The FEDZONE contains all articles written by Ed Zurndorfer:
A former career Federal employee, Ed has published a staggering 1,200+ separate articles on Federal Benefits and Retirement!
Just “Google” his name, and you are likely to find a plethora of sites that contain his writings. Drawn to its mission to reach, teach
and serve Feds, Serving Those Who Serve is the only financial planning practice with which Ed has chosen to affiliate in over
20 years teaching. In addition to conducting Federal Benefits seminars for Serving Those Who Serve, you can find Ed’s
writings here on our blog in the FedZone, and on Fed-Soup, MyFederalRetirement, FederalNews Radio and NITP. He is a
member of the Maryland Society of Accountants, the National Association of Enrolled Agents, the International Society of
Certified Employee Benefits Specialists, the Financial Planning Association, the National Association of Health Underwriters,
and the Society of Financial Service Professionals. Since 1999, Ed has taught many thousands of Federal employees about
their benefits, in person and at Federal agencies all over the country. Ed is a true national treasure.
IRS Form 5498 (IRA Contribution Information) is vitally important for individuals who own any type of Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA). The Form 5498 is completed by every IRA custodian meaning…
Social Security benefits are designed to replace a portion of the earnings an individual (and in some cases , the individual’s family) loses because of the individual’s retirement, disability, or…
To help individuals save for their retirement, Congress passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2022 (SECURE Act 2.0). SECURE Act 2.0 was signed into law…
In accordance with the Internal Revenue Code, the IRS limits the amount that employees can contribute via payroll deductions to their qualified retirement plans. Qualified retirement plans include 401(k), 403(b)…
In this episode, Dan and Ed break down the key updates for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program, Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) program, Federal Employees Dental and Vision…
A 42-page PDF from the FEDZONE Vault by Ed Zurndorfer: "What Federal Employees Should Know About the Coordination of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, TriCare and Medicare"
At most federal agencies, January 11,2026 is the beginning of the 2026 leave year. Many employees and retirees would agree that the 2025 leave year was in fact a tumultuous…
Join Dan and Ed as they break down the Medicare Open Enrollment (Annual Election) Period and what federal retirees need to know when choosing or changing coverage. This episode explains…
During 2024, the IRS issued final guidance for individuals who inherited IRAs after December 31,2019, explaining the rules for inherited IRA required minimum distributions (RMDs). The first inherited traditional IRA…
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) announced that starting January 28, 2026, TSP participants will be able to convert portions of their traditional (before-taxed) TSP balance to the Roth (after-taxed) TSP…