Retirement
Calculating Your ‘High-Three’ Average Salary
Everybody knows what the high-three is for your future retirement - right? But who knows how to calculate the high-three?
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.
Retirement
Will Government Repay Its Debt to Social Security?
Some people just assume that, since the Social Security surplus was "borrowed" or "stolen," during the period when it was not needed to pay Social Security benefits, the…
Retirement
Social Security: The Hidden Problem
There is much debate today about how solvent Social Security is, but most of the debate is over when the trust fund will run out of money, not…
Retirement
Winning the Lottery is Not a Retirement Plan
For federal employees in the FERS system, the Thrift Savings Plan is intended to provide 1/3 of your retirement income. So, how do you go about creating a…
Retirement
What Will Happen to Social Security?
How to fix Social Security is a topic that has been around ever since a demographer realized that the number of workers supporting an individual Social Security recipient…
Retirement
FERS and CSRS Disability Retirement: Sometimes the Process is just as important as the Substance of an Argument
When arguing a legal principle in an effort to obtain a benefit for a Federal or Postal Employee, effective advocacy sometimes requires two prerequisites: discretion and the recognition…
Retirement
The FERS Annuity Supplement: What Makes The Estimate Wrong
The FERS annuity estimate is really simple to calculate. But the actual supplement you are paid can be significantly less than the estimate. How does this happen?
Retirement
Working After Retiring From Government: Plan in Advance for a Potential Tax Hit
Many people contemplating retirement from the government but still in their fifties plan on working in the private sector. This can result in a substantial income but you…
Retirement
Allocating Your TSP in Volatile Markets
The days of ignoring your Thrift Savings Plan are over, at least if you want to have some hope of managing for positive returns.
Retirement
Should a Survivor Annuity Be Part of Your Retirement Planning?
Some financial planners believe that a survivor annuity is a good choice, while others may encourage you to forgo a survivor annuity and to purchase life insurance with…