Any other feds struggling to give a damn long enough to hang on until retirement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused about the “sweet, sweet subsidized healthcare”

Is it really that great?

Wouldn’t it make more financial sense to work another decade in a higher earning job and invest the money?

I feel like government employees have been gaslit about their benefits. Why should you work a miserable low paying job just for 5-10 years of subsidized healthcare??

No, no matter how much you invest for the nest 3 years, it won't cover the lifetime subsidized healthcare. I assume OP is going to retire before 65.

Plus, you assume a life time government worker who is 50+ can find a job in the private sector.

-private sector employee who is only working for the healthcare because private care is very very very expensive.

True. Fed here retired at 58 with 30 yrs. Wife is 7 yrs younger. The health benefit will save 500-600k over our standard lifetime. Ran numbers with financial planner. If I die earlier then of course spouse just continues on with fed healthcare for life. Good deal for us!

This isn’t that impressive. Most people I know leaving a government job are earning around 75-100k more each year. You could easily invest just a fraction of it over say, the course of a decade, and end up with more than 500-600k.

What you share further supports my opinion that Fed employees think they have these amazing unique benefits that really aren’t that great.

The benefits may not be amazing but they are unique. I would take them in a second. Good luck trying to hang on to a job until 65 hue to layoffs or health. Sucks out there for some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^oh, and have the pension of course.😁

This. My pension has a present value worth 1m due to standard lifespan. Not bad, in addition TSP (1.8M) and health care fore life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused about the “sweet, sweet subsidized healthcare”

Is it really that great?

Wouldn’t it make more financial sense to work another decade in a higher earning job and invest the money?

I feel like government employees have been gaslit about their benefits. Why should you work a miserable low paying job just for 5-10 years of subsidized healthcare??

No, no matter how much you invest for the nest 3 years, it won't cover the lifetime subsidized healthcare. I assume OP is going to retire before 65.

Plus, you assume a life time government worker who is 50+ can find a job in the private sector.

-private sector employee who is only working for the healthcare because private care is very very very expensive.

True. Fed here retired at 58 with 30 yrs. Wife is 7 yrs younger. The health benefit will save 500-600k over our standard lifetime. Ran numbers with financial planner. If I die earlier then of course spouse just continues on with fed healthcare for life. Good deal for us!

This isn’t that impressive. Most people I know leaving a government job are earning around 75-100k more each year. You could easily invest just a fraction of it over say, the course of a decade, and end up with more than 500-600k.

What you share further supports my opinion that Fed employees think they have these amazing unique benefits that really aren’t that great.

The people leaving are the ones who can make $100k more per year; many roles in govt don’t make nearly that much more in private sector. Not every Fed is an attorney.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused about the “sweet, sweet subsidized healthcare”

Is it really that great?

Wouldn’t it make more financial sense to work another decade in a higher earning job and invest the money?

I feel like government employees have been gaslit about their benefits. Why should you work a miserable low paying job just for 5-10 years of subsidized healthcare??

No, no matter how much you invest for the nest 3 years, it won't cover the lifetime subsidized healthcare. I assume OP is going to retire before 65.

Plus, you assume a life time government worker who is 50+ can find a job in the private sector.

-private sector employee who is only working for the healthcare because private care is very very very expensive.

True. Fed here retired at 58 with 30 yrs. Wife is 7 yrs younger. The health benefit will save 500-600k over our standard lifetime. Ran numbers with financial planner. If I die earlier then of course spouse just continues on with fed healthcare for life. Good deal for us!

This isn’t that impressive. Most people I know leaving a government job are earning around 75-100k more each year. You could easily invest just a fraction of it over say, the course of a decade, and end up with more than 500-600k.

What you share further supports my opinion that Fed employees think they have these amazing unique benefits that really aren’t that great.

Was not trying to impress you, just stating facts. 75k-100k more in salary is not impressive especially after taxes, lol. Spouse has been self employed over 20 yrs and always made 370k+. I started independent consulting after fed retirement and clear 280k just at part time work. Both of us fully remote. Also already have enough in stock market and homes.Both of us are trying to wind down as don’t need the $$. Wife is now 56.

What do you guys do where you can make that much so readily?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mostly do crossword puzzles. I have maybe 2 hours of work a day now. I used to be so swamped that I had to eat lunch at my desk or skip it most days.

You think that's the dream and it's fun for maybe a week, and then you are bored out of your mind.

I've also significantly increased my reading in 2025. I usually do a goal of 12 books a year. This year I've already physically read or listened to 32 books!

I fill in a lot of that time with other busy work I scrounge up to do. Mostly I just sit around and try not to fall asleep since my office walls and door are all glass.

This is obviously an anti Fed troll, since most Feds don’t get private offices and those that do get them because they deal with sensitive matters and thus wouldn’t have all glass walls and doors. But someone who is not a Fed wouldn’t know that.

Perhaps, but I am a Fed who does have a nice glass wall office. No, I don't do crosswords but the volume of work has slowed down. Can't initiate new activities but we are planning just in case Congress keeps our appropriations at a decent level. Of course, as soon as we know we can spend, the work which would require the whole team but must be done by less than 50% of our original personnel remaining.

But the nice office will not last long (IYKYK)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a fed employee with about three and a half years until I'm eligible for retirement and keeping that sweet, sweet subsidized healthcare into retirement (assuming congress doesn't mess that up, of course). Logically, I should just keep my head down and put in the next three and a half years. But good lord, the work is awful lately. Part of it is the whole effort to make fed lives miserable, like 5-day in-office policies. But the work itself is just...pointless. At best, I'm writing memos recommending things that will never happen because this administration is much more about deleting regulations than doing anything. And my bosses are so afraid that our jobs will be eliminated that they're spending all their time creating busywork that duplicates work other parts of my agency already does. The thought of another three-and-a-half years of this is depressing. I'm so tempted to say "screw it" and go into the private sector (or to a state government job), even though I know that it may not be a good idea financially.

How are other feds handling this?

Jeez what a great advertisement for slashing the fed workforce

Truthfully, we should get rid of the federal government altogether. It’s what this country deserves.

[Anonymous]

I am a fed living in fear because I know we are going to be hit with thousands of lawsuits because the agency has let too many people leave and the work isn’t going to get done. So now instead of getting the work done, I’m going to spend all my time defending the idiocy of this administration. This is true fraud, waste, and abuse. Praying that they offer VERA next year when I’m finally eligible and I’ll get the hell out.

[Anonymous]

My husband took the DRP and found a private sector job, and the health insurance is much worse than FEHB. I was surprised, because people on DCUM always say non-FEHB insurance is better. Not in my experience. Now everyone is on my FEHB plan and I’m stuck working unless he finds something better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused about the “sweet, sweet subsidized healthcare”

Is it really that great?

Wouldn’t it make more financial sense to work another decade in a higher earning job and invest the money?

I feel like government employees have been gaslit about their benefits. Why should you work a miserable low paying job just for 5-10 years of subsidized healthcare??

No, no matter how much you invest for the nest 3 years, it won't cover the lifetime subsidized healthcare. I assume OP is going to retire before 65.

Plus, you assume a life time government worker who is 50+ can find a job in the private sector.

-private sector employee who is only working for the healthcare because private care is very very very expensive.

True. Fed here retired at 58 with 30 yrs. Wife is 7 yrs younger. The health benefit will save 500-600k over our standard lifetime. Ran numbers with financial planner. If I die earlier then of course spouse just continues on with fed healthcare for life. Good deal for us!

This isn’t that impressive. Most people I know leaving a government job are earning around 75-100k more each year. You could easily invest just a fraction of it over say, the course of a decade, and end up with more than 500-600k.

What you share further supports my opinion that Fed employees think they have these amazing unique benefits that really aren’t that great.

The benefits may not be amazing but they are unique. I would take them in a second. Good luck trying to hang on to a job until 65 hue to layoffs or health. Sucks out there for some.

and there it is. Feds lording it over with their inability to be fired and their "unique" benefits. This is why what's happening is happening to your colleagues-- YOU. I hope you're happy at what you are doing to them.

[Anonymous]

I remember when I started working in the private sector, I actually paid cobra to stay on my parents’ government health insurance because my job’s insurance was so much worse. Then I got my own fed job and stopped paying cobra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused about the “sweet, sweet subsidized healthcare”

Is it really that great?

Wouldn’t it make more financial sense to work another decade in a higher earning job and invest the money?

I feel like government employees have been gaslit about their benefits. Why should you work a miserable low paying job just for 5-10 years of subsidized healthcare??

No, no matter how much you invest for the nest 3 years, it won't cover the lifetime subsidized healthcare. I assume OP is going to retire before 65.

Plus, you assume a life time government worker who is 50+ can find a job in the private sector.

-private sector employee who is only working for the healthcare because private care is very very very expensive.

True. Fed here retired at 58 with 30 yrs. Wife is 7 yrs younger. The health benefit will save 500-600k over our standard lifetime. Ran numbers with financial planner. If I die earlier then of course spouse just continues on with fed healthcare for life. Good deal for us!

This isn’t that impressive. Most people I know leaving a government job are earning around 75-100k more each year. You could easily invest just a fraction of it over say, the course of a decade, and end up with more than 500-600k.

What you share further supports my opinion that Fed employees think they have these amazing unique benefits that really aren’t that great.

The benefits may not be amazing but they are unique. I would take them in a second. Good luck trying to hang on to a job until 65 hue to layoffs or health. Sucks out there for some.

and there it is. Feds lording it over with their inability to be fired and their "unique" benefits. This is why what's happening is happening to your colleagues-- YOU. I hope you're happy at what you are doing to them.

Lol. None of this is the reason why feds are getting fired. This admin has caused more fraud, waste, abuse in the gov than has ever existed.

[Anonymous]

I need four years at the very least. Don’t know if I’ll make it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband took the DRP and found a private sector job, and the health insurance is much worse than FEHB. I was surprised, because people on DCUM always say non-FEHB insurance is better. Not in my experience. Now everyone is on my FEHB plan and I’m stuck working unless he finds something better.

The FEHB is what I miss the most from years as a Fed. I love the private sector pay, but I have never had an insurance as great as when I was a Fed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband took the DRP and found a private sector job, and the health insurance is much worse than FEHB. I was surprised, because people on DCUM always say non-FEHB insurance is better. Not in my experience. Now everyone is on my FEHB plan and I’m stuck working unless he finds something better.

People on DCUM say it, but it’s not true in my experience. I’m currently a fed but have previously worked in the private sector and out 5-6 prior employers only one had plans that were better than FEHB. My most recent employer prior to fed govt, the premiums were more than double what I currently pay with far worse coverage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t see the big deal feds medical. When I retire at 67 and wife 65 I just go on Medicare.

Unless you are retiring early at 55 with a spouse without insurance I don’t see big savings.

FEHB better than Medicare B

How so?

IDK but more providers accept FEHB compared to Med B. Also, Medicare B premium is income based so if you have pension/TSP/SS, your premium will be pretty high. Medicare B cannot be used in foreign countries (only US). I am sure there are others