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     The Effects of the Financial Crisis on Your Retirement Pension and TSP.
           

                       From the Federal Daily www.FederalDaily.com                         

"Do you have enough insurance?

The government's insurance package, while attractive and valuable in many ways, does have holes in it.   Federal employees must be aware of those holes and understand how to fill them.
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Protect yourself from gaps in coverage!
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-  Know the strengths and weaknesses of the government's major insurance programs.

 -  Learn when and why you may want to supplement that insurance

There are two common misconceptions about the insurance benefit package for federal and postal employees. The first is that it is a "cradle to grave" program.

The second is that it never changes. Both these misconceptions can be extremely costly to those who hold to them, both in terms of dollars and in lost opportunity.

The "cradle to grave" concept arises
because coverage begins virtually
immediately upon hiring and in most 
cases continues- although often on a
modified basis- until the employee's 
death. By some reckonings, benefits go beyond the grave through continued
coverage of surviving family members 
after the covered individual's death.
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False Sense of Security
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While there's a great deal of truth in 
that view of the insurance package, it
unfortunately has given too many 
employees a false sense of security 
through their working careers and into
retirement. They pass up opportunities 
to purchase additional coverage either through the government's 
offerings or on the outside market  that 
might serve  them well. Too many have
gone along thinking they have coverage
in some area when in truth they don't.
For some, it turns out to make no
difference. But others pay the price?" potentially a high” one."  

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Federal Daily.

 Edward L Chappell
FEA National SaverAct Coordinator,
FEA Certified Benefits Counselors