November 10, 1999 Janice Lachance Director of OPM introduced "The Interagency Advisory Group Federal Human Resources Forum presents: A Live, Interactive Satellite Broadcast Planning Ahead: Saving and Your Financial Future" featuring the American Saving Education Council Ballpark Estimator as a means for Federal Employees to calculate their retirement income needs. The participants consisted of officials from OPM, Social Security, Thrift Saving Board and a Financial Planner from the private sector who stressed: 1. 100% TSP participation, 2. credit card pay off, 3. emergency fund creation and 4. investing. OPM’s initiative is in response to the SaverAct legislation. This legislation falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor, Pension and Welfare Benefit Administration.

The American Saving Education Council is working to build individual and employer awareness of the basic principles of saving and retirement planning. ASEC goal is to make saving and retirement planning a vital concern of Americans. The Federal Employees Association went into partnership with American Saving Education Council as a contributor to the mission. The Department of Labor, Pension and Welfare Benefit Administration, has encouraged the FEA implementation of it’s Outreach Program to Federal and Postal Employees, modeled from the SaverAct. In early 1999, the FEA SaverAct Educational Outreach Program was successfully introduce to Federal Employees across the nation.

Saving Tools:The FEA’s endorsed Federal Employee Benefit Analysis which takes into account CSRS, FERS, Soc. Sec. TSP and FEGLI is an excellent complement to the ASEC Ballpark Estimator, these saving tools when blended together will give Federal and Postal Employees a year by year financial look into the future, including retirement.