Title: OPM’s retirement backlog back up in July after months of it shrinking
Article Snip: "...For the first time since January, the Office of Personnel Management’s backlog of retirement claims increased in July. At 17,047 claims, the backlog is over 4,000 claims higher than its steady state goal of 13,000. ..."
Reference: federalnewsnetwork.comTitle: On this day in history, August 14, 1935, Social Security is signed into law by FDR
Article Snip: "President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security bill into law on this day in history, Aug. 14, 1935, creating a federal safety net for older, ..."
Reference: www.foxnews.comTitle: Huntsville Utilities proposes 35% water rate increase
Article Snip: "Huntsville city council members held a first reading for a proposal allowing Huntsville Utilities to raise water rates by 35%..."
Reference:WAFFTitle: Is It Smarter For Me to Use Retirement Savings to Pay Off Debt?
Article Snip: "Generally, it’s best to leave your retirement savings untouched because you want as much uninhibited growth as possible. That said, paying off debt with your retirement savings in specific situations can make sense. ...Weigh Debts Against Investments Not every debt demands immediate repayment. For instance, mortgages are generally low-interest loans you pay gradually. As your equity grows, your home becomes an asset instead of a liability. On the other hand, credit card debt usually has astronomical interest rates that can ruin your finances quickly. Therefore, repaying a credit card debt of $5,000 is immensely beneficial, whereas allocating an extra $5,000 toward your mortgage may not be as advantageous."
Reference: finance.yahoo.comTitle: What is the average pension of a retired postal worker in 2023?
Article Snip: "The amount of money a postal worker makes in retirement depends on their age and how long they worked as a postal worker or government employee. A postal worker who retired in 2023 with 25 years of service would make a monthly basic annuity between $1,..."
Reference: Postal NewsGroupTitle: Why a federal retiree might consider a reverse mortgage
Article Snip: "...However, there are also potential drawbacks to consider that most reverse mortgage professionals immediately recognize as applicable to all potential borrowers. These include “the possibility of losing the house to foreclosure if the homeowner cannot afford to pay the property taxes; the homeowner will likely leave less inheritance to his or her heirs; at least one individual has to be living in the home (such as the co-borrower or spouse) if the funds from a HECM mortgage are used to pay for the homeowner’s move to an assisted living or nursing home facility.” Potential borrowers also need to understand that there are a lot of potential expenses the reverse mortgage customer is and could be subject to, including a loan origination fee, mortgage insurance premiums, counseling and other fees. ..."
Reference: reversemortgagedaily.comTitle: What retirees should do right now to prepare for a recession
Article Snip: "Retirees often underestimate the potential impact of recessions on their financial well-being ...There are several essential strategies and preparations that retirees should employ to prepare for and navigate recessions successfully. ..."
Reference: www.marketwatch.comTitle: The FERSGUIDE 2023 Upated on Amazon
Title: Federal Employee Benefits Training For Retirement Planning Announced By PSRE
Article Snip: "... PSRE's courses include a range of training modules covering FEGLI, FERS, CSRS, and TSP benefits. With the online retirement training program, employees can learn using any device, and a complimentary demo is available to provide access to one training module for a full 60 days. ..."
Reference: www.benzinga.comArticle Excerpt: "Qualifying service members are offered a chance to enroll in the Survivor Benefit Plan, which offers spouses (and sometimes their children) a pension of up to 55% of the veterans’ retirement pay. The inflation-adjusted payment is provided through the surviving spouse’s lifetime, or until the child reaches a maximum age. Prior to 2023, veterans’ decisions were permanent, but this year, they will have an opportunity to opt in or opt out. “The Survivor Benefit Plan is a good benefit..."
Reference Source: www.marketwatch.com
Title: FDA fully approves 'novel' Alzheimer’s disease drug Leqembi, will be covered by Medicare
Article Snip: "Leqembi has shown clinical benefit in fighting Alzheimer's disease. ...The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has fully approved a "novel" drug used to treat adult patients with Alzheimer’s, the agency announced. Leqembi, which is produced by Japanese drugmaker Eisai and American-based drugmaker Biogen..."
Reference: www.foxnews.comTitle: Retired Long Island postal worker collects big lottery prize a year after drawing
Article Snip: "...Retired postal worker Genine Plummer took nearly a year to claim a $1,000 A Week For Life prize she won playing New York Lottery’s CASH4LIFE. The Islip woman purchased her winning ticket back in May 2022. But she didn’t realize she had..."
Reference: greaterlongisland.comTitle: Tom Brady sticks to strict diet regimen even after retirement
Article Snip: "The legendary quarterback, who doesn’t include white sugar, white flour, iodized salt, caffeine, nightshade vegetable and even strawberries in his diet, is continuing the TB12 method. ..."
Reference: www.foxnews.comArticle Snip: "Americans have turned to irrevocable trusts to protect their assets from spend-down in order to qualify for Medicaid...In the last decade, more families have begun utilizing 'irrevocable' trusts and the ruling will impact estate planning...Most families will not find themselves subject to estate tax when the value of their home is included because the current federal estate tax is only applicable to estates valued at $12.92 million or more. ... "
Reference: www.dailymail.co.ukTitle: Remain wary of mail following white powder reports
Article Snip: "On Monday, June 19, Kansas Republican leaders say that while there has been a small amount of good news to come out of the investigation into more than 100 letters that contained white powder mailed to elected officials in the Sunflower State, the week has certainly been stressful. “At this point, it appears over 100 elected state and legislative officials have received threatening letters filled with a suspicious powdery substance,” said the legislators. “Thankfully, the KDHE is saying the substance is presumptively negative for any biologicals.” Kansans have been urged to remain vigilant and cautious as they open their mail..."
Reference: www.msn.comTitle: Your Roth 401(k) Is About to Become a Much Better Retirement Plan
Article Snip: "...Before this change, Roth IRAs were the only retirement-focused accounts that both allowed for tax-free withdrawals in retirement and let you keep your entire balance in the account throughout your life. For higher earners, getting money into a Roth IRA is a bit more complicated than getting it into a Roth 401(k), due to income limits on direct Roth IRA contributions. That can make it more challenging for many people to build a nest egg inside a Roth IRA. Now that Roth 401(k) plans will soon be exempt from those RMDs, it becomes possible to build that lifelong source of tax-free retirement cash without going through an IRA...."
Reference: www.fool.comTitle: Federal Employee Pay Lookup
Article Snip: "...Information available through this dataset may include name, job title, duty station, and salary for most Federal civilian employees. Some individual's names have been withheld by the OPM or specific agencies for security reasons. While FederalPay attempts to provide this dataset as a public service, exactly as provided by the OPM, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the results provided. ..."
Reference: www.federalpay.orgTitle: Traditional Medicare vs Medicare Advantage
Article Snip: "......the federal government reported that 13% of denials in Medicare Advantage would not have been refused under traditional Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans are also increasingly ending nursing home and rehabilitation care before providers consider patients ready to go home...."
Reference: Federal RetirementTitle: Big Medicare Changes Coming For Postal Service Retirees
Article Snip: "...money is likely the driving force. ...this change could save the Postal Service $5.6 billion through 2031 while adding $5.5 billion in costs to Medicare during that span...For those who retire before April 2024, they can either enroll in Part B right away or pay attention and watch for more information about the SEP. My former client’s wife decided to continue with her current FEHB plan and enroll in Medicare Part A, hospital insurance. (This is premium-free and those who want to receive Social Security retirement benefits must be enrolled. It is a condition of receiving benefits.)"
Reference: www.forbes.comArticle Snip: "An estimated 1.5 million retirees re-entered the labor market in the year up to May 2022, according to an analysis of Labor Department data by Indeed economist Nick Bunker for The Washington Post. This is a reversal of the trend which saw millions of people fleeing the workforce during and following the Covid-19 pandemic. And according to a study by payroll services company Paychex this year, one in six retired Americans are now considering going back to work. ..."
Reference: www.dailymail.co.uk