Income, Assets, and College Financial Aid Impacts
Your salary and benefits are likely excellent as a mid-career fed. However, the chances are pretty good that you don’t have buckets of cash available to pay for your child’s…
USPS Suspends Employer FERS Payments Amid Cash Crisis: Does it Affect Your Retirement?
The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced a temporary suspension of its employer contributions to the defined benefit portion of the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), effective April 10, 2026,…
Closing the Retirement Gap After 50: A Step-by-Step Fed Guide
If you’re behind on retirement savings, the goal isn’t perfection. It’s increasing how much you save, starting now. For many Feds, catch-up saving after 50 comes down to three levers:…
FEGLI After 55: When it Gets Expensive and What to Do
Many federal employees treat the Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program as a “set it and forget it” benefit. Early in your career, that approach works because premiums stay…
Two Pensions, One Plan: Taxes, Timing, and Survivor Choices
Two pension checks arriving each month create a dependable income in retirement. That stability helps, but it also means taxes, survivor elections, and health coverage decisions carry more weight.
Hidden Tax Breaks Federal Employees Often Miss
Federal benefits carry real value. A Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pension, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), and Social Security together form a strong retirement foundation, but taxes determine how much…
The I Fund Explained: Diversifying Beyond U.S. Stocks in Retirement
Many of our Feds build retirement portfolios heavily around U.S. stocks, often through the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) C Fund. That approach has worked well, but it creates concentration risk.…
Stretching Your FERS Pension: Smart Withholding and Tax Moves
Your pension is steady. Your tax picture can shift from year to year. Withholding too little may lead to a tax bill in the spring and possibly penalties. Withholding too…
Commuting, Costs, and Timing: A Fed’s Guide to Moving Smart
Return-to-office changed more than your calendar. It changed the numbers. A house that made sense when you commuted twice a week can look very different when you drive in five…
Closing the MRA-to-62-Years Gap: FERS Supplement Alternatives
As a federal government employee, you could take advantage of your minimum retirement age (MRA). If you’re fortunate, the FERS annuity supplement bridges potential income gaps between your MRA and…