Title: 2023 Social Security COLA Estimated at 7.6% as CPI Keeps Rising
Article Snip: "...consumer price index release showing that prices over the past year through February have risen by 7.9% — the largest increase since since January 1982, and 0.8% from January to February, are just the beginning, as that number doesn’t include commodity price jumps due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the extraordinary jump in energy prices..."
Reference: www.thinkadvisor.comTitle: Postal Service Reform Act of 2022, H.R. 3076 Passes Senate
Article Snip: "... aligns retiree healthcare with the best practices in the private sector that lower premiums for NPMHU members and our fellow postal employees as well as safeguarding benefits..."
Reference: NPMHU LOcal 317Article Excerpt: "...Almost all current federal workers, plus a growing number of new retirees, are under the FERS program. There is a permanent battle between FERS (with its generous 5% employer match to the TSP and Social Security coverage) and CSRS retirees who start off with much higher annuities (which they help finance) than FERS retirees. The fly in the ointment for FERS employees is their diet-COLA system. Under it, FERS retirees get the same COLA as CSRS retirees UNTIL it exceeds 2%. So for example if a CSRS Social Security COLA is 6%, FERS retirees would get 5%. Imagine the impact on a FERS annuity over a period of extended inflation What if, as some experts project, we are entering a period of high inflation? One that lasts for years. It’s happened before. Some say it may already be happening again. ..."
Reference Source: federalnewsnetwork.com
'...WASHINGTON — Federal employees and military service members would receive average raises of 4.6 percent next January under...'
Title: Why claiming Social Security online could be the easiest approach for retirees
Article Snip: "...recent data from the Center for Retirement Research shows many Americans are passing up the simplest approach to claiming Social Security benefits and are needlessly complicating their efforts. The data revealed that just about half of all retirees are filing for their benefits online, a number that has held steady since 2013...."
Reference: tulsaworld.comTitle: Are Social Security Recipients Being Cheated Out of Nearly $5,000?
Article Snip: "...Social Security benefits are not keeping up with inflation. ...despite the massive COLA raise in 2022, retired workers will keep losing out due to the decline of purchasing power in today's red-hot high inflationary environment. “To put it in perspective, for every $100 worth of groceries a retiree could afford in 2000, they can only buy $68 worth today,” Mary Johnson, the Social Security policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), said in a statement..."
Reference: nationalinterest.orgTitle: Baby Boomer Retirements Outpace Predictions
Title: Social Security offices, closed in the pandemic, are expected to reopen in March.
Article Snip: "...The national network of Social Security customer service offices, which were closed nearly two years ago at the start of the pandemic, is on track to reopen on ..."
Reference: www.nytimes.comTitle: When Should a Federal Employee Apply for Social Security Benefits?
Article Snip: "...wonder if they will reach their life expectancy. This group firmly believes that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Although 62 year olds are rarely called young..."
Reference: www.fedweek.comNew Year. New Law. Beginning January 1, 2022, new federal protections will shield millions of consumers from surprise medical bills. Surprise medical bills – unexpected bills from an out-of-network provider, out-of-network facility or out-of-network air ambulance provider – is common among those with private insurance. Nearly one in five patients who go to the emergency room, have an elective surgery, or give birth in a hospital receive surprise bills, with average costs ranging from $750 to $2,600 per episode.
Learn about how the No Surprises Act can protect you from surprise medical billing. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Title: Why is My 2022 COLA Less Than I Was Expecting?
Article Snip: "...My FERS annuity with the 2022 COLA is increasing less than 4.9% in January. Why is that?..."
Reference: www.fedsmith.comTitle: You’re Retired and Like to Be Alone. Is It a Problem if You Self-Isolate?
Article Snip: "...“Loners have gotten a bad rap,” said Katharine Esty, Ph.D., a retired psychotherapist in Concord, Mass. “There’s nothing bad about doing things alone. It only becomes unhealthy when people become lonely, which is different.” She describes loneliness as feeling subjectively unhappy with your relationships or lack thereof. Someone who embraces solitude—and keeps busy and stimulated by fulfilling activities—can spend most of their time alone but never experience the distress of loneliness. ..."
Reference: www.barrons.comTitle: Everyone Is Moving to Florida. What That Means for Financial Advisors and Their Clients.
Article Snip: "...“Jacksonville, Orlando, Sarasota—you can name any market in Florida, and it’s one wealth managers want to be in,” says Thomas Carroll, president of the firm that manages more than $9 billion and is among . In..."
Reference: www.barrons.comTitle: Your ex-spouse could inherit your money. How to avoid this and other estate-planning mistakes
Article Snip: "...there are ways your ex could inadvertently inherit your money if you’re not careful. ..."
Reference: www.cnbc.comTitle: The best and worst states for retirement 2021
Article Snip: "...Georgia 1, Florida 2, Tennessee 3..."
Reference: www.bankrate.comTitle: Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Retirement Benefits
Article Snip: "...many federal employees plan their transition from employee to annuitant. Let’s take a look at various federal retirement benefits to highlight an important feature or recent update and a pro tip to help you maximize each benefit. ..."
Reference: www.govexec.comTitle: 25 Things to Do When You Retire
Article Snip: "...After decades in the workforce, retirees finally get complete control over how they spend their time. There are many terrific things you can do with your time and energy in retirement. ..."
Reference: usnews.comTitle: What Is the Average Retirement Income in 2021 and How Do You Compare?
Article Snip: "...The U.S. Census Bureau reports the average retirement income for Americans over 65 years of age as both a median and a mean. In the most recent data from 2019, the figures were as follows: Median retirement income: $47,357 Mean retirement income: $73,288 ..."
Reference: www.personalcapital.comTitle: 20 Ways To Pay Less at Costco
Article Snip: "...One of the best ways to save money on groceries when shopping at Costco is to buy meat in bulk. You can portion it out and freeze it for later use. So, the next time you shop at the retailer, you'll save money on food...."
Reference: www.gobankingrates.comArticle Snip: "...If you don’t use coupons, you’re spending way more than you should. These tips will turn your next shopping trip into a savings extravaganza...."
Reference: Readers Digest