fbpx

Planning a Vacation for the Entire Family

Posted on Wednesday, 15th September 2010 by

Print This Post Print This Post
Share

What type of vacation does everyone (or almost everyone) agree on?

I can still remember the fun my brother and I had in the summer getting together at a lake cottage with our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.  We would swim during the day and play games in the evening while swatting bugs.  Catching lightning bugs at dusk was always fun.  This really isn’t a promotion for the movie Grown-ups but my family vacation memories date back to the 60s.  Lake vacations are still a great choice although the “cottages” of the 60s are now more likely to be huge homes with multiple levels and 5 or more bedrooms.  It’s a great time for catching up, having fun on the water and creating life long memories for younger children.

Another good option for a family vacation traveling with siblings, parents, aunts/uncles, etc. is a Cruise vacation.  It’s perfect for spending time together and avoiding those little disagreements on where to eat and what to do.  It’s relaxing, fun and entertainment is abundant with plenty of variety.  You can even climb walls, play some putt-putt golf or try surfing on some cruise lines.  This is probably a better choice for family’s where all the children are in their teens or older.  It will be more expensive than sharing a beach or lake home, but it requires less planning and can be more relaxing.

A Beach or Lake House Vacation

A family vacation can be a lot of fun.  Grandma and Grandpa can spend time with all the grandkids.  There are plenty of folks to watch the children when you want to go out for a few hours.  The kids can get to know their cousins if the family is spread out geographically.  Siblings can reconnect and laugh about childhood silliness.  It can be fun and leave everyone with memories that last a lifetime.  A great way to avoid anyone taking on too much of the work of a shared vacation is splitting the menu duties.  Everyone takes a day to plan the meals and furnish the food, and yes cooking it all goes with the commitment.  Of course, ordering pizzas and deli sandwiches is always an option if cooking doesn’t appeal to you.  It’s best that everyone going on the family vacation agree on how the costs will be divided up.  Someone will have to be responsible for determining costs for all and collecting the funds.  I recommend finding out first what each family’s limit is financially for lodging.  You’ll find several options for renting homes on lakes or seaside homes and a variety of price ranges.  Make sure you have enough rooms so that you can have some privacy.  Some family members will need some quiet time while others may be fine with constant activity and conversation.  Agree before hand that it’s okay to disappear if you need to recharge with some quiet time, a walk on the beach, a hike in the woods and nap or to read a book.

Checklist for Planning a Family Vacation at the Lake or Beach:

  1. Picking the type of vacation and desired locations.
  2. Who is responsible for making reservations and collecting funds from each family
  3. Eating plans – who will do menu planning and put together the grocery list
  4. Who will plan the games for the kids and adults
  5. Who will be the “Trouble Shooter” taking care of problems that might occur

Resources:

Lake & Beach homes

www.vrbo.com
www.homeaway.com
www.vacationrentals.com

Lake Homes

www.lakerentals.com
www.lakehousevacations.com

Beach Houses

www.ourrentalparadise.com
www.beachhouse.com
www.coastrentals.com
www.vacationhomerentals.com
www.4beachnuts.com (this site covers the world)http://vacation.rentals.com
www.findvacationrentals.com

Family Cruise Vacations

A Cruise vacation is a great option if it’s affordable for everyone in the family that wants to participate in a “Family Reunion” style vacation.  Cruise ships offer lots of choices for their passengers in the way of activities and entertainment.  They also have variety in eating choices too with many ships having specialty restaurants at an additional charge.  In other words, there is something for everyone.  The family can spend as much time together at dinner or at an evening show as you like.  You can also find a quiet place to reenergize if needed.  The great thing about cruising is it doesn’t require as much planning and the cruise line takes care of the menu, assigns rooms and takes you to ports with plenty of activities to choose from.

Checklist for a Family Cruise Vacation:

  1. Pick the location of interest to folks, (Caribbean, Alaska, Canada, someplace Exotic) and Port preference for Embarkation/Debarkation
  2. Explore some of the websites and find a deal that meets everyone’s financial limits.  Call a travel agent, whether online or in your community, and have them assist in coordinating the family cruise vacation.  They will make sure you’re sharing a table in the dining room and attempt to get cabins in the same general area, especially if you need connecting cabins.
  3. The Cruise Line will do everything else.

Resources

 

http://www.americasvacationcenter.com
http://www.cruisecritic.com
http://www.vacationstogo.com
http://www.cruisesonly.com
http://www.gillscruise.com
http://www.cruisemagic.com/cruise-lines

Questions, Comments, Suggestions for the Travel Forum?

Please contact me if you have any questions about an article or featured destination.  I also welcome comments on topics posted and will share your travel recommendations, including web sites, Inns or excursions from your travel experiences.  If you have a suggestion for a future article that you think would be of interest I welcome those.  You can reach me at:  fedtravel33@comcast.net

Nancy Holston

Learn more about your benefits,  employment, travel, and financial planning issues on our site and visit our Blog frequently at https://fedretire.net to read all forum articles.

Visit our other informative sites

The information provided may not cover all aspect of unique or special circumstances. Travel policies and packages are subject to change without notice. To ensure the accuracy of this information, contact travel providers and hotels at the time of your bookings to confirm pricing, itinerary, and all costs. The comments and observations are limited to the author’s personal experience and your results may vary significantly. This article and replies to comments are not intended to substitute for professional travel services. Our reply is time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic economic factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change.

Posted in UNCATEGORIZED

Comments (0)| Print This Post Print This Post

FERS Supplements, Deferred Annuities and the Travel Forum

Posted on Thursday, 26th August 2010 by

Print This Post Print This Post
Share

The FERS supplement and deferred annuities have attracted considerable attention recently. Many are thinking seriously about early retirement these days. Thankfully we have Linda Duncan, our HR and Benefits Forum Host, available to handle these often complex issues for our site visitors.

We recently added a Travel Forum and Nancy Holston’s article titled New England in Autumn highlights sightseeing in Maine and the best sights to see in the area. You can add her travel articles to your newsletter list if you are interested in traveling in retirement. Her next article will be on family vacation planning .

FERS Supplement Impact on Earnings

If you retire with a FERS supplement and go back to work in retirement your supplement is subject to the same Social Security earnings rules. Basically, if you are receiving a supplement and earn more than $14,160 a year in 2010 you would have to give back $1 for every $2 you earn over this limit.

CSRS employees that worked 40 quarters or more in the private sector and collect Social Security at age 62 are also subject to these same income limitations until they reach full retirement age

If you are looking for employment in retirement visit our Retiree Jobs Center for job listings and guidance. Job listings range from independent wine consultants to instructors and companies looking for retired feds that held security clearances.

Deferred Retirement Clarifications (FERS)

FERS employees are not eligible for a regular retirement until they reach their minimum retirement age (MRA) and have 30 years of service, age 60 with 20 years, or age 62 with 5 years service.  If you leave prior to your MRA, you can apply for a deferred retirement when you reach your MRA with 30 years of service, or at the age 62 with 5 years of service.  However, with a deferred retirement you will not be eligible for the FERS supplement, life insurance or health benefits when you leave.  If you wait to retire at your MRA, and you had Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB) coverage for the past five years, you can continue FEHB coverage into retirement.

Another consideration is the elimination of the cost of living adjustment (COLA) for those considering a deferred retirement for the time period between when they first elect this option and start to collect an annuity, often a period of many years. Inflation can significantly impact your deferred annuity. COLAs will resume when you start collecting your annuity and reach age 62.

The MRA + 10 Annuity option assesses significant penalties for taking an early annuity. Typically you can retire at your MRA with as little as 10 years service however for each year under age 62 you give back 5% of your payment.  If you elect this option at the MRA age of 57 the penalty would be 25% of your annuity payment!  If you elect this option and defer your retirement until age 62 no penalties are assessed.   You would also be able to enroll in the FEHB and FEGLI programs again when your deferred annuity starts if you were enrolled in these programs for the last five years of your federal employment.

We receive many calls from former employees and their survivors asking how to initiate a deferred annuity.  We added a complete section on this process on our site including links to the Deferred Retirement Application, OPM Form 1496A.  Review this section for complete guidance.  If a former federal employee dies before collecting the deferred annuity the surviving spouse is eligible to receive 50% of their annuity payable starting on the date the deceased employee attained the age and service requirements for the annuity. Lesser amounts are payable if the surviving spouse wants to collect earlier.

Travel Forum

Sign up for the new Travel Forum Newsletter.

Are you looking for a travel bargain?  Do you want to go somewhere you haven’t been before but want to know what to expect?  Maybe you’re open-minded and want to go on an adventure to someplace new.  The Travel Forum Newsletter has something for everyone.  It has tips for retirees but also great info on travel spots for anyone who loves to travel.

Do you have questions about a particular resort or vacation destination?  Do you have a suggestion for an article?  Send your questions or suggestions to the Travel Forum blog.

If you are receiving this newsletter you can add the Travel Forum articles to you newsletter list.  Just enter your email address and click enter. You will receive an email with instructions on how to add other forums to your list.

Learn more about your benefits, employment, and financial planning issues on our site and visit our Blog frequently at https://fedretire.net to read all forum articles.

Visit our other informative sites

The information provided may not cover all aspect of unique or special circumstances, federal regulations, and financial information is subject to change. To ensure the accuracy of this information, contact your benefits coordinator and ask them to review your official personnel file and circumstances concerning this issue. Retirees can contact the OPM retirement center. Our articles are not intended nor should they be considered investment advice. Our reply is time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic economic factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change.”

Posted in ANNUITIES / ELIGIBILITY, BENEFITS / INSURANCE, EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS, ESTATE PLANNING, FINANCE / TIP, LIFESTYLE / TRAVEL, RETIREMENT CONCERNS, SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE, SURVIVOR INFORMATION

Comments (0)| Print This Post Print This Post

New England in Autumn

Posted on Monday, 16th August 2010 by

Print This Post Print This Post
Share

Fall Colors, Moose and the Coast of Maine

 

Autumn is my favorite time of year.  It is also one of my favorite times to travel.  The temperature isn’t too hot or too cold.  It’s just right for enjoying outside activities during the day and enjoying the evening relaxing.  New England is always on my list of fall travel spots and Maine is one of my favorite places to visit.  The Maine coast is dotted with lighthouses, rocks, trees and crashing waves.  It offers plenty of choices of rural towns and cities to spend your time in and best of all, it is not crowded.  Acadia National Park near Bar Harbor is a great place to visit.  If you want to see the mountains and lakes there is plenty of spots to visit in Maine’s interior.  The White Mountains and Moosehead Lake are great choices.  I have been to Maine four times and would like to share information on some of my favorite spots.

Portland, Maine

 

This coastal city is a great place to spend several days or as a stop while you explore the coast of Maine.  The Portland Head Lighthouse is one of the most prominent and photographed on the east coast.  The cobblestone streets will take you back to times gone by as you stroll by the many shops and galleries in the downtown area.  The water front has restaurants with outside seating to enjoy good weather.  One of my favorite stops is the Flatbread Company which offers gourmet pizzas that are unusual and flavorful.  If a Maine Lobster is more what you have in mind then the Portland Lobster Company is another waterfront choice.  Of course there’s Gilbert’s Chowder House if all you are looking for is some New England clam chowder.

The Fall Drive: Down East Traveler recommends a daylong tour beginning on Route 25 from downtown Portland through Gorham and Westbrook.  The transformation from city to country is nearly complete by the time you hit Standish.  Farms and orchards are part of the scenery.  After you cross the Saco River you’ll see the fall colors of Saddleback Hills of Baldwin to the north.  Cornish is a great place to stop if you like antiques.  It is also a favorite for canoeists on the Ossipee River.  In Porter you’ll take a left on Route 160 traveling south passing through East Parsonsfield and Limerick that have retained their rural charm.  In Limerick Mills take Route 11 south through Newfield and Shapleigh.  When you enter Sanford you will need to watch for Route 202 headed north to Alfred and Waterboro.  The Nature Conservancy has protected an area of pine barrens near this area.  When you get to Hollis Center you need to take Route 35 north which will take you back to Standish and Route 25 into Portland.

Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park

This is a popular area for tourists.  The town of Bar Harbor is quaint with lots of shops, galleries and restaurants.  Lodging ranges from cozy Bed & Breakfast Inns, charming cottages, or Motor Inns to grand Oceanside hotels.  Activities range from sea kayaking to bicycling or hiking.  You can go out on a whale watch boat for part of your day.  Don’t limit your search to whales though.  Keep an eye out for seals and puffins also.  You will also find many lighthouses along the coast if you want to explore.

The Park Loop Road is a 27 mile long scenic drive through Acadia National Park along the rocky coast and park gardens.  Be sure to drive or hike up to the top of Cadillac Mountain.  At 1532 feet high it’s the tallest point along the eastern seaboard.  On a clear day you will have a spectacular view of Frenchman Bay and the Atlantic Ocean and the islands in the surrounding area.  Cadillac Mountain is also a great spot for star gazing at night.  There are 120 miles of hiking trails in the park for day trips.  The park also has a Carriage Road system that intersects with hiking trails in the park, but they are not intended for automobiles.  The carriage trails were built in the early 20th century, a gift of John D. Rockefeller Jr.  They were restored and the park service now maintains the road.  You can travel the Carriage Road in a horse-pulled carriage offered at the Wildwood Stable.  No matter what you decide Acadia will offer fall scenery that won’t disappoint.

Moosehead Lake

 

This is a great place to spend several days.  Lake Cabin rentals are available in all parts of this large lake.  You may be able to arrange to rent canoes while you’re there.  In some instances the owners will deliver them to the cabin.  The fall foliage will be at your door step.  You won’t have to go out and search for it.

Not only can you enjoy the fall foliage and the lake, you will find this a great place to go out and watch the moose in their own environment.  You can often see moose from the road side but you might find an early morning canoe ride more fun.  We found a local tour operator and selected an early morning canoe safari that included breakfast at a rustic lodge on the opposite side of the pond (we were on one of the Roach ponds).  The lake is surrounded by small rural towns.  There are several restaurants to choose from but can be several miles from a lake cabin.  Planning meals at your cabin may be a better choice.  The cabins are usually stocked with seasoning and cooking oil for your convenience.  It’s a great choice for a family trip.

Travel Resources:

Information on Maine:

Visiting Portland, Maine:

Visiting Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park area

Visiting Moosehead Lake:

Flying to Maine:

 

Manchester, New Hampshire is a good option.  Southwest Airlines flies to Manchester and offers lower fares than you’ll likely find to Portland or Bangor.  Boston may also have a reasonable fare if you want to travel through Boston to get to your New England destination.

Nancy Holston

Learn more about your benefits,  employment, travel, and financial planning issues on our site and visit our Blog frequently at https://fedretire.net to read all forum articles.

Visit our other informative sites

The information provided may not cover all aspect of unique or special circumstances. Travel policies and packages are subject to change without notice. To ensure the accuracy of this information, contact travel providers and hotels at the time of your bookings to confirm pricing, itinerary, and all costs. The comments and observations are limited to the author’s personal experience and your results may vary significantly. This article and replies to comments are not intended to substitute for professional travel services. Our reply is time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic economic factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change.

Posted in LIFESTYLE / TRAVEL, RETIREMENT CONCERNS, WELLNESS / HEALTH

Comments (0)| Print This Post Print This Post

Retirement Questions Answered plus Clarifications

Posted on Monday, 2nd August 2010 by

Print This Post Print This Post
Share

We receive many questions each month from retirees and federal employees and many are focused on the following subject areas. I suggest copying this article and keep it with your important papers so you and your family will have the answers needed when faced with these issues.

Retirement Income Verification

If a mortgage company or institution requires an official confirmation for your annuity payments you must have the fax number of the financial institution available and call OPM at either 1-888-767-6738 or 202-606-0500. The OPM retirement specialist will ask you for your name and Claim number (Retirement CSA #). They will fax the confirmation of annuity to your financial institution immediately. You can also fax the request to OPM at 724-794-6633 however this could take up to a week or longer to receive a reply depending on the workload at the office.  It is often difficult contacting OPM by phone. Go to our OPM contact listing for details on best times to call and other helpful information including how to request a federal retiree identification card.

Annuity Direct Deposit Changes and Retirement Paperwork Requirements

To enroll in Direct Deposit for your annuity check or to change your enrollment to a new bank or account, OPM needs to know the routing number of the financial institution and your account number. The financial institution will provide this information. Once you have your account and routing numbers, retirees can call OPM at 1-888-767-6738 or 1-202-606-0500 to make this change by phone or initiate it online through OPM’s retirement system at http://www.servicesonline.opm.gov. To process your request online you have to first establish an account through OPM.

The financial institution can also submit a SF 1199A form to OPM for processing your direct deposit.  The form can be faxed to OPM or sent to OPM via regular mail. Federal employees that wish to set up direct deposit when they retire must complete a SF1199A form and submit it with their retirement paperwork to continue with automatic direct deposit after they retire.  This has to be done even if the federal employee currently has his or her check deposited in an account now. When you retire OPM processes payment and needs to know where to send your monthly payments.  The employee and bank must sign and date the form prior to sending it in with your paperwork. Complete mailing addresses, PDF fill in forms, fax numbers, and procedures are available online at http://federalretirement.net/retireforms.htm.

Military Buyback (Credit)

There are many issues to consider when determining whether or not  it is beneficial for a federal employee with prior military service to buy back their military time to receive credit for federal retirement. First and foremost you MUST make a deposit and payback your military time PRIOR TO RETIRING. We have written numerous articles on this subject to answer questions such as;  should I do this, how do I start the process, and is it cost effective and more. Links follow for critical information on this subject:

Retirement Eligibility

There are many variables to consider to determine ones eligibility for retirement.  One of the most frequently asked questions are from federal employees who started working for Uncle Sam in their mid to late 50s and have military time. These feds want to know how soon they can retire and collect a federal pension.

For voluntary civilian retirement the employee MUST work at least 5 years of creditable civilian service. Military service credit can’t be used to meet the 5 year minimum eligibility. Therefore, if you are age 60 with 4 years of creditable civilian employment and 4 years of military time that you bought back, you can’t retire until you reach age 62 and then you would have 10 years towards retirement for annuity calculations. Eligibility requirements are discussed and eligibility charts provided for both CSRS and FERS employees on www.federalretirement.net. You can also estimate your monthly annuity payment on this site.

Retirement Cost Analysis

In preparation for making that leap to retirement many ask questions about financial concerns and how to estimate their post retirement income. I developed a spreadsheet with complete instructions that help federal employees determine, within reason, what they and their spouse will have to live on when they retire.  This spreadsheet can be downloaded and the examples present a realistic assessment for an average retiree plus it also determines what the surviving spouse will have to live on when the inevitable happens.

Use this spreadsheet to determine what your post retirement income and expenses will be and share this information with your spouse so they too will feel comfortable with your decision.  This exercise will also help you focus on the realities of retirement and help you assess whether or not you will need to work part time to supplement your income.

Clarifications

The Treasury Direct Program

In the June article I mentioned that the U.S. Savings Bond program will be suspended for payroll deduction shortly and that you can still buy bonds through Treasury Direct. There was a typo in the link for the Treasury Direct program in the newsletter and the correct link is www.treasurydirect.gov. You can purchase savings bonds online or buy treasury notes, bills and bonds through Treasury Direct.

Social Security Clarification

A site visitor asked the following questions about the Social Security Adjustment – Additional INCREASES for Active Military Service example that I discussed in my June article.

Question: Didn’t we get credit for our military time in Social Security?  Or does this mean they are adding 16 more quarters to our Social Security benefits (4 years time 4 quarters a year)?

Answer: You won’t get additional quarters, they give military additional cash for each quarter they served because if they didn’t you may not have made a sufficient amount for that time to be considered a substantial earnings year. For example, I was making about $97 a month military pay in early 1969 and that times 12 is only $1,164 for the entire year. I actually made a little more because I was promoted the first year. If you go to the Social Security tables at http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/military.htm you will see that from 1968-1971 you had to make $1,950 to meet substantial Social Security earnings that year to receive Social Security credit.

They will add $300 a quarter or $1,200 for each year you served. That increased my earnings for 1969 to $2,364 on paper and they will now count that year towards social security benefits.

One other point of to consider is that the adjustment is automatic for anyone who served from 1968 through 2001 and there isn’t any adjustment for military service after 2001. Service prior to 1967 isn’t automatically added and you have to take your DD-214 with you when you apply and request that your Social Security is properly adjusted for the time you served.

Updates

A major update was published last month for www.federaljobs.net. We spent 5 months redesigning the site and added new and expanded features for federal employees and anyone seeking jobs in the federal government. The new jobs board provides comprehensive job listings for government and private sectors in your area so that job seekers can evaluate ALL potential opportunities in their area.

Learn more about your benefits, employment, and financial planning issues on our site and visit our Blog frequently at https://fedretire.net to read all forum articles.

Visit our other informative sites

The information provided may not cover all aspect of unique or special circumstances, federal regulations, and financial information is subject to change. To ensure the accuracy of this information, contact your benefits coordinator and ask them to review your official personnel file and circumstances concerning this issue. Retirees can contact the OPM retirement center. Our articles are not intended nor should they be considered investment advice. Our reply is time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic economic factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change.”

Posted in ANNUITIES / ELIGIBILITY, BENEFITS / INSURANCE, EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS, ESTATE PLANNING, FINANCE / TIP, LIFESTYLE / TRAVEL, RETIREMENT CONCERNS, SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE, SURVIVOR INFORMATION

Comments (0)| Print This Post Print This Post

Alaska Cruising – Late Summer Deals to Alaska are Abundant

Posted on Wednesday, 7th July 2010 by

Print This Post Print This Post
Share

I’ve been on several Alaska Cruises and always find them the best choice for relaxing and forgetting about all your day-to-day responsibilities. Traveling through the inside passage is peaceful while sitting in the lounge at the top of a ship. You glide slowly by mountains rising out of the ocean that sometimes seem close enough to touch. Eagles soar overhead in search of their dinner.  A light house will occasionally appear on a small island and even if you’re not tired, the gentle rocking of the ship, while traveling slowly through the inside passage, will lull you to sleep.  I’ve even found myself nodding off while reading a page turning novel.

Alaska is also a must for folks who love nature and wildlife.  Marine mammals can be hard to spot from 12 decks above sea level but you can see whales passing by, seals and sea lions popping up to see the ship, and occasionally a sea otter.  Traveling the Inside Passage provides lots of opportunities to spot wild life on shore as well.  With a good pair of binoculars and patience you can spot Mountain Goats high in the mountains in Glacier Bay and sometimes Grizzly bears on shore in the Misty Fjords.

If this sounds appealing to you, now is the time to go. You won’t find a better time to book a cruise than now.  Excellent deals are available for late August and early September departures out of Seattle, WA or Vancouver, BC.  But don’t limit yourself to a cruise only. Consider a cruise tour if you are interested in seeing Alaska’s interior or if you intend this to be a once of a lifetime trip. During late summer, you may even get to see the Aurora Borealis in Alaska’s Interior.  Denali National Park is included on nearly all cruise tours and the beauty of the park is impossible to capture with words.  The variety of wildlife is abundant, with Grizzly Bears, Moose, Dall Sheep, Caribou, Wolves and Lynx among those visible to lucky visitors. It is a rare opportunity to see Mt McKinley because the high peak creates its own weather and it is often shrouded in clouds.  Consider yourself very lucky if you are able to view this spectacular natural wonder on your cruise.

Selecting a Cruise Line

Selecting a cruise line is a matter of personal preferences.  If you like traditional cruising then Royal Caribbean or Celebrity may be the best choice.  The cabins on Celebrity are also a step above other lines.  If you like the freedom of eating when and where you like then NCL may be the best choice.  Holland America and Princess Cruise Lines offer freedom and traditional cruising options.  Most cruise lines now have specialty restaurants that will provide an opportunity to eat exactly what you want on those rare occasions that the evening’s menu doesn’t have something that looks good to you at an additional charge ranging between $5 and $20.  Evening attire is less strict than in the past.  It may still be the suggested attire for the evening but resort casual is acceptable in the dinning room.  With the airlines now charging for checked luggage, cruise lines are more accepting of casual dress.  I always had two large suitcases for myself when cruising: one suitcase with my casual dress and active wear, the other with evening and resort wear.  My next cruise will be a one suitcase cruise.  I have traveled on each of the above cruise lines; however I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with any cruise line you choose as long as you find the itinerary you’re looking for at a price you can afford.

Cruise line web sites:

http://www.carnival.com
http://www.royalcaribbean.com
http://www.princess.com
http://www.hollandamerica.com
http:/www.celebritycruises.com
http://www2.ncl.com
http://www.disneycruise.com (Disney begins Alaska cruising in 2011)

Cruising Basics

If you have not cruised before here’s some basics that will help avoid surprises.  The fare advertised doesn’t include port taxes which vary dependent on ports of call.  You may also be charged a fuel surcharge when the cost of a barrel of oil exceeds an amount usually posted somewhere on the invoice.  The fee is normally $10 a day, per person.  Gratuities for the cruise staff is now commonly added to your room charges at the rate of $10 a day, per person.  This is convenient and avoids standing in line to get cash or smaller bills to tip each staff member that serves you the last night of the cruise.  If service exceeds or is disappointing you can stop at the Pursers Desk and ask that the charges be adjusted accordingly.  Food is included in the fare, however specialty restaurants are additional.

Air Travel Arrangements

Air fares charged by the cruise lines often exceed the fares you may be able to find yourself, unless you are booking a last minute cruise.  I often arrive at the port city 2 or more days ahead of time by booking my own air travel arrangements and see the sights prior to boarding the ship on embarkation day.  However, if you don’t intend to arrive at least one day early at the port city, book your air travel through the cruise line.  That will guaranty you will make it to your ship in the event of travel delays at no additional cost to you.

Travel Insurance

Cruise lines offer travel insurance and encourage it in case of trip cancellation.  I recommend you obtain your own travel insurance through an independent company.  This will avoid a conflict of interest with the cruise line and usually saves you money.  You can also tailor the policy to the coverage you are most interested in.  I buy it in case I have an unexpected illness or injury that requires special travel to a hospital.

Alaskan and Canadian Ports

I have been to most of the ports of call you are likely to find on any of the itineraries for Alaska Inside Passage Cruises.  Victoria, BC is a beautiful city on the South East tip of Vancouver Island.  It is most famous for its Butchart Gardens located nearby.  They are worth seeing!  Vancouver BC, host of the 2010 Winter Olympics is a beautiful city.  The opportunities range from shopping in the city to eco tours outside the city.  You are very likely to be greeted by more eagles than you’ve ever seen before at the port of Prince Rupert BC.  Excursions are limited in Prince Rupert, so book in advance if you see something of interest.  Whale Watching is high on the list of activities there.  Ketchikan Alaska receives a high amount of rain fall, but it is a neat little town with wooden walks along the water, lots of shops and galleries and just a fun town to explore.  It is near the Misty Fjords.  You can take a sea plane ride to see them from the air. One of my favorite trips in August and September is to a bear sanctuary where you can watch black bear catch Salmon during the spawning season.  You travel by sea plane to reach the sanctuary.  Juneau is home to the Mendenhall Glacier and another great spot to go Whale Watching.  Humpback whales come to Alaska in the summer to eat before returning to Hawaii in the winter to mate or give birth.  I’ve never been disappointed on a Whale Watch trip here.  Haines is a very small town that is the starting place for a wilderness adventure.  The Chilkook is full of spawning salmon during the cruise season, always a draw for fishermen and fishing bears.  Haines offers many trips to watch wildlife or go kayaking.  Skagway is home of gold rush history.  The White Pass Railway is a must if you stop here.  It’s a beautiful ride up the mountain following the trail used during the gold rush. Visiting Glaciers can be exciting in May when ships can often get close to the face of the Glacier.  However a fall visit normally limits how close the ship can get due to ice bergs in the bay.  It’s still worth seeing in the fall, but don’t be disappointed if you’ll need binoculars on a late summer cruise.

Cruise Resources
http://cruisedirect.com
http://www.americasvacationcenter.com
http://www.cruisecritic.com
http://www.vacationstogo.com
http://www.cruisesonly.com
http://www.gillscruise.com
http://www.cruisemagic.com/cruise-lines

If you are a frequent flier, check for deals through your frequent flier programs.  Rewards programs from VISA and MasterCard may also have cruise deals available.

If and when you choose a cruise, have a Bon Voyage!

Nancy Holston

Learn more about your benefits,  employment, travel, and financial planning issues on our site and visit our Blog frequently at https://fedretire.net to read all forum articles.

Visit our other informative sites

The information provided may not cover all aspect of unique or special circumstances. Travel policies and packages are subject to change without notice. To ensure the accuracy of this information, contact travel providers and hotels at the time of your bookings to confirm pricing, itinerary, and all costs. The comments and observations are limited to the author’s personal experience and your results may vary significantly. This article and replies to comments are not intended to substitute for professional travel services. Our reply is time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic economic factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change.

Posted in LIFESTYLE / TRAVEL

Comments (0)| Print This Post Print This Post

Changes, More Military Credits, & Retiree Jobs

Posted on Monday, 28th June 2010 by

Print This Post Print This Post
Share

Changes to the Savings Bond Program

OPM recently sent retirees a letter announcing the phasing out of paper savings bonds through traditional savings plans. If you have savings bonds withheld, they will be stopped automatically in October, the last month you will receive a bond. You can continue to purchase savings bonds through the Treasury Direct online program or you can still purchase paper savings bonds through your local bank.

The benefits of Treasury Direct, www.treasurydirect.gov, is that you can sign up, manage your account, purchase and redeem savings bonds online plus print out detailed account holdings. Individuals can also purchase U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected (TIPs), and Treasury Bills, Notes and Bonds for your account and the money is easily transferred from and to your designated local bank savings or checking account. I always liked paper bonds because you can keep them in your safety deposit box and cash them in at any bank.  It’s like having cash instead of just credit cards.

This does create a double edge sword so to speak. Our society is totally dependent on the Internet today, we can’t do anything without it; from pumping gas, everyday purchases, to ATM withdrawals. It would seem to even the most casual observer that we are becoming too dependent on this one venue. That being said, the Treasury Direct program is very easy to use and you can purchase Treasury Inflation Protected bonds called (TIPs), a good substitute for I Bonds, without any annual dollar limits. Find out more about other financial considerations for federal employees and retirees.

Social Security Adjustment – Additional INCREASES for Active Military Service

Don, a retired federal manager, former associate and friend, emailed me earlier this month about this credit. If you served on Active Duty your Social Security may be increased. For example, I served on active duty from 1969 through 1972. According to Social Security, go to http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/military.htm to check this out for yourself, I will be credited with $300 in additional earnings for each calendar quarter in which I received active duty basic pay.  Don said that this isn’t automatic and that he was advised that you must take your DD-214 form with you when you sign up for Social Security to receive this credit.  This isn’t just for federal retirees; it’s for anyone who served on Active duty. This does make sense considering that when I was on active duty my starting pay was $97 a month, YES just $97 a month and when I was discharged In 1972 I was making $270 a month! If you lost or misplaced your DD-214 form you can get a replacement from the National Archives.   Visit our Social Security page for more details.

Additional Retiree Job Options

More companies are trying to attract retired federal employees and those close to retirement due to their special skills, knowledge and abilities. We continue to receive job postings from companies desperately seeking to fill critical jobs with qualified federal workers and retirees. Visit our jobs board for complete listings. You will find new listings for:

  • Instructor – Federal Acquisitions
  • Radar/Automation (Retired FAA Tech)
  • Navaids/Comm (Retired FAA Tech)
  • Contracting Specialists
  • Retirement & Benefits Specialist

Learn more about your benefits, employment, and financial planning issues on our site and visit our Blog frequently at https://fedretire.net to read all forum articles.

Visit our other informative sites

The information provided may not cover all aspect of unique or special circumstances, federal regulations, and financial information is subject to change. To ensure the accuracy of this information, contact your benefits coordinator and ask them to review your official personnel file and circumstances concerning this issue. Retirees can contact the OPM retirement center. Our articles are not intended nor should they be considered investment advice. Our reply is time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic economic factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change.”

Posted in BENEFITS / INSURANCE, EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS, ESTATE PLANNING, FINANCE / TIP, LIFESTYLE / TRAVEL, RETIREMENT CONCERNS, SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE, SURVIVOR INFORMATION

Comments (0)| Print This Post Print This Post

Hawaiian Sea Breezes and those Mai Tai’s!

Posted on Saturday, 5th June 2010 by

Print This Post Print This Post
Share

Think you can’t afford a Hawaiian Vacation?  You might be surprised!

Here you are sitting on Waikiki Beach as the sky is fading from the picture perfect blue to shades of yellow, orange and red.  The Palms overhead are swaying and you feel the trade winds in your hair and on your face while you relax to the sound of the waves lapping on the sand.  You hear the conch shell announce the end of the day as Hawaiian Natives run down the beach lighting the Tiki Torches.  As the sun sets on Waikiki you hear a Ukulele playing a familiar Hawaiian song and as you walk down the beach you find the source of the music.  Sit down on the grass and enjoy the music and Hula dancers providing the entertainment.  Then wander across the street to one of the night spots for a traditional Mai Tai with a float of dark rum.  This is what awaits you every evening on Waikiki.

Wake up to cool breezes as you walk along the beach with the sand in your toes.  Grab a coffee and your favorite breakfast item and enjoy it on the beach.  Later in the day you won’t find better shopping anywhere on the islands.  Waikiki is lined with high end shops and everyone’s favorite, the ABC shops with everything from essentials to souvenirs.  You can also grab a shuttle to Hilo Hattie’s to purchase reasonably priced traditional Hawaiian clothing and souvenirs or stop at the Ala Moana Mall.

When you find you’re in the mood to explore the island there’s plenty to see and do:  Pearl Harbor, the North Shore, the Dole Pineapple Plantation, visit the Polynesian Cultural Center, snorkel at Hanauma Bay, or swim, sunbathe or try surfing at a sparsely occupied beach which are all over the island.

The temperatures in Hawaii only vary by two degrees between summer and winter.  If you plan to go to the tops of any of the volcanoes on the islands, then you’ll need a jacket at a minimum in the winter time, a sweatshirt in Spring/Summer.

Getting There

You can let airfare deals pick your dates.  This is only a problem if you are planning to do some whale watching.  The whales are plentiful from January through March.  If whale watching isn’t on your list of things to do, then you will have the freedom to let the airfare deals guide your travel dates.  There are several websites that will help find airfare deals.  They email you daily or weekly to advise you of the latest deals for destinations you have asked the website to monitor.  You’ll have to use your best guess to determine if it’s the right time to buy.  Good airfare prices for west coast travelers are around $350 to $400, but East coast travelers can expect $550 to $600 as their best deal.

Airfare monitoring sites: KAYAK.com, Airfarewatchdog.com, Bookingbuddy.com

Booking Sites:
Priceline.com Flights – Choose your EXACT flight & time!
Book Air + Hotel together and SAVE with Travelocity

Where to stay

Once you’ve purchased your airline tickets it’s time to find a good hotel deal.  There are several websites that have good prices.  Some will only give you the price without revealing the hotel.  This can be risky.  Most will tell you the hotel if you are packaging a rental car with your hotel purchase.  Beware though, these sites usually require full payment when you make the reservation and generally don’t give refunds.  They do have insurance incase your plans hit a snag, but a full refund is still very limited.  Make sure you read the small print before you complete your purchase.  You can also look at vacation rentals on the islands.  Do some research though to make sure the home is located in an area that appeals to your activity list, is close to beaches and/or tour operations.  For Military retirees there is Fort De Russy Military Reservation, which is essentially a resort for members of the armed forces.  It is located right next to the Hilton Hawaiian Village, which provides plenty of places to shop and eat.  There are lots of vendors set up in that area for activities on the water.

Hotels:

Priceline.com Hotels – save up to 50%
Travelocity – Top Hotel Deals in Honolulu
No hotels.com Change or Cancel fees on lodging bookings
Hotwire.com,

Vacation Homes:
Hawaii Vacation Rentals
VRBO.com has great deals because you are renting from the owner and not paying the middle man that manages the property.

Island Transportation

If your plans are to spend your time at Waikiki, I recommend you skip a car rental.  The parking fees at most hotels can be nearly as much as the daily cost of the rental.  You can catch the Roberts shuttle from the Honolulu airport.  A round trip ticket is only $15, and two people can go round trip for less than a one way taxi ride to your hotel.  You say you don’t want to spend everyday at Waikiki?  No problem!  Enterprise car rental has an office on Waikiki, Seaside street that is within easy walking distance (they will pick you up, but you may have to wait a couple of hours due to how busy this office is).  You can rent a car for the day starting around $35.  The Waikiki Trolley will take you up and down the beach for $2, and goes to the malls near Honolulu.  You can also get a free shuttle to Hilo Hattie’s for shopping.

Dining on Oahu

Grab those Tourist booklets as soon as you arrive.  They are everywhere including conveniently located in the Baggage Claim area at the Honolulu Airport!  These books have coupons for everything, tours, shopping and dining, early bird specials, two-for-one’s, etc.  I also recommend asking the locals for the best local restaurants.  Early bird specials aren’t so special if the food isn’t good.  One of my favorite places is Round Table Pizza and the Spaghetti Factory on Ward Avenue, not far from the Ala Moana Mall.  You’ll find lots of chain restaurants at Waikiki, but the prices will run about 20% higher than what you pay at home.  Waikiki has many different types of cuisine and fine dining restaurants.  Asian food offers an abundance of choices.  If you plan to attend a Luau, I recommend you do some research.  If you have a vision of being on the beach for the meal and the Hawaiian show after the meal you may be disappointed when you find that the Luau takes place on the roof of a parking garage (as is the case at the Hilton Hawaiian Village).  The best Hawaiian Luau is on Maui.  The Paradise Cove Luau may meet your expectations.  Prices will be approximately $80 per adult.  I’m always surprised at how much I spend eating on Oahu.  It can easily exceed $100 a day for two people.

Activities

For beach information I use this link:  http://oceansafety.soest.hawaii.edu/v/2.0/?i=oahu

It will help you determine the safest place for the beach activity you are planning.  For info on tours, http://www.oahutours.net/ is very inclusive covering just about anything you might find of interest.  Check with the website or service you use to book your hotel.  Sometimes they have special deals for Luau’s or the more popular tours on the islands.

Aloha!

Nancy Holston

Learn more about your benefits,  employment, travel, and financial planning issues on our site and visit our Blog frequently at https://www.fedretire.net to read all forum articles.

Visit our other informative sites

The information provided may not cover all aspect of unique or special circumstances. Travel policies and packages are subject to change without notice. To ensure the accuracy of this information, contact travel providers and hotels at the time of your bookings to confirm pricing, itinerary, and all costs. The comments and observations are limited to the author’s personal experience and your results may vary significantly. This article and replies to comments are not intended to substitute for professional travel services. Our reply is time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic economic factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change.”

Posted in LIFESTYLE / TRAVEL, WELLNESS / HEALTH

Comments (0)| Print This Post Print This Post

The TSP and Market Downturn, and Retiree Job Options

Posted on Wednesday, 2nd June 2010 by

Print This Post Print This Post
Share

The TSP and markets in general have been on another roller coaster ride AGAIN this past month or so.  I fortunately shifted all of my TSP account to the G Fund several weeks ago feeling that the market was overdue for a correction.  I discussed my intention to switch to the G Fund in my March article. The icing on the cake, that convinced me to move to safety, was the Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain (PIGS) blowout, and the BP oil spill. Just too many negatives converging at one time and when you add government’s out of control spending, it just made sense to seek higher ground and avoid insanity for another round.  Only time will tell if I made the right move but either way, the G Fund is guaranteed to never decrease in value and it still pays a hefty yield compared to CDs and Money Market accounts.  After the market recovers I’ll reallocate my funds back into stocks. Explore your TSP options to better understand how to manage your account.  As always, I don’t recommend anyone changing their TSP allocations based on my personal preferences

If you purchased stocks, mutual funds, or ETFs, when the Market hit its low back in 2008 it was time for many to lock in profits. The recent 1000 point drop in the DOW average was a subtle reminder of just how far a market can and will go in freefall.  Small investors often find selling stocks a difficult chore. I use to be that way and have learned over the years that you “can’t always get what you want,” especially when it comes to market highs. About 4 or five weeks ago the market culminated a long run up and it had pretty much gone straight up over the last year, a very unusual path for a market to take without a breather.  Many were talking about a V shaped recovery and few considered a double dip recession. How fast things change.  The jury is still out and only time will tell, but the long and short of it for the small investor is to take your profits when you have them because they can easily disappear in short notice.  It is a hard decision to sell for a number of reasons.

Many small Investors are optimists and buy and hold, loosing interim profits along the way. If you have a 25, 40, 100 or 400% profit I belief it makes sense to take them and look for other attractive investments especially when you think they are getting overprices. You can always buy them back 30 days later, often at a lower price. Look at Ford (F), it sold for as little as $1.87 in January of 2009. In April of 2010 it hit a high of $14.57 a share.  When it hit $14 many investors that purchased at less than $2 were holding on believing it was going to $20. When the market started its fall last month and the stock hit $11 the hard liners said they weren’t selling until it returned to $14 or more, why sell, I’m losing money they would say.  Even at $11, if they sold, their profits were in the 580% range!  GREED kills profits.  Just like the gambler that hits a jackpot and then plays and looses everything he won.

Retiree Job Options

If you are looking to retire but still want to stay in the game or you are retired trying to keep your head above water, there are many job options available for workers with federal government experience. Our jobs board continues to grow and Money Magazine recently listed four “Best Jobs for Retirees“ in their May issue . Here is a partial listings of jobs or services that welcome retirees and older workers:

  • Energy Auditor – Inspect homes for energy efficiency, Salary $42,000 to $66,000. Visit www.aeecenter.org for more information.
  • Patient Advocate – help clients with prescriptions, file paperwork, and arrange transportation. Salary from $36,000 to $52,000. Visit www.nahac.memberlodge.com for more information.
  • Nonprofit Manager – Transfer your federal management skills to the private nonprofit arena. Salary from $40,000 to $69,000. Visit www.bridgestar.org for more information.
  • Public School Teacher – Sciences and math teachers needed. Salary $47,000 to $52,000. Visit www.teach-now.org for more information.
  • The US 2010 Census – Part time work. Call their national jobs hotline at 1-866-861-2010 or apply online at http://www.census.gov/hrd/www/index.html.  The pay is good and the hours are flexible.
  • Private Sector job search, all occupations – Visit http://searchfedjobs.com/joblistings.htm to find jobs for all occupations nationwide and overseas.

Learn more about your benefits, employment, and financial planning issues on our site and visit our Blog frequently at https://fedretire.net to read all forum articles.

Visit our other informative sites

The information provided may not cover all aspect of unique or special circumstances, federal regulations, and financial information is subject to change. To ensure the accuracy of this information, contact your benefits coordinator and ask them to review your official personnel file and circumstances concerning this issue. Retirees can contact the OPM retirement center. Our artilces are not intended nor should they be considered investment advice. Our reply is time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic economic factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change.”

Posted in BENEFITS / INSURANCE, EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS, FINANCE / TIP, LIFESTYLE / TRAVEL, RETIREMENT CONCERNS

Comments (0)| Print This Post Print This Post

Terms Of Use