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A last-minute and very real pension threat

The next couple of weeks will be make or break time for federal workers and retirees as Congress flounders for a way to put the brakes on before the government goes off the infamous fiscal cliff. Among the endangered species: your future retirement benefits, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Reality check: Shop or drop this Open Season

For most federal workers and retirees going over the fiscal cliff in January isn't the problem du jour. If you or a family member gets really sick, or has a serious accident in the new year that is reality, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. That, rightly so, will be your No. 1 problem. And whether you come out of it alive and kicking or financially strapped could depend on what you do between now and next Monday.

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Secret retirement bonus plan

Did you hear about the secret retirement- incentive plan in Congress? It would give you a cash buyout, and add five years to your age and years of service in order to boost your annuity. It is perfect in its simplicity except for one vexing detail - it's not true, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Playing catch-up with health insurance

Long before there was the Affordable Care Act, aka ObamaCare, there was the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, which actually became a model for the new health-care law, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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The end is near, seriously!

Not to put a damper on things but you have less than two weeks to pick your health plan and less than a month until the end of the world. We can help you big time with the first deadline, but when it comes to the Mayan calendar warnings, you are on your own, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Jimmy Choo at Payless Shoes?

Wouldn't it be great if you could get Jimmy Choo shoes or Savile Row suits at Payless Shoes or Wal-Mart? The hitch is you can't, and it's a reality federal workers and retirees need to consider when picking their 2013 health plan, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Two's a couple, three's a family!

Whether your family consists of just a husband or you have 18 dependents, a family is a family as far as Uncle Sam is concerned. And that ticks off couples who resent paying the same health premiums as those charged a large family, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. Is that right?

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Help out a fellow fed

It's great to donate money to starving children overseas and to support charities, hospitals and rescue animals. But there are times when there is nothing wrong with turning inward and helping people, even fellow federal workers and retirees, closer to home, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. Like now...

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Warm and fuzzy on Turkey Day

This is one of those very special warm and fuzzy holidays so today Senior Correspondent Mike Causey gets about as warm and fuzzy as you would like. And don't worry, it's OK if the kids see this column.

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Your other health plan option - failure

In inspirational movies, a heroic general often says things like, "failure is not an option." And that's silly, of course, because failure is always an option and that's especially true for millions of current and former federal workers - some of whom are sleepwalking their way through the health insurance hunting season, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Health insurance and the single life

When it comes to picking a federal health plan, two cannot live as cheaply as one - you want to be the Lone Ranger, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Health premiums - Some agencies provide missing link

What do the Office of Personnel Management, the General Services Administration and the Defense Intelligence Agency have in common? Although their missions are very different, they are among the 40-plus agencies that are shelling out time and money to make it easier for their employees to pick the best health plan for 2013.

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Bonus Christmas holiday ... Is it a go?

Forget about the recession in Europe, the civil war in Syria, high-level romances and tons of emails from a general to a pal. It is time to get up close and personal and ask the all-important question: Are federal workers going to get the day off on the Monday before Christmas? Inquiring minds want to know, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Layoffs, furloughs ... Take a deep breath

The end is near. We are only a few weeks away from sequestration and going over the fiscal cliff. So is there any hope? If history repeats itself, the short answer may be yes. Or at least maybe, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Pick a health plan: Monkey, goldfish or you?

There are several ways to select your 2013 federal health plan: You can do nothing, and stay where you are. You can let your pet chimp or clever goldfish make the selection. Or, you can do a little homework and save yourself $1,000 or more next year. It's your call, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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All in the family time...

It's great to donate money to starving children overseas and to support charities, hospitals and rescue animals. But there are times when there is nothing wrong with turning inward and helping people, even fellow federal workers and retirees, closer to home, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. Like now...

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Happy Holiday - Sleep with a vet!

Quick holiday quiz: Before it was renamed and officially made a Monday holiday, what was Veterans Days called? Was it: Arbor Day, Armistice Day, Remembrance Day or Memorial Day? Read Senior Correspondent Mike Causey's column to find out.

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Feds & Politics: Neutral or Neutered?

The election is over and whether your candidate won or lost you can't miss those 24/7 political ads on TV, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. But now that it's over, do you feel that laws regulating your political activities as federal employees helped or hurt you?

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4 more years, but not like the last 4, OK?

Federal and postal unions that solidly backed the President's re-election bid hope their steadfast support - even after a two-year pay freeze - will pay off in 2013, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Presidential surprises - don't be surprised!

Presidents, whether they are re-elected lame ducks or first-time occupants of the White House, change when in office. They don't always live up to the expectations of the people who put them there or who worked hard to defeat him. Civil servants know that better than most, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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