Retirement
Informed Investor: Deciding on Survivor Annuity Benefits, Part VI: Lump-Sum Credit
This last of six columns on survivor annuity elections discusses the lump-sum credit. The lump-sum credit is a refund of a decreased annuitant’s CSRS or FERS retirement contributions previously made while in service. The column also examines who is entitled to the lump-sum credit payment and how a beneficiary designation is made.
Benefits
Informed Investor: Deciding on survivor annuity benefits, Part V: Death in service (FERS)
This fifth of six columns discussing survivor annuity elections examines death benefits for a deceased FERS employee’s spouse, including the FERS survivor annuity and the basic employee death benefit. The column also looks at the effect on the spousal survivor annuity of the deceased employee’s deposit for non-deduction (temporary) and military service, and a redeposit.
Financial Planning
Informed Investor: The new way of calculating interest on undergraduate student loans
Congress recently passed a law that changes how the interest rate is determined for federal unsubsidized Stafford loans. This week’s column discusses what this means for students who must borrow to attend colleges or universities now and in the future, and includes recommendations for parents on how to save and pay for their children’s higher education expenses.
Benefits