Author Archive

Tammy Flanagan

Tammy Flanagan

Retirement Counseling and Training www.retirefederal.com

Tammy Flanagan has spent 30 years helping federal employees take charge of their retirement by understanding their benefits. She runs her own consulting business at www.retirefederal.com and provides individual counseling as well as online training for the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, Plan Your Federal Retirement and the Federal Long Term Care insurance Program. She also serves as the senior benefits director for the National Institute of Transition Planning Inc., which conducts federal retirement planning workshops and seminars.

For more retirement planning help, tune in to "For Your Benefit," presented by the National Institute of Transition Planning Inc. live on Federal News Radio on Mondays at 10 a.m. ET on WFED AM 1500 in the Washington-metro area. Archived shows are available on NITPInc.com.

Tammy Flanagan has spent 30 years helping federal employees take charge of their retirement by understanding their benefits. She runs her own consulting business at www.retirefederal.com and provides individual counseling as well as online training for the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, Plan Your Federal Retirement and the Federal Long Term Care insurance Program. She also serves as the senior benefits director for the National Institute of Transition Planning Inc., which conducts federal retirement planning workshops and seminars.

For more retirement planning help, tune in to "For Your Benefit," presented by the National Institute of Transition Planning Inc. live on Federal News Radio on Mondays at 10 a.m. ET on WFED AM 1500 in the Washington-metro area. Archived shows are available on NITPInc.com.

Pay & Benefits

What difference does 2.5% make?

Here's what a Dec. 31, 2025 retirement might look like with a 4.5% increase in pay for 2025 compared with only a 2% increase.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

Open season and tax savings

Monday is the last day to enroll in or make changes to your benefits for 2025. What are you doing this weekend?

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

Look before you leap into a private sector job

It might not be the win you think it is when you do the math.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

Retirement decisions that can't be reversed

Here are the retirement decisions that require careful consideration since they cannot be changed.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

A primer on the FERS supplement

The Federal Employees Retirement System supplement can get complicated, so we answer some of your key questions about it.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

Your Open Season Q&A

Open Season begins on Nov. 11 for active and retired federal and postal employees. Let's get you ready.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

Revisiting the WEP and GPO

How the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset cause substantial, and often, unfair reductions in Social Security benefits for CSRS retirees.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Featured eBooks
Open Season 2025 Guide
Health Tech
Space Trends
Pay & Benefits

10 important facts about Medicare

Some things you need to know when approaching Medicare eligibility.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

Time for the fall deadlines

A checklist to help you prioritize as you sort through your federal retirement and insurance benefits.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

End-of-year retirement planning for federal couples 

Spouses who both work for the federal government can have some unique quandaries when it comes to planning for their retirement and health care benefits.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

The best dates to retire in 2025

Your annual guide to choosing an optimal day to start the next phase of your life.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

Medicare quiz for federal retirees

Wondering why you need Medicare if you have lifetime health insurance coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits program? This quiz may help.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

13 things to know about long-term care planning

It’s never too early to plan.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

Are you financially prepared for retirement?

If you haven’t started, consider making a retirement plan. Now.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Featured eBooks
Open Season 2025 Guide
Health Tech
Space Trends
Pay & Benefits

Thank goodness for survivor benefits

Even if you have never had a job where you paid into Social Security, you may still be eligible to receive benefits.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

Slam the Scam, again

Some tips for avoiding scams and resources for help if you become victim to a scam artist.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

Retirement planning issues for women

There are five retirement challenges that many women face when planning for their future.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

Managing your Social Security benefits

Wondering when you should start receiving your Social Security benefits, how much it might be and if the Social Security trust fund will run out of money? We answer those questions, and more.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

Retirement planning pro-tips for feds

Some crucial tips for every stage of your federal career.

  • Tammy Flanagan
Pay & Benefits

Roadblocks to TSP participation

Federal employees need to have a basic understanding of their retirement benefits from day one on the job.

  • Tammy Flanagan