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

Federal Employee Retirement Now On The Line

Title: Federal Workers Facing More Cuts
Article Snip: "...In March, Senate Republicans Richard Burr and Tom Coburn introduced legislation that would entirely eliminate pensions for government employees. They would still collect Social Security and hold 401k-style accounts.

The White House is unlikely to back such an aggressive plan..."
Reference: www.kctv5.com
FERS, Federal Retirement,

OPM Retirement Processing Backlog

Title: About That OPM Retirement Processing Backlog
Article Snip: "...The Office of Personnel Management is making progress on reducing the backlog in finalizing retirement applications. The time it takes to process a retirement action has improved by roughly..."
Reference: www.fedsmith.com
OPM Retirement Processing

Voters Angry Over Attempts to 'Dismantle Medicare'

Title: House G.O.P. Members Face Voter Anger Over Budget
Article Snip: "...In central Florida, a Congressional town meeting erupted into near chaos on Tuesday as attendees accused a Republican lawmaker of trying to dismantle Medicare while providing tax cuts to corporations and affluent Americans. ..."
Reference: www.nytimes.com
Dismantle Medicare

Rubio wants to raise Social Security age again

Title: Marco Rubio kicks off media blitz with talk of raising the retirement age for Social Security
Article Snip: "...Indeed many of the reforms are controversial, particularly Social Security. Rubio raised that possibility on the campaign trail last year and then-Gov. Charlie Crist tried to make it an issue but did not get traction...."
Reference: www.tampabay.com

Postal Service Early Retirement Incentive of $20,000 offered

Title: 2011 Special Incentive Offer FAQs
Article Snip: "...What are the basic details of the 2011 Special Incentive Offer?

On March 23, 2011, the Postal Service announced a Special Incentive offer for the following targeted groups:

Career non-bargaining employees assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Field Units, including PCES and attorneys
Career non-bargaining employees assigned to Area Offices, including PCES
Career non-bargaining employees assigned to District Customer Service Offices (the offer includes PCES in closing districts only)..."
Reference: usps.gov

Will I be eligible for Social Security special retirement supplement?

Title: Will I be eligible for Social Security special retirement supplement?
Article Snip: "...I am a federal employee with 31 years of service. Civil Service Offset, with 10 years CSRS and 21 years in FERS. ..."
Reference: federaltimes.com

Golden years losing luster

Title: Golden years losing luster
Article Snip: "...Social Security benefits will replace just 28 percent of a recipient's preretirement income in 2030, on average, down from 39 percent in 2002, according to the Center on Retirement Research. The drop will result largely from the increased Medicare payments and higher income taxes Social Security recipients will have to pay...."
Reference: www.bendbulletin.com
Social Security, Retirement,

Postal Early Retirement 2011

Title: Postal Service to cut 7,500 positions this month, 30,000 by end of year
Article Snip: "...Postal Service will use attrition and early retirement offers to reach that number and is weighing whether to use buyouts ..."
Reference: Federal Times via postalearlyretirement.blogspot.com
USPS Early Retirement Offers

Postal Service aid plans would jeopardize federal retirement funds, watchdog says

Title: Postal Service aid plans would jeopardize federal retirement funds, watchdog says
Article Snip: "...the financial soundness and integrity of the trust funds would be severely compromised," McFarland said in a 56-page report on the issue.

Lawmakers are likely to highlight the conclusions during a House oversight subcommittee hearing scheduled for Wednesday on the Postal Service's finances. ..."
Reference: www.washingtonpost.com
Postal Retirement

How to prevent a delay in your Federal Retirement

Title: How a Typo Could Delay Your Retirement from Federal Service
Article Snip: "...The SF 50, or Standard Form 50, is the official form the government uses to calculate your retirement. Your SF 50s determine your retirement eligibility and your federal pension...."
Reference: FedSmith.com

Watch federal policy as retirement looms

Title: Watch federal policy as retirement looms
Article Snip: "...that is why everyone who anticipates a pension should be concerned...."
Reference: www.desmoinesregister.com
Federal Retirement

Social Security Prepares For Possible Government Shutdown

Title: Social Security Prepares For Possible Government Shutdown
Article Snip: "...Democrats and Republicans continue to disagree on budget cuts, and without a compromise, many government agencies will be forced to close their doors...."
Reference: newsone.com

Social Security is not part of the problem

Title: Reid wants no cuts to Social Security
Article Snip: "..."Social Security has contributed not a single penny to the deficit. So we can talk about entitlements as long as you eliminate Social Security," said Reid, D-Nev. "Because Social Security is not part of the problem we have in America with the deficit." ..."
Reference: www.washingtonpost.com
Social Security

Federal Retiree Tax Hikes?

Title: Higher federal withholding is taking a bite out of retirees' annuity checks
Article Snip: "...The suddenly shrinking checks have hit retirees generally, not just those who were employed by the federal government. On Thursday, the IRS posted information on "Why Employees and Retirees May See Changes in 2011 Payments and Withholding." ..."
Reference: www.washingtonpost.com
Federal Retirees

Postal Early Retirement Site Launced

Title: USPS RIF and VER Informational Website Announced
Article Snip: "...In the event of RIF and/or VER, all relevant information – including timelines and guidance - will be posted on the Organizational Changes Website as soon as details are finalized. Watch for internal communications such as LINK articles and stay tuned to this website for any and all HR-related updates...."
Reference: Postal Early Retirement 2011
Postal Early Retirement

Retired federal employee sentenced to 23 months in prison for health care fraud

Title: Retired federal employee sentenced to 23 months in prison for health care fraud
Article Snip: "...also ordered him to pay $253,727 in restitution to Blue Cross & Blue Shield which provided coverage to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program...."
Reference: www.nj.com
Federal Employee Fraud, Fawzi Saleh,

Plans to slash veterans disability benefits

Title: VFW vows to defeat Bachmann plan to slash veterans benefits
Article Snip: "...would cap increases to VA healthcare spending, and reduce disability compensation to account for Social Security Disability Insurance payments — in other words, an offset...."
Reference: www.dailykos.com

Will Obama Back Social Security Changes in State of the Union?

Title: Will Obama Back Social Security Changes in State of the Union?
Article Snip: "..."When Lindsey Graham supports raising the retirement age for people across South Carolina, including those whose jobs take a physical toll on their bodies, that shows that he's a fundamentally out-of-touch politician," PCCC co-founder Stephanie Taylor said in a statement. "We hope President Obama will strongly pressure Republicans on this issue during his State of the Union address." ..."
Reference: www.cbsnews.com

Federal Retirement Fraud

Title: Woman gets probation for cashing dead father’s federal retirement checks
Article Snip: "...Due to the statute of limitations, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Michelland couldn’t prosecute her for the full amount, $167,352.07, sent to that account — or all that the government sent after Throckmorton’s death: $361,616.86...."
Reference: www.marconews.com
Federal Retirement Fraud

Are you a retired military veteran with a combat story?

 Title: Share your story with 'Real Combat Life'
"'Real Combat Life' wants you to share your real combat stories. Please support this site by sharing your story with other veterans. For a limited time, until their supply runs out, they are giving away free t-shirts if they select your story. Thanks 'Real Combat Life' for your support of vets!"
Reference: Military Veteran News
Real Combat Stories

Medicare To Gain 7,000 New Baby Boomers Per Day In 2011

Title: Medicare To Gain 7,000 New Baby Boomers Per Day In 2011
Article Snip: "...According to AARP (American Association for Retired Person's), 70 million individuals are estimated to be Medicare beneficiaries over the next 20 years, compared to 45.2 million in 2008...."
Reference: www.medicalnewstoday.com
Medicare beneficiaries