Is a Lifecycle Fund the Best Choice for Your Thrift Savings Plan?
Are the lifecycle funds a good investment for you? Here is a summary of how these funds are constructed.
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.
Situational Disability in a Federal Disability Retirement Application
A lesser-known basis for a denial of a Federal Disability Retirement application is what is called “situational disability.” The author explains what this means and why most situational disability cases are failed applications at the outset as well as how to avoid them.
The Real Cost of the Chained CPI
The author says that the chained CPI which the president recently dropped from his budget proposal would actually have been a good thing because of its potential to help with reducing the national debt. He notes that the actual cost to federal retirees from the chained CPI would have been less than the cost of a pizza each month and illustrates its financial impact for federal pensioners.
Obama’s Budget Proposal Will Not Include Chained CPI
The president’s budget proposal that is due out next month will not include the chained CPI that was included in his budget blueprint from last year.
House Members Urge President to Nix the ‘Chained CPI’
Some lawmakers want the president to exclude the chained CPI from his 2015 budget proposal.
Military Deposits: Is the Grace Period Two Years or Three?
As a general rule, your military service in the Armed Forces of the United States is creditable for federal Civil Service Retirement purposes as long as certain conditions are met. There is an exception, however, which the author explains.
Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits: ‘File and Suspend’
The author discusses a strategy for maximizing Social Security benefits known as “file and suspend.” In addition to detailing who can use this strategy, he outlines some examples of how it might work.
Notes on the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)
The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) means if you are getting a Social Security benefit as well as a pension where you did not pay into Social Security, your Social Security benefit is reduced. The author provides examples of the financial impact this can have on your earnings.
OPM’s Retirement Backlog Nearly Doubles in January
Thanks to a tremendous influx of new claims, the size of OPM’s retirement backlog nearly doubled last month.
Borrowing from the G Fund (Again) to Offset the Debt Ceiling
The debt ceiling limit will again be reached on February 7th so the government will take “extraordinary measures” to fund the government. This means that retirement assets of federal employees, including the TSP G fund, will again be used to help fund government expenses.
