Posted on Friday, 4th July 2025 by Dennis Damp

The reconciliation bill HR-1, passed by Congress and signed by the President on Independence Day, ensures that nearly 90% of Social Security beneficiaries will no longer pay federal income taxes on their benefits. This bill provides meaningful and immediate relief to millions of seniors. Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano recently stated, “This is a historic […]

Tags: 2025 Senior Deduction, Big Beautify Bill, Daily Brief, Reconciliation Bill HR-1, Social Security Tax Reductions
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• ANNUITIES / ELIGIBILITY
• BENEFITS / INSURANCE
• ESTATE PLANNING
• FINANCE / TIP
• RETIREMENT CONCERNS
• SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE
• SURVIVOR INFORMATION
• WELLNESS / HEALTH

Posted on Friday, 27th June 2025 by Dennis Damp

Last week’s article announced the launch of OPM’s retirement application (ORA) service. The process mimics the paper application process. FERS employees must fill out the SF 3107 form, and CSRS employees must fill out the SF 2801 online. Only those with a .gov email address can access the new application portal.     I tried […]

Tags: CSRS, Daily Brief, Federal Employees, FERS, OPM Retirement Application, ORA, SF-2801, SF-3107
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• ANNUITIES / ELIGIBILITY
• BENEFITS / INSURANCE
• ESTATE PLANNING
• FINANCE / TIP
• RETIREMENT CONCERNS
• SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE
• SURVIVOR INFORMATION

Posted on Friday, 20th June 2025 by Dennis Damp

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) launched a new online portal for federal employees on June 3, 2025. This portal is a fully digital federal retirement system that streamlines the retirement application process for employees, HR professionals, and payroll offices. Getting Started FREE Retirement Report and Analysis You must use Login.gov to set up […]

Tags: Automation. AI, Daily Brief, Federal Retirement Applications, login.gov, Login.gov Sign-up, OPM's Application Portal
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• ANNUITIES / ELIGIBILITY
• BENEFITS / INSURANCE
• ESTATE PLANNING
• FINANCE / TIP
• RETIREMENT CONCERNS
• SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE
• SURVIVOR INFORMATION

Posted on Thursday, 12th June 2025 by Dennis Damp

This year’s 2.5% COLA for Social Security and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and 2.0% for Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) decreased from the 2024 COLA of 3.2% % CSRS and 3% FERS. The 2023 COLA was the highest in over 40 years at 8.8% for CSRS and 7.7% for FERS employees. Even though […]

Tags: 2026 COLA Projections, COLA, CSRS, Daily Brief, Federal Retirement Projections, FERS, Social Security
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• ANNUITIES / ELIGIBILITY
• BENEFITS / INSURANCE
• ESTATE PLANNING
• RETIREMENT CONCERNS
• SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE
• SURVIVOR INFORMATION

Posted on Thursday, 5th June 2025 by Dennis Damp

OPM announced on June 3rd the availability of their new electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) platform. This new state-of-the-art cloud-based system replaces the legacy Official Personnel Folder (OPF). When I retired, there wasn’t an eOPF to download. I requested my HR office to send a legacy hard copy file to my office, and was allowed […]

Tags: eOPF, Federal Records Center, Official Personnel File, OPM Modernization
Posted in

• ANNUITIES / ELIGIBILITY
• BENEFITS / INSURANCE
• ESTATE PLANNING
• RETIREMENT CONCERNS
• SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE
• SURVIVOR INFORMATION

Posted on Friday, 30th May 2025 by Dennis Damp

Finally, after decades of inaction on streamlining the retirement application process, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) started the ball rolling. Beginning June 2, 2025, all agencies must submit retirement applications electronically to OPM. The Presidential Memorandum entitled “Establishing and Implementing the President’s Department of Government Efficiency” included modernizing Federal technology; this initiative is long […]

Tags: Automation Updates, DOGE, Federal Retirement Applications, Treasury Direct
Posted in

• ANNUITIES / ELIGIBILITY
• BENEFITS / INSURANCE
• ESTATE PLANNING
• FINANCE / TIP
• RETIREMENT CONCERNS
• SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE
• SURVIVOR INFORMATION

Posted on Friday, 16th May 2025 by Dennis Damp

If you haven’t already, it’s time to order this year’s annuity booklet at OPM Services Online. The 2025 booklets are available for download, and a copy will also be sent via regular mail if requested. I order a new copy each year; it is 28 pages long and outlines all of your benefits, annuity information, […]

Tags: Benefits Booklet, Retiree's Benefots, Retirement Benefits Summary
Posted in

• ANNUITIES / ELIGIBILITY
• BENEFITS / INSURANCE
• ESTATE PLANNING
• FINANCE / TIP
• RETIREMENT CONCERNS
• SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE
• SURVIVOR INFORMATION

Posted on Friday, 9th May 2025 by Dennis Damp

Our updated Excel annuity calculator spreadsheet projects your annuity and maximum survivor benefit growth through 2065 using an estimated average annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). Frank Cullen, an old friend who retired from federal service many years ago, developed this calculator. In the following sample chart, the retiree’s annuity increased 75% over the next […]

Tags: Anjnuity Estimates, COLAs, CSRS, Daily Brief, FERS, Projected Federal Annuity Growth
Posted in

• ANNUITIES / ELIGIBILITY
• BENEFITS / INSURANCE
• ESTATE PLANNING
• FINANCE / TIP
• RETIREMENT CONCERNS
• SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE
• SURVIVOR INFORMATION