Title: 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.comTitle: 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.comTitle: 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.comTitle: 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.comTitle: 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.comTitle: $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.comTitle: 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.comTitle: Federal retirement COLA of 1.7 percent announced
Article Snip: "...The increase, based on an inflation measure announced Tuesday, mirrors the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to be paid to Social Security beneficiaries. There are two main federal retirement systems: the Civil Service Retirement System, which..."
Reference: www.washingtonpost.comTitle: Medicare Open Enrollment Starts Today
Article Snip: "...The Medicare open enrollment period begins today. Learn more about the health and drug plans available...."
Reference: usa.govTitle: Federal Worker Retirement Claims Surge in September
Article Snip: "...OPM completed 12,563 retirement claims in September -- the most claims processed in a single month so far this year and 1,063 more than it expected to complete last month. The agency received 11,952 new claims in September, 4,952 more than it anticipated, and 2,979 more than it received in August. The backlog now stands at..."
Reference: www.nationaljournal.comTitle: APWU, USPS Negotiate Retirement Incentive
Article Snip: "...The APWU has negotiated a retirement incentive agreement that awards eligible full-time career employees a $15,000 payment in two installments, President Cliff Guffey has announced. The first installment will be $10,000; the second will be $5,000...."
Reference: www.apwu.orgTitle: Contracting world offers plenty of job opportunities
Article Snip: "...Do you have an itch to switch to the private sector — either because government does not suit you or because you want to keep working during your federal retirement? If so, check out the federal contracting world...."
Reference: federaltimes.comTitle: Budget office makes 2013 COLA prediction
Article Snip: "...civilian retired pay and Social Security. There had been discussion earlier this year that the annual COLA could be as high as 1.9 percent. However, a Sept. 12 statement from the nonpartisan budget office “assumes that the COLA effective on Dec., 1, 2012 would be..."
Reference: www.marinecorpstimes.com