fbpx

Government Shutdown Continues – Suffering the Consequences

Posted on Wednesday, 15th October 2025 by Dennis Damp

Share

After nine votes, the Senate has not been able to pass a clean spending bill, even though three Senators crossed party lines to support the bill. Six more are needed to meet the 60-vote threshold. Many are reporting that this shutdown could exceed the 35-day shutdown of 2019! This political brinkmanship must stop; too many […]

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in

| Comments (0)

Health Care Premiums Announced for 2026 – Hold on to your Hat!

Posted on Monday, 13th October 2025 by Dennis Damp

Share

Another year, another round of premium hikes for our health care. Yes, they did it again with an average increase of 10% for the FEHB program and 9% for the PSHB postal employees’ plan. The FEDVIP premiums also increased, although modestly compared to our primary health care plans. The average increase when adding everything together […]

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in

| Comments (2)

Roth Conversion Article Update and Income Tax Impact

Posted on Thursday, 25th September 2025 by Dennis Damp

Share

My article, titled “TSP Traditional to ROTH IRA Conversions Coming Soon,” has one area that needs further clarification and one typo under the “Benefits and Timing” heading. Additionally, I had intended to address the income tax impact in a separate article; it is included here for convenience. I illustrated how much a couple with total […]

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in

| Comments (0)

FEHB & PSHB Open Season – Higher Premiums Heading Our Way!

Posted on Friday, 29th August 2025 by Dennis Damp

Share

Over the past three years our health care premiums have increased an average of 29.9%! If this trend continues, many will be seeking lower cost coverage among the FEHB/PSHB providers. The 2025 Open Season runs from November 10, 2025, through December 8, 2025. Federal and Postal employees are able to evaluate their health, dental or […]

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in

| Comments (4)

I Never Thought to Ask! How About You?

Posted on Thursday, 21st August 2025 by Dennis Damp

Share

Thanks to a kind and skilled pharmacy technician, my prescription costs for Asmanex decreased from $135 a month to $39! This is a welcome reprieve from one of the medications I take. Asmanex is the only asthma inhaler I can use without significant side effects. GEHA didn’t cover it in the past, and I purchased […]

Tags: , , ,
Posted in

| Comments (2)

2026 Federal Employees’ Leave Record Now Available

Posted on Thursday, 7th August 2025 by Dennis Damp

Share

Each year, we publish a comprehensive leave record that federal employees can use to track their annual and sick leave, comp, and credit hours used. Our updated 2026 Excel Leave Chart is designed for active federal employees who are planning their retirement and need to establish realistic target retirement dates. This spreadsheet also helps federal […]

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in

| Comments (0)

Are Your Savings Secure? A Fixed Income Update

Posted on Friday, 1st August 2025 by Dennis Damp

Share

Last January, the Federal Reserve kept the fed funds rate steady at the 4.25%-4.5% range, pausing its rate-cutting cycle after three consecutive reductions in 2024. During their July 2025 meeting, they decided to continue the pause in the interest rate-cutting cycle that began in September 2024. After Chairman Powell’s announcement, the DOW Index dropped over […]

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in

| Comments (0)

A Life Worth Remembering – YOU have a Story to Tell!

Posted on Thursday, 24th July 2025 by Dennis Damp

Share

Kiplinger Retirement Newsletter’s recent article, “How to Tell Your Own Life Story,” was on the mark. They say, “There is one vulnerable asset we tend to overlook: Our stories.” This is so true, and it was a driving force behind my decision to write and publish my memoir, “The Early Years, A Road Less Traveled,” […]

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in

| Comments (0)

Terms Of Use