New Year Brings New Finances
The arrival of the new year brings several changes in the financial pictures of federal and postal employees and retirees, …More
Fedweek
Sign up Now! Free eNewslettersFEGLI Rate Reminder
As previously announced, rates for Option B coverage under the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance will rise effective January 1 …More
No Action on Medicare Drug Benefit Required
Although the recent enactment of a prescription drug benefit in the Medicare program has drawn widespread interest among federal retirees-most …More
Medicare Rates Increasing
Premiums for Medicare Part B coverage-generally covering physicians’ services-will rise in 2004 from the current $58.70 a month to $66.60 …More
Earnings Test Limits Also Rising
The allowable limits for those drawing Social Security benefits but continuing to work-called the earnings test-also are rising slightly in …More
Social Security Earnings Thresholds Rising
Earnings of up to $87,900 will be taxable for Social Security purposes in 2004 for those subject to Social Security, …More
CBO Looks at Baby Boomers’ Retirement
With the “Baby Boom” generation approaching retirement, the Congressional Budget Office has issued a report examining a variety of factors …More
Carry-Overs Not Enacted
The use-or-lose feature of FSAs-a requirement of the tax code-has drawn criticism as encouraging wasteful year-end spending on the one …More
Remember FSA Use or Lose Feature
Federal employees who are currently enrolled in flexible spending accounts for the 2003 plan year should remember that the plan …More
HSAs to Carry Several Advantages
HSAs will allow enrollees to put in annually pre-tax amounts of up to $2,600 for individuals and up to $5,150 …More
New Health Savings Account Considered
The Office of Personnel Management is exploring whether and when a new type of tax-advantaged account created by the recently …More
End of TSP Open Season Coming Up
December 31 marks the end of the current open season in the Thrift Savings Plan for those not yet participating …More
Latest on Raise Situation
The Office of Personnel Management has published a fact sheet that runs through the raise situation, including the status of …More
DHS System Still on Drawing Board
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security-which a year ago received many of the same authorities over personnel policies that DoD …More
What Can Change, What Can’t
The DoD briefing paper summarizes what can and can’t change under the national security personnel system. What can be changed …More
Some Phased in, Some Left Out
The paper also notes that under the law, the initial implementation “may include up to 300K (300,000) employees in any …More
DoD Reforms to Take at Least Two Years
Implementation of the recently approved “national security personnel system” for the Defense Department will occur “over at least two years” …More
Expert’s View: Taking a Refund
If you separate for federal service for reasons other than retirement, you can get a refund of the contributions you …More
December 26 Holiday Granted for Most
Federal agencies will be closed and most employees will be excused from duty without charge to leave on Friday, December …More
Overtime Rules Allowed to Proceed
A legislative attempt to block proposed revisions in overtime rules for private sector employees that could spill over into the …More
Spending Bill Contains Familiar Provisions
The catchall budget bill contains several long-running provisions affecting certain federal personnel programs. The measure would continue requirements that: the …More
Pay Raise Still Not Finalized
Congress has recessed for the year after failing to pass a spending bill for the rest of this fiscal year …More
Several Bills Advance
The Senate has passed and sent to the House legislation (S-1522) to give the General Accounting Office more flexibility over …More
Expert’s View: Filling in the Medicare Gap
A Medigap plan is one that fills in benefit gaps in Medicare coverage, writes benefits expert Reg Jones. But if …More
Charge Card Crackdown Ordered
A provision of the recently enacted DoD authorization bill aims to impose tighter controls on government-issued travel charge cards, following …More
No Word Yet on Dec. 26 Day Off
The Bush administration has not yet made an announcement regarding whether December 26 will be a day off without charge …More
TSP Returns All Positive
All five Thrift Savings Plan investment funds posted positive returns in November, with the small and mid-capitalization (S) fund up …More
Blue-Collar Pay Policy May Change
A provision in the catchall spending bill for fiscal 2004 (HR-2673) for agencies whose regular appropriations haven’t been enacted could …More
Military Figure a More Reliable Indicator
Under a separate pay law for the military, the starting point for raises for uniformed personnel is a half percentage …More
Early Marker Set for 2005 Raise
An early marker has been set for the January 2005-not 2004-federal pay raise, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported …More
