Outdated beneficiary designations can override your intentions and leave your family with surprises you never meant. Chris Kowalik discusses how federal employees can make sure their benefits go to the right people and avoid costly mistakes. more…
What HR Can’t Tell You About Your Retirement
Chris Kowalik explains the critical role that HR must play in your federal retirement, how little HR may know about you when answering your questions, the long-term effects of ill-informed decisions more…
Last Paycheck vs. First Retirement Check
Chris Kowalik explains how your income changes when you retire from federal service, which expenses go up and which go down in retirement, and how you can fill the income shortfall more…
5 Things Federal Retirees Wish They Were Told Before Retiring
Chris Kowalik outlines five overarching themes that are real eye-openers for federal retirees looking back on what they wish they had understood before making the transition more…
VIDEO: Retiring Early Under the FERS MRA+10 Rules
MRA+10 is one of the most misunderstood, and potentially costly, retirement decisions you can make. While it allows you to leave earlier, it can permanently reduce your pension and create ripple effects across your other federal benefits. Before you make a decision you can’t undo, you need to understand the full picture. View this informative video from federal retirement expert, Chris Kowalik more…
3 Crucial Federal Retirement Choices
Your retirement planning is a series of choices. Some are minor, while others can have major consequences on your future and financial security. Chris Kowalik discusses three important decisions that federal employees face in retirement: FEHB & Medicare, long-term care and life insurance
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Maintaining Good Habits in the Thrift Savings Plan
How to react to changing marketing conditions, choosing how much to invest and which funds to use are important routines to have no matter how no matter how close (or far away) you are from retirement. Chris Kowalik provides some pointers for establishing and keeping good habits in regards to your Thrift Savings Plan account more…
Understanding the Three Tax Buckets: Tax Me Now, Later or Never
While you can’t avoid taxes, you can choose when you want to pay them when it comes to certain accounts and savings. Chris Kowalik explains how the growth in your investments is taxed, and which tax bucket is right for you: “tax me now,” “tax me later,” and “tax me never.” more…
Top 3 Professionals to Help You Plan for Retirement
As you prepare to put your life and financial goals in order, it’s best you seek the advice of people who can help you set all your affairs in order, so you can retire with confidence. Chris Kowalik outlines the top three professionals you should seek assistance from more…
3 Retirement Resolutions for Federal Employees
Federal retirement expert, Chris Kowalik, discusses three retirement resolutions you should be making in the new year — specifically how making smaller, realistic goals (and sticking to them) can lead to big results over time more…