Magic 8 Ball 2012: Should I Retire This Year?
What can federal employees expect in 2012? While no one can know for sure, the author offers some considerations you can take into account to help you be prepared for whatever the future brings.
FERS
Stay informed on the latest FERS retirement news, including updates on FERS annuity calculations, retirement eligibility rules, service credit, COLA adjustments, and federal retirement policies that affect current and future retirees. Find clear explanations of FERS benefits, survivor options, the FERS supplement, and key guidance to help federal employees understand how their retirement income is calculated and how policy changes may impact long‑term financial security.
A Common Misconception about the FERS Annuity Supplement
The FERS annuity supplement is commonly believed to be linked to the Social Security Administration (SSA), even to the point where some believe the benefit is actually administered by SSA rather than the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), but this is not the case.
House Bill Would Extend Pay Freeze, Increase Retirement Contributions
Republicans in the House have introduced legislation that would extend the pay freeze on federal employees as well as increase employee retirement contributions under both CSRS and FERS.
Berry to Congress: OPM Retirement Backlog is Bad, Will Get Worse
Reports have been in the news about OPM’s poor performance regarding processing annuity payments for new retirees. What is the real cause of this problem?
Selecting a Survivor Annuity: What Should You Do?
Married employees considering retirement have choices regarding the survivor annuity. Do they want/need it? If they do opt for the survivor annuity, how much do they want it to be? How much will it cost?
The Best Day to Retire From Now Until 2020
What is the best day for a federal employee to retire? Here are suggested retirement dates through 2020 from a federal retirement expert.
Thirteen Years of Increases for Employees vs. FERS and CSRS
Employees and retirees live in the same environments and are subject to the same increases in the cost of living, but the general, annual raise they get is different. The author outlines sample annual raises for three hypothetical employees.
FERS and CSRS Federal Disability Retirement: Understanding the Practical Application of a Theoretical Construct
In preparing, and filing a Federal Disability Retirement application under FERS or CSRS, a Federal or Postal worker who is contemplating filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits must make the connection between “the forms,” “the evidence”, and “the law.”
Annuity Retirement Processing Time will get Worse
Many FedSmith readers have commented on the excessive time it takes OPM to process the paperwork for full annuity payments. It is likely to get worse instead of better. Here’s why.
CSRS Is Better Than FERS. Are You Sure?
The author walks the reader through some examples to illustrate that the CSRS retirement system may not be better than the FERS retirement system, despite popular belief to the contrary.
