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…
Latest Articles
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…
Pros and Cons of Claiming Retroactive Social Security Benefits
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…
OPM to Launch Digital Retirement Application Processing System in June 2025
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced Wednesday that a new digital retirement processing system… more…
Staying the Course with Your TSP
The current economy can give us all a much-needed reality check. Chris Kowalik gives insight on investing with long-term goals in mind 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…