$20,000 early retirement incentives to 21,000 postmasters

Title: Postal Service drops plans to close thousands of post offices, proposes reduced hours

Article Snip: "...“If the House bill came to the floor, there would have been an uprising in both parties,” said Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who has joined forces with Rep. Michael G. Grimm (R-N.Y.) in fighting the closures...."

Reference: www.washingtonpost.com
early retirement incentives

Rep. Issa feels returning Postal Service money is a bailout

Title: GOP lawmaker calls Senate postal bill a '$33 billion bailout'

Article Snip: "...Senate bill would return some of the money that the USPS overpaid into its retirement fund, and require some of that money to be used to pay for the early retirement of thousands of USPS workers. It also delays for two years plans by the USPS to start closing offices...."

Reference:
S. 1789, Rep. Issa, Postal Buyout Incentives, USPS early Retirement,

Postal retirement incentives for about 100,000 in near future?

Title: Congress to make key vote on post office closures Tuesday

Article Snip: "...Postal Service to recoup $11 billion in retirement benefits already paid for future retirees and direct that money toward incentives for about 100,000 employees to retire in the near future. ..."

Reference: www.mitchellrepublic.com
Postal retirement incentives, USPS early Retirement,

Pension reform and the Postal Service

Title: Senate, letter carriers consider Postal Service pension reform

Article Snip: "...the Senate began considering the 21st Century Postal Service Act, which would allow for cash buyouts up to $25,000 among incentives to get as many as 100,000 postal employees to retire early. The previous pension overpayment is because of a federal law requiring it to prefund ..."

Reference: www.pionline.com

Thrift Savings Plan--essentially, the 401(k) plan for federal government workers

Title: The Government's Retirement Plan Has Appeal, and a Few Holes, Too

Article Snip: "...In a recent survey, 86% of the government workers who participate in the Thrift Savings Plan--essentially, the 401(k) plan for federal government workers--said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the plan. ..."

Reference: morningstar.com
TSP, Federal Employee Retirement,

Maximize your Social Security Benefits

Title: The Impact Of Claiming Age On Monthly Social Security Retirement Benefits: How Knowledgeable Are Future Beneficiaries?

Article Snip: "...For example, very few knew the number of years of highest earnings that are used to calculate benefits...."

Reference: www.aarp.org
The Impact Of Claiming Age On Monthly Social Security Retirement Benefits: How Knowledgeable Are Future Beneficiaries?

Would Postal plan destroy the FEHBP for all federal employees?

Title: Democrats skeptical of USPS push to sponsor own healthcare program

Article Snip: "...“In destroying the FEHBP, the USPS would disrupt the health insurance of 8 million Americans..."

Reference: thehill.com
Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), Threat To FEHBP, destroy the FEHBP,

Interior Department is developing a plan to cut almost 5,000 jobs

Title: Interior Department planning for 7% staffing cut

Article Snip: "...The Interior Department is developing a plan to cut almost 5,000 jobs by September 2013, according to a memo this week from a top agency official, but a spokeswoman for the Office of Management and Budget downplayed the likelihood that the plan will take effect...."

Reference: www.federaltimes.com
federal job cuts, Department of Interior, Interior Department,

Federal agency plans to grant buyouts and early-outs

Title: IRS offers targeted buyouts to employees in enforcement divisions

Article Snip: "...The early retirements and buyout offers will be offered to employees in three enforcement areas..."

Reference:
www.federalnewsradio.com

Possible Postal Buyout Incentives and Early Retirements as USPS Announces Mail Processing Plant Closures

Title: Huntsville Mail Processing Facility located on Wall Triana to Close

Article Snip: "...Postal officials also stated that the U. S. Postal Service is also considering early retirement programs and possible buyout incentives to reduce the number of postal employees...."

Reference: Rocket City

Early Retirements and Buyouts may be offered to few in Justice

Title: The 2013 budget request: agency by agency

Article Snip: "...employees will have to leave Justice if they cannot find jobs elsewhere in the department, and they will be offered buyouts and early retirements. ..."

Reference: www.federaltimes.com
Federal Buyouts, Federal Buyouts, early retirements,Justice Department Buyouts,

Federal Retirement Cuts Bill Passes House Panel

Title: Lawmakers insert federal pension provisions in highway bill

Article Snip: "...a high-five average salary calculation for annuities rather than the current high-three average pay calculation. The current Federal Employees Retirement System-defined benefit pension is calculated by taking the retiree's three highest salaries and dividing it by years of service and a variable pension accrual rate. ..."

Reference: www.govexec.com
Federal Retirement

Federal agencies offering buyouts or early outs continues to grow

Title: A new wave of federal workers is poised to emerge

Article Snip: "...Meanwhile, the roster of federal agencies offering buyouts or early outs continues to grow. In fiscal 2010, OPM gave 14 agencies permission to offer buyouts. Twelve were allowed to offer early retirements. In fiscal 2011, OPM gave 12 agencies permission to offer buyouts and twelve were allowed to offer early retirements...."

Reference: www.bizjournals.com
Federal Employee Buyouts, early outs,

Retirement services backlog being addressed

Title: OPM tackles retirement backlog with more staff, better technology

Article Snip: "...The Office of Personnel Management is trying to tackle its retirement services backlog with more staff and upgraded technology. ..."

Reference: www.federalnewsradio.com

State Department warns that "concrete steps" must be taken...

Title: US mulls closing embassy in Syria as security worsens

Article Snip: "...
State Department warns that "concrete steps" must be taken, expresses concern about "deteriorating security situation in Damascus"; US official: Syrian gov't doesn't ..."

Reference: www.jpost.com

Federal Employee COLA Update

Title: 2012 outlook eases slightly with COLA’s return

Article Snip: "...After two years of no increases, COLAs are back. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 3.6 percent...."

Reference: federaltimes.com

Federal retirement question

Title: Four retirement options

Article Snip: "...Q. I am a 58-year-old letter carrier covered under the Federal Employees Retirement System with 27½ years of s..."

Reference: federaltimes.com

Federal Retirement Estimate

Title: Federal Ballpark E$timate®

Article Snip: "...The Federal Ballpark E$timate can be used by employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), CSRS-Offset, or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) who plan to retire under the voluntary age and service rules. The current version does not perform estimates for..."

Reference: www.opm.gov
Federal Ballpark E$timate®

Attack on Federal Retirement Benefits: H.R. 3630

Title: House Republicans Attack Postal and Federal Retirement Benefits

Article Snip: "...The House of Representatives voted 243-193 on Dec. 13 to pass the so-called “Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011,” which would cut take-home pay for postal and federal workers by increasing their contributions to the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). The bill also would slash unemployment benefits, place unreasonable burdens on unemployed workers, and cut vital healthcare programs...."

Reference: www.apwu.org
H.R. 3630, Federal Retirement Benefits, Postal Retirement,

Reducing Federal Pensions

Title: New House Republican bill takes aim at fed pensions, pay

Article Snip: "...increasing the contribution federal employees pay toward their retirement, and reducing pensions for new employees...."

Reference: www.federaltimes.com
Federal Pension cuts,