Retirement

• The TSP: What’s in it for you?

  Financial advisor Arthur Stein will answer your calls and emails about the TSP. Also, Andy Medici and Amber Corrin of the Federal Times will discuss, among other things, Public Service Recognition Week and the recently passed DATA Act. April 30, 2014

  Mike Causey

  April 30, 2014
• To TSP or not to TSP? That is the question

  Are you sick of the constraints in the Thrift Savings Plan? Are you anxious to get outside investment help? Well before you turn your retirement nest egg over to a bank, or your freelance neighborhood dog walker, check out Senior Correspondent Mike Causey's column today.

  Mike Causey

  April 22, 2014
• An update on the Senior Executives Service

  Carol Bonosaro, president of the Senior Executives Association, will discuss the status of the SES, and Nicole Johnson and Andy Medici from the Federal Times will talk about cloud computing and the likelihood that feds will get a pay raise. April 9, 2014

  Mike Causey

  April 09, 2014
• Retirement backlog shrinks for first time this year

  Thanks to better than expected progress in processing federal retirement claims last month, the Office of Personnel Management's backlog of pending claims is shrinking for the first time this year. By the end of March, the number of backlogged claims shrank from more than 23,500 claims to about 18,500.

  Workforce

  April 07, 2014
• Medicare Part B: The $1,200 question

  With apologies to Shakespeare, the most common question federal workers ask at benefits seminars is the To B or Not to B question. Should they pay $1,200 a year for Medicare Part B, or rely on their federal health plan? Short answer: It depends, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

  Mike Causey

  April 07, 2014
• Tammy Flanagan, Senior Benefits Director, National Institute of Transition Planning

  The Thrift Savings Plan is unrolling a "Take Five for Your Future" initiative to help you understand your TSP options better. It's using the number five to drive home advice on agency contributions, from the five life cycle funds to how long it takes to start planning your financial future. The TSP even has a video to try to make the learning curve extra smooth. Tammy Flanagan, senior benefits director for the National Institute of Transition Planning, filled in Francis Rose on In Depth.

  All News

  April 04, 2014
• What’s going on on Capitol Hill?

  NARFE Legislative Director Jessica Klement will give us an update on pending legislation affecting federal workers and retirees. April 2, 2014

  Mike Causey

  April 02, 2014
• TSP performance mixed in March

  With gains on Wall Street hitting some headwinds in March, the performance of funds in the Thrift Savings Plan last month lagged behind February's advances. Three of the TSP's five regular funds ended the month in negative territory.

  Pay & Benefits

  April 01, 2014
• House budget seeks to up feds’ retirement contributions

  The budget blueprint unveiled by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) Tuesday includes a handful of proposals affecting the federal workforce that Ryan and House Republicans have championed in the past. Among them, the recommendation that federal employees contribute more of their salary toward their pensions and a proposal to shrink the federal workforce by 10 percent through attrition.

  Budget

  April 01, 2014
• Rush hour or sleep late? Your call!

  The way things are going, a lot of long-time feds are doing the math to see how much longer they can afford to work. So do you keep fighting rush-hour traffic or give yourself the option to sleep late? Follow the money, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

  Mike Causey

  April 01, 2014
• Taxes: Pay them now or pay them later

  Where and how you watch the Superbowl or Dancing With the Stars may depend on when and if you pay your taxes, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. So how can a Roth TSP help you, maybe, make a million tax-free dollars?

  Mike Causey

  March 31, 2014
• Investing: Channel your inner robot

  Investing for retirement might be a lot easier if you were a robot, rather than a flesh-and-blood human-being, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. Especially one who watches the news a lot.

  Mike Causey

  March 27, 2014
• The TSP: What’s in it for you?

  Financial advisor Arthur Stein will answer your calls and emails about the TSP. Also, Nicole Blake Johnson and Andy Medici of the Federal Times will discuss a possible downsizing of the U.S. Postal Service. March 26, 2014

  Mike Causey

  March 26, 2014
• Suze O on the TSP’s ‘free money’

  If your spouse or know-it-all sibling told you about free money you would probably ignore them, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. But if financial guru Suze Orman said it's available through your TSP, you'd stand at attention!

  Mike Causey

  March 26, 2014