Long Line of Pain

I've just finished and tested an early version of the revised Lipscomb/Strunk calculator. Many of you have downloaded and used the earlier version (see link at left), and the comments have been favorable. PERS has given me the actuarial recovery factors they plan to use in "invoicing" retirees for the benefits they allege you have received in error. We know the COLA increases that members have NOT received. With generous help of Peg - a fellow PERS retiree who did the tedious entry of all the actuarial recovery factors - I have been able to program in the new factors, reconstruct the PERS methodology for using them, and can now reasonably confidently compute how a typical PERS retiree will fare under PERS' proposed implementation plan at the implementation date (7/1/07). As a result, I am looking for people to test the program before it starts to circulate widely. If you meet most of the following criteria and you wish to be an early guinea pig, please contact me via email at the link on this site:

(1) "window" retiree (retired between 4/1/00 and before 4/1/04).
(2) are receiving a monthly benefit check from PERS.
(3) retired under "Money Match"
(4) have 100% of retirement money now in "fixed" account (i.e. did not retain a variable account into retirement)
(5) selected Option 1, 2, 2A, 3, or 3A as the payment option
(6) are between 50 and 80 years old with a beneficiary no younger than 50 nor older than 80.
(7) agree to NOT share the program (yet)

I'm anxious to get this program tested, debugged, and circulating so that people will not be surprised by anything PERS does next year. Contact me if you're interested.

P.S. Some have criticized me for jumping the gun here and assuming that PERS will win the litigation ongoing currently. That is untrue. However, in the event that happens, I want all to be prepared and to understand what is about to occur. It might even affect how you vote in November.