Employees on the Move (PCS) Handbook
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Employees on the Move A Handbook on Travel and Transportation Benefits for Relocating Employees U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Permanent Change of Station Handbook Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................................... I A MEMO FROM THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS ............................................................ III REGIONAL PCS COORDINATOR CONTACT INFORMATION ...................................................................................................... IV A FEW IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS ...................................................................................................................................... V CHAPTER 1: IDENTIFYING YOUR ENTITLEMENTS .................................................................................................... 1 1.1 DEFINING PCS ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 DETERMINING YOUR RELOCATION TYPE AND ALLOWANCES .......................................................................................... 3 1.3 UNDERSTANDING SPECIAL RELOCATION CIRCUMSTANCES ............................................................................................ 7 CHAPTER 2: UNDERSTANDING THE PCS PROCESS ................................................................................................ 12 2.1 PREPARING FOR YOUR PCS MOVE ......................................................................................................................... 12 2.2 COMPLETING YOUR RELOCATION AND PAYING FOR PCS EXPENSES .............................................................................. 13 2.3 CLOSING OUT YOUR PCS MOVE ............................................................................................................................ 16 CHAPTER 3: TAKING A HOUSE-HUNTING TRIP BEFORE YOUR MOVE .................................................................... 17 3.1 DETERMINING YOUR ELIGIBILITY TO TAKE A HOUSE-HUNTING TRIP .............................................................................. 17 3.2 DETERMINING YOUR ALLOWABLE COSTS ................................................................................................................ 18 CHAPTER 4: SELLING YOUR HOUSE ...................................................................................................................... 22 4.1 DETERMINING YOUR ELIGIBILITY ............................................................................................................................ 22 4.2 IDENTIFYING REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES ................................................................................................................... 22 4.3 IDENTIFYING NON-REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES ........................................................................................................... 23 4.4 CONSIDERING A RELOCATION SERVICES VENDOR CONTRACT ....................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 5: RESOLVING YOUR UNEXPIRED LEASE................................................................................................ 30 CHAPTER 6: TRANSPORTING AND TEMPORARILY STORING YOUR HOUSEHOLD GOODS ...................................... 31 6.1 DETERMINING YOUR ELIGIBILITY ............................................................................................................................ 31 6.2 SELECTING A SHIPMENT METHOD .......................................................................................................................... 31 6.3 DETERMINING WHAT TYPES OF ITEMS YOU MAY SHIP .............................................................................................. 33 6.4 COMPLETING THE PRE-INVENTORY LIST, WEIGHT ESTIMATE, AND SCHEDULING ............................................................. 35 6.5 INSURING YOUR HOUSEHOLD GOODS .................................................................................................................... 36 6.6 UNPACKING YOUR HOUSEHOLD GOODS ................................................................................................................. 36 6.7 DEFINING TEMPORARY STORAGE OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD GOODS ................................................................................. 37 6.8 CONSIDERING EXTENDED STORAGE OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD GOODS............................................................................... 37 CHAPTER 7: SHIPPING A PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE.......................................................................................... 39 7.1 SHIPPING A POV FOR A CONUS MOVE ................................................................................................................. 39 7.2 SHIPPING A POV FOR AN OCONUS MOVE............................................................................................................. 40 7.3 SHIPPING A REPLACEMENT POV AT A REMOTE OCONUS LOCATION ........................................................................... 40 CHAPTER 8: TRAVELING TO YOUR NEW DUTY STATION ....................................................................................... 41 8.1 TRAVELING BY COMMON CARRIER ......................................................................................................................... 42 8.2 TRAVELING BY POV ............................................................................................................................................ 42 8.3 TRAVELING BY RENTAL CAR .................................................................................................................................. 43 8.4 TRAVELING BY PRIVATELY-OWNED AIRCRAFT ........................................................................................................... 43 8.5 IDENTIFYING ALLOWABLE PER DIEM EXPENSES FOR EN ROUTE TRAVEL ......................................................................... 43 8.6 ADJUSTING PER DIEM RATES FOR OCONUS MOVES ................................................................................................ 45 -i- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Permanent Change of Station Handbook CHAPTER 9: STAYING IN TEMPORARY QUARTERS ................................................................................................ 46 9.1 USING THE ACTUAL EXPENSE METHOD ................................................................................................................... 47 9.2 USING THE FIXED RATE METHOD .......................................................................................................................... 51 CHAPTER 10: PURCHASING A NEW HOUSE .......................................................................................................... 53 10.1 IDENTIFYING REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES .............................................................................................................. 53 10.2 IDENTIFYING NON-REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES ...................................................................................................... 54 CHAPTER 11: OBTAINING YOUR MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSE PAYMENT ................................................................ 55 11.1 IDENTIFYING ALLOWABLE EXPENSES .................................................................................................................. 55 11.2 IDENTIFYING UNALLOWABLE EXPENSES .............................................................................................................. 56 11.3 SELECTING A REIMBURSEMENT METHOD ........................................................................................................... 57 CHAPTER 12: UNDERSTANDING THE TAX IMPLICATIONS OF YOUR MOVE ........................................................... 58 12.1 APPLYING THE WITHHOLDING TAX ALLOWANCE .................................................................................................. 58 12.2 COMPLETING THE RELOCATION INCOME TAX ALLOWANCE PROCESS ........................................................................ 59 INDEX .................................................................................................................................................................. 60 APPENDIX A: ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................................... 61 APPENDIX B: PCS PAPERWORK ............................................................................................................................ 63 -ii- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Permanent Change of Station Handbook A Memo from the Assistant Director, Business Management and Operations To: Employees relocating on behalf of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) wants to make your move as easy as possible. This Permanent Change of Station Handbook (handbook) was developed to help you smoothly transition to your new duty station; this guidance pertains to employees reporting to a new duty station January 1, 2017 or later. This handbook explains your entitlements, the basic process for a move, and the documents you must complete when you make a permanent change of station (PCS). Please take some time to familiarize yourself with the handbook so that you can work with your PCS Coordinator to obtain your relocation entitlements in a timely manner. On October 1,