(See article.)

Finance

REVISED FORM

PS Form 1412, Daily Financial Report

PS Form 1412, Daily Financial Report (December 2004), is now available from the Material Distribution Center (MDC). Post OfficesTM and postal retail units can order the December 2004 edition of PS Form 1412 from the MDC by using touch tone order entry (TTOE): Call 800-332-0317, option 2.

Note: You must be registered to use TTOE. To register, call 800-332-0317, option 1, extension 2925, and follow the prompts to leave a message. (Wait 48 hours after registering before placing your first order.)

Use the following information to order PS Form 1412:

PSIN: 7530-07-000-5259

PSN: PS1412

Unit of Measure: PD

Minimum Order Quantity: 1

Quick Pick Number: N/A

Bulk Pack Quantity: N/A

Price: $1.6366

Note: The revised PS Form 1412 appeared in Postal Bulletin 22144 (12-23-04, page 61). Offices may reproduce this copy locally until they order and receive the stock from the MDC.

- Revenue and Field Accounting,
Finance, 1-6-05

NOTICE

Form W-5 Renewal for Calendar Year 2005

Employees must renew Form W-5, Earned Income Credit Advance Payment Certificate, which allows eligible employees to receive advance payment for their earned income credit, for 2005. All certificates currently in effect expire at the end of the calendar year and must be renewed by submitting a new form as soon as possible.

Note: This article is normally published earlier in the calendar year to coincide with the federal publication of the new Advance Earned Income Credit amounts. However, the release of that information was delayed. Because of this delay, eligible employees must complete a new Form W-5 and submit it to their appropriate Personnel office by no later than January 14, 2005, which is the end of the first week of Pay Period 02. Completion and submission of Form W-5 by that date will help to ensure that the new amounts will be effective as soon as possible in the new calendar year. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations specifically prohibit any retroactive changes or additions to the information submitted on an original Form W-5. Any changes, corrections, or additions to a Form W-5 require submission of a new form.

Reminder

Personnel offices are reminded that (1) employees are responsible for timely submission of their Form W-5 and (2) IRS regulations mandate that all employers must submit copies of all forms received from their employees. Personnel offices must mail one copy of Form W-5 in a separate envelope marked "PROCESSED W-5 FOR IRS" in the lower left-hand corner of the envelope to:

Eagan Accounting Service Center
Attn Control Section
2825 Lone Oak Pkwy
Eagan MN 55121-9611

The Control Section in Eagan will subsequently forward the forms to the IRS.

- Payroll Accounting,
Finance, 1-6-05

NOTICE

Federal Income Tax Withholding

Effective Pay Period (PP) 03-05, payroll checks will reflect the increase in the personal exemption value for each federal tax allowance from $119.23 to $123.08. Based upon provisions in the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, the six tax percentages remain at 10, 15, 25, 28, 33, and 35 percent, respectively. All information in this article is based upon both a biweekly payroll period and the withholding tables contained in IRS Notice 1036, Early Release Copies of 2005 Income Tax Withholding and Advance Earned Income Credit Payment Tables.

Federal Income Tax Withholding Table

Single Person				Married Person
Wages*		The withholding amount is:		Wages*		The withholding amount is:
Over...	But not over...	Withholding Amount	Of excess over	Over...	But not over...	Withholding amount	Of excess over
$0	$102	$0		$0	$308	$0
$102	$377	10%	$102	$308	$869	10%	$308
$377	$1,212	$27.50 plus 15%	$377	$869	$2,546	$56.10 plus 15%	$869
$1,212	$2,683	$152.75 plus 25%	$1,212	$2,546	$4,644	$307.65 plus 25%	$2,546
$2,683	$5,844	$520.50 plus 28%	$2,683	$4,644	$7,292	$832.15 plus 28%	$4,644
$5,844	$12,625	$1,405.58 plus 33%	$5,844	$7,292	$12,817	$1,573.59 plus 33%	$7,292
$12,625		$3,643.31 plus 35%	$12,625	$12,817		$3,396.84 plus 35%	$12,817

*Wages are determined after subtracting withholding allowances, FSA, FEHB, and TSP contributions from your gross earnings.

Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB), flexible spending account (FSA), and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) contributions made by employees are treated as pretax monies (unless the employee has signed a pretax waiver for FEHB benefits). When calculating your taxes, remember to subtract your allowances and all of these contribution amounts from your gross earnings.

To determine the amount of withholding, follow the steps listed below:

1. Determine normal biweekly gross wages from earnings statement.

2. Determine normal biweekly TSP contributions from earnings statement.

3. Determine normal biweekly FSA contributions from earnings statement. If applicable, add the amounts from both the FSA Dependent Child (FSADC) Sub-Account and the FSA Health Care (FSAHC) Sub-Account.

4. Determine normal biweekly FEHB pretax employee contribution from earnings statement (abbreviated as HP).

5. Multiply the number of exemptions claimed by the new biweekly exemption value of $123.08 (withholding allowance). The federal tax line on the earnings statement shows the number of exemptions claimed (e.g., S1 = Single with One Exemption, M3 = Married with Three Exemptions).

6. Subtract the amounts in Step 2 (TSP), Step 3 (FSA), Step 4 (FEHB), and Step 5 (Exemptions) from Step 1 (Gross Biweekly Wages). The remainder is the amount that is subject to withholding.

7. Determine which range this amount falls into on the Federal Income Tax Withholding Table, and follow the instructions listed in the table.

Shown below is an example of how to compute federal income taxes for a Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) employee who claims married with three exemptions, and makes pretax contributions to the FEHB, FSA, and TSP.

Example:

A FERS employee receives $4,285.60 as gross biweekly wages. The employee makes the following contributions: 14 percent of gross salary per PP to the TSP; $50.00 per PP to the FSADC Sub-Account; $80.00 per PP to the FSAHC Sub- Account; and $127.53 per PP for FEHB [$127.53 is the actual cost for a Postal Service employee paying for High Option Self and Family with the Government Employees Hospital Association (GEHA) Benefit Plan]. The employee is married and claims three exemptions (M3 on the federal tax line of the earnings statement). Using the information provided above in the Federal Income Tax Withholding Table, federal taxes are computed as follows:

1. Total biweekly gross wages	$4,285.60
2. TSP contributions	599.84
3. FSADC contribution	50.00
FSAHC contribution	80.00
Total FSA contribution	130.00
4. FEHB contribution	127.53
5. Exemptions (3 x $123.08)	369.24

Computation continues as follows:

Biweekly gross wages	$4,285.60
Minus TSP contributions	-599.84
Minus FSA contributions	-130.00
Minus FEHB contributions	-127.53
Minus exemptions	-369.24
Amount of wages subject to withholding	$3,058.99

To complete the computation, refer to the married/biweekly segment of the Federal Income Tax Withholding Table. The amount of wages subject to withholding, $3,058.99, falls within the "Over $2,546 but not over $4,644" range. Using the information provided within that range, the final computation is as follows:

Amount subject to withholding	$3,058.99
Subtract $2,546 from $3,058.99	512.99
Multiply $512.99 by .25 (25%)	128.25
Add from the table	307.65
Add $128.25 and $307.65	435.90
Total federal income tax* that should be withheld from this employee's biweekly check	$435.90

*Rounding may vary this total by a few cents.

- Payroll Accounting, Finance, 1-6-05

NOTICE

Form W-4 Completion for Calendar Year 2005

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations permit employees who anticipate no federal tax liability for 2005 to continue to claim total exemption from federal tax withholding provided they owed no federal taxes for 2004. These regulations also require that a new Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, be submitted every calendar year. However, because of PostalEASE, employees no longer have to file a hardcopy Form W-4.

IRS filing requirements concerning Form W-4s are met by either logging onto PostalEASE via the Postal ServiceTM Intranet or by calling PostalEASE toll-free at 877-477-3273. Follow the Form W-4 instructions provided by PostalEASE, and your form will be updated for calendar year 2005.

Any employee currently in an exempt status who does not use PostalEASE to submit a new Form W-4 claiming a continuation of their exempt status will be converted to a taxable status, effective Pay Period 05-05. For exempt information on a Form W-4 to remain effective into the next year, the IRS requires completion, submission, and acceptance of the form by no later than February 15. Since February 15 falls within Pay Period 04, the new information on the Form W-4s must be entered into PostalEASE by no later than Friday, February 4.

Any employee who claimed exempt status for 2004 who does not update in PostalEASE will have federal taxes withheld at the rate that would normally be applicable to a single employee with no dependent allowances. Employees with a current exempt status (as of Pay Period 27-04) will receive printed messages on their earnings statement during Pay Periods 02 and 03 of 2005 reminding them that a new Form W-4 is required.

Reminders

• Personnel offices should not provide tax advice to employees concerning the completion of Form W-4s.

• In January 2004 the practice of sending certain hard copies of the forms to the Eagan Accounting Service Center was discontinued since all employees must use PostalEASE to update their Form W-4s.

• The IRS now receives electronic notification concerning all employees who claim more than 10 withholding allowances and/or total exemption from withholding.

- Payroll Accounting,
Finance, 1-6-05

ALL EMPLOYEES

2004 Tax Information

Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement

Current Mailing Address

To facilitate processing of 2004 tax information and to ensure correct and timely receipt of a 2004 Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, all employees must have a current mailing address on file at their local personnel office. Current employees can use Employee Self Service via the Postal ServiceTM Intranet, or current and former employees may submit PS Form 1216, Employee's Current Mailing Address, to their local personnel office. Employees without Intranet access may update their mailing address by using the Web Job Bidding Machines or Personnel Central Kiosks, where available. All Form W-2s are sent to the address on file at the time of printing and will not be forwarded.

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 2004 Form W-2 has been modified from the 2003 version as follows:

a. The 2004 Form W-2 has been redesigned from a vertical format to a horizontal format. All box numbers will remain the same.

b. A new box 41, Commuter program, has been created for 2004.

See pages 14-15 for an example of the 2004 Form W-2.

Inquiries

Send all inquiries concerning payroll items, such as employee business expenses, equipment maintenance, rent, T-Cola, money differences between earnings statement and Form W-2, leave buy backs, erroneous state or local tax deductions, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), flexible spending accounts (FSAs), etc., to the Eagan Accounting Service Center (ASC).

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

a. Employee's name.

b. Current mailing address.

c. Social Security number (SSN).

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

e. Year(s) involved.

f. Specific question.

g. Employee's signature.

If the first three digits of your Social Security number are ...	Then send a written request to...
000-365	Attn Payroll Adjustments W-2 Eagan Accounting Service Center 2825 Lone Oak Pkwy Eagan MN 55121-9633
366 and up	Attn Payroll Adjustments W-2 Eagan Accounting Service Center 2825 Lone Oak Pkwy Eagan MN 55121-9634

General Questions

Imputed Income Life Insurance

The imputed income life insurance amount shown in box 35 of the 2004 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, which is paid by the employer. The formula is based on an employee's age, salary, and life insurance coverage.

Thrift Savings Plan

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

a. Box 12a or 12b (See "Instructions" on the reverse side of Form W-2 for box 12) may contain employee TSP contributions.

b. TSP contributions are reported in box 12a or 12b with a code "D". Letter code "D" is explained in "Notice to Employee" on the reverse side of Form W-2.

c. Box 1, Wages, tips, other compensation, has been reduced by the amount of the employee's TSP contributions shown in box 12a or 12b.

d. Box 16, State wages, tips, etc., has been reduced by the amount of employee TSP contributions in box 12a or 12b for all states, except New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico.

e. New York City, NY; Kansas City, MO; Detroit, MI; St. Louis, MO; and Madison County, KY; 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, NY; Kansas City, MO; Detroit, MI; St. Louis, MO; or Madison County, KY; are indicated in box 20, Locality name.

Employee Business Expense

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 nontaxable (not the total) employee business expense (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 in box 1, Wages, tips, other compensation.

Flexible Spending Account

The amount contributed to an employee's flexible spending account (FSA) 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. Both have 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, Pre-tax health benefits, and has been deducted from box 1, Wages, tips, other compensation.

Commuter Program

The amount contributed for the commuter program (box 41) is considered pre-tax for 2004 up to the IRS $100 monthly limit for public transportation and/or the IRS $195 monthly limit for parking, and has been deducted from box 1, Wages, tips, other compensation. Any commuting expenses that are elected over the IRS limits will be considered post-tax.

State/Territory Gross Wages

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

a. New Jersey, Pennsylvania*, and Puerto Rico do not allow income deferral. Therefore, the employee TSP, FSA, and health benefits pre-tax contributions are not deducted from their state gross.

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

*Pennsylvania law was changed in 1997 to allow income deferral for FSA Health Care (FSAHC) and health benefits pre-tax. Therefore, only these two amounts will be deducted from Pennsylvania state gross.

Annuity Protection Program (APP)

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:

Payroll Benefits Branch
Eagan Accounting Service Center
2825 Lone Oak Pkwy
Eagan MN 55121-9621

Relocation Payments

Relocation wages are reported in box 39, Relocation gross, on the Form W-2.

Relocation gross is reduced by the excludable reportable amount reported in box 12a or 12b before it is added to box 1, Wages, tips, other compensation.

Excludable reportable wages are reported in box 12a or 12b with a code "P". Letter code "P" is explained in "Notice to Employee" on the reverse side of Form W-2.

Obtaining Duplicate Forms

To obtain duplicate forms, employees may call the Accounting Help Desk at 866-974-2733. All requests must include the following information:

a. Employee's name.

b. Current mailing address.

c. Social Security number.

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

e. Year(s) requested.

f. Employee's signature (written requests).

If you are requesting a duplicate Form W-2 for wages, relocation, or annuity protection program or APP...	Call...
1990 to the present	Accounting Help Desk at 866-974-2733

If you are unsuccessful requesting duplicate Form W-2s from the Accounting Help Desk, you can also request duplicates in writing from:

Financial Reporting Section (W-2s)
Eagan Accounting Service Center
2825 Lone Oak Pkwy
Eagan MN 55121-9617

Form W-2c, Corrected Wage and Tax Statement

General Form W-2c Information

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

Requesting a Form W-2c

All requests for a corrected Form W-2c must be submitted in writing. The request must include the following information:

a. Employee's name.

b. Current mailing address.

c. Social Security number.

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

e. Year(s) requested.

f. Reason for request.

g. Employee's signature.

If you disagree with the tax information provided and are requesting that the tax statement issued be reviewed and corrected if wrong for...	Then send a written request to...
Wages (1990 to the present)	For employees with Social Security numbers beginning with 000-365: Attn Payroll Adjustments W-2 Eagan Accounting Service Center 2825 Lone Oak Pkwy Eagan MN 55121-9633 For employees with Social Security numbers beginning with 366 and up: Attn Payroll Adjustments W-2 Eagan Accounting Service Center 2825 Lone Oak Pkwy Eagan MN 55121-9634
If you disagree with the tax information provided and are requesting that the tax statement issued be reviewed and corrected if wrong for...	Then send a written request to...
Relocation	San Mateo Accounting Service Center Relocation Management Section 2700 Campus Dr San Mateo CA 94097-9420
Annuity Protection Program	Payroll Benefits Branch Eagan Accounting Service Center 2825 Lone Oak Pkwy Eagan MN 55121-9621

Obtaining Duplicate Forms W-2c

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

a. Employee's name.

b. Current mailing address.

c. Social Security number.

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

e. Year(s) requested.

f. Employee's signature.

If you are requesting a duplicate...	Then send a written request to...
W-2c (1990 to the present)	Financial Reporting Section (W-2c) Eagan Accounting Service Center 2825 Lone Oak Pkwy Eagan MN 55121-9617

IRS Forms 1099

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

a. IRS Form 1099-MISC, Statement for Recipients of Miscellaneous Income.

b. IRS Form 1099-R, Distributions from Pensions, Annuities, Retirement, or Profit Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc.

c. IRS Form 1099-INT, Interest Income.

Form 1099-MISC

This form originates from all three accounting service centers. Please determine the nature of the payments and contact the appropriate office/ASC.

If you are requesting a duplicate copy or have questions regarding...	Then send a written request to...
Payments to the beneficiaries of deceased employees of the unpaid compensation due at the time of death, please provide name, SSN, and date of death of the deceased.	Financial Processing Section Eagan Accounting Service Center 2825 Lone Oak Pkwy Eagan MN 55121-9616
Lump sum payments with no deductions as the result of settlements, please provide name, SSN, date of settlement, type of settlement, amount of settlement, period involved, and the date it was sent to the ASC for payment.	Financial Processing Section Eagan Accounting Service Center 2825 Lone Oak Pkwy Eagan MN 55121-9616
Contract cleaners	Contract Cleaners Section St Louis Accounting Service Center 1720 Market St Rm 3103 St Louis MO 63180-0103
All others	San Mateo Accounting Service Center Attn 1099 Research Team 2700 Campus Dr San Mateo CA 94497-9422

Form 1099-R

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

If you are requesting a duplicate copy or have questions regarding forms issued from...	Then send a written request to...
The Eagan Accounting Service Center	Financial Processing Section Eagan Accounting Service Center 2825 Lone Oak Pkwy Eagan MN 55121-9621
OPM	Office of Personnel Management Retirement Operations Center Tax Processing Unit PO Box 45 Boyers PA 16017-0045

Form 1099-INT

This form is used to report interest payments that were the result of employment-related back pay awards.

If you are requesting a duplicate copy or have questions regarding your Form 1099-INT...	Then send a written request to...
Provide your name, SSN, and date of payment if known.	Financial Processing Section Eagan Accounting Service Center 2825 Lone Oak Pkwy Eagan MN 55121-9616

- Payroll Accounting,
Finance, 1-6-05

International Mail

IMM REVISION

Privately Printed Customs Forms

Effective February 1, 2005, International Mail Manual (IMM) 123.3 is revised to reflect a new process for mailers who request authorization to privately print PS Form 2976, Customs Declaration CN 22 - Sender's Declaration (green label), and/or PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note - CP 72. This change will require mailers to submit applications to the National Customer Support Center (NCSC) in Memphis, Tennessee. Previously, customers were required to submit letters requesting authorization to privately print customs forms to the manager of Mailing Standards at Postal ServiceTM Headquarters.

The Postal Service is transforming its authorization process from involving several functional organizations within the Postal Service to a centralized point of contact at the NCSC. Bringing the entire process under one unit will ensure consistency in the decision-making process and provide more timely responses to applications. The NCSC has had many years of experience in providing rapid response to customer inquiries and requests for privately printing postal forms and labels. Privately printed forms must continue to be identical in size, design, content, and color to the Postal Services forms.

We will incorporate these revisions into the printed version of IMM 31 and into the online IMM, available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.gov.

International Mail Manual (IMM)

1 International Mail Services

* * * * *

120 Preparation for Mailing

* * * * *

123 Customs Forms

* * * * *

123.3 Privately Printed Forms

If authorized, mailers may privately print PS Forms 2976 and 2976-A. Privately printed forms must be identical in size, design, and color to the Postal ServiceTM forms, and each form must contain a unique Code U 128 barcode symbology that can be read by Postal Service equipment. Mailers may obtain form specifications from the following address:

[Revise 123.3 by changing the address where mailers obtain form specifications, by adding a paragraph with a telephone contact number, and by changing the last full paragraph of IMM 123.3 to read as follows (although the last sentence of the last full paragraph and items a through f after the last full paragraph are not revised, we include them here for clarity and completeness, and we have marked the revised text in bold):]

Barcode Certification
National Customer Support Center
United States Postal Service
6060 Primacy Pkwy Ste 201
Memphis TN 38188-0001

Mailers can also obtain form specifications by calling the NCSC at 800-238-3150 - select option 5 for barcode certification.

Upon receipt of the request, the NCSC will send mailers an application and specifications for preparing PS Forms 2976 and/or 2976-A. The application clearly explains the process necessary for authorization. When authorized by the NCSC, a mailer may omit printing the Post Office copy (copy 4) of PS Forms 2976 and/or 2976-A by submitting an authorized manifest listing of the items. The manifest must be typewritten, legibly handwritten, or computer-generated, and must contain the following information:

a. The sender's name and address.

b. The sender's print authorization number (i.e., barcode).

c. The edition date of the privately printed form.

d. The same certification statement that is printed on the Postal Service form.

e. A list of the foreign recipients' names and delivery addresses.

f. The mailer's signature and date.

* * * * *

- Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 1-6-05

IMM REVISION AND URGENT REMINDER

International Bulk Mail Items Addressed for Delivery in Germany

Effective January 20, 2005, the International Mail Manual (IMM) is revised to reflect that the German postal administration requests that mailpieces delivered through international bulk mail services be addressed with the correct postcode number or delivery zone number, if one exists. Without this number, the German postal administration will return such pieces to the sender or the country of origin due to insufficient addressing, unless the mailer pays the relevant surcharge for updating the addresses.

Consequently, we urgently remind mailers who use international bulk mail services - such as International Surface Air Lift® (ISAL®) service and International Priority AirmailTM (IPA®) service - to properly address items destined to Germany.

According to IMM 122.1, the address must include the following, written legibly with roman letters and arabic numbers:

• The name and address of the addressee.

• The name of the town.

• The country name in capital letters.

For international bulk mail items to Germany, the German postal administration also requests that the address include the correct postcode number or delivery zone number, if one exists.

In the case of individual items, the German postal administration makes every effort to correct and deliver improperly addressed mailpieces. However, in the case of volume discount mailings, the cost of correcting mailpieces often exceeds the cost of postage, so the German postal administration does not process them as it does individual mailpieces.

We ask that Postal Service employees remind customers to check the IMM before addressing items to Germany or other international destinations.

We will incorporate this revision into the printed version of IMM 31 and into the online IMM available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.gov.

International Mail Manual (IMM)

* * * * *

International Country Listings

* * * * *

Germany

Country Conditions for Mailing

* * * * *

Observations

* * * * *

[Renumber current items 3 through 6 as new items 4 through 7 respectively. Add new item 3 to read as follows:]

3. Mailpieces delivered through international bulk mail services should be addressed with the correct postcode number or delivery zone number, if one exists. Without this number, the German postal administration will return such pieces to the sender or the country of origin due to insufficient addressing, unless the mailer pays the relevant surcharge for updating the addresses.

* * * * *

- Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 1-6-05

URGENT NOTICE

Global Express Mail and Airmail Parcel Post Items Sent to Germany

Germany will not accept any Global Express Mail® (EMS®) or Global Airmail® parcel post item that is either valued at more than $500.00 or that is insured for more than $500.00. Germany will return such items to the sender.

We will soon publish a revision to the International Mail Manual (IMM) noting this matter.

- Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 1-6-05

Philately

STAMP ANNOUNCEMENT 05-03

Ronald Reagan Stamp

The Postal ServiceTM will issue a 37-cent, Ronald Reagan commemorative stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 457800), on February 9, 2005, in Simi Valley, California. The stamp, designed by Howard E. Paine of Delaplane, Virginia, goes on sale nationwide February 9, 2005.

The stamp honors former president Ronald Reagan, who died on June 5, 2004. Reagan's patriotism, charisma, and optimistic confidence rallied the nation and made him one of the most popular presidents of the 20th century.

The stamp art is a portrait of Reagan painted by award- winning artist Michael J. Deas, whose many projects for the Postal Service include several stamps in the Legends of Hollywood series and the Literary Arts series. The portrait is based on a 1981 photograph of Reagan by White House photographer Jack Kightlinger.

Issue:	Ronald Reagan
Item Number:	457800
Denomination & Type of Issue:	37-cent Commemorative
Format:	Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series:	N/A
Issue Date & City:	February 9, 2005, Simi Valley, CA 93065
Designer:	Howard E. Paine, Delaplane, VA
Artist:	Michael J. Deas, Brooklyn Heights, NY
Art Director:	Howard E. Paine, Delaplane, VA
Engraver:	Southern Graphics Systems
Modeler:	Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process:	Gravure
Printer:	Sennett Security Products (SSP)
Printed at:	American Packaging Corporation, Columbus, WI
Press Type:	Champlain
Stamps per Pane:	20
Print Quantity:	170 million stamps
Paper Type:	Prephosphored tagged
Adhesive Type:	Pressure-sensitive
Processed at:	Unique Binders, Fredericksburg, VA
Colors:	Magenta, Yellow, Cyan, Black
Stamp Orientation:	Vertical
Image Area (w x h):	0.84 x 1.41 in./21.336 x 35.814 mm
Overall Size (w x h):	0.99 x 1.56 in./25.146 x 39.624 mm
Pane Size (w x h):	5.94 x 7.25 in./150.87 x 184.15 mm
Plate Size:	360 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers:	"S" followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:	© 2004 USPS • Plate numbers in four corners • Plate position diagram • Price • Four barcodes on back of pane
Catalog Item Number(s):	457861 First Day Cover (single) - $0.75 457874 Foldout-Folio Keepsake - $12.95 457884 Uncut Press Sheet - $44.40 457893 Cancellation Keepsake (cover/pane) - $8.15

How to Order First Day of Issue Postmark

Customers have 30 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post OfficeTM, by telephone at 800-STAMP-24, and at the Postal Store Web site at www.usps.com/shop. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

(This information is not available at the time of this printing.)

After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by March 8, 2005.

How to Order First Day Covers

Stamp Fulfillment Services also offers first day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first day of issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-STAMP-24 or writing to:

Information Fulfillment
Dept 6270
US Postal Service
PO Box 219014
Kansas City MO 64121-9014

Philatelic Products

There is a philatelic product for this stamp issue. The Ronald Reagan Commemorative Stamp folio that includes a sheet of 20 mint stamps, Item 457874, sells for $12.95 and is available in Postal Service retail stores, online at www.usps.com, and by telephone at 800-STAMP-24.

Distribution: Item 457800, 37-cent Ronald Reagan Commemorative Stamp

Stamp distribution offices (SDOs) will receive approximately three-fourths of their standard automatic distribution quantity for a PSA sheet stamp. Distributions are rounded up to the nearest master carton size (40,000 stamps).

Initial Supply to Post Offices

SDOs will make a subsequent automatic distribution to Post Offices of one-half their standard automatic distribution quantity using PS Form 17, Stamp Requisition/Stamp Return. SDOs must not distribute stamps to Post Offices before February 3, 2005.

Philatelic Requirement

SDOs will not receive a separate quantity Item 457800 for their authorized philatelic centers. Philatelic centers must be supplied their quantities from the initial automatic distribution made to stamp distribution offices.

Additional Supply

Post Offices requiring additional stamps must requisition Item 457800 from their designated SDO using PS Form 17. SDOs requiring additional stamps must order them from the appropriate accountable paper depository (APD) using PS Form 17.

For fulfilling supplemental orders from SDOs, the San Francisco APD will receive 6,240,000 additional stamps; the Chicago, Memphis, and New York APDs will each receive 4,000,000 additional stamps; and the Denver APD will receive 2,000,000 additional stamps. For fulfilling supplemental orders from APDs, the Kansas City Stamp Services Center will receive 10,160,000 additional stamps.

Sales Policy

All Post Offices must acquire and maintain a supply of each new commemorative stamp as long as customer demand exists, until inventory is depleted, or until the stamp is officially withdrawn from sale. If supplies run low, Post Offices must reorder additional quantities using their normal ordering procedures.

- Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 1-6-05

STAMP ANNOUNCEMENT 05-04

Acadia National Park Stamp

The Postal ServiceTM will produce a reprint/variety of the 60-cent, Acadia National Park definitive stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 561300). The stamp was previously issued in 2001 and reprinted in 2003 by Banknote Corporation of America.

Issue:	Acadia National Park
Item Number:	561300
Denomination & Type of Issue:	60-cent, Definitive
Format:	Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series:	Scenic American Landscapes
Issue Date & City:	N/A
Designer:	Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Art Director:	Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer:	Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Photographer:	Carr Clifton, Taylorsville, CA
Engraver:	N/A
Modeler:	Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process:	Offset/Microprint "USPS"
Printer:	Sennett Security Products (SSP)
Printed at:	Banknote Corporation of America (BCA), Browns Summit, NC
Press Type:	Roland, 300
Stamps per Pane:	20
Print Quantity:	60 million stamps
Paper Type:	Phosphor Tagged
Adhesive Type:	Pressure-sensitive
Colors:	Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation:	Horizontal
Image Area (w x h):	1.39 x 0.82 in./35.306 x 20.828 mm
Overall Size (w x h):	1.56 x 0.99 in./39.624 x 25.146 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h):	7.26 x 5.90 in./184.404 x 149.86 mm
Plate Size:	240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers:	"S" followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:	"© 2001 USPS" • Price • Plate position diagram Plate numbers (4 per pane) • 4 Barcodes on back of pane
Catalog Item Number(s):	561320 Block of 4 - $1.48 561330 Block of 10 - $3.70 561340 Full Pane - $7.40

- Stamp Services,
Government Relations, 1-6-05

Pictorial Cancellations Announcement

As a community service, the Postal ServiceTM 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 OfficeTM 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.

What's in Store

Signs of 2005

If you aren't looking at your New Year Drive Period point-of-purchase (POP) materials right now, neither are your customers. Your New Year Drive Period POP materials should be on display in your lobby. The new drive period began Jan. 1. Be sure to take down any old POP signage, including the Fundraising Stamp countercard. Sales of the Heroes of 2001 semipostal stamp ended Jan. 1.

How do you determine when signage comes down? Check the up-down arrow at the bottom of each POP element, or go to the Advertising Web site on the intranet at http://blue.usps.gov/advertising and look under Retail/POP.

You can generate revenue!

Post-holiday sale

It's a great deal for customers - and a great opportunity to increase revenue. All retail units selling either Category 3 ReadyPost® or Official Licensed Retail Products (OLRP) holiday items can participate in the post-holiday sale, Jan. 3-28. Select items will be reduced by 40 percent during this sale period.

All Category 3 ReadyPost and select OLRP units received two lug-ons to display on slatwalls and merchandisers. The markdowns were effective in the Point of Sale System One (POS ONE) on Jan. 1. All prices will revert to the regular retail price on Jan. 29.

Clear out those holiday seasonal items! You'll have fewer items to re-stock and it will be a breeze to order and display new Holiday 2005 products next October. And, of course, you can increase revenue now!

Stamps by Mail

Don't run out when you need them most. Plan ahead to make sure you have plenty of Stamps by Mail® brochures for local marketing campaigns. Everything you want to know about print runs and ordering is available in Postal Bulletin 22143 (12-9-04, pages 71-73). Check it out! Next print run cut-off is Jan. 12.

Starring USPS

Did you see the USPS® TV ads? If not, you can always go online to see current USPS advertising - radio, television, print, and direct mail. Just go to the Advertising Web site at http://blue.usps.gov/advertising.

What's in Store

Post Office, not passport office

When is a Post OfficeTM not a passport office? Always! The U.S. Department of State is the only official "passport office." Postal ServiceTM locations are acceptance agents only. The daily transmittal form, DSP-11, sent to the State Department must be round-date stamped only with the official round-date stamp for your Post Office or station. It should include the name of the Post Office or station branch, city, state, and ZIP CodeTM.

We're the Post Office. They're the passport office.

Feedback Send comments and questions to:

Whats In Store
US Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW Rm 1141
Washington DC 20260-1019