Friday, March 7, 2014

Will politicians again attack retirees with a chained CPI threat?

Door left open for chained CPI comeback

Article Excerpt: "...Critics countered that the chained CPI doesn’t account for medical costs which make up a larger share of expenses for older people than for the population as a whole and would over time cost federal retirees thousands of dollars...."



Resource: www.federaltimes.com

chained CPI

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

How to maximize your Social Security

How to maximize your most valuable retirement asset

Article Excerpt: "...Most people aren't careless with the things they value the most. Surprisingly, one exception is how most people treat their most valuable retirement asset -- Social Security...."



Resource: www.cbsnews.com

Social Security,

Monday, March 3, 2014

Social Security rules to become familiar with

Don't Fall Into These Social Security Traps

Article Excerpt: "...Some of the Social Security rules can be frighteningly complex. Because it will likely represent a large portion of your retirement income, it's important to understand how the government program works...."



Resource: www.nasdaq.com

Social Security

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Ridiculously low social security pay and Medicare expenses

Seniors struggle with Social Security adjustments

Article Excerpt: "...the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole" -- the no-man's land in which beneficiaries pay the full cost for prescriptions after they have used up their basic benefit and before they reach an upper "catastrophic" mark when coverage resumes...."



Resource: www.post-gazette.com

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Health care costs are well on their way to eating up half of the average Social Security check

Health Care Consumes Over a Third of Social Security Checks

Article Excerpt: "... Social Security benefits were never intended to go mostly toward medical bills. Yet today, even with Medicare (including the prescription drug coverage - Medicare Part D - which took effect in 2006), out-of-pocket health care costs are well on their way to eating up half of the average Social Security check of seniors and their surviving spouses. ..."



Resource: www.huffingtonpost.com

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Federal Employee and Postal Employee Buyouts Update 2014

Will a buyout be in your stocking?

Article Excerpt: "..."We keep hearing rumors of buyout ... but without any confirmation," a federal HR official said earlier this week. "It's almost like [the situation] with the SES bonuses, as if [the administration] doesn't want to talk about it." ..."



Resource: www.federalnewsradio.com

2014 Buyouts, 2014 USPS Buyouts, 2014 Federal Employee Buyouts,

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Will Federal employee retirement be damaged in budget talks?

Federal employee retirement could be affected as rivals prepare for the battle of the budget

Article Excerpt: "...The team in blue — the Democrats — say the federal workforce has already paid enough, over and over again...."



Resource: www.washingtonpost.com

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

When is the best time to draw Social Security?

When should you start cashing in on Social Security?

Article Excerpt: "...For example, at 62, you get 75% of your normal retirement benefit. At 66, you get 100%. At 70 it's 132%. Each year you wait from 62 on increases your benefits by about 8%...."



Resource: cnn.com

Social Security

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Social Security Benefits Must Be Increased

End the retirement crisis. Increase Social Security benefits now.

Article Excerpt: "...There is a retirement crisis, and the only part of the solution that’s in government hands is Social Security benefits. If government really want to “promote the general welfare”..."



Resource: americablog.com

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Federal Retirement and Military Service

Crediting Military Service Toward Federal Retirement

Article Excerpt: "...If you are considering making a deposit for your active duty military time and want to find out how much you would owe, plus accrued interest, you’ll need to complete a copy of RI-20-97, Estimated Earnings During Military Service..."



Resource: /www.fedweek.com

Federal Retirement and Military Service

Thursday, November 21, 2013

GOP plan would end Federal Employee Retirement System for future federal employees

GOP plan would end defined-benefit pension for future feds

Article Excerpt: "...“If these lawmakers really were interested in having parity among public and private-sector employees, they would be encouraging more companies to offer pensions to their workers instead of trying to take them away from federal employees,” Cox added...."



Resource: www.washingtonpost.com

Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), FERS Changes,

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Hard Times: Hardship withdrawals from the Thrift Savings Plan set a record

TSP hardship withdrawals hit record high

Article Excerpt: "...Hardship withdrawals from the Thrift Savings Plan set a record last month, as thousands of participants tapped their retirement accounts..."



Resource: www.federaltimes.com

TSP withdrawals, TSP,

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

2014 COLA for Social Security recipients



Seniors to get small Social Security increase in 2014

2014 Social Security COLA
2014 Social Security COLA
Article Excerpt: "...Social Security benefits are expected to rise between 1.4% and 1.6% next year, according to the American Institute for Economic Research...."


Resource: cnn.com

Monday, September 9, 2013

Social Security pensions to remain solvent until 2033

The Future of Social Security

Article Excerpt: "...Social Security pensions are expected to remain solvent until 2033. This was unchanged from one year ago. The disability portion, however, is schedule to become insolvent in 2016...."



Resource: socialsecuritynewsgroup.blogspot.com

Friday, September 6, 2013

Postal executives to be offered early retirement

Postal Service Could Offer Early Retirement to Executives

Article Excerpt: "...The U.S. Postal Service wants to hold early retirement options to ranking executives - See more at: http://www.executivegov.com/2013/09/postal-service-could-offer-early-retirement-to-executives/#sthash.eqA4N30R.dpuf..."



Resource: www.executivegov.com