When I started writing here I thought everything was going to focus on divorce property valuations and division. But a blog or any web site has to mold itself to the needs of its readers. A majority of my search engine visitors and a majority of the visitors who stay and read more than a single page are looking for much more basic retirement planning questions. As so frequently happens, very complicated issues like a persons’ Social Security eligibility and benefits can be broken [...] Continue Reading…
Remember that Honey and Bunny both Rhyme with Money
NYC Woman Charged With Conning Man, 85 Friday, October 6, 2006 (10-06) 10:40 PDT New York (AP) — A teen age vixen conned an 85-year-old man out of as much as a $1 million during a two-year relationship, and he may not have been her only victim, Queens prosecutors said. Louis Bruno of Queens said he met Natasha Marks two years ago outside a Waldbaum’s supermarket when she was 18 and he was 83. Bruno was hooked after Marks [...] Continue Reading…
Posted in Divorce Attorney, Retirement Planning
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How Much Does The Military Make?
Here’s an article that makes you think. The City Of New York, both victim and hero of 9-11 and “proprietor” of some of the world’s best emergency services ought to be taking care of their employees. Well, they’re taking care of them, all right. Taking care of them the way the bull “takes care” of the cow. The issue is that the city expects that city employees should not be paid twice for the time they are away from their jobs on [...] Continue Reading…
CSRS and FERS Retiree On Line Services
One big issue that always seems to cause delay and dissension in Federal retiree divorce cases is the simple retrieval of information. One an employee is retired, his or her personnel-type issues are handled from the Office Of Personnel Management (OPM, formerly called the Civil Service Commission) in Boyers, Pennsylvania. Their mailing address is:
Office of Personnel Management
Retirement Operations Center
Post Office Box 45
Boyers PA 16017-0045
They maintain a toll-free call center on 1-888-767-6738
and they answer email inquires at: retire@opm.gov
Many of the simpler questions [...] Continue Reading…
Posted in CSRS, FERS, Retirement Planning
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Military Life After Retirement
Reveille and Hyperbole:As employers and industries throughout the country progressively realize the value of hiring military veterans, MilitaryStars, the nation’s largest military career expo company, continues its rollout of new venues throughout 2006. Phoenix, AZ will play host to MilitaryStars’ Western Regional Career Expo on October 3rd, 2006, and regional companies from myriad industries are signing on to attend the event alongside MilitaryStars’ national contract employers… see The subject here is always retired pay … how to keep it, how to value [...] Continue Reading…
Posted in Military Pay, Retirement Planning
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Important Deadline Approaches — Don’t Let It Slip By Unconsidered
Survivor benefits: An exit strategy for insurance? A financial planner says many military retirees were misinformed about a “survivor benefits plan,” and time is ticking away to sign up for it. BY CHRIS FLORES 247-4738 September 17, 2006 When Steve Hinds retired from the Air Force in 1992, he was confident that his life insurance would cover his wife’s living expenses if he died and she no longer had the income from his pension.So he turned down an option to cover [...] Continue Reading…
Posted in Military Pay, Retirement Planning
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Important Deadline Approaches — Don’t Let It Slip By Unconsidered
Survivor benefits: An exit strategy for insurance? A financial planner says many military retirees were misinformed about a “survivor benefits plan,” and time is ticking away to sign up for it. BY CHRIS FLORES 247-4738 September 17, 2006 When Steve Hinds retired from the Air Force in 1992, he was confident that his life insurance would cover his wife’s living expenses if he died and she no longer had the income from his pension.So he turned down an option to cover [...] Continue Reading…
Posted in Military Pay, Retirement Planning
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Coke and Pepsi Have Nothing On These COLAs
Federal retirees, from both Civil Service and the Military are entitled to COLA’s — Cost Of Living Adjustments — in their pensions and annuities. Hmmm, reminds me, I had better do a post soon on the difference between retirement pay and annuities. These retirements are special in comparison to many in the run-of-the mill commercial world retirement systems and it makes a big difference in retirement planning and divorce division of present and future assets. Here’s a run down. The U.S. Department of Labor [...] Continue Reading…
Posted in CSRS, FERS, Military Pay, NPV, Retirement Planning
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Divorce Attorneys Out Of Business?
North Carolina entrepreneur looks to offer divorce insurance
September 8, 2006
Company is currently pursuing a business method patent on the new insurance offering.
APEX, NC – If John Logan has his way, sometime in the very near future, people across the globe will be able to purchase insurance coverage against the potential financial devastation often caused by divorce.
Logan, Chairman & CEO of SafeGuard Guaranty Corporation, a Nevis based insurance company with operational headquarters near Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, announced plans to offer divorce insurance [...] Continue Reading…
Posted in Divorce, Divorce Attorney, Time Rule
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HERO Act and Divorce Division
Another Really Nice Tax Law Change
The HERO Act allows retroactive IRA contributions to both traditional and Roth IRAs for those service members and their spouses, if applicable, who are serving in combat zones. The HERO Act allows IRA contributions for years 2004 and 2005. These IRA retroactive contributions can be made as late as May 29, 2009. Even those service members with nontaxable combat pay are eligible. The funds can come from anybody, including friends and relatives.
Before the HERO Act, military members receiving combat [...] Continue Reading…
Posted in Military Pay, Retirement Planning
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TSP — New Withdrawal and Transfer Considerations
Pension reforms allow TSP transfers to Roth IRAs
By TIM KAUFFMAN
August 22, 2006
Beginning in 2008, Thrift Savings Plan participants will be able to transfer their TSP savings directly to a Roth IRA and avoid paying taxes on the funds when they’re withdrawn, under pension reforms signed into law Aug. 17.
Currently, TSP participants wishing to transfer savings to a Roth IRA must first place them in a traditional IRA. Just as with a TSP account, a traditional IRA allows participants to defer paying taxes on earnings [...] Continue Reading…
Posted in Divorce, Retirement Planning, TSP
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TSP — New Withdrawal and Transfer Considerations
Pension reforms allow TSP transfers to Roth IRAs
By TIM KAUFFMAN
August 22, 2006
Beginning in 2008, Thrift Savings Plan participants will be able to transfer their TSP savings directly to a Roth IRA and avoid paying taxes on the funds when they’re withdrawn, under pension reforms signed into law Aug. 17.
Currently, TSP participants wishing to transfer savings to a Roth IRA must first place them in a traditional IRA. Just as with a TSP account, a traditional IRA allows participants to defer paying taxes on earnings [...] Continue Reading…
Posted in Divorce, Retirement Planning, TSP
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CSRS FERS Civil Service Retirement — Harder Than It Looks
Smoothing the Transition
By Tammy Flanagan, National Institute of Transition Planning
There’s little question that the kind of benefits federal employees enjoy in retirement play a major role in their decision to work for Uncle Sam. A 2003 Office of Personnel Management survey showed that the availability of retirement and insurance benefits influenced the decision of 68 percent of respondents to pursue a career with the federal government.
Employees expect their well-earned retirement benefits will seamlessly appear upon the completion of a career of dedicated federal service. [...] Continue Reading…
Posted in Retirement Planning
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What Are The Advantages Of Blog Management Outsourcing?
by Sachin Kumar Airan
If you own a blog or hire a virtual aid or SEO company to help with your site development you will have heard of blog management outsourcing and are curious to discover what the services have to give. Since thousands of people write their own blogs online you could be considering what are the benefits of blog management outsourcing.
Well, the answer can be boiled down to two key elements, time efficiency and blog optimization. It is perfectly acceptable to [...] Continue Reading…
Don’t Miss Open Season
It’s very nearly Open Season for the US Federal Employee (and Retiree) Health Benefits Plan. This is “Fed Speak” for the special time per year when you can opt-in to the program or change plans, coverage modes, etc. It will run from 9 November through 14 December 2009. This has a lot to do with retirement for some folks … because if you carry the right plan … I’m featuring one here, the one I have used for years and am very happy with [...] Continue Reading…
Posted in FEHB
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Who Needs a Security Clearance Lawyer, Do It Yourself, It’s Cheaper
I’ve been doing some in-depth research on the US Security Clearance system, with a focus on clearances for Civil Service personnel and especially, US government contractors. I haven’t completed the bulk of the task yet, but I have come across a finding I think is sort of amazing … a large percentage of folks, denied their clearance for one reason or another, ask for a hearing or appeal through a judge on the written record of the case, pro se. Pro se [...] Continue Reading…
