Q&A from FedSmith authors addressing readers’ questions. We share them here to help you with your federal career or retirement planning.
I’m planning on retiring at the end of May. However, last week my agency announced that it was undertaking a re-organization that is likely to affect the area in which I work. Very often agencies will offer buy-outs during an organization; should I wait for a buy-out?
I am 61 and have heard that I can take my money out of the TSP and place it into an IRA. I have been trying to manage my TSP the best that I can, but, my TSP has lost 20% this past year. Should I place my TSP into an IRA so I can still retire when I want?
My TSP has the same contribution mix: 85% risk and 15% safe funds. What would you estimate are the average earnings for the TSP, and what would be the average earnings of a TSP account with mostly high risk funds?
I keep trying to time the market with my TSP investments, only to end up buying high and selling low. How should I allocate my money into selected funds with the idea of leaving it there to ride out the highs and lows?
I’m a FWS supervisor. Management recently announced that each supervisor now will work only 4 out of ten holidays each year, and will be excused from work on the six holidays they are not scheduled to work. In the past, we get paid if we work or not, and, as a result, were paid holiday premium pay for the time worked on each holiday. Do we have rights in this situation?
If I work in Shawnee County KS, which is just outside Kansas City, and will be covered by the new GS Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City MO/KS locality pay area, will my WG-5 wage automatically increase to the same level as that paid to WG-5 employees whose duty station is Kansas City?
I’ve heard that the recent tax and spending legislation expanded identity theft protection to federal employees who were affected by the OPM data breach. Is this true?
A co-worker recently told me that I could contribute to both an IRA and the TSP. Is this true?
I’ve heard that 2016 will have 27 pay periods. Is that true? If it is true, how will it affect my TSP contributions?
Do I take a full survivor benefit for my wife which I estimate will be $226.00 that is deducted from my monthly retirement, or do I take some kind of guaranteed life insurance that would guarantee her an income should I pass before her?
