Whether an event is a good thing depends on the self-interest of those who are impacted.
Here is an example. President-elect Trump has indicated there will be a hiring freeze early in his administration. For those who were hoping to be hired by the federal government, that is bad news. Read more
Just in time for the holidays comes the “Best Places to Work in the Federal Government” report, filled with good tidings and bad news for federal agencies.
The annual report is awaited each year by top officials who want to look good and avoid embarrassment. That makes sense, because the ratings are a reflection on their leadership. But more than simply showing who is up and who is down, the Best Places report slices and dices data to show why employees are engaged in their work or not. Engagement pays off in productivity and service to the public. Used properly, the report is a workforce road map, providing signs on how to improve employee morale. Read more
The Thrift Savings Plan does not give you a lot of choices as to how to withdraw your money after you separate from federal service. In general, employer-sponsored plans such as the TSP do not offer the flexibility in withdrawal options that you will find in an IRA. Read more
Last week, we looked at the rising costs of Medicare Part B insurance, which helps cover doctors’ services and outpatient care. Many federal employees and retirees are wondering whether they need to sign up for the increasingly expensive Part B, since they typically already carry Federal Employee Health Benefits Program coverage into retirement. Read more
The premiums for Medicare Part B have been announced, by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), for the upcoming year of 2017. Although the Social Security COLA that was announced in October was low, preimum rates are set to increase across the board. Under the harmless hold provision, which applies to approximately 70% of beneficiaries, the average premium had been $104.90 for the past few years. Come 2017. this premium will increase by about 4% to $109. Read more