Resources news
DailyFED's resources section collects practical articles for federal employees: how to find and read your records, which forms to file and when, checklists for retirement and life events, and explainers on everyday benefits questions. For the full rules, each piece links to an FFEBA guide.
March20246 stories
- Life Insurance Basics: Term Life, Whole Life, Universal & VariableWhen you first start working for Uncle Sam, The Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance program (FEGLI) offers relatively inexpensive group term life insurance.
- Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Before Retirement?Paying off your mortgage before retirement can be an excellent way to help ensure you won’t outlive your nest egg.
- If You Plan To Age In Place, Consider Buying Long-Term Care InsuranceAccording to a 2021 AARP Home and Community Preferences Survey, 77% of adults age 50 and older want to remain in their homes as long as they’re physically able.
- Should You Take The Standard Deduction Or Itemize When Filing Your Taxes?With two options for taking deductions on your tax return, it’s important to understand the facts.
- 5 Things You Need To Know About Medicare Before You Turn 65As discussed in a recent article, under federal law you’re required to make a decision about enrolling in Medicare when you turn 65.
- Estate Planning: The Importance Of Preparing A Power Of AttorneyDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that anyone can become incapacitated at any time for unforeseen reasons.
February202412 stories
- Managing Your Money In RetirementThe best way to ensure against outliving your TSP nest egg is to make an effort to manage your spending in retirement.
- 5 Lesser-Known Facts About Social Security1.
- Start Living On Your Retirement Income While You’re WorkingThe best way to discover if you can afford to retire is to start living on your retirement income while you’re still working.
- How TSP RMDs & Rollovers Work At Age 73Why does the IRS want you to take Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from your traditional Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) at age 73?
- Understanding The Lump Sum Payment For Accrued Annual LeaveHave you ever wondered why so many federal workers pick a retirement date toward the end of the calendar year?
- How To Determine Tax-Friendly States For Federal RetireesAs you know, your FERS annuity, Social Security and traditional Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) distributions are all subject to federal income tax.
- The Importance Of Your Official Personnel Folder (OPF)One of the biggest mistakes you can make when applying for your federal retirement is waiting until the last minute to check the accuracy of your Official Personnel Folder (OPF).
- Estate Planning: The Components of An Ironclad WillAlthough it may be tempting to use a pre-printed, fill-in-the-blanks, Last Will and Testament, if it doesn’t comply with your state’s laws it may be contested in probate court.
- How To Calculate Your Retirement ExpensesIn the final years of your federal career, you’re likely putting the focus on saving as much as you can in your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).
- Tackling The 5 Big Decisions Of Your FERS RetirementIf you’re not fully informed about all of your options, you may make irreversible mistakes when tackling the five big decisions you have to make before you retire under FERS.
- How To Maximize Your 3 Sources Of Federal Retirement IncomeBelieve it or not, the amount of retirement income you receive from your FERS annuity (pension), Social Security and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is within your control when you...
- How To Build A Cash Reserve For RetirementPutting aside a cash reserve in an easily accessible account goes a long way toward making sure you won’t run out of money in retirement.
January20242 stories
- 10 Mistakes That Can Impact Your Federal RetirementFederal employees tend to make the same retirement-planning mistakes in the years leading up to their separation from service.
- Understanding The FEHB 5-Year RuleWith the cost of healthcare and prescriptions rapidly rising every year, you don’t want to risk losing your Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) in retirement.
What we cover here
- Records. Finding your SF-50, eOPF and service history.
- Forms. Beneficiary designations, retirement forms and when to file them.
- Checklists. Before you retire, after a life event, at Open Season.
- Everyday questions. Leave, pay stubs and benefits basics.
Start with the guides
Our evergreen guides are the fullest version of these topics, updated when rules change:
- Your SF-50 and service computation date
- Beneficiary designations, all four forms
- The retirement application
- The full learning library
New to all of this? Start with your career stage, or try the calculators.
When you want a second set of eyes
Checklists cover the general case. A Federal Retirement Consultant (FRC®) can go through your own paperwork with you. Get matched with an FRC, free.
More sections: all news · retirement · benefits · TSP · workforce
