High-3 Average Salary

Title: High-3 Average Salary

Article Snip: "...Your “high-3” average pay is the highest average basic pay you earned during any 3 consecutive years of service. These three years are usually your final three years of service, but can be an earlier period, if your basic pay was higher during that period. Your basic pay is the basic salary you earn for your position. It includes increases to your salary for which retirement deductions are withheld, such as shift rates. It does not include payments for overtime, bonuses, etc. (If your total service was less than 3 years, your average salary was figured by averaging your basic pay during all of your periods of creditable Federal service)..."

Reference: www.opm.gov
High-3 Average Salary,

This information is correct as stated on 10/27/2018. Bold Face added.

Postponed or Deferred Federal Retirement

Title: Postponed or deferred

Article Snip: "...Most employees retire when they’ve reached the standard age and service requirements to receive an immediate unreduced annuity. If you are a CSRS employee, those are age 62 with 5 years of service, 60 with 20 or 55 with 30. If you are a FERS employee, they are..."

Reference: www.federaltimes.com
Deferred Federal Retirement, Postponed Federal Retirement, CSRS, FERS,

COLA Shortchanges FERS Retirees

Title: COLA, Largest Since 2012 for CSRS Retirees and Social Security Recipients, Shortchanges FERS Retirees

Article Snip: "...Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of FERS retirees will be wondering why they are only receiving a 2 percent COLA when the relevant measure of consumer prices increased by 2.8 percent. That’s due to the bargain struck in Congress in the 1980s when FERS was created, which limits COLAs to 2 percent when consumer prices increase between 2 and 3 percent. But that was the wrong policy then, as it is now. It prevents FERS annuities from keeping up with inflation, which is the whole point of a COLA. It is past time for Congress to ensure FERS retirees receive a full COLA each year. “Retirees already receive COLAs that fail to represent how seniors spend their money. COLAs are currently based on the CPI-W..."

Reference: www.narfe.org
CSRS vs FERS, COLA,

Social Security COLA for 2019 will be 2.8 percent

Title: Social Security COLA for 2019 will be 2.8 percent

Article Snip: "...Social Security Administration announced Thursday that 63 million beneficiaries, including retirees, disabled workers and their eligible dependents and surviving family members, will receive a 2.8% increase in benefits next year, the largest annual cost-of-living adjustment since 2012..."

Reference: www.investmentnews.com
2019 Social Security COLA,

The "Worn Out Worker" Rule in Social Security Disability Claims

Title: The "Worn Out Worker" Rule in Social Security Disability Claims

Article Snip: "...The worn out worker rule makes it easier for those who've done many years of hard labor to get disability benefits..."

Reference: www.disabilitysecrets.com
'Worn Out Worker' Rule, social security, Disability,

Looking for an early retirement? Post videos on YouTube

Title: Looking for an early retirement? Post videos on YouTube

Article Snip: "...Inorder to earn money it is important that they attract a certain number of viewers or subscribers and then they must be approved for monitisation. Monitisation allows YouTube to display advertisements on or around your video and shares a portion of the revenue with the creator through Google's AdSense, the report said..."

Reference: bhaskar.com
Making money in retirement,

4 Things to Know About Your FERS Annuity

Title: 4 Things to Know About Your FERS Annuity

Article Snip: "...if you work until age 62 and retire with 20 or more years of service, the formula changes. Instead of getting 1% per year worked you will receive 1.1% per year worked. An extra 0.1% on 20 years of service will add an additional 2% to your high 3..."

Reference: www.fedsmith.com

Social Security recipients could see their biggest raise in years

Title: Social Security recipients could see their biggest raise in years: A Foolish Take

Article Snip: "...Over the past decade, Social Security has been pretty stingy in the COLAs it gives to retirees. But 2019 could be different. Early indications suggest Social Security benefits could go up by a greater amount than retirees and other participants have seen since 2012..."
Reference: www.usatoday.com
2019 Social Security COLA,

Increase Your FERS Retirement Percentage Computation With This Simple Trick

Title: What’s the Difference in the 1% and 1.1% FERS Annuity Computations?

Article Snip: "...there are two different computation factors that are used in computing the FERS annuity; 1% and 1.1%. What’s the difference between them..."

Reference: www.fedsmith.com
FERS,

Here's How Much Social Security Benefits Are by Age and Income Level

Title: Here's How Much Social Security Benefits Are by Age and Income Level

Article Snip: "...While there's no way for sure to know what your future Social Security benefit will be, this guide can help you get a ballpark idea..."

Reference: www.fool.com

What Is Ahead for the Nation's Aging Workforce?

Title: What Is Ahead for the Nation's Aging Workforce?

Article Snip: "...not only are older persons working more, but these older workers are also earning more than in previous years” said James Spletzer, Principal Economist at the Center for Economic Studies. “Inflation-adjusted average monthly earnings of persons aged 65 and older were $4,092 in 2015, which is substantially higher than the $2,276 statistic in 1994..."

Reference: www.census.gov
Aging Workforce and Employment,

A snapshot of the average Social Security beneficiary

Title: A snapshot of the average Social Security beneficiary

Article Snip: "...But what you may not know, given the program's broad reach, is what the average Social Security beneficiary looks like. Here are three metrics that'll help define the typical recipient. 1. Who is primarily receiving benefits?"

Reference: journaltimes.com

Warren Buffett’s favorite metric suggests some serious pain awaits investors

Title: Warren Buffett’s favorite metric suggests some serious pain awaits investors

Article Snip: "...One of those measures, in particular, has popped up on investor radars lately, and that’s the “Buffett indicator.” The Berkshire BRK.A, +3.02% boss called it “the best single measure of where valuations stand at any given moment.” If historical patterns hold true, a thrashing could be in store for complacent investors..."

Reference: www.marketwatch.com
Berkshire BRK.A

This Is Great News for Social Security's 2019 COLA

Title: This Is Great News for Social Security's 2019 COLA

Article Snip: "...while there are still a good two and a half months to go before definitively knowing what magnitude of raise to expect, signs are pointing to beneficiaries receiving their highest COLA since 2012..."

Reference: www.fool.com
2019 Social Security COLA,

Can a debt collector take my social security benefits?

Title: Savvy Senior: Can a debt collector take my social security benefits?

Article Snip: "...Whether your Social Security benefits are garnishable or not depends on whom you owe. Banks and other financial creditors, for example..."

Reference: www.heraldextra.com
Is Social Security garnishable?

37 States That Don't Tax Social Security Benefits

Title: 37 States That Don't Tax Social Security Benefits

Article Snip: "...Some retirees are surprised to learn that Social Security is taxable. The federal government taxes up to 85% of your benefits, depending on your income. Most states, however, exempt Social Security from state taxes. The list of 37 states that don’t tax Social Security..."

Reference: www.kiplinger.com
States That Don't Tax Social Security Benefits

How To Sign Up For Medicare: Who Should, Why, When

Title: How To Sign Up For Medicare: Who Should, Why, When

Article Snip: "...the biggest mistake that individuals can make under Medicare is not signing up for Parts A and B on a timely basis... The key date is four months before your 65th birthday. Here's how..."

Reference: www.investors.com
Medicare, Medicare part B,

The $1,800-a-year Medicare cost that surprises many retirees

Title: The $1,800-a-year Medicare cost that surprises many retirees

Article Snip: "...While Medicare Part B premiums are higher for folks with higher incomes, they will still cost the typical person $1,608 in 2018. Add in the deductible, and it’s $1,791 — before any out-of-pocket costs..."

Reference: www.aol.com

FERS Retirement with 10% Bonus: Higher Pension for Age 62 & 20 Years

Title: FERS Retirement with 10% Bonus: Higher Pension for Age 62 & 20 Years

Article Snip: "...if you retire at age 62 or older with 20 or more years of creditable service, your pension multiplier is 1.1% [instead of 1%]...In order to get the bonus, you must be at least 62 years old at retirement with at least 20 years of creditable service. You must also be going out on an immediate FERS Retirement...For more details about the bonus, you can check out Chapter 50 of OPM's CSRS / FERS Handbook This bonus is mentioned in Section 50B3.1-1 Subsection B..."

Reference: plan-your-federal-retirement.com

10 states with the highest average Social Security retirement benefit

Title: 10 states with the highest average Social Security retirement benefit

Article Snip: "...the only three states with an average retirement benefit in excess of $1,500 a month. The average New Jersey retiree is taking home $1,725 extra per year over the national average, and just over $2,900 more a year than the average retired worker in Louisiana, which ranked dead last among the 50 states ($1,311.72 a month). This is probably why retirement benefits are higher in these states..."

Reference: www.usatoday.com

As of March 2018, SSA data shows that the average retirement benefit was $1,409.91 a month, or about $16,919 a year.

Average Retirement Debt

Title: Average Retirement Debt

Article Snip: "...According to the survey, 8 in 10 middle-income Boomers currently have some debt. Three in 10 devote more than 40% of their monthly income to debt and a quarter have a mortgage with more than 20 years remaining on it. More than half say they intend to enter retirement debt free, but only one-quarter of retired Boomers actually are debt free..."

Reference: www.newretirement.com
Retirement Debt, Retirement,

See how your retirement savings compares to other workers earning a similar salary

Title: See how your retirement savings compares to other workers earning a similar salary

Article Snip: "...Employees earning between $40,000 and $60,000 are likely to have a little more room in their budget to save for retirement. The median 401(k) balance ranges from $16,502 among 20-somethings to $113,504 for workers in their 50s, according to the EBRI analysis. People in their 40s ($79,786) have saved a median of over twice as much as those in their 30s ($35,602). "A moderate earner now is likely in a lower tax bracket, so paying taxes on income and contributing to a Roth now makes sense..."

Reference: money.usnews.com
401k, Retirement,

Social Security 'is under attack'

Title: Social Security 'is under attack,' say these congressional Democrats

Article Snip: "...Cuts to Social Security are not a credible solution to pay for the $1.9 trillion that Congressional Republicans have recently added to the deficit in passing their tax legislation," Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, the committee's ranking Democrat, said in a statement to CNBC. "We must ensure that our seniors are able to retire with dignity..."

Reference: www.cnbc.com

Paul Ryan's decision to wait until January to retire includes an under-the-radar benefit

Title: Paul Ryan's decision to wait until January to retire includes an under-the-radar benefit

Article Snip: "...Ryan, 48, would be able to draw his pension at age 50, since his time as a representative and as a staffer would combine to be roughly 24 years of federal service...Based on the FERS payments formula, Ryan could receive an annual pension payment of $84,930 if he remains on the job until January..."

Reference: www.businessinsider.com

How Much is the Maximum Annuity Supplement?

Title: How Much is the Maximum Annuity Supplement?

Article Snip: "...the maximum annuity supplement for retirements in 2018 has been electronically computed for twelve levels of ages and years of service – see..."

Reference: www.fedsmith.com
FERS Annuity Supplement, Social Security special retirement supplement (SRS),

Are my Social Security benefits taxable?

Title: Are my Social Security benefits taxable?

Article Snip: "...Social Security is generally considered a tax-free benefit, but that is not always the case. Depending on the amount of alternate income that you have in retirement and your filing status, you could owe taxes on up to 85% of your Social Security benefits..."

Reference: www.nbc-2.com
social security, Taxes on Social Security,

FERS hit list: The usual suspects plus a new twist…

Title: FERS hit list: The usual suspects plus a new twist…

Article Snip: "...If Congress approves, current and future employees under Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) would get smaller starting annuities when they retire and those pensions would lose all the protection they now enjoy from inflation. Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) would be eliminated for FERS retirees and reduced for..."

Reference: federalnewsradio.com

FERS and CSRS COLAS

Title: COLAS Now and Maybe Then

Article Snip: "...There’s one big difference between CSRS and FERS when it comes to the payment of COLAs. CSRS retirees receive COLAs regardless of the age at which they retire. With one exception, FERS retirees only begin receiving them when they reach age 62..."

Reference: www.fedweek.com
COLA, Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), CSRS,

What You Don't Know (But Should) About Your Thrift Savings Plan

Title: What You Don't Know (But Should) About Your Thrift Savings Plan

Article Snip: "...You can have both a traditional and Roth TSP at the same time, and there’s an interesting caveat: the government’s matching contributions can only be made into a traditional TSP, so even if you only contribute to a Roth TSP, you will still have both types of accounts (and the added benefit of some tax diversification)..."

Reference: www.forbes.com

Gotcha, Sorry, We Need Your Social Security to Pay for Medicare

Title: January surprise of vanishing Social Security COLA

Article Snip: "...most Medicare beneficiaries will pay $134 per month for Part B, which pays for doctors' fees and outpatient services. That's a $25-per-month increase over the 2017, nearly wiping out the Social Security COLA for many retirees..."

Reference: www.investmentnews.com
Medicare, Medicare Part B premiums, Social Security COLA 2018, What does Medicare Part B cover?, Destruction of Retirees, Medicare Advantage Plan,

More Reading: (From Medicare.gov) If you're in a Medicare Advantage Plan or other Medicare plan, you may have different rules, but your plan must give you at least the same coverage as Original Medicare. Some services may only be covered in certain settings or for patients with certain conditions.

After Huge Corporate Tax Cuts, GOP to Attack Medicare, Social Security

Title: After Tax Cuts, GOP Leaders Turn Buzz Saw to Medicare, Social Security

Article Snip: "...Top officials in the Republican Party have suggested in recent days that they will pursue major entitlement reform following the likely passage of massive tax cuts in the near future. Those officials, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)..."

Reference: www.thedailybeast.com
Destruction of Retirees, destruction of the American working class, Corporate Greed, Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan,

USPS Announces Voluntary Early Out Retirement (VERA)

Title: USPS Announces Voluntary Early Out Retirement (VERA)

Article Snip: "...This letter was received with no advance notification to the union or negotiations with the APWU over who the VERA applied to and under what conditions. The APWU immediately initiated information requests to USPS management regarding this VERA and demands for bargaining over its scope and impact..."

Reference: www.apwu.org
Voluntary Early Retirement (2018),

The Social Security cost-of-living increase is a cruel fraud

Title: The Social Security cost-of-living increase is a cruel fraud

Article Snip: "...Today, it’s not so great. The tiny Social Security increase that will be bestowed on retirees and the elderly in January is a cruel fraud perpetrated by the government. That's because increases in Medicare Part B and Part D insurance premiums will negate all of the Social Security 2% cost of living increase for many recipients. Instead of staying even, we’ll fall behind..."

Reference: www.latimes.com

The 4 Least Tax-Friendly States for Social Security Recipients

Title: The 4 Least Tax-Friendly States for Social Security Recipients

Article Snip: "...A second tier was added in 1993 under the Clinton administration that exposed 85% of Social Security benefits to federal taxation for individual earnings above $34,000, and couples filing jointly in excess of $44,000. When first introduced, this tax affected around one out of 10 households. As of 2015, it affected 56%, according to The Senior Citizens League..."

Reference: www.fool.com

Navigating federal retirement paperwork

Title: Tammy Flanagan: Navigating federal retirement paperwork

Article Snip: "...In the federal government, nothing happens until you fill out a form. That's certainly true of retirement, a topic on quite a few federal minds these days. With a rundown on the paperwork you need to keep in mind, federal retirement expert Tammy Flanagan..."

Reference: www.podcastone.com

50-something feds dodge TSP tax bullet

Title: 50-something feds dodge TSP tax bullet

Article Snip: "...Federal workers who are 50 and older (and those who aspire to someday reach that it’s-not-as-bad-as-it-sounds age bracket), dodged a big bullet last week in the pending tax bill worked up by the Senate. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) proposed, then withdrew language that would have eliminated the..."

Reference: federalnewsradio.com

2018 Medicare changes will erase Social Security COLAs for many

Title: 2018 Medicare changes will erase Social Security COLAs for many

Article Snip: "...Average Social Security benefits for retired workers will increase $27 per month to $1,404 per month in 2018, up from $1,377 this year. As a result, higher Medicare premiums will virtually wipe out any increase in Social Security benefits for many retirees next year..."

Reference: www.investmentnews.com
Medicare, Social Security COLA 2018,

Open Season Changes and the Five Year Rule

Title: Open Season Changes and the Five Year Rule

Article Snip: "...If you have not been covered under FEHB for most of your career, but want to be able to carry it into retirement, you might be planning on enrolling in FEHB five years before the year in which you plan to retire. The coverage must be for a full five years, so you need to be aware of when your FEHB enrollment becomes effective. Many people choose to retire on December 31st, but FEHB coverage is rarely effective on that date..."

Reference: www.fedsmith.com
Five Year Rule

Get A Bigger Monthly Social Security Check

Title: Get A Bigger Monthly Social Security Check

Article Snip: "...Should you take benefits early at 62? At normal retirement age? Or delay until 70? Here’s how to decide..."

Reference: www.forbes.com

The Advantages of Advance Funeral Planning

Title: The Advantages of Advance Funeral Planning

Article Snip: "...What you can do to help your heirs? Specify what final arrangements you’d like and make sure your family knows your wishes. Pre-paying for a burial plot may save money in the long run, as you’ll avoid future price increases..."

Reference: www.fedweek.com
Funeral Expenses,