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| 2015 Retiree COLA Update |
Article Snip: "...when searching for the best place to retire from the Armed Forces, there are several economic, social, and health care factors for a veteran to take into account. WalletHub, a personal-finance network, this week released a survey ranking the states and the District of Columbia as places for military retirement..."Title: How Much is the Maximum Annuity Supplement?
Article Snip: "...The procedure for calculating the supplement is clearly spelled out in Chapter 51 of the CSRS & FERS Handbook. However, the explanation and instructions are 40+ pages in length. Summarized, you must..."
Reference: www.fedsmith.comTitle: You May Be Better Off Than You Think
Article Snip: "...Under FERS, 40 years of service (I know, no one has this much service under FERS yet), would provide either 40 percent or 44 percent (if you’re 62 or older with more than 20 years of service) of your high-three. In addition, you’ll be entitled to Social Security or the FERS Supplement...."
Reference: www.govexec.com |
| Hagel wants you to pay more |
Article Snip: "...We cannot break our promise to our seniors. These are benefits they earned over a lifetime. Our parents and grandparents put their faith in us, and we will not let them down. Please use this link to send a message to the president...."Title: Military Retirement Cuts: Prelude To Coming Social Security Changes
Article Snip: "...bipartisan budget that scales back cost of living adjustments for working age military retirees starting in 2015. Several sources including Military.com suggests that qualified participants could lose between..."
Reference: www.forbes.comTitle: Kaiser recognized for federal employee health plans
Article Snip: "...Kaiser Permanente Hawaii’s health care plan for federal employees has been recognized as “Exemplary,” the highest possible rating, by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, administrator of the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program...."
Reference: westhawaiitoday.comTitle: CEOs with Massive Retirement Fortunes Push Social Security Cuts
Article Snip: "...largely behind the scenes: Business Roundtable and Fix the Debt, corporate lobbies that use deficit fear-mongering to sell benefit cuts. These groups are made up of CEOs of America’s largest corporations—people with retirement accounts that are more than 1,000 times as large as those of the average Social Security beneficiary...."
Reference: www.thenation.comTitle: Labor puts Dems on notice: Don’t touch Medicare and Social Security benefits
Article Snip: "...“We are opposed to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits cuts. Period,” Silvers told me. “There will be no cover for members of either party who vote for such a thing.”..."
Reference: www.washingtonpost.com |
| 2014 Social Security COLA |
Title: Medicare Choices
Article Snip: "...Little is more confusing for employees and retirees than the decisions that must be made when you become eligible for Medicare. Let's look at two scenarios to see how Medicare and Federal Employees Health Benefits Program can fit into one picture. ..."
Reference: www.govexec.comTitle: Retirement-eligible? Know your RIF options
Article Snip: "...options available to employees who are eligible to retire when facing a RIF..."
Reference: federaltimes.comTitle: The High Cost to Your Family of Filing for Social Security at 62, Even If You Need the Money
Article Snip: "...Even if you really need the money, consider picking up another job or downsizing before starting your Social Security benefits early...."
Reference: www.pbs.orgTitle: GAO: USPS Healthcare Plan
Would Hurt Medicare, Postal Workers
Article Snip: "...“The FEHBP, which includes many non-profit plans, is one of the best health insurance programs in the country,” Guffey added. “Removing postal employees would jeopardize the FEHBP, and would result in less coverage and higher healthcare costs for postal workers. ..."
Reference: www.apwu.orgTitle: USPS Plan to Pull Out of Fed Health Benefits Could Cost Postal Workers
Article Snip: "...“The differences in deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums under the USPS plan -- on their own, or in combination with lower coverage levels for some services -- could lead to higher total costs for some postal employees and non-Medicare-eligible retirees, including those who would have lower premiums under the USPS plan,” GAO wrote in its report...."
Reference: www.govexec.comTitle: COLA? Maybe. Pay raise? Maybe not!
Article Snip: "...With a couple of months left in the countdown, federal-military-Social Security retirees are looking at a potential cost-of-living adjustment of ..."
Reference: www.federalnewsradio.comTitle: The Senior Citizens League Warns 2014 Cost of Living Adjustment Flat
Article Snip: "... consumer price index (CPI) data through June, cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) will stay pretty flat. Based on inflation growth over the past twelve months, the 2014 COLA will be in the vicinity of..."
Reference: www.watchlistnews.comTitle: Wave of federal retirees to hit government
Article Snip: "...In the first four months of 2013, some 60,000 employees filed for federal retirement benefits, a 43% increase..."
Reference: cnn.comTitle: Will Social Security Benefits Increase This Year? By How Much?
Article Snip: "...run through the particular problems of all 78 million Baby Boomers..."
Reference: www.pbs.orgTitle: TSP examining why so many young workers stay in 'super safe' G Fund
Article Snip: "...While automatic enrollment for new hires has increased participation in the Thrift Savings Plan over the last few years, a recent report suggests many of them are staying in the super-safe G Fund — instead of reallocating money into other funds. ..."
Reference: www.federalnewsradio.comTitle: How to Avoid Taxes on Your Social Security
Article Snip: "...Wouldn't it be nice to avoid paying tax on your Social Security benefits while in retirement? By planning ahead, you can avoid paying tax on your Social Security income and your effective tax rate will be very low...."
Reference: socialsecuritynewsgroup.blogspot.comTitle: Retirement date calculation
Article Snip: "...What is my retirement date?..."
Reference: blogs.federaltimes.comTitle: Retirement Claims Backlog Spikes
Article Snip: "...The federal retirement claims backlog spiked 37 percent during the last month, due to an expected influx of new applications, according to the latest figures from the Office of Personnel Management...."
Reference: www.govexec.comTitle: Planning for the lean and mean retirement
Article Snip: "...Americans have some significant challenges to overcome if we want to be able to afford and enjoy our retirement years. As a result..."
Reference: www.cbsnews.comTitle: Just Explain It: Maximizing Your Social Security Retirement Benefits
Article Snip: "...According to the Social Security Administration, the average single beneficiary will get $21 more each month – $34 for couples. It’s not much to begin with, and some of that extra cash could end up going to things like higher Medicare premiums or just groceries...."
Reference: finance.yahoo.comTitle: One Recession Cost Is Lower Social Security Benefits
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.comTitle: Special retirement supplement calculation
Article Snip: "...how will you calculate the special retirement supplement?..."
Reference: federaltimes.comTitle: 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.comTitle: 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.comTitle: 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.comTitle: 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.comTitle: 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.comTitle: 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.comTitle: 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.orgTitle: 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.comTitle: 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.comTitle: 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.comTitle: 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.com