We start out this week with something that's crucial to every federal employee's well-being, and wallet. Namely, the cost of Federal Employee Health Benefit Plans. Prices are on the rise for the year ahead, so you better start doing some homework ahead of open season next month. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman joined me with the details.

Plus, recent analysis from the Congressional Budget Office found that on average, "enlisted personnel receive cash compensation that is higher than that received by about 90 percent of civilians of the same age and education.” (https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2023-09/59506-military-comp-qfrs.pdf)

So what's the best way to capitalize on that? To try and answer that, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke to Trevor Nolan, who is the author of the new book "Military Money: How To Thrive On A Government Salary," and retired servicemember himself.

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Federal News Network reporter Drew Friedman fills in for Tom this week. Congress has just a few days to pass appropriations or a continuing resolution. and if there is a government shutdown at the end of the week, it'll take some planning and a little knowledge of what to expect. Former Postal Service manager Abe Grungold has been through more than one lapse in government appropriations. He recently spoke with Tom Temin to offer some advice.

Plus, “are we headed to a government shutdown?” Is there any other question this morning? With just days for Congress to reach a spending agreement, and no end in sight, many feds are looking for answers on what would happen to their pay, benefits and much more, in the case of a shutdown. I walked through the answers with Federal Drive producer Eric White.

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In many ways, retirement after a federal career is all about the numbers. Do you have enough saved that, together with your annuity, you won't run out of money. In some ways, retirement is not about numbers at all. There's also the danger of being bored to death. Here with some non-monetary retirement advice, federal retiree and AG Financial Services owner Abe Grungold.

Plus, federal employees haven't been able to purchase long term care insurance for the past couple of months. That's because the Office of Personnel Management suspended the program, pending the new plans and prices expected from the carrier. It's likely to be expensive. For what to expect, I spoke with the with the policy vice president at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, John Hatton.

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Today we introduce a new guest we'll be hearing from time to time. Thiago Glieger is a wealth advisor with RMG Advisors of Rockville, Maryland. The firm specializes in federal employees. Tiago joins me in studio with a look at this coming autumn, and what feds should be thinking about financially as 2024 draws closer.

Plus, the Thrift Savings Plan, according to our next guest, is neither structured nor staffed in order to get the best returns for investors. And he's got ideas to reform it. For one view of the TSP, Drew Friedman and I spoke with Steve Deutsch, proprietor of Institutional Investing Enhancement LLC.

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This week Federal News Network reporter Drew Friedman joins me for a couple of conversations. First, we want to tell you about a significant new benefit coming to Federal Employee Health Benefit Plans in 2024, infertility treatment benefits. But the way the Office of Personnel Management had defined infertility doesn't go far enough for some Democrats in Congress.

Plus, pay compression, it’s a phenomenon that’s been affecting some senior-level federal employees for years. Now, one member of Congress is trying to help adjust pay for those compressed individuals. The new bill comes after months of pressure from senior executive organizations, who want the White House to make good on a promise to at least propose a solution to the pay problem. I discussed it with Federal News Network reporter Drew Friedman, who has been covering this topic extensively.

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This week we start with a look at something the Thrift Savings Plan has been struggling with. Namely, mutual funds. In the belief that federal employees and retires might want a wider range of investment options, the TSP board instituted the so-called mutual fund window. Few people have actually used it. Now there's a gambit in Congress to bar sales of funds with a strategy relying on ESG, environment, social and governance concerns. For one analysis, I spoke with certified financial planner Art Stein.

Plus,

You're heard of the term cancel culture, getting rid of people with unpopular opinions. It's not all that new. The popular new movie Oppenheimer re-enacts the revocation of the scientist's security clearance in the 1950s because of his opposition to the hydrogen bomb. What about today? Can unorthodox opinions mean loss of clearance. I got some answers from the managing partner of the law firm Tully Rinckey, Dan Meyer.

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The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program are now available to thousands more federal employees. The Office of Personnel Management has made that eligibility final. The change affects certain temporary, part-time and seasonal employees, as well as Postal Service employees. For details, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman and I spoke with Kevin Moss, editor of Consumers’ Checkbook Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees.

Plus, the crazy weather throughout the country seems to be reflected in Congress. On recess, when Congress returns it'll have 12 working days to workout a regular federal budget for 2024. Ain't gonna happen. Joining Fed Life to explore the possible consequences, the vice president for policy and programs at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, John Hatton.

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Everyone with a Thrift Savings Plan account remembers the launch of the new customer web site last year. But a year on, the site operates a lot better. But everything is not perfect. For one expert analysis, I spoke with retired federal manager and the owner of AG Financial Services, Abe Grungold. We started with a brief review.

Plus, it took years of back-and-forth. But Transportation Security Administration employees woke up to a pay increase just over one week ago. A big one. Earlier I spoke with Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday about the details, the effect they’re having at TSA, and that sticky question of how the agency will continue to pay for it.

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On today's episode, the Office of Personnel Management wants agencies to review their employee assistance plans, programs that offer psychological and substance abuse treatments. For details, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman spoke with OPM research psychologist Jorday Taswell.

Plus, a recent Supreme Court case dealt with a piece of the law concerning qui tam False Claims Act claims. Qui tam is when a whistleblower sues on behalf of the government, and receives a share of any eventual settlement. I got the rundown from whistleblower attorney Steve Kohn.

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A coalition of federal manager advocacy groups has been urging the White House and Congress to fix what they say is a systemic problem with federal pay. It's called compression. It mainly affects those at the upper ranks of federal career employees. An old provision in federal employment law means they aren't allowed to earn more than presidential appointees, and Congress has stubbornly held off giving *them* a raise. Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman gave us the latest.

Plus, for Thrift Savings Plan investors, 2023 so far has brought a partial climb back out of the depths of 2022. It's a good time to separate the patient investors over here, and the would-be market-timers over there. We got more from certified financial planner Art Stein.

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