The Social Security Administration (SSA) has issued updates on the progress of the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act which repealed the Windfall Government Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The updates answer questions of when beneficiaries will see their benefits increase, how many months of benefits they will receive, and issues regarding Medicare premiums more…
Recent Articles
7 Federal Retirement Milestones You Need to Know
As you near retirement, or if you’re already retired, there are key retirement milestones to keep in mind for accumulating and withdrawing the money you’ll need for your later years. Chris Kowalik provides a quick guide to key deadlines for retirement more…
CSRS Retiree Eligibility for Spousal and Ex-Spousal Social Security Benefits
One of the provisions of the Social Security Fairness Act is the repeal of the Government Pension Offset. The GPO reduced or eliminated spousal/ex-spousal and widow/widower benefits paid by the Social Security Administration to any retiree who was covered by a government (federal, state or local) pension and who did not pay Social Security (FICA) taxes, such as federal employees covered by Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). Ed Zurndorfer explains what current CSRS retirees eligible for Social Security spousal benefits should do in order to receive spousal or ex-spousal Social Security benefits. more…
What Should You Do With Your TSP Account When You Retire?
The decision as to what a retiring federal employee should do with their Thrift Savings Plan accounts needs to be considered carefully. Ed Zurndorfer outlines the consequences of each choice. more…
Maximizing Annual Leave & Sick Leave
Chris Kowalik highlights the differences between annual leave and sick leave when it comes time to retire and how to maximize each type of leave more…
Can I ‘Max Out’ the TSP Even If I Don’t Work the Whole Year?
Whatever the time (or reason) you retire, there are a slew of questions that come to mind regarding the Thrift Savings Plan. Chris Kowalik addresses an important issue: How your last year of work might affect your TSP account balance more…
Update to Proposed Federal Retirement Benefits Cuts
The changes affect several provisions in legislation approved by the House Budget Committee, including an increase in FERS employee pension contributions, elimination of the FERS annuity supplement, and changing the method of calculating federal retirement annuities for new retirees more…
2025 OPM Retirement Booklet Now Available
The booklet gives an overview of your retirement benefits, CSRS or FERS annuity information, and survivors benefits and annuity information more…
How to Fund a Roth IRA When Your Adjusted Gross Income Is Too High
In order to make a Roth IRA contribution, a federal employee’s adjusted gross income (AGI) has to be below certain limits set by the IRS. Ed Zurndorfer outlines four ways they can fund a Roth IRA when their AGI is too high more…
RSC Provides Details of Cuts to Federal Employee Benefits in House Budget Proposal
The proposed cuts include an increase in FERS employee pension contributions, elimination of the FERS annuity supplement, changing the high-3 years average salary to high-5 years for measure of pay used to calculate FERS (and CSRS) benefits, and FEHB eligibility audits more…