‘Tis the season, Federal employees. Open season, that is. We know this time of year can be something less than joyful. In fact, we know that’s true because you told us. In our survey of more than 250 federal employees, just over half of respondents said that they feel “fuzzy, but know just enough toRead… Read more »
With over 200 federal health plans to choose from, it is easy to get bogged down. In fact, when it comes to Open Season, the prevailing notion is to do nothing. Feds stay with the same plan year after year, even if premiums go up and benefits change. That’s why we reached out to WaltRead… Read more »
Last Tuesday the Obama Administration unveiled healthcare.gov. Affordable Care Act mandated the Department of Health and Human Services to build an online exchange, or Internet store, to let uninsured consumers compare and buy plans offered by private insurance companies. But almost immediately problems started to pop up. The website was overwhelmed by up to fiveRead… Read more »
The Department of Veterans Affairs has been in the cross-hairs of critics for delays in approving benefits for deserving veterans. Recent reports suggest that VA has turned the corner and is reducing its backlog. One factor: greater collaboration with veterans service organizations. In May, the VA announced a partnership with two veterans service organizations —Read… Read more »
Many FERS annuitants that retire before age 62 are eligible for an annuity supplement that will end when they reach age 62. You may be eligible for a Special Retirement Supplement if you retire: After the Minimum Retirement Age (MRA) with 30 years of service; At age 60 with 20 years of service; or UponRead… Read more »
Everyone planning their retirement needs to know how much they will have to live on in retirement and how much their spouse’s survivor benefit will be. Frank Cullen, a retired federal manager, friend, and former associate, sent me a comprehensive spreadsheet prior to my retirement that projected my annuity and survivor benefit for the nextRead… Read more »
I’ve received many emails over the years from annuitants, spouses of deceased annuitants, and estate executors that weren’t aware of the annuitant’s coverage and/or beneficiaries. A number of annuitants forget what coverage they elected (if any) or who they designated as beneficiary. There are a number of things that you, your spouse, and estate executorRead… Read more »
2012 was a banner year for the Thrift Savings Plan. Funds across the board saw marked improvements. Kim Weaver is the Director of External Affairs the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board. She told Chris Dorobek on the DorobekINSIDER program that the 2012 returns aren’t something you should wave a stick at. But before we getRead… Read more »
The Postal Service has a money problem. A big one. And there aren’t simple solutions. The Government Accountability Office has looked at the problem and has made recommendations to Congress. Frank Todisco is the GAO’s Chief Actuary. He told Chris Dorobek on the DorobekINSIDER program what the real issue is for USPS. “USPS provides retireesRead… Read more »
Maps: Where Design and Data Meet From store locators to Google navigation tools, interactive maps have become an integral part of our daily lives. Maps are also appearing more frequently on organization websites. Visualizing information in a geographical framework can be a powerful tool for advocacy, government and educational groups. And, in the past coupleRead… Read more »