The Index: 2009 Edition

By Tammy Flanagan

January 9, 2009

Last year, my index to previous columns was a hit with readers, so I thought I'd provide an update with the best columns of 2008 added and a few outdated columns deleted.

Looking back over the year, I spent a fair amount of time on service credit issues and specific things you need to do to be ready for retirement. If there are issues that you would like to have addressed in the coming year, please let me know, using the comments box below. This is your column, and my goal is to make the complex nature of the federal retirement systems a little simpler.

Best Date to Retire

Mail Call August 15, 2008
Best Dates to Retire: Tax Considerations August 8, 2008
Best Dates to Retire 2009 August 1, 2008

Deciding to Retire

Federal vs. Private May 9, 2008
A Little Lower Oct. 12, 2007
Going Private Oct. 5, 2007
Public or Private? Sept. 14, 2007
Laboring Another Day Aug. 31, 2007
Retiring Women June 15, 2007
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Feb. 23, 2007
The Early Way Out May 26, 2006
Leaving Early May 19, 2006
Really, You Can Retire! March 17, 2006
You Can Afford To Retire! March 3, 2006

Things to Do to Get Ready

What You Need to Know Oct. 10, 2008
Who's Responsible? Sept. 12, 2008
Time of Transition June 27, 2008
To-Do List June 13, 2008
Countdown to Retirement March 14, 2008
Help! Feb. 8, 2008
Educate Yourself Feb. 1, 2008
Last-Minute Tips Dec. 14, 2007
The Retirement Process June 22, 2007
Retirement Checklist June 8, 2007
Getting Ready Jan. 5, 2007
Are You Ready? July 14, 2006
Smoothing the Transition June 23, 2006

Sick Leave/Annual Leave

Taking Your (Sick) Leave Feb. 9, 2007
Taking Your Lumps Jan. 19, 2007

Service Credit Issues

Catch-62 Revisited Sept. 5, 2008
Maxing Out July 18, 2008
Deposits and Credits June 20, 2008
Keep Your Records Feb. 28, 2008
Catch-62 Sept. 21, 2007
A Whole Different Kind of Service June 1, 2007
Crediting Volunteer Service May 25, 2007
Computing Your Service May 18, 2007
Service Interruption March 16, 2007
Part-Time Rules, Part Two March 9, 2007
Part-Time Rules, Part One March 2, 2007
Mixing Civilian and Military Retirement June 30, 2006
Military Service Payback Feb. 24, 2006
Redepositing CSRS Refunds Feb. 17, 2006
Buying Retirement Credit Feb. 10, 2006
Getting Credit Jan. 27, 2006

Survivor Benefits

Survivor Benefits Q&A April 25, 2008
Supporting Your Survivors April 18, 2008
'Survivor:' Federal Edition Jan. 12, 2007
Federal Couples July 7, 2006
Who's Your Beneficiary? May 12, 2006
Spousal Benefits March 10, 2006

Law Enforcement and Special Groups

Feeling Special: Q&A Aug. 17, 2007
Feeling Special Aug. 10, 2007

Eligibility and Computation of CSRS and FERS

Eligibility: Facts and Myths July 6, 2007
Deferred vs. Postponed June 29, 2007
Retirement Estimate: The Details May 11, 2007
Basic Retirement Computations May 4, 2007
Estimating Your Benefits April 27, 2007
Supplementary Information Feb. 2, 2007
Supplementing FERS Jan. 26, 2007

Other CSRS and FERS Retirement Issues

FERS Flexibilities Sept. 26, 2008
CSRS vs. FERS: 2008 Edition Sept. 19, 2008
Myth Busting May 30, 2008
Facing Disability Feb. 22, 2008
Changes for 2008 Jan. 11, 2008
D-I-V-O-R-C-E Aug. 24, 2007
Short-Term Benefits Feb. 16, 2007
Single Concerns July 21, 2006
A Thoroughly Modern Retirement System June 2, 2006
Voluntary Benefits May 5, 2006
Best of Both Worlds April 14, 2006

Post-Retirement

Words of Wisdom May 15, 2008
Delayed Gratification April 4, 2008
Buyer Beware Jan. 25, 2008
Back to Work, Again March 30, 2007
Back to Work March 23, 2007

Health Insurance

Dental Check-Up Nov. 7, 2008
High Interest Oct. 31, 2008
Considering HDHPs Oct. 24, 2008
Continued Coverage, Continued March 27, 2008
The Five-Year Test March 20, 2008
Ensuring a Healthy Retirement June 16, 2006

Medicare

Part B, Part Three Dec. 11, 2008
Medicare, Part B Dec. 4, 2008
Medicare Mysteries Nov. 21, 2008
Part B Or Not Part B? Sept. 28, 2007
More on Medicare April 28, 2006
Medicare ABCs April 21, 2006

Life Insurance

Life Insurance Options, Part Two Sept. 22, 2006
Life Insurance Options, Part One Sept. 15, 2006

Long-Term Care

Long-Term Planning July 25, 2008
The Long Haul: Part Three Aug. 11, 2006
The Long Haul: Part Two Aug. 4, 2006
The Long Haul: Part One July 28, 2006

Social Security

The Benefits of Social Security June 6, 2008
Social Issues May 2, 2008
Getting Social March 7, 2008
Gone With the Windfall Sept. 1, 2006
Offsetting Penalty June 9, 2006

Thrift Savings Plan

Deep Breath Oct. 17, 2008
Take Charge of Your TSP Oct. 3, 2008
TSP and Taxes May 23, 2008
The TSP's Future -- and Yours July 13, 2007
Honey Pot April 20, 2007
TSP Withdrawal Quiz April 13, 2007
Life Expectancy vs. Life Annuity April 6, 2007
Withdrawal Options March 24, 2006

Cost of Living Adjustments

The COLA Factor Aug. 29, 2008
Counting COLAs Oct. 20, 2006
COLA Wars Sept. 8, 2006

Pension Protection Act and Taxes

Tax Changes: Part Two Aug. 25, 2006
Tax Changes: Part One Aug. 18, 2006

Tammy Flanagan is the senior benefits director for the National Institute of Transition Planning Inc., which conducts federal retirement planning workshops and seminars. She has spent 25 years helping federal employees take charge of their retirement by understanding their benefits.

For more retirement planning help, tune in to "For Your Benefit," presented by the National Institute of Transition Planning Inc. live on Monday mornings at 10 a.m. ET on federalnewsradio.com or on WFED AM 1500 in the Washington metro area.

By Tammy Flanagan

January 9, 2009

http://www.govexec.com/pay-benefits/retirement-planning/2009/01/the-index-2009-edition/28319/