The Return of the Medicare Advantage “Open Enrollment Period”
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period was discontinued in 2010. Now, in 2019 the OEP is making a return. From …More
Retirement & Financial Planning Report
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SSA Compassionate Allowances Program Expanded
The Social Security Administration has expanded the scope of its compassionate allowances program, a fast-track toward approval of disability claims. …More
Protecting Your FLTCIP Benefits from Inflation
If you’re thinking of enrolling in the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program—which many employees not currently enrolled consider as …More
Owning Assets as ‘Joint Tenants’
For certain assets, you might want to hold title as “joint tenants with right of survivorship (JTWROS).” That gives the …More
Financing Retirement No Simple Task, Says Report
The shift from defined benefit to defined contribution plans has created opportunities but also responsibilities for financing retirement that have …More
Taking an In-Service TSP Withdrawal without a Tax Penalty
Age 59 ½ is significant in tax-advantaged savings plans such as the Thrift Savings Plan because under the tax code, …More
Trusts for Just-in-Case Situations
Revocable living trusts are increasingly popular. In most revocable trusts, you (the trust creator) are also the trustee and the …More
Some Relief May Be Ahead from Minimum Distribution Rule
A recent executive order may provide some relief for TSP investors—as well as investors in other tax-favored retirement savings plans—from …More
Some FEHB Changes Are Allowed Outside of Open Seasons
The annual open season — this year, November 12-December 10—is when most enrollment changes in the Federal Employees Health Benefits …More
Driving Down Auto Insurance Costs
To cut auto insurance costs, look into buying it from the same company that provides your homeowner’s insurance and/or other …More
Annuities That Come with a Guarantee
So-called “living benefits” can pay off for variable annuity purchasers during their lifetime, in contrast to the death benefits that …More
Student Loan Debt Hampering Retirement Savings
The shares of households with student loan debt and the average amounts owed have continued to rise in recent years, …More
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
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
