post offices. Check with your local Post Office to
determine if this service is available to your APO/FPO of address.
2/ PAL: A special service that provides air transportation for parcels on a space-available basis. PAL is available for
Parcel Post items not exceeding 30 pounds in weight or 60 inches in length and girth combined. The applicable
PAL fee must be paid, in addition to the regular surface rate of postage for each addressed piece sent by PAL
service.
3/ SAM: Parcels paid at Parcel Post postage rates are first transported domestically by surface and then to overseas
destinations by air on a space-available basis. The maximum weight and size limits are 15 pounds and 60
inches in length and girth combined.
|
International Mail Addressed to
|
Global
Express
Guaranteed®
(GXG) 4/
|
Global
Express
MailTM
(GEM)5/
|
Global
Priority
Mail®
(GPM)6/
|
Global
Airmail®
Letters and
Cards
|
Global
Airmail
Parcel Post
|
Global
Economy
(Surface)
|
|
Africa
|
Dec 20
|
Dec 11
|
Dec 16
|
Dec 6
|
Dec 6
|
Oct 14
|
|
Asia / Pacific Rim
|
Dec 20
|
Dec 17
|
Dec 16
|
Dec 13
|
Dec 13
|
Oct 28
|
|
Australia / New Zealand
|
Dec 20
|
Dec 17
|
Dec 16
|
Dec 13
|
Dec 13
|
Oct 28
|
|
Canada
|
Dec 21
|
Dec 18
|
Dec 16
|
Dec 13
|
Dec 13
|
Nov 19
|
|
Caribbean
|
Dec 20
|
Dec 17
|
Dec 16
|
Dec 13
|
Dec 13
|
Nov 5
|
|
Central & South America
|
Dec 20
|
Dec 11
|
Dec 16
|
Dec 6
|
Dec 6
|
Oct 29
|
|
Mexico
|
Dec 20
|
Dec 17
|
Dec 16
|
Dec 13
|
Dec 13
|
Nov 5
|
|
Europe
|
Dec 20
|
Dec 11
|
Dec 16
|
Dec 13
|
Dec 10
|
Nov 5
|
|
Middle East
|
Dec 20
|
Dec 17
|
Dec 16
|
Dec 13
|
Dec 13
|
Oct 21
|
4/ GXG: Global Express Guaranteed is available to more than 200 countries via a partnership with Federal Express.
See a retail associate at participating locations for a complete list of countries and money-back guarantee
details, visit http://www.usps.com/global/globalexpressguaranteed.htm. Some restrictions apply.
5/ GEM: Global Express Mail is available to most countries with delivery in 3 to 5 business days. See a retail associate
at participating locations for a complete list of countries or visit www.usps.com/global/globalexpressmail.htm. Some restrictions apply.
6/ GPM: Global Priority Mail is an accelerated airmail service available for items up to 4 pounds to 51 countries. The
service is available in two attractive sized envelopes. Customers can also use their own packaging by adding
the Global Priority Mail sticker. See a retail associate at participating locations for a complete list of countries or
visit http://www.usps.com/global/globalprioritymail.htm. Some restrictions apply.
PLEASE POST ON ALL BULLETIN BOARDS.
- International Network Operations,
Network Operations Management, 9-30-04
Thrift Savings Plan Open Season
and PostalEASE |
|
When and Who
|
October 15 through December 31, 2004 - all career employees
|
|
Contribution Limits for
Calendar Year 2005
|
IRS Annual Deferral limit for 2005 is $14,000.
FERS Contribution limit is 15% of basic pay for 2005.
CSRS & CSRS Offset limit is 10% of basic pay for 2005.
Reminder: If you are age 50 or older during calendar year 2005, to participate in the TSP Catch-Up
Contribution election you must have either a regular election on file to contribute the maximum
percentage of basic pay, or an election on file where the maximum IRS elective deferral limit will be
reached during the calendar year.
|
TSP Contribution Elections
and Cancellations
(USPS PIN)
|
Use the PostalEASE telephone system or the PostalEASE employee Web site during TSP open
season to begin contributing, to change contribution amount or percentage, or to cancel TSP
contributions.
To use PostalEASE, you will need your Employee ID (this number is found on your earnings
statement) and USPS personal identification number (PIN), available only from PostalEASE.
Call toll free: 877-4PS-EASE (877-477-3273).
Don't know your USPS PIN? Call PostalEASE; press 1; enter Employee ID (this number is found on
your earnings statement); when prompted to enter PIN, pause, then press 2. Your USPS PIN will be
mailed to your address of record, usually by the next business day.
Career employees who have trouble using PostalEASE, or who are unable to use a telephone, may
contact local personnel office for help.
|
TSP Fund Investment
Elections
(TSP PIN)
|
Contact TSP directly, during or outside TSP open season, to change investment of future TSP
contributions or money already in account.
Go to the TSP Web site at www.tsp.gov, or call the TSP ThriftLine toll-free at 877-968-3778. Or mail
TSP-50, Investment Allocation, to TSP, available from your local personnel office (election not
effective as quickly).
To use the TSP Web site or TSP ThriftLine, you must know your TSP PIN, available only from TSP.
Don't know your TSP PIN? Request it from www.tsp.gov - choose Account Access. Or via TSP
ThriftLine at or TSP Service Office at 877-968-3778. and then follow the instructions. Your new TSP
PIN will be mailed to your address of record.
|
PostalEASE and TSP
Information Mailed to
Career Employees
|
A TSP leaflet with PostalEASE instructions is mailed to all career employees. If you do not receive
the mailing by mid-November, contact your local personnel office. In addition, a TSP Summary,
cover letter, and PostalEASE instructions are mailed to all newly hired career employees soon after
their accession PS Form 50 action is processed.
|
|
Closing Date and Time
|
PostalEASE closes 5:00 P.M. Central Time on December 31, 2004, for TSP open season elections.
|
(See article on page
3.)
PLEASE POST ON ALL BULLETIN BOARDS
|
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