How to Contest Denied Claims in Federal Benefits Programs
Each of the federal insurance programs has procedures for challenging the denial of a claim. Federal Employees Health Benefits Program …More
Retirement & Financial Planning Report
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Specifying Payouts to a Trust’s Beneficiary
If you include a trust in your estate plan, the trust document should spell out how the trustee will distribute …More
SSA Warns of Scam Phone Calls
The Social Security Administration and its inspector general’s office have issued a new warning about scam phone calls purporting to …More
Child Eligibility Varies by Benefit Type
Children’s eligibility for certain benefits changes vary by type of benefit. Under the Federal Employees Health Benefits program, a child …More
Recession Still Affecting Retirement Confidence
Nearly 10 years after the low point of the Great Recession, the downturn is still affecting retirement confidence, with only …More
What You Pay to Provide a Survivor Annuity
While it may be tempting to turn down the offer of a survivor annuity and either invest the extra money …More
Estate Planning from A to B
Many estate tax plans use an “A-B” trust structure: * The A trust may be called a marital trust. The …More
Many Retirees Don’t Follow Asset Drawdown Strategy, Says Report
Drawing down assets on a regular schedule after retirement is a standard premise of retirement planning but in practice, “many …More
How to Calculate a Mixed CSRS-FERS Annuity
If you are one of the FERS employees who have at least five years of CSRS service under their belts, …More
Satisfaction with Health Plan Tends to Remain Stable
People who stay with one health insurance plan for many years tend to get no more satisfied with it over …More
If Marrying at Older Age, Consider a Prenup
Those marrying at older ages should at least consider a prenuptial agreement, since both spouses may come into a marriage …More
Having Mortgage at Older Age Not Necessarily a Bad Sign, Report Says
An increasing share of households with persons age 60 and older have mortgage debt than in the past but that …More
Special Considerations for Retirees in Living Benefits Policy
If you are in the unfortunate situation of qualifying for a “living benefit” under the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance …More
The Key Roles in a Trust Arrangement
When you create a trust as part of your estate plan, there are three roles to fill: * The grantor. …More
Education Leads to Longer Career but Health Biggest Factor
Having a higher level of education is helpful in achieving a goal of extending a working career but is no …More
Getting Tax Benefits from Variable Annuities
If you invest in a variable annuity, you can enjoy several tax benefits: * Tax-free buildup. Any investment earnings won’t …More
Retirees at All Wealth Levels Are Protective of Assets
Retirees in each of three levels of assets show the same type of reluctance to draw down those assets and …More
FLTCIP Coverage Can Be Decreased or Upgraded
Any employee or retiree who is eligible for coverage under the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program–and that includes the …More
IRS, Lottery Scams Target Older Persons, Committee Finds
A caller pretending to be from the IRS and falsely accusing people of owing back taxes and penalties is the …More
Report Underscores Importance of Health Benefits
Health insurance benefits are such a high priority to workers that nearly half of them say they are very or …More
Word Choices Count in Insurance Matters
Whenever you’re dealing with an insurance company, or if you’re in a situation that probably will lead to an insurance …More
Focus on Fixed Expenses in Retirement, Says Report
Retirement planning often is based on an assumption that certain expenses will decrease and the household will be able to …More
Exploring the Insurable Interest Annuity Option
In addition to the standard survivor annuity options available to those retiring, another, more rarely used, option exists: the insurable …More
Using a Trust to Hold College Savings
Many people have created revocable living trusts to hold their assets. If you have such a trust, should you use …More
Report Illustrates the View from Age 65
While age 65 is no longer the standard age for receiving standard Social Security benefits, it remains a touchstone for …More
Some Circumstances Can End FEGLI Coverage
You might lose your FEGLI life insurance coverage under certain circumstances: * you leave government for any reason other than …More
Estate Plan Mistakes to Avoid
When you’re developing an estate plan, avoid these four common errors: * Don’t give away assets too soon. Youngsters may …More
Report Cites Issues to Consider on Assessing Preparedness
An assessment of whether projected retirement income will be adequate to meet projected future needs may be inaccurate unless it …More
Assignment of FEGLI Can Be Voluntary or Not
You may assign your Federal Employees Group Life Insurance to one or more persons, firms or trusts. Assignment means that …More
Sheltering Your Assets for a Surviving Spouse
Assets left to a surviving spouse avoid estate tax, no matter how large the bequest. However, some people are reluctant …More
