Mike Causey's Federal Report is the best way to stay up to date on the latest issues affecting federal pay, benefits, and retirement. Plus, Mike's funny. New Federal Report columns can be found each weekday morning right here on FederalNewsRadio.com. Bookmark Mike's homepage or have his columns delivered directly to your email.

Living on 1/3 of your income

Thinking about retiring in the next couple of years? Well, here's something to think about, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says: How long and how well could you live if your income was cut by more than 60 percent for months at a time?

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Making love and buyouts — the connection

So, what's the connection between making love and getting a buyout? Technique, frequency and careful preparation are central to both, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. So how did federal agencies score this year?

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Feds: Is that a dust cloud or the Mongol horde?

What do you suppose 13th-century peasants thought just before Genghis Khan's boys rode into town? We can't be sure, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says, but it might be the same sort of unease modern-day federal workers have when Congress mounts its high horse ...

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Retiring and skydiving: Do it right the first time

What do skydiving and retiring have in common? Short answer is that many people only do each once, and it is a really good idea to do it right the first time, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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A month off (without pay)?

Unless Congress gets on the ball, some federal agencies — like the FBI — say they might have to furlough employees for a month or more next year. Senior Correspondent Mike Causey wants to know: Is this bluff and drama or the real thing?

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Performance ratings since the ice age

Where do ice-age cave men and the Leaning Tower of Pisa have to do with your agency's performance pay system? Well, maybe a lot more than you think, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Buyout season winding down

Uncle Sam's five-month buyout season is about to end. So if you were thinking about leaving with a $25,000 check, grab it while you can, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Rigged performance ratings!

When it comes time for your performance rating, do you ever feel like the honest, hard-working kid in the boxing movie who gets a shot at the title, only to be told that he must take a dive, or else? Senior Correspondent Mike Causey wants to know: Are your agency performance ratings rigged?

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Does happiness trickle down?

Ever seen the sign that reads: If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy? The bottom line, according to the book with the same title, is if the boss isn't pleased, everybody suffers, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. So how's that working out in your office?

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Shuffling the SES deck

Is your top management dead in the water? Are your SES bosses living in silos and afraid to even look outside the boss? Senior Correspondent Mike Causey wants to know: Is shuffling the SES deck a good idea?

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Unpaid overtime: The long commute

Security checks at federal and military bases are a fact of life. But when it's a 100 percent effort, lots of people spend lots of time doing it, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. Many feds work a lot of voluntary overtime but how much is too much?

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Best time to retire: Not now!

The combination of buyouts, a surge in baby boomer retirements and a hostile Congress may make this the worst year, maybe ever, to consider retiring, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Getting faked at work

Have you ever been faked at work? Does your agency consistently low-ball performance ratings in order to save money or play favorites? Check out Senior Correspondent Mike Causey's Federal Report for an inside look at the performance rating game.

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Life in the SES: Star track or Star Trek?

Members of the SES are under attack from politicians, think tankers and the media for their lack of mobility — more than half have never changed jobs. To which Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says: Let's consider the source, as in look who's talking ...

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Unofficial quotas: Fact or fiction

Is there a silent and invisible quota system operating in your agency? If so, it could be costing some of the government's best and brightest money and hurt their future job opportunities, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Buyout barrage: Mixed blessing?

Buyouts are popping up all over the government. And even if you are not in the market, they may have an impact on your job, your promotion potential and, if you are planning to retire anyhow, how quickly you get your first full annuity payment, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Light at end of tunnel: Sunshine or trainwreck?

For federal workers traveling through the congressional tunnel: Is that light they see sunshine or an oncoming train wreck? Either way their journey isn't over by a long shot, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Pay raise or retiree COLA: Timing is everything!

Worried about another pay freeze next year? Thinking about retiring to get a cost of living adjustment? Timing is everything, and for some people its already too late, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Tax-free investment option — R U ready?

How would you like it if your Thrift Savings Plan withdrawals were tax-free? Well, get ready because the tax-free end-of-the-rainbow Roth option is coming to your optional retirement package, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Are you in the Buyout Zone?

The IRS is the latest agency to join the 2012 buyout parade. Employees in other agencies should study it because it may be the model for similar buyouts governmentwide, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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