Qualified Social Security beneficiaries can receive up to six months of monthly benefits in a lump-sum payment. While this option can boost a beneficiary’s retirement income in the short-term, it can impact the beneficiary’s long-term Social Security retirement benefits. Ed Zurndorfer outlines factors you should consider when deciding whether to claim retroactive benefits more…
Children Survivor Benefits Are Available to Federal Employees Who Retire Under Early Retirement or Discontinued Service Retirement
Ed Zurndorfer discusses the child monthly survivor annuity benefit including qualifications for a child monthly survivor annuity and when it starts, the amount of the child monthly survivor annuity benefit, and when the child monthly survivor annuity ceases more…
Rules for Claiming Social Security Benefits at Age 62
Many federal employees will be retiring in the next few years when they are in their early 60’s. Ed Zurndorfer discusses the rules that apply to individuals who apply for their monthly Social Security retirement benefit when they reach their 62nd birthday more…
Electing FERS Spousal Survivor Benefits When Retiring
No matter which type of retirement a federal employee chooses and is eligible for, an employee has the option of offering a survivor annuity to one individual. Ed Zurndorfer discusses FERS spousal survivor benefits and their importance for married employees when retiring under immediate retirement, Voluntary Early Retirement Arrangement (VERA), Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP), Discontinued Service Retirement (DSR) and deferred retirement more…
Important Deadline and Reminders for FSAFEDS Claims
Ed Zurndorfer outlines the deadlines — and provides helpful tips — for submitting claims for 2024 in the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS) more…
What Departing Federal Employees Can (and Cannot) Do With Their TSP Account
Ed Zurndorfer discusses TSP contributions, TSP loans, withdrawals and distributions (RMDs) more…
How to Recharacterize IRA Contributions
If you’ve reached income limitations in order to contribute to traditional and Roth IRAs, you can treat (or “recharacterize”) a regular contribution to the other type of IRA. Ed Zurndorfer outlines how federal employees can recharacterize IRA contributions under current tax law, including the deadlines (and making an extension to do so for contributions made in 2024). Practical examples are included. more…
Individuals Who Did Not File 2021 Federal Tax Return May Be Eligible for Recovery Rebate Credit
The IRS announced plans to issue automatic payments to eligible individuals who did not claim the Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC) on their 2021 federal income tax returns. For individuals who, for one reason or another, did not file a 2021 federal income tax return, they may be eligible for a refund if they file and claim the RRC more…
How to Avoid IRS Penalties and Interest Charges for Late Filing
Ed Zurndorfer discusses late filing and late payment penalties and what individuals can do to minimize or avoid these penalties more…
Understanding TSP Vesting Requirements and TSP Service Computation Date
There are federal employees who are losing their federal jobs due to reductions-in-force (RIFs) or elimination of job positions. Most of these employees are not eligible to immediately retire from federal service. A question that these employees may be asking: What happens to their Thrift Savings Plan accounts? Ed Zurndorfer discusses vesting the TSP requirements more…