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Long Term Care Insurance – Is it worth the cost?

Posted on Friday, 10th June 2016 by Dennis Damp

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I applied for Long Term care insurance when it was first offered as a benefit in December of 2002. Our premiums for the Future Purchase Option (FPO) at that time were reasonable for the 5 years of coverage we elected; $73.57 monthly for my wife and I.  My premium for the Future Purchase Option was […]

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Are Dividend Stocks A Safe Haven For Retirees?

Posted on Monday, 9th May 2016 by Dennis Damp

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Historically, approximately 40% of total stock market returns are generated from dividends and today you can expect to receive from 2 to 5% or more in yield from these investments. Many that recommend conservative dividend paying stocks look for companies that continue to grow their yield and share price over time with low risk. It’s […]

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How to Keep What You Worked a Life Time Accumulating

Posted on Thursday, 24th March 2016 by Dennis Damp

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(Updated 2/26/2022) The current bull market is the longest in history and as all bull markets do, they eventually end in a recession. You hear a lot today about the uncertainty in the market considering all of the stimulation that the Federal Reserve has applied through their low interest policies. When interest rates are low […]

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Social Security and Leave Record Updates

Posted on Wednesday, 2nd March 2016 by Dennis Damp

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Social Security File & Suspend I discussed in a recent column the process my wife and I went through to file and suspend my Social Security benefits.  I did this so that my wife will now be able to collect a spousal benefit while I deferred collecting until age 70 and my benefit will increase […]

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Will Government Pension Offset (GPO) Reduce Your Social Security Benefits?

Posted on Saturday, 13th February 2016 by Dennis Damp

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Recently one of our newsletter subscribers asked me to explain how the Government Pension Offset (GPO) impacts a married couple, one retiring under CSRS and the other under FERS.  The husband will retire under CSRS and his wife is a FERS employee. He also wanted to know if his wife’s social security will be penalized […]

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1099 Rs Available, Social Security Filing, & Updates

Posted on Wednesday, 27th January 2016 by Dennis Damp

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I typically purchase Intuit TurboTax Home & Business software in mid December each year to start working on our income taxes. I was able to download my Statement of Annuity Paid (1099 R Form) direct from OPM’s retirement services web site on January 17th!  Typically retirees receive these forms in the mail by the end […]

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FEGLI Rate Changes, Annuity Adjustments & More

Posted on Friday, 15th January 2016 by Dennis Damp

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As of January 1, 2016, FEGLI premiums for many options and age brackets changed due to actuarial adjustments. Annuitants that carried FEGLI coverage into retirement will receive a Notice of Annuity Adjustment showing the new rates. Most of the new FEGLI rates for Option A, B and C decrease. The older age band rates for […]

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Annuity Statements, Open Season Comments, & Closing Thoughts

Posted on Tuesday, 15th December 2015 by Dennis Damp

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I receive email messages from retirees and survivors each year that can’t find their CSA claim number and are uncertain as to what benefits they elected when they retired. At least once a year we receive a Notice of Annuity Adjustment, shortly after the new year starts, that provides abundant information for annuitants and their […]

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