S/O Feds: How many missed paychecks could you sustain?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the 2018-2019 35 day shutdown we didn’t have much savings and took advantage of the credit cards offering deferred payments and delayed mortgage payments. It was scary enough that we changed our behavior. The following month I started putting an extra few hundred dollars in an emergency savings account in case this ever happened again. Beyond our regular savings I now have an additional $20k in cash in my emergency shutdown account so we could last several months without any spending changes.

I was prepared for the 2019 shutdown, due to my ill-preparedness in 2013. In 2013, I had just gone through my divorce the month before we were furloughed, was in a ton of debt because of it, and my kids were all still school-aged/in before and after. It was a nightmare getting through those days and the uncertainty of whether we would receive back pay. I vowed to never be stuck like that again.

I think the onboarding process for all new feds should include a module on furloughs, the reality, and financial preparedness. It happens too often for agencies to wait until the last minute to prep employees.

[Anonymous]

I guess I’m an outlier, but we could make it about 2 months and it would be stressful. We’re in a period of life with very high childcare expenses and a child with recently diagnosed special needs who requires therapies. We’re also rebuilding savings following a year of expensive home repairs.

We do have about 100k in investments, but I really don’t want to have to start selling assets that we have earmarked for true emergencies. It’s total garbage that we may have to break glass while Congress continues to collect a paycheck. And in the past I’ve been excepted so I’m sure I’ll be forced to work and potentially cancel an upcoming fall break trip we have been looking forward to. This whole thing sucks so bad and I’m honestly not sure how I’ll even be able to focus and do work if I can’t take leave as needed and am worrying about paying bills.

[Anonymous]

What happens to health insurance? If a shutdown goes on for a long time, do we pay premiums directly so that we stay insured, or what happens exactly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What happens to health insurance? If a shutdown goes on for a long time, do we pay premiums directly so that we stay insured, or what happens exactly?

OPM makes all of our FEHB premium payments, you don’t need to worry about your health insurance during a lapse.

[Anonymous]

we have plenty of savings but if this shutdown lasts more than a week I am throwing in the towel on federal employment. I am tired of all this and I dislike my job, I am at the pay cap, I have stayed because I believed in the mission but really I should just go somewhere and make more money.

[Anonymous]

Not even one months. I am a GA-15 single mother and get no money from my ex. I have one child with profound special needs. That and divorce has drained me to the point where I live paycheck to paycheck, and have not made a 529 or TSP contributor for over a year. If I was really in a bind, I could liquidate some of 529 with a penalty or take a TSP loan, though I don’t know how I would pay it back. However, I am also essential so will not be furloughed, and grateful for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What happens to health insurance? If a shutdown goes on for a long time, do we pay premiums directly so that we stay insured, or what happens exactly?

OPM makes all of our FEHB premium payments, you don’t need to worry about your health insurance during a lapse.

+1 there's no risk

[Anonymous]

Oops, I meant GS-15

[Anonymous]

I could miss a substantial number of paychecks. However, I am applying now to seasonal jobs. If I strike out locally, I would work for my parents (physically leaving my spouse and kids); this is what I’ve done for the last two long shutdowns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not even one months. I am a GA-15 single mother and get no money from my ex. I have one child with profound special needs. That and divorce has drained me to the point where I live paycheck to paycheck, and have not made a 529 or TSP contributor for over a year. If I was really in a bind, I could liquidate some of 529 with a penalty or take a TSP loan, though I don’t know how I would pay it back. However, I am also essential so will not be furloughed, and grateful for that.

Best of luck to you and I hope the shutdown doesn’t happen for your sake alone. I’m sorry that this is likely adding stress to what sounds like an already stressful situation.

[Anonymous]

6 months - I grew up with both parents in unions and they have both been on strike multiple times in their 40+ years working before retirement. We’re in our early 40s and have already been through 2 shutdowns as a Fed and a Fed contractor.

[Anonymous]

We are both feds but DH has a decent freelance/part time gig so we could theoretically pinch pennies and live off that and some savings indefinitely... but why? It's all so senseless and a lot of people will suffer needlessly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not even one months. I am a GA-15 single mother and get no money from my ex. I have one child with profound special needs. That and divorce has drained me to the point where I live paycheck to paycheck, and have not made a 529 or TSP contributor for over a year. If I was really in a bind, I could liquidate some of 529 with a penalty or take a TSP loan, though I don’t know how I would pay it back. However, I am also essential so will not be furloughed, and grateful for that.

But you won''t get paid until the government has money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are better off than in 2018, when we had no savings, I was terrified of losing everything, and we had to borrow money from my dad. But realistically, only a few paychecks. We have savings to go a few more after that but I would start to panic. Federal attorney married to a disabled veteran. This area is expensive and it is tough on one income (plus veteran's disability).

A fed attorney and disability pay is a good income. I don’t get it.

You do know how much housing costs here don't you?

Yes I do. But again, you can buy a $500k house or twice that. You’d hate how we live but because of it we will be fine. You can justify it all you want but with a moderate income it’s all lifestyle choices. It’s one thing if you make under $100k but some of these posters clearly have very good incomes. It’s the low level employees who will be hurt, especially contractors who may go without pay depending on the contract.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are better off than in 2018, when we had no savings, I was terrified of losing everything, and we had to borrow money from my dad. But realistically, only a few paychecks. We have savings to go a few more after that but I would start to panic. Federal attorney married to a disabled veteran. This area is expensive and it is tough on one income (plus veteran's disability).

The VA checks will keep coming.