What should you ask yourself before retiring?

Title: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself About When You Can Retire

Article Snip: "...The "traditional" retirement age is 65. This has gone by the wayside to some extent in that the age to receive full Social Security benefits continues to increase...."

Reference: usnews.com

What is the "traditional" retirement age?, Social Security Benefits,

Deficit plan would bang Federal Workers and Federal Retirement fiercely

Title: Deficit reduction pain for federal employees could be worse, some say

Article Snip: "...the version of the fiscal 2012 budget resolution the House passed included a recommendation that would require federal employees to pay for half the defined benefit they receive with their pensions at retirement...."

Reference: GovernmentExecutive.com
Deficit reduction, Federal Budget, federal worker pension plan, Federal Employee Retirement, Federal Worker Retirement,

Rick Perry no friend to Social Security

Title: Obama's proposal to trim back military benefits draws fire

Article Snip: "..."The real issue is, in writing his book, Gov. Perry pointed out that in his view that Social Security is unconstitutional, that this is not something the federal government ought to be involved in, that instead it should be given back to the states."..."

Reference: hamptonroads.com

OPM: Retirement planning for the federal employee

Title: Planning for Retirement

Article Snip: "...It’s never too early to start planning for retirement in order to ensure it goes smoothly. Here you will find information to help ensure your retirement starts well. ..."

Reference: www.opm.gov
Retirement planning for the federal employee

2012 cola for federal retirees

Title: Retirement menu: Filet & cabernet or dog food & Dr. Pepper?

Article Snip: "...a 3-plus percent COLA for retired feds is likely in 2012. Also, a growing number of agencies are offering buyouts...."

Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com
Federal Employee COLA 2012, 2012 Retired Federal Worker COLA,

Social Security COLA update

Title: Proposal Would Cut Raises For Retirees

Article Snip: "...result in lower cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for Social Security beneficiaries,” says the report, which adds: “Moving to a chained index should be viewed as a cut in benefits.”..."

Reference: smartmoney.com
cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), chained index,

Army Material Command offers buyouts

Title: Buyouts beginning at Army

Article Snip: "...The Army Materiel Command today said it is offering $25,000 buyouts to 33 civilian employees in its headquarters to help it meet its mandated cuts of at least 1,223 civilian positions. ..."

Reference: federaltimes.com
Federal Employee Buyouts, Federal Employee Early Retirement,

FERS Disability Benefits for Physicians

Title: FERS Disability Retirement Benefits for Federal Government Physicians May Not Fully Protect Against Loss of Income

Article Snip: "...Summary of Summary of FERS Disability Benefits for Physicians:
When a government physician suffers a total disability and meets the eligibility requirements set forth by FERS, that individual may be eligible to receive a taxable benefit equal to 60% income replacement during the first 12-months of disability and 40% for all subsequent years (until early retirement age)...."

Reference: www.digitaljournal.com
FERS Disability Benefits for Physicians

Fellows Program Accepting Applications

Title: Federal Government's Premier Fellows Program Accepting Applications

Article Snip: "...The Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF), run by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), attracts and selects the best candidates to develop a cadre of new government leaders, and can lead to a career in government...."

Reference: www.opm.gov
Fellows Program

Federal Employees fear retirement cuts

Title: Feds plan their exits: Interest surges in retirement seminars

Article Snip: "...Many federal employees nearing retirement view the high-five reform as a double whammy. First, it would reduce their pensions by factoring two lower salaries into their pension calculation. Second, a high-five average salary would be further tamped down by pay freezes in effect this year and next..."

Reference: www.federaltimes.com
Federal Employee Retirement,

Obama to protect much needed Social Security and Medicare

Title: Obama Plan Won't Include Changes to Social Security

Article Snip: "...President Barack Obama's new deficit-reduction proposal will leave out changes to Social Security, and may exclude any increase in the Medicare eligibility age, people familiar with the discussions said Wednesday...."

Reference: wsj.com
Social Security, Medicare,

Changes in Medicare and Social Security programs on the way?

Title: A Bipartisan Move to Tackle Benefits Programs

Article Snip: "...would support slowly increasing the eligibility age for Medicare to 67 from 65 and changing the formula for cost-of-living increases in Social Security to a less generous one that some economists consider more accurate. ..."

Reference:
Social Security, Medicare,

2012 Federal Employee COLA Update

Title: Retiree COLA Roller Coaster: Going Up

Article Snip: "...government retirees are cautiously looking forward to a cost of living adjustment of around 3.3 percent in their January checks. That COLA, if it holds up, would be the first inflation-catchup federal, ..."

Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com
2012 COLA, Federal Retirement COLA, Federal Employee COLA 2012,

Chained CPI may harm seniors

Title: Changes To Inflation Formula Will Clip Social Security Benefits, Study Says

Article Snip: "...the new inflation measure may not deliver to seniors the income protection they need in retirement, especially on the costs of health care...."

Reference: bnet.com
COLA 2012

Federal default would hurt...

Title: Federal default would hurt county
Article Snip: "...roughly 14,000 federal retirees the National Federation of Federal Employees said live in the county. In all, active federal workers and retirees bring..."
Reference: www.hometownannapolis.com

federal employee organizations want debt ceiling concerns answered

Title: Administration ducks employees’ default questions
Article Snip: "...How will the assets of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund and the G-Fund of the Federal Employees’ Retirement System be impacted..."
Reference: www.washingtonpost.com

Medicare cuts and and costs increase

Title: Crowley reports on Medicare plan cuts
Article Snip: "...According to Crowley’s report, costs for an average Medicare beneficiary would increase by $520 in the 2012 federal fiscal year (from October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2012)...."
Reference: www.queenscourier.com
Medicare cuts,

AARP recognizes benefit cuts in Social Security may be unavoidable

Title: For AARP, A 'Monumental' Shift On Social Security?
Article Snip: "...AARP recognizes benefit cuts in Social Security may be unavoidable in the future. But it wasn't something the organization wanted to see highlighted on the front page of a major newspaper...."
Reference:
AARP

Bachmann for President ...if you don't mind more attacks on Social Security and Medicare

Title: Bachmann formally announces presidential bid in Waterloo, Iowa
Article Snip: "...hypocrisy and shameless self-promotion. Her support for ending Medicare and 'weaning' people off Social Security is proof enough that Michele Bachmann would be a terrible President,” said Martin..."
Reference: hometownsource.com

3.5% Federal Retiree COLA for Jan. 2012?

Title: Retirees Eye 3.5 Percent Raise!
Article Snip: "...federal, military and Social Security retirees are looking at a possible January cost of living adjustment of 3.5 percent..."
Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com
2012 COLA, Federal Retiree COLA