Benefits

  • At its monthly meeting on Monday, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board made two decisions that could have a big impact for federal employees participating in the Thrift Savings Plan.

    July 28, 2015
  • Fewer than 70 percent of retirement claims are processed in less than 60 days at the Office of Personnel Management, and estimating just how much you'll get in retirement benefits can take a long time. Tammy Flanagan is the Senior Benefits Director for the National Institute of Transition Planning. She says it's smart to have an idea about what your benefits will look like long before leaving. She tells In Depth with Francis Rose about the eight most common reasons why your retirement estimate might be inaccurate.

    July 24, 2015
  • A new report released by the Justice Department Inspector General’s office states that the DEA’s policies regarding use of high-risk confidential sources are out of compliance with the Attorney General’s guidelines. The IG says a lack of oversight for issues such as how sources are used, how actions in operations are sanctioned, and how benefits to sources are awarded could put operations at risk.

    July 22, 2015
  • Ever watch a dead bird fly? Or a rock run? Well, if you are hoping for a bigger CSRS or FERS annuity or Social Security check in January, that's about what you are doing.

    July 20, 2015
  • The congressional stalemate over funding a long-term highway bill is reviving fears that lawmakers could raid the Thrift Savings Plan. House Republicans have proposed cutting the G Fund's interest rate to free up $32 billion over ten years.

    July 14, 2015
  • A new Government Accountability Office report suggests the Veterans Affairs Department is being too generous with some of its benefits. More vets are claiming unemployability benefits because of service-related injuries, and a greater proportion of them are past retirement age. That raises the question of what unemployability benefits are supposed to do in the first place. Daniel Bertoni is GAO's Director of Education, Workforce and Income Security. He joined Emily Kopp on the Federal Drive to answer that question.

    July 13, 2015
  • A brand new law just signed by President Obama will give a lot of federal employees the ability to start drawing retirement funds from the Thrift Savings Plan much earlier than had been allowed in the past. It's called the Defending Public Safety Emploees Retirement Act and it applies to several federal positions that are already eligible for early retirement. Tammy Flanagan is the senior benefits director for the National Institute for Transition Planning. She tells In Depth guest host Jared Serbu how the law will work and what its impact will be.

    July 10, 2015
  • The fact that there are so many millionaires in Congress worries many people. But Federal News Radio Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says the solution may be to pay them less, not more money.

    July 10, 2015
  • The crooks are always one step ahead of us. Federal News Radio Senior Correspondent Mike Causey provides tips so that no one robs the Social Security Administration piggy bank.

    July 08, 2015
  • The Office of Personnel Management is encouraging agencies to improve assessments to foster a more balanced workplace for employees.

    July 03, 2015
  • Congress is working on two bills that impact the Thrift Savings Plan. But this time you don't need to worry about someone messing up a good thing. Kim Weaver is director of external affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board. She tells In Depth with Francis Rose how both bills may affect you.

    June 30, 2015
  • Will the cost of your health care coverage change in retirement? What's the latest on the self-plus-one coverage? How do you ensure your coverage in retirement? Host Bob Leins discusses these issues with Bob Braunstein, NITP seminar presenter and federal benefits specialist.

    June 21, 2015
  • If you become incapacitated, who will make life or death decisions for you? Attorney Marc Levine with Handler & Levine joins host Bob Leins with a focus on how to pick the people who will back decisions for you when you can't make them for yourself.

    June 19, 2015
  • House Republicans have dealt a blow to a proposed rule that advocates say would help federal employees and retirees avoid costly investment mistakes.

    June 18, 2015