Title: One Recession Cost Is Lower Social Security Benefits
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Taking Social Security Too Early Can Cause Poverty in Old Age
Sunday, January 13, 2013
First year rule: special retirement supplement
Title: First year rule
Article Snip: "...if you exceed the special retirement supplement earnings limit for the year you retire, you will not be eligible for the special retirement supplement for the rest of that year..."
Reference: federaltimes.comSaturday, January 12, 2013
How to calculate your Special retirement supplement
Title: Special retirement supplement calculation
Article Snip: "...how will you calculate the special retirement supplement?..."
Reference: federaltimes.comWednesday, January 2, 2013
What can retired federal employees expect in year ahead
Title: The Year Ahead: What Federal Employees and Retirees Can Expect
Article Snip: "...good news for 2013 (retirees received a COLA and current employee's future retirement benefits have remained largely unaffected) ..."
Reference: www.federalnewsradio.comFriday, December 28, 2012
Social Security has, again placed on the chopping block
Title: Social Security: What Is At Stake? Why Now?
Article Snip: "...For the second time in little over a year, the Obama Administration has made a preemptive offer to change the formula for adjusting Social Security's Cost of Living Adjustment formula (COLAs) as part of a "Grand Bargain...."
Reference: www.huffingtonpost.comMonday, December 17, 2012
Social Security and Medicare cuts being pushed
Title: Social Security and Medicare trim would squeeze retirees
Article Snip: "...Republican leaders have made clear that their price for swallowing higher tax rates for wealthy Americans is an agreement by President Barack Obama and fellow Democrats to scale back the growth of Medicare and Social Security, which serve more than 3.5 million recipients in Florida...."
Reference: sun-sentinel.comFriday, December 14, 2012
Some standing strong against attacks on Social Security/Medicare
Title: Pelosi Takes Hardest Line Against Raising Medicare Eligibility Age
Article Snip: "...“As I have said, don’t even think about raising Medicare age,” Pelosi said. “We are not throwing America’s seniors over the cliff to give a tax cuts to the wealthiest people in America.”..."
Reference: talkingpointsmemo.comThursday, December 13, 2012
Sequestration and Retirement Buyouts
Title: Federal worker Q&A guide to the fiscal cliff: Ten answers on jobs, cuts and more
Article Snip: "...Early retirement offers allow employees to retire at any age with 25 years of service, or with at least 20 years of service at age 50 or above. That’s earlier than under standard federal retirement eligibility combinations. In some circumstances, retirement benefits are reduced, which discourages employees from taking such offers...."
Reference: www.washingtonpost.comTuesday, December 11, 2012
Federal Employment Retirement Wave Expected in January
Title: OPM anticipates wave of federal retirement claims in January
Article Snip: "...an anticipated wave of applications — 21,000 — in January, typically a popular time for federal employees to retire...."
Reference: www.bizjournals.comSunday, December 2, 2012
Medicare Part B vs federal retiree plan
Title: Which is better, a federal retiree plan or Medicare Part B?
Article Snip: "...I could sign up for Medicare Part B but I’m not sure I need it because my husband is a retired federal employee and we plan on maintaining his FEHB Blue Cross-Blue Shield coverage. On the other hand, our friends say that Part B helps with out-of -pocket expenses. Which is a better choice for us?..."
Reference: consumerreports.orgFriday, November 30, 2012
Erosion of federal employee pay and benefits causing retirement exodus
Title: Federal retirements spike as baby boomers retire, economy stabilizes
Article Snip: "...William R. Dougan, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, blamed what he called the "exodus" in part on "legislative attacks" by Congress that he said threaten to erode pay and benefits. Dougan, whose union represents 110,000 federal employees, said many experienced workers would rather leave now than risk reductions to a retirement package they have banked on, he said...."
Reference: baltimoresun.comTuesday, November 27, 2012
Obama and several lawmakers support making feds pay more for defined retirement benefit
Title: Will Budget Deal Target Federal Pay and Benefits?
Article Snip: "...Simpson-Bowles recommended creating a task force to look at changing the pension system for feds and eligible retired service members. One possibility the commission suggests is increasing the amount feds contribute to their pensions. It’s worth noting that Obama and several lawmakers also support making feds pay more for their defined retirement benefit...."
Reference: www.govexec.comTuesday, November 20, 2012
Don't make these Social Security retirement mistakes
Title: Four Costly Mistakes that Retirees Make about Social Security
Article Snip: "...Claiming reduced benefits early is just one of the four biggest mistakes that many retirees make regarding Social Security benefits. The others include..."
Reference: www.investmentnews.comThursday, November 15, 2012
Listen: Do not cut Social Security or Medicare
Title: Bernie Sanders, Progressive Senators Pressure Obama Not To Cut Social Security
Article Snip: "...A group of progressive lawmakers led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Thursday called for protecting Social Security and Medicare benefits in any deficit reduction deal. ..."
Reference: www.huffingtonpost.comWednesday, November 14, 2012
Federal Employees not represented in White House talks?
Title: White House talks don’t include federal labor leaders
Article Snip: "...No one whose prime responsibility is to look out for the federal workforce was there, even though it is only federal workers who so far have been targeted in deficit reduction. And they could be called on to sacrifice more. ..."
Reference: www.washingtonpost.comMonday, November 12, 2012
Opinion: Post drive to cut Medicare and Social Security
Title: Post in Hyper Drive on Effort to Cut Social Security and Medicare
Article Snip: "...The Washington Post is throwing all journalistic norms aside in its drive to cut Social Security and Medicare...."
Reference: www.businessinsider.comMonday, November 5, 2012
Federal retiree TSP and pension information you should consider
Title: Federal retirees with pensions should keep some liquid assets
Article Snip: "...Your Thrift Savings Plan assets are what many call “the third leg” of retirement security: liquid financial assets that supplement your Social Security and pension income. You are entirely correct in your concern about converting your TSP assets..."
Reference: www.dallasnews.comThursday, November 1, 2012
2013 COLA lowest since the 1970s
Title: Staying Educated on Social Security’s COLA Increase
Article Snip: "...known as COLA. This increase of 1.7 percent is the lowest increase since the 1970s, and will take effect in January of 2013..."
Reference: tellmenews.comFriday, October 26, 2012
Federal Retirement Buyout Trending
Title: $hrinking buyouts: An offer you can't refuse?
Article Snip: "...Since $25,000 buyouts were introduced in the 1990s, many feds hoped and assumed Uncle Sam would sweeten the kitty. Some have delayed retirement anticipating more generous buyouts. ..."
Reference: www.federalnewsradio.comTuesday, October 23, 2012
TSP Roth investments skyrocket
Title: Investments swell in TSP Roth funds
Article Snip: "...The number of Thrift Savings Plan participants with Roth accounts swelled to 51,354 in September, the board governing the plan said Monday...."
Reference: www.marinecorpstimes.com