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November 13, 2018 |
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This issue of NewsWatch is provided to you as a member of NARFE. Please share this newsletter with your federal colleagues and friends!
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NARFE
In response to the midterm elections, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) National President Ken Thomas issued the following statement:
“Federal employees live and work in every congressional district across the United States, and as such, NARFE has a longstanding tradition of working with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to advocate for the earned pay and benefits of federal employees and retirees. We congratulate the newly elected members of Congress and look forward to working with them so they can better understand a number of threats to the earned pay, healthcare and retirement of the federal community. We hope they will join NARFE in appreciating the critical role federal employees play in keeping the country running efficiently and safely.”
NARFE
Are you one of the 60 percent who don't have a will or an estate plan? Do you really need one? If you want to be in control of who gets your assets, then the answer is yes.
Take the first step today. Register for NARFE’s “Worry-Free Estate Planning for Feds” webinar for a straightforward outline of exactly what you need to do to make sure your money and property are distributed exactly as you wish. Mark A. Keen, CFP and NARFE Magazine’s “Managing Money” columnist, will put your mind at ease and show how a few hours of planning on your part will ensure a smooth settlement for your beneficiaries and minimize estate taxes.
This NARFE Federal Benefits Institute webinar is Thursday, December 13, at 2 p.m. ET. Registration is required, and NARFE members register for free. Nonmember registration is $39.95 and includes a one-year NARFE membership. NARFE membership includes access to the full webinar archive, which helps NARFE members take charge of their benefits and guarantee a secure future. Not yet a member? View the list of programs here and register today. Members register for FREE here.


NARFE
The 2018 Federal Benefits Open Season for the 2019 plan year is now upon us, running November 12 through December 10. NARFE members should use this time to make sure they have the health plans that suit them and their families’ needs in the coming year. Through public service, you earned access to a wide variety of health plans, so do your due diligence and take full advantage of this hard-earned benefit. This is your chance to enroll, change plans, change enrollment type or cancel coverage in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program and the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP). This is also an opportunity for employees to enroll or re-enroll in the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS).
For a listing of premiums and further information provided by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) please click here, or take a deep dive into the November issue of NARFE Magazine. OPM also offers an FEHB health plan comparison tool to inform your enrollment decision, though the agency strongly recommends that you refer to the individual FEHB brochures before making your final enrollment decision, as the brochure is the official statement of benefits.
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FEDERAL BENEFITS QUESTION OF THE WEEK
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NARFE
Question: Does the term “self and family” mean that I must have a family enrollment and my spouse must have a self-only enrollment in order to keep FEHB coverage after my death?
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Federal News Network
Participants in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) can contribute up to $19,000 a year toward their retirement accounts in 2019. The IRS set the annual contribution limit for 401(k)-style retirement plans and the TSP for the following year. Cost of living adjustments helped raise the limit from $18,500 this year to $19,000 starting next year. The limit on annual contributions to an IRA will go up from $5,500 to $6,000 in 2019. (IRS)
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Federal News Network
Diversity and inclusion are a primary goal in all federal agencies. Guided by Management Directive 715 (MD-715), a set of guidelines provided by EEOC outlining how to implement equal employment opportunity programs under Section 717 of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, agencies must report annually on the results of these efforts. Because of the frequency of these reports and the standardized processes, it’s easy for their purpose to get lost in the day-to-day process of reporting.
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Aetna Direct offers retirees with Medicare Parts A & B, low monthly premiums, no deductible or coinsurance and a fund up to $1800. View testimonials and get live help here.
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Government Executive
In everyday life, rumors, legends and misconceptions abound. For example, were George Washington’s false teeth actually made of wood? Nope. “While Washington certainly suffered from dental problems and wore multiple sets of dentures composed of a variety of materials — including ivory, gold and lead — wood was never used in Washington's dentures nor was it commonly employed by dentists in his era,” writes William M. Etter, a professor at Irvine Valley College.
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Federal News Network
Now that you’ve voted for who you want to represent you in Washington, and maybe the state house, it’s time to take care of the most important person in your life: You.
You may love your spouse, adore your kids and worship your parents and that’s as it should be. But, you won’t be able to do them any good if you get seriously ill, have an accident or require long-term care next year.
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Star Tribune
The popular image of the typical retiree household is moving to an adult retirement community in a warm climate. Think golf course, Florida and Arizona. People are still making the move, but the share of retirees reporting they have moved within five years after retirement is down from 23 percent in 1980 to 15 percent in 2015. "Perhaps more tellingly, even when retirees do move, they are most likely to move within the same county," writes Matt Fellowes, chief executive of the investment advisory service United Income in his report, "The State of Retirees."
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The Motley Fool
Social Security is a nice supplement to your personal retirement savings, but there isn't a retiree alive who doesn't wish that that check were just a little bit bigger. The average Social Security retirement benefit is $1,417 per month, but with careful planning, you can beat the average and ease the strain on your own retirement savings. Here are three surefire ways to boost your Social Security benefits.
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You’ve reached retirement, and now it’s time to enjoy the next chapter of your life. But should unforeseen circumstances arise—such as the possible need for long term care—do you have a plan to help ensure your hard-earned savings are protected? Consider including the FLTCIP as part of your plan. Start planning today.
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Professional Liability Insurance protects more than your career. It also helps keep your pension and retirement safe by protecting against job misconduct claims that can cripple your finances. We even provide 36 months of coverage after you retire at no extra cost.
Get your NARFE exclusive offer today.
Claim your 10% PLI discount.
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HealthDay News
If the last flu season is any indication, you need to take steps now to protect yourself against infection, an infectious diseases expert warns.
The 2017-2018 flu season in the United States was the worst since the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began tracking the severity of annual flu seasons. There were nearly 200 child deaths and about 80,000 adult deaths.
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USA Today
Book early. Give yourself a little extra time at the airport or on the road. Prepare for bad weather. If you've read that obvious holiday travel advice once, you've probably read it a hundred times. A record 107.3 million traveled during the busy winter holiday season last year, according to AAA. That's the highest year-end travel volume on record. It looks like this one will be just as busy, which means chances are, you'll get caught up in the craziness.
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Business 2 Community
As Christmas is approaching, many companies are now getting ready for their busiest time of the year. They are now on the lookout for seasonal staff. A lot of big retailers have already put their seasonal hiring plans into full swing. So, if you are on the lookout for a seasonal job then you better start looking and preparing for job interviews. In essence, a job is a job. Companies tend to be looking for the same traits as they would when hiring full-time employees.
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Curbed
There comes a dreaded moment in every person’s life when a major household appliance begins to putter-out and the crawl toward the point of no return is imminent. Knowing the lifespan (even vaguely) of appliances you’re likely using daily — like a stove, microwave or washer — will not only put your mind and wallet at ease, but also help you know how long to hang onto that warranty. If a major household appliance, such as a a dishwasher or air conditioner, isn’t functioning properly, you’ll often see a sneaky spike in your energy bill because the machine requires more energy to work properly and produce the same result.
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