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By: Brian Kurrus, CFP®
Published: February 2021
By: Bob Braunstein, Federal Benefits Specialist
Published: January 2021
By: Tom O’Rourke
Published: December 2020
Concerns about the coronavirus have caused individuals to review their estate plans “just in case”. A common concern is to make sure you have a plan in place to allow somebody you love and trust to act on your behalf with respect to your medical care if you contract the virus. You can do this by implementing a health care directive.
By: Mike Townshend
Published: November 2020
Why does this matter?
About 30 years ago, I was working for one of the Intelligence Agencies as a full-time contractor. I worked in their Headquarters Building near D.C.
After several years as a Senior Professional, and on a Monday morning, I arrived a bit early. So, I stopped at the Coffee Room to take a hot cup to my office and warm up to my day. As I walked down the hall to my office, I passed the office of one of the most senior Agency managers who I thought I knew well. I was alarmed to see his office barren without a hint of the volume of papers I had seen while in a meeting the previous Friday afternoon.
Published: November 2020
By: Bob Braunstein, Federal Benefits Specialist
By: Vanessa Craddock, Federal Benefits Specialist
Published: October 2020
Would you like an easy way to save money on your healthcare expenses?
By now, many Federal employees have heard of the various medical accounts they can use to save money, but have no idea which offers what and saves them the most. Let’s take a look at the two popular choices: Health Savings Accounts vs. Flexible Spending Accounts, and determine which one is best for you.
An HSA is a Health Savings Account, and an FSA is a Flexible Spending Account. Both have much in common. They are both designed to give you better control of the money spent on your healthcare. They both also allow you to save money in a tax-free account that can be used to cover qualified out-of-pocket expenses. However, depending on your Federal health insurance plan and your medical needs, one type may be better than the other.
By: Bob Braunstein, Federal Benefits Specialist
Published: September 2020
Military retirees who retire from the Federal civilian service have a little-known health insurance option that may be too good to pass up. For a very low cost, they have the ability to expand their health insurance networks beyond Tricare to include an FEHB program. And when the FEHB coverage is no longer needed, they can suspend paying for it. To have this option, one would need to be under active FEHB coverage upon retiring from civilian service. FEHB coverage in retirement for non-military retirees typically requires having the coverage for at least 5 continuous years immediately prior to separating/retiring. But, if one has Tricare, this coverage is included in the 5 years provided they are also covered by an active FEHB plan when they retire.
By: Kathy Lavinder
Published: August 2020
All transitions can be daunting; none more so than transitioning from the public sector to the private sector. Most people inherently understand that government agencies and for-profit businesses have different agendas, goals, cultures, and expectations. Just how different those are will come into clear focus as you begin your post-government job search.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
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By: Karen Schaeffer, CFP®
Published: July 2020
After 40 years of teaching people how to make smart money decisions, one of the most common reactions from students is: I wish I learned this when I was younger. Of course, it’s never too late to learn, but what if we really could roll back time and reach everyone before the big 4-0 milestone? In a perfect world, these are the money tips that every young person knows and uses:
By: Mike Townshend
June 2020
Today, out of necessity, a large percentage of our Federal workforce is working remotely, often at home. This way of working has challenged many of us to remain focused on our work, yet responsive to our friends and family as the day goes along.
Interruptions are problematic based on timing and distraction. When friends learn that we are working from home, they often assume that we are now available during the day and expect us to be responsive to their calls, emails, texts, and, even, stopovers. The fact is that any of these will likely be distractions from the work that we need to accomplish, often on deadline.
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