FEDERAL TIMES
There are about a dozen plan options leaving the federal government’s health insurance program in 2024, meaning employees should check up on their coverage.

In any given year, plans can change by leaving the program, reducing service areas, eliminating a particular type of option or expanding.

Article Link: https://www.federaltimes.com/management/pay-benefits/health-care/2023/11/06/is-your-fehb-insurance-carrier-dropping-coverage-in-2024/

WAEPA’s resources are tailored exclusively towards Civilian Federal Employees planning their retirement. Our mission is to support the success, health, and well-being of all Feds, current and former, so you don’t need to be a WAEPA member to access them.

Get Ahead with Pre-Retirement Planning

Pre-retirement planning can make a big difference when the time comes to step away from federal service.

Link to article and guide:

https://www.waepa.org/resources/pre-retirement-planning-resources

Veterans Day is always celebrated on Nov. 11, regardless of what day of the week it falls on.

Friday, Nov. 10, will be the official observed holiday for the purposes of closing most government offices, according to the White House’s Office of Personnel Management, which publishes the holiday schedule each year.

Federal Times: A rule taking effect at the start of the year will align the Thrift Savings Plan, the employer-sponsored plan for U.S. civil service employees, retirees and members of the uniformed services, with other IRA savings accounts, meaning federal retirees can keep money growing in their “after-tax” accounts for longer.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, only traditional TSP balances will be subject to mandatory withdrawals. Historically, a required minimum distribution, or RMD, applied to the combined balance of the traditional and Roth TSP account. Participants could’ve skirted that by choosing to take an RMD only from their traditional balance, but that left it subject to tax.

Link to read article: https://www.federaltimes.com/fedlife/financial-planning/2023/10/31/thrift-savings-plan-rule-change-aimed-at-spurring-savings-growth

How Recruiting More Women Could Help Police Solve A ‘Staffing Crisis’

Leaders say implementing policies, like paid maternity leave, could help bring more women to the force and improve policing overall.

Full article: https://www.civilbeat.org/2023/11/how-recruiting-more-women-could-help-police-solve-a-staffing-crisis/

Link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/31/fact-sheet-release-of-the-2023-women-peace-and-security-strategy-and-national-action-plan/

Promoting women’s meaningful participation, leadership and engagement in decision-making at all levels is both a moral and a strategic imperative for U.S. foreign policy and national security.  Wherever the rights of women and girls are under threat, so, too, is democracy, peace, and stability.

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is proud to release the 2023 Women, Peace, and Security Strategy (WPS) and National Action Plan.  With this Strategy, we renew our commitment to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, consistent with the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017, which codified our decades-long, sustained commitment to the principles of the WPS agenda.  This updated Strategy reflects critical shifts in our global landscape—including geopolitical changes, a rise in climate-related crises, and advancements in technology—and maintains a strong focus on five core lines of effort:

What happens after the money I paid into a FERS retirement runs out?

https://www.federaltimes.com/your-career/2023/10/27/what-happens-after-the-money-i-paid-into-a-fers-retirement-runs-out

This week Army CID Director Gregory Ford hosted Women in Federal Law Enforcement (@WIFLE) Foundation President Catrina Bonus at Army CID headquarters for a capability briefing and to discuss the importance of women in law enforcement.

  ASK THE EXPERT, BY REG JONES  

Do I have to repay my VSIP if I rejoin the federal workforce?