Expert’s View

Okay, I know I’m taking my life in my hands, but I really feel a need to clear the air …More

Carrying health benefits into retirement is so important that employees listening to their coworkers or attending retirement seminars are either …More

First let’s set the record straight. If you are married when you retire (and there is no court order requiring …More

Yeah, I know. Going back to work for the government after you’ve retired is only an outside possibility. But just …More

Last week I wrote about one of the goals that OPM Director Linda Springer had set for her agency: by …More

There’s a new skipper at the helm of the good ship OPM – Linda Springer. She has established a series …More

Why is it that things that should be obvious are as usually clear as mud? Let me cite two examples …More

The President’s 2007 budget includes a proposal to force federal employees receiving workers’ compensation to switch to disability retirement when …More

Even as the number of employees covered by CSRS continues to decline, interest in the Voluntary Contributions Program – which …More

Considering how few benefits specialists are left in most agencies, it’s not surprising how often incorrect information is given to …More

I’ve often been asked to identify the granddaddy of retirement planning mistakes you can make. That’s a real challenge. There …More

As you are probably aware, the federal government doesn’t have a short-term disability program. In order to qualify for disability …More

Whether you are an employee or a retiree, if you die and have children, they may be eligible for a …More

In the last few weeks I’ve talked about increases in income for some or all of you based on salary …More

This time my remarks are directed to retirees. These days most of you who are 65 and older are covered …More

One of the most valuable benefits provided to federal employees, retirees, and survivors is access to a wide variety of …More

One of the best features of federal retirement – besides not having to go to work – is a financial …More

In the federal government, the numbers affecting your income and expenses change with the calendar. You are only now digesting …More

For those of you who are enjoying your first few days as retirees, I want to give you a bit …More

It’s a funny (not ha-ha) thing. The federal government doesn’t have a short-term disability program. It has untidily filled in …More

Because they know that I write about retirement and insurance matters, people I run into at the post office or …More

‘Tis the season to retire for many employees. If you are one of them and are covered by CSRS, you …More

As CSRS employee population ages, an ever increasing number of them have accumulated 41 years and 11 months of creditable …More

Every year, federal retirees enjoy a benefit that isn’t available to most of their fellow citizens – a cost-of-living adjustment …More

Did you know that there’s a thing called the Alternative Form of Annuity? The AFA once meant a great deal …More

It wasn’t all that long ago that those of us who are Medicare-covered were scratching our heads and trying to …More

Employees covered by CSRS Offset are in an oddball federal retirement system. Nothing ever seems easy for them because they …More

Here’s a question that has employees and personnel offices scrambling for an answer: If you are targeted in a reduction-in-force …More

Actuarial reductions are one of the mysteries of the retirement system. They are only used in certain cases, the most …More

Here’s the question: Should you elect a survivor annuity for your spouse when you retire? Before you say yes or …More