What Every Federal Employee’s Financial Planner Should Know About Federal Retirement and Benefits
Federal employees have some unique features to their financial lives, so financial advisors should know about them.
Retirement
Stay informed with the latest federal employee retirement news, including updates on FERS and CSRS, retirement eligibility rules, OPM retirement processing, and TSP performance as it relates to long‑term retirement planning. This category covers annual COLA updates, TSP news, survivor benefits, military service credit, retirement application guidance, and major OPM policy changes or federal legislation that could affect federal retirement benefits. Find clear, timely information to help current and former federal employees navigate retirement planning, benefit calculations, and post‑retirement considerations.
At the Brink of an Irreversible Mistake
One federal employee ended up pulling his retirement paperwork before the big day because he almost made an irreversible mistake. He was relying on all the previous benefits estimates he had received from his human resources department, but at the last minute found out he wouldn’t be getting the pension he had expected. Learn from his story and make sure it doesn’t happen to you.
Retirement Claims Backlog Dips Slightly in May
The Office of Personnel Management was able to make some modest progress in reducing the retirement claims backlog in May.
Calculating the 2015 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)
How much will inflation add to the amount added to your retirement annuity or Social Security payment in 2015? We will not know until sometime in October but here are the latest calculations.
10 Questions You Need Answers To
The author offers ten questions you need to keep in mind for your financial situation as you near retirement from your federal career.
How Should I Allocate My TSP?
What is the best way to allocate the investments inside of your Thrift Savings Plan account? One financial advisor explains to a young investor what he considers to be the best strategy for building the most retirement savings over a working career.
Legislation Proposes Social Security Enhancements
Senators Mark Begich (D-AK) and Patty Murray (D-WA) have introduced legislation designed to strengthen the Social Security program in several ways.
Suspending Social Security Benefits
I’m 67 years old and I’ve been receiving benefits since I was 66. I’m working part time and want to suspend these benefits; however the SSA office told me I could have done this before I turned 67, but not now. Could they be incorrect?
Good Year for TSP Investors: All Funds Up YTD and 12 Months
All of the TSP funds had positive returns in May and are also all up for the year-to-date and the past twelve months.
Your Minimum Retirement Age and How it Will Impact Your Federal Employee Annuity
Under the Federal Employee Retirement System, there is an option for a federal employee to retire at the minimum retirement age with as little as 10 years of service. This option is commonly referred to as MRA+10, but OPM has another name which is equally descriptive: reduced.
