3xhg - Why are you telling people to wait until Oct 1st...???
Do you not pay attention, or read. The PBGC is updated monthly.... Verizon also updates the PBGC rate it uses (whatever was announced 2 months prior +20%) EVERY SINGLE MONTH... not quarterly or whatever it is that makes you think waiting to Oct 1st is required. The rate drop to 0.75 was announced yesterday on 6/19/19 for PBGC 7/1 plan retirements... Verizon will push that to 8/1 retirements, as they need time to process new the new rate. No one knows what it will be Oct 1st... it could be the .75, or even higher... No one will know what the Oct 1st rate will be until mid August. So STOP GUESSING!!! But we do know the rate will be 0.75% for Verizon employees who retire on 8/1. Remember you can be Off Payroll in June (or earlier) and still pick a 8/1 (or later) as an official retirement date for a lump sum disbursement. One has nothing to do with the other, provided you meet the rule of 75 and actually have a pension coming.
Also note that your Lump Sum will be at it's highest point (within each percentage rate category, no matter what it is) by the retiring on the 1st of the Month in which you turn "55". The mortality tables used will decrease it a small amount every month after you turn 55. (Just like it goes up a little each month as you approach 55) Food for thought...