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FAQs Related to Federal Retirement Planning

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The number of retirees receiving social security benefits has increased from 34 million to 47 million in the US. It clearly indicates how important retirement planning is. Whether you have just kick-started or are at the mid-way of your career, it is never too late to plan your retirement.

According to a study, 39% of adults start saving for their retirement in their mid-20s. Another study suggests that an average American starts saving money for their retirement at age 31. When you want to begin your retirement planning, you need to increase your awareness, especially when you are a federal employee.

What is the federal employee retirement program?

Under FERS, a federal employee is eligible to receive benefits from three sources, a basic benefit plan, social security plan, and a thrift saving plan. A basic benefit plan is the most common type of retirement plan that every employee is eligible for. A thrift saving plan is similar to a private sector 401 (k), while social security is another type of benefit that a federal employee receives based on the eligibility criteria.

What if your employment comes under fers special retirement category?

If you fall under the category of fers special retirement, your retirement age would be less than other federal employees. They may retire at age 62, but you’ll be retiring at age 57; there will be a money gap till you become eligible for receiving social security benefits. But, you are eligible for receiving special supplemental benefits. It is an extra supplemental income that bridges the money gap till you become eligible for receiving FERS benefits.

Should you calculate your retirement benefits yourself?

You can calculate your retirement benefits yourself using a federal retirement calculator. All you need to know is your high three average salaries and year of creditable service. You can put all the values in the formula to calculate your estimate. However, you can calculate your estimate much more accurately with the help of professionals. But where can you find such professionals? Find out in the next point.

Seek professional help from My Federal Retirement Help

We are federal retirement planning specialists who offer guidance so you can choose the best retirement plan to meet your and your family’s needs. We will listen to your concerns and chart out personalized plans to meet your goals. In the end, we will make sure that your checklist is covered and that you can get the most out of federal employee retirement planning.

What do You need to Know About Special Retirement Supplement?

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Do you know about the FERS supplement? An important retirement benefit plan for individuals who retire before the age of 62, it is also called the Special retirement supplement or SRS. Many individuals retiring before 62 are not aware of FERS benefits and thus couldn’t make a wise decision.

Special retirement supplement offers various benefits, such as it bridges the money gap if you retire before age 62 as you don’t receive social security until you reach age 62. But, not all federal employees are eligible for a special retirement supplement.

Who gets FERS special retirement benefits?

Federal workers younger than age 62 eligible for an unreduced federal employee retirement system are also eligible for temporary extra benefit, i.e., FERS annuity supplement. Firefighters, air traffic controllers, and law enforcement officers who retire under special provisions and FERS retirees who retire at age 60 with a minimum of 30 years of service are also eligible. If you are a firefighter planning your retirement, learn about FERS’s special supplement.

Rule for eligibility

1) If the employee has at least one calendar year of service at the time of retirement

2) Individuals retiring at or after reaching MRA with at least 30 years of service

3) individuals retiring at age 60 with at least 20 years of service

So, if you are eligible for FERS special retirement supplement, estimate it with the help of the below-mentioned formula.

 

 

How to estimate FERS special retirement supplement?

Get your annual social security statement handy to estimate your supplement amount. You also need to know how many years of creditable service you would have at the time of your retirement. Now, you can use the formula.

Years of creditable service/40 * your age 62 social security benefit = your estimated FERS supplement. Calculating FERS supplement benefits is an extremely time-consuming and complex task; take the help of a consultant from My Federal Retirement Help.

We are a team specialized in designing a comprehensive financial plan considering all aspects related to pre-retirement and retirement. We make integrated financial plans tailored to your specific goals and your family’s needs.

Reduction in FERS Supplement

FERS supplement is treated as social security income, so if you take the supplement before the full social security retirement age, your supplement can be subjected to taxes and reductions. Also, if you take a part-time job after retiring from federal service, your supplement may get reduced. Contact an expert to get more clarity on this.

My Federal Retirement Help is a team of planners and advisors who can help federal employees get into the next stage in their life by assisting them with a retirement plan, paperwork, and its submission to OPM.

Whole Life Insurance: What You Need to Know About It

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We all want to protect our loved ones from the uncertainties of life. So, we take a life insurance policy for our family. Many people go with While Life Insurance policies to take advantage of unique features, including consistent, level premiums for life, the ability to accumulate cash value, and living benefits. Do you also want to get the same for your loved ones? Read further to learn more.

Furthermore, some Whole Life Policies come under a special category. This means that you receive dividends through these policies, while getting cash value. Keep in mind that you get this benefit only, if you go through mutual life insurance companies. If you want to know more about it, look for a federal professional for federal employee retirement help.

If we talk more about mutual life insurance companies, stockholders or private equity companies don’t own them. Policyholders own these companies. Moreover, we are here to explore the main features of a Whole Life policy and make sure it is right for you.

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Permanent Coverage

Whole life insurance is nothing but permanent life insurance. It has some varying features compared to term life insurance. This insurance policy has been designed to protect you through your lifespan. Whether you die today after buying the policy or 50 years later, your loved ones will receive the benefits. After all, hire a consultant if you are planning your retirement and need any help with federal retirement.

Build Cash Value

While you take benefit of consistent premiums, your Whole Life insurance collects cash value for you in the form of dividends. Mutual life insurance companies help you make the most out of your policy. As a policy owner, you receive an equitable portion of the company’s surplus each year as a dividend. If you want federal employee retirement helphire a federal consultant. 

Consistent Premiums

Whole Life premiums work as per your age and will not vary throughout your life. In comparison with FEGLI, FEGLI will become greater in cost by over 650% by the time you retire. After all, many federal employees want to reduce their coverage to maintain the deduction at retirement. For this, it is good to have Whole Life insurance that compensates the risk with guaranteed premiums. To get help with federal retirementlook for a federal consultant near you.

Simplified Issue

As a federal professional, you can take advantage of this policy with simplified issue guidelines. This means that you will not need to undergo any health exams, bloodwork, or other requirements. That’s all.

What is the Federal Employee Retirement System, and How Does It Work?

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A federal employee retirement plan or FERS is a retirement plan for federal government employees working in the executive, judiciary, and legislative branches of the federal government. However, this retirement plan doesn’t cover military personnel or employees of state or local government.

The employees under the FERS retirement system can avail of benefits from three sources: the basic benefit plan, social security, and the thrift saving plan, or “401k” Federal Savings Plan . Want to discover what benefits you will get from federal civil service retirement plans or FERS? Read on.

 

  • Basic benefit plan

Under the basic benefit plan, employees receive a set amount, regardless of the amount they have contributed. The amount you will receive will depend on the length of service and high-3 average. High-3 is the highest three consecutive years of service, often the last three years of your service. However, if you held a higher paying position in your service, your higher three years could be considered from that time.

 

  • Social Security

Your social security benefits depend on the time you have been working and the amount of money you have earned over that period. Every federal employee has to contribute 6.2% of their basic pay to the social security fund.

 

  • Thrift saving plan

A Thrift saving plan is similar to a 401(K). In1986, Congress established “401k” Federal Savings Plan for federal employees; however, it covers employees hired before 1986. According to this plan, 1% of your salary will go into a “401k” Federal Savings Plan contribution each pay period. Unlike social security plans and basic benefit plans, the amount you receive will depend on market conditions, the fund you choose, and other conditions.

Want to gain all information about thrift saving plans? My Federal Retirement is there for help. Our financial advisors will tell you about various retirement plans for federal employees, for instance, FERS firefighter retirement, federal civil service retirement plan, etc. We will also help you choose the best retirement plan aligned with your life goals.

My Federal Retirement specializes in analyzing all aspects of your pre and post-retirement planning and designing a comprehensive financial plan tailored to your specific goals, your family, and your individual needs. You can meet our licensed professional to discuss your retirement financial plans anytime.

Consider these Things if you want to retire within 5 Years

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If you want to retire from your federal government job within five years, you should know some important things. After all, you should make sure everything is right for a great exist from your federal career.

In this article, we have included four things that you should do to retire within five years of your job. You can also contact a federal consultant to plan your federal retirement to gain the most out of it.

Remember to keep your insurance into retirement

It is always helpful to keep the insurance in your retirement, but not all are able to do so. You need to follow essential rules to keep the insurance into retirement. Eligibility for FEHB is:

• You need to enrol in FEHB for a minimum of five years before retirement.
• You should be covered under FEHB when retiring.

While FEHB has rules to keep it into retirement, FEGLI has certain rules. You need to follow all these rules to carry your insurance to your retirement. To understand the rules in detail, call a federal consultant. They will also help you with FERS special supplements.

Consider your retirement income and expenses 

If you are a federal employee, you should know that you have three primary income sources: FERS pension, social security, and your “401k” Federal Savings Plan . If you don’t know how these incomes sources work, hire a federal consultant. They will explain each technical point and help you plan your federal retirement.

medicare-supplement

Know the decision you make at retirement 

Mainly, three big decisions you usually make at your retirement include survivor benefit, life insurance, and “401k” Federal Savings Plan . The survivor benefit is when you have to offer your spouse a piece of your pension. Life insurance helps you take care of all your medical expenses. After your retirement, you have to decide how you will use your “401k” Federal Savings Plan funds or how you will invest them. Learn more about these three terms with a federal consultant. They will help you plan your retirement in the right way.

Choose a retirement date

The last important thing to decide to retire within five years of federal service is to choose a specific day. Choosing a date to retire makes a big difference in how you receive your pension. If you don’t know anything about planning your retirement within five years of your job, hire a federal consultant. They will help you in everything from planning to knowing about FERS special supplement. That’s all.

Know About Switching From Federal Service to Private Sector

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Are you thinking of switching from your federal career to the private sector? Before you switch, you need to learn some important things about it. After all, if you have made your decision, then stay with this blog to learn more.

You are not alone if you want a transition in your federal service. Many people like you want to work in the private sector by switching from their federal life. After all, you may think of doing so to make more money with less hassle. But keep in mind that it is not easy to make a transition in your federal career. You may not get some benefits such as civil service retirement benefits for federal employees in a private-sector job.

Moreover, your private sector employment will come with some benefits as well as some downsides. Keep reading this post to know the reasons for switching from a federal job to the private sector.

medicare-supplementSalary

One of the reasons you think of changing your federal career is salary. You may have an offer from the private sector with a higher salary, and so you want to make a switch. But you should know that retired federal employees gain huge retirement and social security benefits you may not get in the private sector. After all, you can consult a federal professional before leaving your federal job. A professional will help you with the federal government pension plan calculator and other tools.

Health insurance

Health insurance is one of the great benefits you get as a federal employee. And due to this, many people don’t want to leave the federal government. You know that health costs are rising day by day, so it is crucial to have an affordable health plan for you and your family.

Further, many contracting companies offer more affordable health insurance than federal employees. This is the reason why people want to switch. But you should not underestimate the civil service retirement benefits for federal employees. You may not get it in a private job.

Life insurance

FEGLI is the best health insurance program that allows federal employees to take advantage of insurance regardless of health issues. You may not get this benefit in the private sector. On the other hand, if you have good health, you may get cheaper options in the private sector.

Pension

As a federal employee, you know that you get a pension on your retirement, which is a huge perk. While many contracting companies offer a similar plan to the “401k” Federal Savings Plan , only a few will have a pension plan. For these civil service retirement benefits for federal employees, many people don’t want to switch. That’s all.

Do You Know These Facts About Federal Retirement?

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You go through several facts in your daily life. Some of them are interesting but don’t make any difference in your life whether or not you know them. After all, when it comes to federal retirement, federal employees should know these facts about federal retirement. These facts may be a subject of discussion for many on weekends. 

Moreover, below we have included some fun facts about federal retirement you will want to know. If you are worried about federal government retirement benefits and pension plans, these facts may be beneficial for you. 

federal retirement planning - fers benefits -retirement support services - tsp payment schedule 2018

The federal retirement system is about 100 years old

Do you know the federal retirement system is almost 100 years old? The single mandatory retirement age of 70 was created in 1920 under an act. In the beginning, retirement was not permitted except for disability. But in 1922, a retroactive provision came into force enabling discontinued service retirement at age 55 with 15 years of service. If we talk about the basic annuity, it was 60% of the final 10-year average salary. Moreover, if you are not clear about civil service retirement benefits for federal employeesyou can consult professionals in your area. 

Withdraws from conventional “401k” Federal Savings Plan accounts are taxed as ordinary income.

Conventional “401k” Federal Savings Plan withdrawals are a part of your other income that is taxed with ordinary federal rates. In addition to it, you need to keep yourself aware of the 10% tax penalty if you make any early withdrawals due to resigning or taking an early retirement before age 55. After all, to know more about federal government retirement benefits and pension plans, you can consult a professional federal retirement planner in your area. 

People are working longer.

As of 2014, the total workforce, including men and women, was 23% and 15%, respectively. The age of male and female individuals was 65 and older. The total workforce is supposed to increase in the upcoming years. If we talk about the study of the Census Bureau, the nation’s 90 and older population has almost tripled over the previous four decades. After all, federal employees should keep themselves aware of the advantages of lifetime pensions and health insurance. To know more about civil service retirement benefits for federal employeesyou can call a professional federal retirement planner in your area. That’s all. These are some facts about federal retirement you need to know. 

Federal Employee Retirement Planning Checklist

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If you want to retire at the time you have always planned to, and with a sufficient pension amount so that you can live the rest of your retirement life comfortably, the last five to ten years of your service are crucial. You can also take a financial advisor’s help to calculate the FERS benefits, understand how to boost up the perks, and what would be the perfect age for your retirement. 

When you contact a FERS advisor, they will use the federal government pension plan calculator to calculate the benefits that you may receive. Meanwhile, they will also offer you a federal employee retirement planning checklist that will assist you in planning a comfortable retirement. The checklist contains numerous factors.   

retirement planning 

The accuracy of SF 50 form

It is one of the important factors of the federal employee retirement planning checklistYou should ensure that all the details in your form are correct, especially box 30 and box 31 for retirement plan and service computation date, respectively. Box 30 is for the retirement plan you are covered under, and box 31 determines annual leave for full-time employees. 

 

Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB) coverage

Suppose you are enrolled under FEHB insurance through yourself or through a spouse who is also a federal employee and if you want to retain the benefit of FEHB through your retirement years. In that case, you must ensure that you have the FEHB coverage for at least five years on the day of your retirement. 

Thrift Saving Plan Contributions 

Use a federal government pension plan calculator to calculate how much you must contribute to the thrift saving plan. If you want to have a good amount in your thrift saving, you must also contribute the maximum amount to “401k” Federal Savings Plan . Unless you want to withdraw the amount as soon as you retire, you should allow for its long-term growth. 

Examine social security benefits

It is another factor of the federal employee retirement planning checklistThe social security benefit would be paid to the individual in the case of death, disability, or retirement. You must ensure that your earning history is mentioned correctly. 

These are some of the important checklists of the federal employee retirement plan. However, one of the mistakes an employee can make is not updating his estate plan. The important estate plan includes beneficiaries’ details, a living will, and establishing a trust to cover inheritance taxes. 

medicare-supplement

Federal Special Retirement – Know about Best Medicare Supplements Plan

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Federal special retirement supplement has many things to cover. Most importantly, medicare supplement plans formulated to give exclusive benefits to the FERS employees who are very close to the retirement age. Every senior citizen needs special medicare benefits. Federal employees have exclusive rights to avail the benefits while signing off from the services after completing stipulated years of a required job as per FERS special retirement supplement criteria.

Know-How Medicare is Associated with FERS Supplement Plan

Medicare is associated with FERS special retirement supplement. FYI, Medicare is the natural health insurance for which federal employees are eligible once they reach 65. There are various parts of federal medical supplement plans as Part A makes patients eligible for treatment in hospital, skilled nursing facility as well as domicile health and hospice care, Part B pays doctor fees and medical bills, Outpatient hospital care as well as for various other medical facilities availed that are not covered under part A. Other than this, the program involving other medical care choices is Part C.

Federal employees enrolled in FERS special retirement supplement pay some portion of the amount from their salary and become eligible for federal medicare supplement plans that are called Medigap

 Know About the Medicare Eligibility

If you’ve enrolled in FERS special retirement, then the only thing that matters is whether you are eligible to avail of any federal medicare supplement plans. There’s no question of eligibility if you or your spouse are federal employees and have worked for at least ten years in Medicare-covered employment. Other than this, it would help if you were 65 years old and a permanent resident of the United States. In case you’re younger and have any disability or kidney disease, then you’re the exception to the rule and found eligible to avail any of the federal medicare supplements plans.

 How to Avail Part A without Paying Premium at 65 Years Age

Being a federal employee, you can avail part A of federal medicare supplement plans being enrolled for FERS special retirement supplement

  • Already subscribed for receiving retirement benefits from social security or railroad retirement board
  • Already received railroad retirement benefits but have not filed for them
  • Either you or your spouse is covered under any of the federal medicare supplement plans

Even if you’re under 65 years of age,  there’s no hassle in availing federal medicare supplement plan if:

  • You are eligible to receive social security benefits or railroad retirement board disability benefits for 24 months
  • You are a kidney transplant patient or in dialysis

Though you are eligible for a federal medicare supplement plan without paying any premium for part A, you need to pay for part B as its monthly premium is $148.50 for most enrollees. The high-income retires need to pay the surcharge, which is phased as per pay level. No matter you’re in FERS special retirement program, it’s essential you need to pay for part B in case of getting an exception in part A due to one or the other reason