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Re: [TSPStrategy] Current Allocations

Re: [TSPStrategy] Current Allocations

yes that would maybe be an even better allocation but no guarantee!

From: TSPStrategy@groups.io <TSPStrategy@groups.io> on behalf of Michael Walker via groups.io <catwalker1169=yahoo.com@groups.io>
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2023 12:20 PM
To: TSPStrategy@groups.io <TSPStrategy@groups.io>
Subject: Re: [TSPStrategy] Current Allocations
 
Thank you very much! On another group on Facebook they are going 60% C & 40% S today, I just wanted more to go by so thanks again!!


On Jan 31, 2023, at 12:00 PM, Del Brett <bretdelman@msn.com> wrote:


We are really on our own but I say all in the C fund as I am never leaving it even during retirement withdraws.

From: TSPStrategy@groups.io <TSPStrategy@groups.io> on behalf of catwalker1169 via groups.io <catwalker1169=yahoo.com@groups.io>
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2023 10:31 AM
To: TSPStrategy@groups.io <TSPStrategy@groups.io>
Subject: [TSPStrategy] Current Allocations
 
What are the current allocations plan or recommendations?
Re: [TSPStrategy] Current Allocations

Re: [TSPStrategy] Current Allocations

Thank you very much! On another group on Facebook they are going 60% C & 40% S today, I just wanted more to go by so thanks again!!


On Jan 31, 2023, at 12:00 PM, Del Brett <bretdelman@msn.com> wrote:


We are really on our own but I say all in the C fund as I am never leaving it even during retirement withdraws.

From: TSPStrategy@groups.io <TSPStrategy@groups.io> on behalf of catwalker1169 via groups.io <catwalker1169=yahoo.com@groups.io>
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2023 10:31 AM
To: TSPStrategy@groups.io <TSPStrategy@groups.io>
Subject: [TSPStrategy] Current Allocations
 
What are the current allocations plan or recommendations?
Re: [TSPStrategy] Current Allocations

Re: [TSPStrategy] Current Allocations

We are really on our own but I say all in the C fund as I am never leaving it even during retirement withdraws.

From: TSPStrategy@groups.io <TSPStrategy@groups.io> on behalf of catwalker1169 via groups.io <catwalker1169=yahoo.com@groups.io>
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2023 10:31 AM
To: TSPStrategy@groups.io <TSPStrategy@groups.io>
Subject: [TSPStrategy] Current Allocations
 
What are the current allocations plan or recommendations?
[TSPStrategy] Current Allocations

[TSPStrategy] Current Allocations

What are the current allocations plan or recommendations?
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[TSPStrategy] Who Can and Can’t Get Coverage Under Your Health Insurance

[TSPStrategy] Who Can and Can’t Get Coverage Under Your Health Insurance

Who Can and Can't Get Coverage Under Your Health Insurance

OPM doesn't know how many people with FEHB coverage are actually ineligible for the program.

Earlier this week, Republicans on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee demanded answers from the Office of Personnel Management about a recent Government Accountability Office report that concluded the agency isn't doing enough to minimize the risk of fraud in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program.

Since FEHB's inception in 1960, OPM has delegated responsibility to agency employing offices to make eligibility determinations for enrollees and family members. OPM did not require employing offices to review supporting documentation to verify family member eligibility during new hire enrollment or certain qualifying life events until 2021. That, GAO concluded, left FEHB vulnerable to making improper payments.

FEHB covers about 8 million people, but OPM doesn't have a precise estimate of how many of those are actually ineligible members, and at what cost. OPM projected that cost savings from an audit of the program could save $360 million to $1 billion in future claims avoided.

It may surprise you to learn that in the following situations, your family members are not eligible for FEHB coverage:

  • If you have a court order requiring you to provide health insurance for your ex-spouse.
  • If you're a surviving spouse who has remarried and would like to cover your new spouse on your federal health insurance that you receive based on your late spouse's federal service.
  • If your elderly parents have moved in with you and need health coverage.

Family members who are eligible for coverage are:

  • Your spouse, including a common law spouse, but only if the marriage was initiated in a state that recognizes such marriages.
  • Children under 26, including biological children, stepchildren, adopted children or foster children.
  • Children 26 and older who are incapable of self-support, assuming their disabling condition began before age 26. 

Other relatives, such as parents or grandchildren (unless a grandchild qualifies as a foster child), are not eligible for coverage as family members even if they live with you and are dependent on you.

If you have a child who is disabled but have not yet established that fact, contact your agency's human resources office if you are a federal employee or your retirement system (generally OPM) if you are an annuitant. You will need to obtain a form which you and the child's doctor must complete. A child temporarily living with you is not a foster child; neither is one placed in your home by a welfare or social service agency that retains control of the child and pays for maintenance. 

If you are a survivor annuitant, remember that self and family enrollment provides coverage for you and all eligible family members of the deceased employee or retiree. If you remarry before age 55, your coverage will end. If your survivor annuity continues because you were married to the deceased for 30 years or more or if you remarry after age 55, your coverage will continue, but it will not cover your new spouse and his or her dependents. If you also receive an annuity as a retiree based on your own federal career, you may be eligible to transfer the enrollment to your retirement annuity to cover your new spouse and his or her eligible children.

Your spouse loses eligibility for coverage under your self and family enrollment on the effective date of a divorce or annulment of a marriage. A former spouse can continue coverage for up to 36 months after that date, but must pay the full premium (plus a 2% administrative charge), with no government contribution.

The FEHB program is vulnerable to improper payments caused by inadvertent errors or fraud and abuse. Remember that if you deliberately cover ineligible family members, you could face criminal charges. Here are a few examples GAO found of employees who were prosecuted for violations of FEHB coverage provisions:

  • The FEHB program paid more than $150,000 in claims on behalf of an ex-spouse over 14 years of ineligible coverage from 1993 to 2017 due to the employee misrepresenting the date of their divorce. The enrollee pleaded guilty to making false statements. 
  • An employee fraudulently covered two individuals who were ineligible and remained on FEHB health insurance from January 2005 to January 2017. The FEHB program paid claims totaling more than $100,000 on behalf of the ineligible individuals. The employee pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 24 months of supervised release. 
  • The FEHB program paid more than $12,000 for services provided to multiple ineligible family members of an employee. In July 2018, the employee pleaded guilty to making false statements relating to health care matters, and was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to pay more than $12,000 in restitution. 

GAO has recommended that OPM implement a monitoring mechanism to identify and remove ineligible family members from the FEHB program. Enrollment of such people increases costs for everyone in the program. 

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Re: [TSPStrategy] Employee and Retiree Benefits Changes for 2023

Re: [TSPStrategy] Employee and Retiree Benefits Changes for 2023

here is some good info

https://youtu.be/ndWXvXgPYSY



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[TSPStrategy] Employee and Retiree Benefits Changes for 2023

[TSPStrategy] Employee and Retiree Benefits Changes for 2023

Employee and Retiree Benefits Changes for 2023

The last in a series of columns on how things are different this year. 

Over the past two weeks, we've looked at benefits changes for 2023 affecting current employees and retirees. Let's wrap up our overview of the new year by examining those that could affect both groups. 

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

The annual inflation-adjusted limit on Health Savings Account contributions for self-only coverage is $3,850, up from $3,650 in 2022. The HSA contribution limit for self plus one or family coverage is $7,750, up from $7,300. The adjustments represent a 5.5% increase over 2022 contribution limits, whereas these limits rose by 1.4% between 2021 and 2022. This amount is reduced if your high deductible health plan provides a contribution to your HSA account.

If both spouses have eligible self-only coverage, each spouse can contribute up to $3,850 in separate accounts. The ability to make tax-free HSA contributions is the primary advantage of a high deductible health plan. Be sure to fund your HSA if you are eligible and enrolled in a high deductible FEHB plan.

Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program

As of Dec. 19, 2022, the Office of Personnel Management has suspended applications for coverage under FLTCIP, in anticipation of substantial premium increases. People not currently enrolled can't apply for coverage, and current enrollees can't apply to increase coverage. The suspension will remain in effect for two years, unless OPM decides to  end or extend the suspension period.

Some FLTCIP policy premiums are already increasing in 2023. If you're affected, you should have received a notice in the mail in May 2022. 

Children's Survivor Annuities

Cost of living adjustment rates under the Civil Service Retirement System apply to children's survivor annuity benefits regardless of whether the parent who provided the benefit was covered under CSRS or the Federal Employees Retirement System. However, under FERS, children's benefits are offset by benefits payable under Title II of the Social Security Act. In most cases, the Social Security benefit will exceed the FERS benefit, meaning the child would not get a FERS benefit.

The following rates apply from Dec. 1, 2022 through Nov. 30, 2023:

  • When the child has a living parent who was married to the deceased employee or retiree, the benefit is the lesser of $635 per month per child or $1,905 per month divided by the number of eligible children (if more than three).
  • When the child has no living parent who was married to the deceased employee or retiree, the benefit is the lesser of $763 per month per child, or $2,289 per month divided by the number of eligible children (if more than three).

Retirement Savings

Changes to retirement savings limits and adjustments include:

  • The limit on annual contributions to an individual retirement account has increased to $6,500. 
  • The IRA catch‑up contribution limit for individuals age 50 and over is not subject to an annual cost‑of‑living adjustment and remains $1,000.
  • The phase‑out ranges for deducting contributions to a traditional IRA have increased. The income phase-out range for people making contributions to a Roth IRA will increase for taxpayers filing as single, head of household and married filing jointly. IRS Notice 2022-55 provides more details.
  • The income limit for the retirement saver's credit for low and moderate income workers is now $73,000 for married couples filing jointly; $54,750 for heads of household; and $36,500 for singles and married individuals filing separately.

There are a lot of moving parts in the federal retirement benefits system. It's a good idea to keep an eye on the annual changes to make sure you know what's ahead for you.


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[TSPStrategy] Social Security: Could the New Congress’s Sharp Divide Lead to Compromise on Reform?

[TSPStrategy] Social Security: Could the New Congress’s Sharp Divide Lead to Compromise on Reform?

Social Security: Could the New Congress's Sharp Divide Lead to Compromise on Reform?

Social Security manages a huge chunk of what millions of fed families depend on for retirement, disability and survivor benefits, including the majority of current workers onboarded since the 1980s under the Federal Employees Retirement System.

It's 2023—indeed a couple weeks into the new year—and it's anything but clear where Congress will be headed on the future of Social Security. 

Actually, it's anything but clear where Congress is headed at all. 

After over a decade of Democrats holding the line against hardline Republicans wanting sharp cuts to federal spending, and increasingly eyeing Social Security, the debut of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., sets the stage for a potential reset of the eight-decades-old program.  

Or, alternatively, if deadlock prevails we could be in for just a few tweaks—or none at all—to the program. There is simply no way to know as of yet. 

And though Social Security is anything but a federal employee-specific benefits agency, it manages a huge chunk of what millions of fed families depend on for retirement, disability and survivor benefits—including the majority of current workers onboarded since the 1980s under the then-new Federal Employees Retirement System. 

With so much at stake, and renewed uncertainty over SSA's future—including how its programs will relate to feds and their other retirement benefits—we talked with one of the country's leading experts on the program, Boston University economist Laurence Kotlikoff, for his perspective on the situation. 

Q&A with Laurence Kotlikoff 

GovExec: The top news on retirement and disability benefits is the new Republican-led Congress and its firebrands once again pushing for cuts and changes to Social Security—enabled by a likely obliging incoming Speaker of the House. But before we go into that, 2023 brings the biggest Social Security COLA in four decades Is the 8.7% boost to recipients adequate? 

Kotlikoff: No, this year's 8.7% COLA is not adequate. And that's primarily because of the long lag time there has been in implementing it, right? The COLA is always a lagging response to price increases—here, calculated between October 2021 through October 2022 and only finally paying out starting this month. That means there was no upward adjustment against strong inflation for fully 15 months. Recipients had to wait that long before getting any COLA. So, back of the envelope math here, with inflation nearing 9% for a year-plus, a reasonable measure is recipients lost nearly 5% of their benefits in real buying power over the period. That's very significant, with many now really behind the eight ball. 

GovExec: With respect to the lag-time problem with COLA, can you tell us why you emphasize it? 

Kotlikoff: First, it's frustrating that I don't think anyone else has even mentioned this problem or treated it as a serious issue—not in writing, anyway. Most news stories and experts seem to talk about this year's steep 8.7% boost as if it were a "bonus." Not at all. Obviously, at best it would be just barely making up for inflation. And, as I said, it can't because of the tremendous lag-time before it took effect. 

GovExec: But can you clarify the impact of the "lag" problem for recipients—maybe an example? 

Kotlikoff: Imagine prices went up not 10% but, say, 1,000%. So, if you had to wait 15 months to see any COLA kick in, you would know it when buying a hotdog that costs like $100! OK, inflation is nowhere near that high, but it's been a lot for recent times. It's a very big deal for retirees, the disabled and survivors who rely on Social Security, and Congress needs to understand and address this.

GovExec: As you've noted, the lag in receiving our Social Security COLA—fully a 15-month wait for adjustment in January of each year—lowers everyone's real Social Security income. But for a subset of those, there's the added pain of the WEP/GPO penalty—the Windfall Elimination Provision/Government Pension Offset—which cuts Social Security payments to millions with public-sector pensions. After decades of proposals to lessen or remove these penalties, do you think this Congress might act, with compromise Social Security legislation?

Kotlikoff: There are solid proposals to adjust the WEP and GPO to make them fairer. This could help many recipients. It's something I hope to evaluate in a large-scaled study using my software company's software. And, yes, Congress could always slip a fix into a long bill and change the treatment from one day to the next. But some of the reform plans require Social Security collecting non-covered wage data going back years. These data may not be available. The worst part of the WEP/GPO problem is that so many Americans who worked for long or short periods in non-covered employment did so without realizing the amount of Social Security benefits they would lose from the WEP/GPO. Indeed, many have no idea about this tax on working in non-covered employment until they apply for their Social Security benefits, which can be largely or fully wiped out. The best long-term reform here is to include everyone in the Social Security system. Many state and local governments end up reneging on their promised retirement pensions. Just look at what happened to Detroit city workers whose pensions were dramatically cut when the city went bankrupt some years ago. Plus, many non-covered pensions are not COLA-adjusted. A few years of 7 percent inflation, like we saw in 2022, will wipe those out. More generally, we need to retire the current Social Security system and replace it with a modern version. The current system is a disgrace in terms of its complexity, abuse of participants (including many having their benefits "clawed back" by the government  years later because the participant was mistakenly given the wrong amount), and finances.  

GovExec: Understood—people who follow you know you consistently argue a maximal position that Congress should enact a total SSA redo. Also, to buttress your argument, you have said already-enacted reforms have worsened a bureaucratic nightmare of confusing exceptions. But still, you say that WEP/GPO is not fair, right now. Tinkering at the edges isn't your preference, but doing so could help millions of people, right? So, could smaller reform happen? 

Kotlikoff: True. I do support that. And, yes, it could happen. 

GovExec: With the changeover in Congress to Republican leadership, we have hardline members seeking big budget cuts. They may have unprecedented leverage over this Speaker and Congress by threatening to stall raising the debt ceiling. That's power. From your point of view, what kind of legislation might actually make it through, at least the House?  

Kotlikoff: I think House Republicans will probably press to un-COLA benefits—or only partially COLA benefits—which they will see as reducing costs. They'll look to do this on the backs of people who will be receiving benefits above a certain, yet-to-be-determined level. We've seen proposals like this already. On the other hand, it's unclear exactly how they can accomplish this. Technically it would be very difficult to do. 

GovExec: The Democrats still have control of the Senate and the White House, so the common wisdom is the most strident Republican agenda is unlikely to be enacted. But—again—with the debt ceiling and other key bills held hostage—might the Democrats have to compromise? 

Kotlikoff: I know it's been said before, but yes we might see a compromise built around a U.S. retirement age increase, for example. Also, you could see some new and different reduction factors enacted—meaning, legislation making Social Security retirement at some levels more progressive. Maybe they will compromise around a "doughnut hole" situation—where the Republicans make some cuts, but the Democrats go along with it and preserve benefits at the lower end. The pressure is on for both sides to do something. The Democrats, you know, might really seek a deal here at some point soon. They don't want to look like they didn't show up on Social Security issues. We are, after all, just a decade or so from when, you know, somebody's going to have to just say, "Hey guys, we don't have enough money to pay benefits." That's a big, multi-trillion dollar crisis up ahead, if the problem isn't addressed. 

GovExec: Can you go deeper on why you think Democrats could make a deal with Republicans whose positions are further from theirs than ever? 

Kotlikoff: You know, you highlight that now Republicans are pushing hard toward their aims, toward cuts, and you imply Democrats in the Senate would likely try to block that. But it could even be the opposite, that many Democrats go with some sort of compromise, because there's only so many years before an actual crisis on Social Security—and they want to preserve the system for poor people, and well into the future. Now about the likely benefits cuts the Republicans will want, Democrats are going to be far less inclined. But on a tax increase for Social Security, they would possibly go with that. So, it's possible there could be a compromise on some of these things. Everybody could go after a compromise, in my opinion.

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[TSPStrategy] Retiree Benefit Changes for 2023

[TSPStrategy] Retiree Benefit Changes for 2023

Retiree Benefit Changes for 2023

COLAs, earnings limits and more.

In last week's column, we looked at benefits changes in 2023 affecting current employees. This week, let's examine the changes that apply to those who are already retired. 

Civil Service Retirement System

Cost of Living Adjustment: CSRS COLAs apply to all annuities, regardless of the age of the annuitant. CSRS annuitants who have been retired for at least one year started receiving the full 8.7% COLA on Jan. 2, 2023 (in the payment for December 2022). Annuitants will receive a prorated COLA during their first year on the annuity rolls. Prorated COLAS are payable on annuities with a start date between Dec. 1, 2021 and Nov. 30, 2022. The proration is based on the number of months between the start date and the effective date of the COLA. For example, if a CSRS employee had retired on Dec. 31, 2021, they would have received 11/12 of the 8.7% COLA, or a 7.97% increase, on Jan. 2, 2023. 

Federal Employees Retirement System

Cost of Living Adjustment: The Dec. 1, 2022, FERS COLA of 7.7% is payable to eligible FERS annuitants with retirement dates no later than Nov. 30, 2022. COLA increases for FERS annuitants only apply to the retiree's basic annuity (not the annuity supplement). The COLA applies to both the basic survivor annuity and the supplementary annuity for survivor annuitants.

Prorated COLAS are payable on annuities having a start date from Dec. 1, 2021 to Nov. 30, 2022. The proration is based on the number of months between the annuity commencing date and the effective date of the COLA. For example, if a FERS employee who was at least age 62 retired on Dec. 31, 2021, they would have received 11/12 of the 7.7% COLA, or a 7.06% increase, on Jan. 2, 2023. 

In general, FERS employees who retire before age 62 do not see a COLA in their retirement benefit until the year they turn 62. There is an exception for disability retirees, survivor annuitants and those who retire under special provisions, such as law enforcement officers and firefighters.

Supplement Earnings Limit: FERS retirees receiving an annuity supplement are subject to an earnings test. In May, OPM sends an annual survey to annuitants who receive the supplement, so they can report their earnings from the previous year. The annuity supplement will be reduced effective with the July 2024 FERS annuity payment (payable on Aug. 1) if the earnings were more than the limit established for the prior year by the Social Security Administration. The reduction is $1 for every $2 earned over the minimum level.

The Social Security earnings limit for 2023 is $21,240, up from $19,560 for 2022. The survey that will be mailed in May 2023 will be for reporting earnings from 2022 that were earned after retirement and before age 62 above the 2022 earnings limit.

Social Security

Earnings Limits: The earnings limit for workers who are younger than their full retirement age will increase to $21,240. For every $2 earned over this limit, Social Security will deduct $1 from benefits.

The earnings limit for people reaching their full retirement age in 2023 will increase to $56,520. For every $3 earned over this limit, Social Security will deduct $1 from benefits. There is no limit on earnings for workers who are full retirement age or older for the entire year. That means if you are employed in federal service and have reached your full retirement age, you can start receiving Social Security retirement benefits even though you haven't retired.

If you start getting benefits in 2023 at age 62 and you are the wage earner, the retirement benefit you will receive is reduced to 70% of the amount payable at your full retirement age. If you are the spouse of the wage earner, the retirement benefit is reduced to 32.5% of the wage earners' benefit payable at their full retirement age.

Cost of Living Adjustment: The 8.7% COLA began with benefits payable to more than 65 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2023.

Medicare

Effective Date of Part B coverage: Medicare Part B covers physician services, outpatient hospital services and certain other expenses. The general enrollment period is between Jan. 1 and March 31 each year. Your coverage will start the month after you sign up. You might have to pay a monthly late enrollment penalty if you don't qualify for a special enrollment period.

The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees will be $164.90 for 2023, a decrease of $5.20 from 2022. 

You'll pay a higher premium for Part B if your modified adjusted gross income, as reported on your IRS tax return from two years ago, is:

  • More than $91,000 for Part B premiums charged in 2022 ($97,000 in for Part B premiums charged in 2023), if you file an individual tax return or are married and file separately.
  • More than $182,000 for Part B premiums charged in 2022 ($194,000 for Part B premiums charged in 2023) if you are married and file a joint tax return.

Thrift Savings Plan

Although you can no longer make new contributions to your TSP account once you have separated from federal employment, it is important to be aware of other important rules and requirements after you have retired. One is the deadline for making your first required minimum distributions, which will require you to begin paying taxes on your tax-deferred TSP contributions. You must begin receiving distributions from your account in the calendar year you turn 72 and are separated from federal service. 

Although you may have a Roth TSP balance that is not taxable, your entire TSP account—both traditional and Roth—is subject to required minimum distributions.


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