The Index: 2011 Edition

Last year marked the fifth year I've written this column. What I've come to realize is that there are a variety of ways to look at the same subjects due to updates to laws and regulations, or changes in the world we live in. As I've done at the beginning of each of the past few years, I am providing an index to all my past columns that still contain relevant information to help you plan for your retirement. You might want to bookmark this column since it can serve as a reference to a variety of retirement planning issues.

Best Date to Retire

A Date for New Year's Dec. 17, 2010
Best Dates to Retire 2011 April 30, 2010
The Magic Date April 23, 2010

Deciding to Retire

The Next Adventure Aug. 20, 2010
The List June 4, 2010
Uncertain Times May 28, 2010
Taking the Plunge Aug. 7, 2009
When to Go: FERS Edition April 24, 2009
Putting It Off April 17, 2009
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

Getting Help Sept. 24, 2010
The Top Five April 16, 2010
Financial Literacy for Feds April 9, 2010
Where to Start Oct. 23, 2009
Communication Mistakes Aug. 28, 2009
From Day One July 24, 2009
Get an Estimate July 17, 2009
Midcareer Considerations May 1, 2009
It Pays to Know Jan. 23, 2009
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

Sick Leave Credit: The Calculations April 2, 2010
Sick Leave Credit: The Details March 26, 2010
Sick Leave Credit for All March 19, 2010
Leave: Take It or Lump It March 27, 2009
Taking Your Lumps Jan. 19, 2007

Service Credit Issues

At Your Service Aug. 13, 2010
From Military to Civilian July 30, 2010
Question Time Feb. 12, 2010
Deposit Woes Jan. 29, 2010
Deposit Dilemma Jan. 22, 2010
Deposit Download Jan. 15, 2010
Military Payback: More Questions June 12, 2009
Payback Time May 29, 2009
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
Mixing Civilian and Military Retirement June 30, 2006
Military Service Payback Feb. 24, 2006

Survivor Benefits

Thinking the Unthinkable June 11, 2010
The Inevitable Aug. 14, 2009
When You Go June 5, 2009
Spousal Provision March 13, 2009
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

Special Considerations May 8, 2009
Feeling Special: Q&A Aug. 17, 2007
Feeling Special Aug. 10, 2007

Eligibility and Computation of CSRS and FERS

New Calculations Nov. 6, 2009
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 Issues

Pop Quiz Sept. 10, 2010
Understanding CSRS Offset Sept. 3, 2010
Before Your Time July 23, 2010
Spring Cleaning May 21, 2010
Financially Independent Women May 14, 2010
Question Time May 7, 2010
The 2009 Quiz Dec. 18, 2009
Pop Quiz Sept. 11, 2009
Endless Summer, Endless Questions June 26, 2009
Voluntary Contributions Revisited May 22, 2009
No Fooling April 3, 2009
Disability Decisions March 20, 2009
Free-Falling FERS March 6, 2009
What You Don't Know Feb. 27, 2009
Questions and Answers Feb. 20, 2009
Changes You Can Believe In Jan. 16, 2009
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

Disability Retirement

Disability Decisions Nov. 19, 2010
Disability Decisions March 20, 2009
Facing Disability Feb. 22, 2008

Voluntary Contributions

A Golden Opportunity Oct. 15, 2010
Voluntary Contributions Revisited May 22, 2009
Voluntary Benefits May 5, 2006

Post-Retirement

Trick or Treat Oct. 29, 2010
The Check Isn't in the Mail Jan. 30, 2009
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

Why? Dec. 10, 2010
(Almost) Free Health Insurance Oct. 8, 2010
Health Reform and Your Children Sept. 17, 2010
Open Season Wrap-Up Dec. 11, 2009
Maturity and Youth Dec. 4, 2009
Open Forum Nov. 20, 2009
High Option Nov. 13, 2009
Open Season Opening Oct. 30, 2009
Dental Check-Up Nov. 7, 2008
Continued Coverage, Continued March 27, 2008
The Five-Year Test March 20, 2008
Ensuring a Healthy Retirement June 16, 2006

Medicare

Medicare Wrap-Up Dec. 3, 2010
Medicare Questions Nov. 12, 2010
Don't Forget Medicare Nov. 5, 2010
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 Lessons Oct. 1, 2010
Checks and Balances Aug. 6, 2010
Your Money and Your Life July 16, 2010
Life Insurance Options, Part Two Sept. 22, 2006
Life Insurance Options, Part One Sept. 15, 2006

Long-Term Care

The Poverty Line March 12, 2010
Beyond Benefits March 5, 2010
Long-Term Crunch Feb. 5, 2010
Buying Long-Term Care Insurance Oct. 16, 2009
Long-Term Care Considerations Oct. 9, 2009
Long-Term Change May 15, 2009
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 Magic Number Aug. 27, 2010
Social Security 301 Oct. 2, 2009
Social Security 201 Sept. 25, 2009
Social Security 101 Sept. 18, 2009
Social Security's Top 10 Aug. 21, 2009
Understanding Social Security April 10, 2009
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

Setting the TSP Record Straight July 9, 2010
How to Become a TSP Millionaire July 2, 2010
TSP Payday June 25, 2010
Upgrading the TSP June 18, 2010
Avoiding Annuities February 26, 2010
Income for Life Feb. 19, 2010
From Law to Policy July 31, 2009
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

COLA Crunch Oct. 22, 2010
The COLA Factor Aug. 29, 2008
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.