As a homeowner, it’s natural to assume that flood damage is covered under your homeowner’s policy. There are some cases in which this is correct, at least to some degree. If lightning strikes and causes… Read More
How Might Inflation Affect Your Retirement Plans?
The subject of inflation has dominated the recent economic news. After a decade of low inflation rates averaging around 2%, the core inflation rate has soared in recent months. Inflation jumped from 2.6% in March… Read More
How to Send Your Kids to College Debt-Free
Students and families in the U.S. now owe more than $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, making this the second highest consumer debt category, trailing only mortgage debt. Student loan debt is now higher than… Read More
How the IRMAA Could Increase Your Medicare Premiums — and What You Can Do to Avoid This
One assumption some people have about retiree healthcare expenses is that when they turn 65 and become eligible for Medicare, their health insurance will be a low rate that doesn’t change. While it’s true that… Read More
What You Should Know About Postponed and Deferred Retirement Under FERS
How FERS Regular Retirement Works Before digging into postponed and deferred retirement, let’s first look at how FERS regular retirement works. Once you have at least 30 years of federal government service, you can retire… Read More
What Are Your TSP Investment Options — and How Can You Build a Retirement Portfolio with Them?
As a federal government employee, one key source of retirement income is likely to be the Thrift Savings Plan, or TSP. This is the federal government’s version of a 401(k) plan, a popular retirement savings… Read More
Is There a Role for Real Estate in Your Retirement Financial Plan?
The best retirement financial plans don’t rely on just one source of income. Instead, they feature a variety of different income sources, such as personal savings via an IRA, 401(k) or 403(b) plan; Social Security… Read More
What You Need to Know About Standard Form 50
When it comes to retiring as a federal government employee, there’s one form that’s absolutely indispensable. Known as Standard Form 50, or SF-50 for short, this is the official form used by the government to… Read More
Should I Make a Roth contribution or a Traditional IRA Contribution?
IRAs remain a great way to set aside funds for retirement, even though most people nowadays have access to a 401(k) or 403(b) retirement savings plan at work. One of the most common questions people… Read More
How Should You Invest Extra Cash?
If you find yourself with extra money at the end of the month or quarter after all of your expenses have been paid and you’ve made your regular retirement account contributions, congratulations! Now for the… Read More