Chris Kowalik explains the the difference between active employee pay raises and retiree cost-of-living adjustments — and why, when and how they are applied — as well as current projections for 2026’s anticipated pay raises and how newly announced COLAs will be implemented in retirement more…
Profeds SC
How Living Longer Will Impact Your Federal Retirement
Given today’s ongoing high inflation, many Americans worry they may not have put away enough money for retirement, Chris Kowalik discusses how living longer will impact your healthcare (FEHB) premiums, healthcare expenses, and long-term care costs. And why longevity planning must be part of your big picture more…
Federal Retirement Planning: 3 Mid-Year Moves to Make
Retirement planning isn’t a “set it and forget it” process. Changes in your career, finances, federal benefits, market conditions, and retirement goals can all affect whether you’re still on track for the future you envision. Chris Kowalik provides several tips to help identify gaps or missed opportunities more…
How a Court Order Can Wreck Your Federal Retirement
Here’s what you (and your current spouse) should know before you retire — and how to mitigate the impact moving forward. Chris Kowalik provides insight on how your ‘take-home’ pay may change while you are still living in retirement, how your current/future spouse’s benefits may be reduced or eliminated, and how having a court order affects how long it will take OPM to process your retirement application more…
Your Biggest Expenses in Retirement
Overall, your expenses may drop in retirement — but not as significantly as you anticipate. Chris Kowalik explains why some of your biggest expenses may surprise you, and why it’s critical to get these costs under control before you retire and account for them in your retirement plan more…
FEHB & Medicare: The Decision You Can’t Afford to Get Wrong
Chris Kowalik outlines what Medicare Part B covers, when it starts, how Medicare works with FEHB, and the base costs (and why you may pay more) more…
Applying for Federal Retirement
Chris Kowalik gives tips on preparing retirement paperwork to keep your earned benefits, avoid delays, and know what to expect more…
Tips on Updating Beneficiaries to Your Federal Benefits
Outdated beneficiary designations can override your intentions and leave your family with surprises you never meant.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…