July 17, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes Justin Dean, CFP®. Justin will share tips to help ensure your investments are working consistently hard for you even when you are away on summer travel. Know your destination Avoid distractions and accidents Check your progress Send in a question: Email us in advance at [email protected] Copyright © 2023 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European...

July 10, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® and co-host Bob Braunstein, Federal Benefits Specialist at NITP, welcome Theresa Brownson and Darnetta Bascomb, Senior Medicare Patrol Project, AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly. What is Medicare fraud and abuse? What is the difference? Who does Medicare fraud affect? Examples of fraud and abuse How to detect potential problems What you can do to help stop Medicare fraud How to report your concerns How Medicare and FEHB work...

June 26, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes Kathy Lavinder, founder of Security & Investigative Placement Consultants, a niche executive search firm. Kathy will provide the information you need to know about the private sector jobs market. Transitioning from the public sector to the commercial sector can be mystifying. It’s certainly different from the public sector. Executive recruiter Kathy Lavinder will offer guidance on how to navigate your job search and increase...

June 12, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes Tony Zerante, Chief Strategy Officer, and Stephanie Baker, Chief Experience Officer, WAEPA.  Across the country, there is still a significant need for life insurance, both from consumers who don’t own any and from those who have some but need more. The Insurance Barometer Study, published annually by LIMRA, works to identify this need. Blending estimated U.S. adult population data with the survey results suggests the total life...

May 22, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes Herb Casey, Transition and Federal Benefits Specialist. There are many things to consider when making the decision to transition to retirement. Most people plan for retirement without thinking about how family can impact the process.  How will your spouse, children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, and extended family affect your retirement?  There are positives and negatives. Herb will talk about how family can impact finances,...

May 15, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, hosts Bob Leins, CPA® and Tammy Flanagan, Senior Benefits Director NITP, welcome Mary Beth Franklin, Certified Financial Planner®, Contributing Editor for InvestmentNews, President of RetirePro, and foremost Social Security expert. What are the claiming strategies for Social Security that will maximize your retirement security? When does it make sense to claim Social Security at 62? When does it make sense to delay claiming Social Security? Can you still...

May 8, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes Kari Utz-Wolsky, Nutrition and Conditioning Specialist, CFT, SPN, SSC (ISSA).  We do spring cleaning for the house, why not for ourselves? Get a head start on your summer fitness goals. On today’s program, Kari will talk about: How to clean up your mental space Using gardening as grounding Tips for seasonal allergy relief Don’t be a target for the pesky bugs Send in a question: Email us in advance at [email protected]

May 1, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes Tammy Flanagan, Senior Benefits Director at NITP, Inc. Choosing YOUR best date to retire will help you maximize and coordinate your final days on the payroll of your agency with the first days of receiving your hard-earned retirement benefit. Today’s program will address the details that you need to know as you begin your transition to retirement under FERS and CSRS: Determine if choosing the end of the year for your retirement...

April 24, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes Joel Cundick, CFP®. On today’s program, Joel will talk about what to do after the sudden death of a spouse, parent, or other family member.  He will discuss the importance of having finances in order in advance and answer the questions: What information can you gather now to minimize the difficulty of a possible death of a spouse? What modifications should be made to a portfolio to stress-test it for that kind of change? If...

April 17, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® and co-host Tammy Flanagan, Senior Benefits Director at NITP, Inc., welcome Kim Weaver, Director, External Affairs, Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board. Today’s discussion will focus on answering the following questions: The TSP changed recordkeepers last June. What did participants get from the transition? SECURE 2.0 became law at the end of 2022 and made a number of changes that apply to the TSP. What are they and when are they...

April 10, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes John Jilek, CFP®. Are you thinking about retiring soon? Do you understand the consequences of taxes on fixed income? Tune in to this program to enhance your understanding of the following: Tax Withholding 101 for Federal employees. Be prepared to fully understand how you are taxed at the Federal, State, and Local levels. Unwinding the myth of retirement in a lower tax bracket. It just doesn’t happen for FEDs. Understanding the...

April 3, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes Karen Schaeffer, CFP® It’s Financial Literacy Month! People who are financially literate are generally less vulnerable to financial fraud and more likely to be financially secure. Join Karen Schaeffer, CFP® to learn how to master important financial skills and concepts including: Tracking and managing personal spending, Using debt responsibly, The miracle of compounding, Investment dos and don’ts, and Resources for improving...

March 27, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes David Santana, Health Insurance Specialist from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Understand your Medicare coverage choices to maximize your benefits Evaluate the cost of enrolling in Medicare and premium payments Summarize the choices to make an informed Medicare enrollment decision Learn about recent laws that affect the Medicare program For questions or comments, email us in advance...

March 20, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes Tom O’Rourke, Counsel. Today’s program will focus on issues related to meeting your 2022 tax filing deadline, including: The need to file and pay your taxes in a timely manner What to do if you owe taxes but cannot afford to pay How you can use the 2022 tax filing season as a guide to future tax saving opportunities to minimize your 2023 tax liability The recently enacted Secure 2.0 and the major changes in the law affecting...

March 13, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes M. Shane Canfield, CEO, and Laurie Lee, Chief Financial Officer, WAEPA. Today’s guests will talk about financial well-being and that life insurance has more uses than many are aware of. March is Women’s History Month. Today’s discussion will also focus on women and how to ensure they have the financial tools and resources they need. Needs analysis for life insurance at the individual level Coverage gap: What does it mean and...

March 6, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes John Jilek, CFP®. There is a 100 percent chance we will all pass away some day. Life insurance, for the majority of us, can be an important vehicle to provide financial security for those left behind. What are the milestones of life insurance for Federal Employees? Why you should think of life insurance as death insurance. Does life insurance make financial sense if held for the long term? LTC Insurance is a necessity for all...

February 27, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes Brian Kurrus, CFP® to talk about questions to ask yourself before setting a retirement date. Have you saved enough for retirement? What investment changes should you consider? What can derail your retirement plans? For questions or comments, email us in advance at [email protected]

February 13, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® and co-host Ray Kirk, Ph.D., welcome Josh Huder, Ph.D., to discuss the 118th Congress. Josh is a Senior Fellow at The Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating Federal employees about Congress and its operation. Why did it take 15 ballots to elect the Speaker of the House? How do Speaker of the House McCarthy’s concessions impact Congressional decision making? How will...

February 6, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, our host Bob Leins, CPA®, welcomes Bob Braunstein, Federal Benefits Specialist. Have you ever considered how much additional income your loved ones might need if you were suddenly gone? Have you planned their survivor benefits? Today’s program will focus on answering these questions: What types of Federal survivor benefits would go to your loved ones if you pass away? How can you be sure the benefits you have planned/elected for your survivors will be...

January 30, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, our host Bob Leins, CPA®, welcomes Marc Levine, Esquire., to talk about death and transfer taxes. Basics of estate, inheritance, and gift taxes – Who it affects and who it doesn’t Tax Law changes for 2023 and beyond What are the changes in estate and gift taxes for 2023? What do we know about estate taxes going forward? For questions or comments, email us in advance at [email protected]

January 23, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, our host Bob Leins, CPA®, welcomes Joe Sullender, CFP®. It’s the beginning of a new year. Are you on target to reach your financial goals? Today’s discussion will focus on key concepts including: Building an asset allocation plan for your goals Understanding risk What to focus on when the market is down Roth conversions TSP contributions & catchup changes Managing TSP in retirement For questions or comments, email us in advance...

January 16, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, host Bob Leins, CPA® welcomes Karen Schaeffer, CFP®. There is certainly a lot to talk about on the topic of TSP. Karen will discuss the following: The new terminology for making investment changes The importance of double checking your beneficiary designations The Mutual Fund Window What’s going on with the I Fund? How to make allocation decisions when the market is so volatile For questions or comments, email us in advance at [email protected]

January 9, 2023 on ForYourBenefit, our host Bob Leins, CPA®, welcomes Herb Casey, Federal Benefits Specialist, to provide information on benefit changes for 2023. Largest Federal retiree COLA in nearly four decades Social Security: COLA, wage base increase, maximum benefit, earnings limitation FEHB and expansion of FEHB coverage in 2023 Medicare changes for 2023 For questions or comments, email us in advance at [email protected]

Want to make the most of the new year? Guest Karen Schaeffer, CFP® will talk about how to keep those New Year’s resolutions about money. Whether it’s paying off debt, buying a house, staying ahead of inflation, or having more confidence about your investments, Karen will share the tips financial planners give their clients. January is also a great time to make sure your TSP is allocated correctly. We have new contribution limits and a new mutual fund window to consider. Whether you are...

December 19, 2022 on ForYourBenefit, our host Bob Leins, CPA®, welcomes Joe Sullender, CFP® to talk about Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). Basics of RMDs RMDs from inherited IRAs Year-end planning and strategies For questions or comments, email us in advance at [email protected]