A cost of living adjustment this size carries a double message. First, that inflation is back, and second, that not everybody will get the full increase. Some will even get nothing, meaning even more belt-tightening!
For the vast majority of feds still on the payroll, plus a growing number of those already retired under the newer Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), big COLAs mean fiscal heartburn.
Have your career plans changed some, a lot or completely since the COVID pandemic? Has the retirement tsunami, first predicted in the 1990s, actually started?
Currently, most feds in retirement left under the CSRS program so they get full COLAs. But the overwhelming majority of people working for Uncle Sam now are under the FERS program.
Time, especially for federal workers under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), can be on your side. If you plan wisely and begin early.
Do you suffer from pension envy? Many current and retired federal employees do!
With inflation on the rise, a growing number of feds are crunching the numbers to weigh the financial benefits of working another year or two.
Are you saving enough for retirement? Maybe the question nags at you; maybe you wish you thought about it more.
The 22% increase in federal retirements from June to July has led to a growing claims backlog.
Unless the stock market tanks, big time, during the next 51 days the number of federal Thrift Savings Plan millionaires is expected to skyrocket.
A higher January COLA could mean the nation is in for an extended period of higher inflation.
The decision to collect your Social Security now or later can be a tough one. There are a number of tradeoffs.
Retirement with debt is a bad idea, especially if you are under the FERS program with its diet-COLA formula.
January 2022's cost of living adjustment for federal retirees will depend on not only their plan, but also inflation.
If federal retirees wait until age 70 to collect Social Security, their monthly benefits could see a big increase.