Fed Thread

What would you do with a private sector job offer that was double your federal salary? On this episode of Fed Thread, Private Wealth Advisor Thiago Glieger and his client, retired DOD senior executive Don Heckman, tell us that scenario isn’t so unusual. But walking away from a government career can mean leaving behind more than a paycheck: FEHB in retirement, future pension upside, TSP benefits, annual leave and other pieces of total compensation can outweigh that big salary bump over time as foregone opportunities. At the very least, they can be used as strategic negotiating chips. Glieger and Heckman share the countervailing math on how overlooked federal benefits add up, including intangibles that make your job more enjoyable or your life better balanced. Before you say yes to an eye-popping offer, listen to this conversation so you compare apples-to-apples, account for what you already have, and potentially use it as leverage. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

When was the last time you really looked at your FEGLI election? If your answer is “I don’t remember,” you’re not alone. Many federal employees make their life insurance and long-term care decisions early in their careers, then leave them unchanged for years, or even decades. But neither your life nor your financial needs stay frozen in time, which could put you and your survivors at risk of being over- or under-insured. On this episode of Fed Thread , Thiago Glieger, partner and private wealth advisor at RMG Advisors, lays out why and how your life insurance and long-term care elections need to evolve throughout your career. The conversation covers: - Easy ways to differentiate FEGLI Basic from Options A, B and C - Why premiums can rise dramatically as you get older - When it makes sense to supplement with private life insurance - How your pension and Social Security affect how much life insurance you need - Why Medicare and FEHB can’t substitute for long-term care insurance - What the suspension of the federal long-term care program means for feds - And the financial milestones to help you thread the needle on right-sizing the amount of insurance you carry Set-it-and-forget-it may be convenient, but it isn’t a financial plan. Don’t miss this episode, because not knowing can cost you—and the ones you love—after you’re gone. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Federal employees hear about new laws, executive orders, OPM policies, reorganizations and changes to the workforce all the time. But who makes those changes happen, and how can feds tell the difference between a sensational headline and a policy that could affect their careers? On this episode of Fed Thread , Jason Briefel, manager of U.S. government affairs at the Project Management Institute, pulls back the curtain on who has a hand in shaping federal workplace rules, why the traditional federal career “ladder” may no longer apply, and what employees can do when the ground beneath their career keeps shifting. The conversation also gets into workplace AI adoption, job stability, the challenge of keeping up with rapid organizational change, and how leaders can give their team clarity when priorities are shifting. If you’re wondering where your federal career grows from here in a future that looks uncertain, give this episode a watch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

What if “impossible” isn’t necessarily impossible? What if the problem just hasn’t been approached the right way yet? That’s the question at the heart of this Fed Thread episode featuring Dr. Kimberley Steele, a surgeon, researcher and program manager at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Steele's path to ARPA-H is deeply personal. After her son Michael developed an ultra-rare lymphatic disease that doctors struggled to diagnose and treat, she saw firsthand what happens when a complex problem falls between silos and when the system doesn’t have the tools, funding or urgency to tackle it. Now she and the federal government are making big bets on the lymphatic system through programs designed to make what’s invisible visible and develop new therapies for lymphatic dysfunction. If you’re wondering how to make progress when the deck feels stacked against you, this conversation isn’t just about medical research. It’s about how everyday feds can take smart risks to make meaningful changes in a system designed to play it safe. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

When a problem doesn’t fit neatly inside one agency, who gets it solved? Former FEMA Region 3 Administrator MaryAnn Tierney spent more than 25 years in emergency management, where she faced that question regularly, coordinating people and organizations she didn’t directly control, while the clock was ticking. This episode of Fed Thread explores what federal employees can learn from high-stakes disaster response about solving problems that cross agency lines, from finding the right people, to building trust before you need a favor, to aligning people who don't share the same priorities, and knowing when to stop chasing the perfect solution. We also pull the thread on why the most difficult problems often live in the “seams” between organizations, and why one of the best things you can do today is build the network you’ll need tomorrow. What can feds borrow from emergency management when the path forward isn’t clear, and nobody is technically in charge? Watch now to find out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Federal employees are targets of cybercrime for the information and systems they have access to, who they know, and how much personal information they innocently make visible online. Retired Secret Service cyber expert Matt O’Neill and retired Homeland Security Investigations cyber leader Sean Fitzgerald explain how criminals “hack the human,” why urgency is one of their most powerful weapons, and how AI is changing the game. Plus, the experts share the scams that fooled even them, and the simple steps feds can take to make themselves harder targets. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

With Open Season around the corner, this episode of Fed Thread features David Yoder, SVP of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program, explaining where cost, value, and predictability intersect; the multiple ways you can access care; how to make the most of your benefits year-round; and how preventive care is one of the most overlooked means to save money and protect your health. From routine checkups to managing blood pressure and blood glucose, taking action early comes with discounts, rewards and incentives for federal employees, while helping avoid bigger problems—and potentially bigger bills—down the road. There’s a lot to take advantage of, so don’t wait until the last week of Open Season to watchthis one. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Federal employees may have steady jobs and benefits, but that doesn’t make them immune to financial emergencies. On this episode, Robyn Kehoe, Executive Director of the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund (FEEA), joins Fed Thread to talk about the hidden financial vulnerabilities facing federal workers, and why the people who spend their careers helping others can be especially reluctant to ask for help themselves. You’ll hear what FEEA can help with, what stays private, how its emergency hardship and disaster assistance programs work, and how coworkers and managers can recognize when someone may be struggling—even when they’re trying hard not to show it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Your rank, title and agency may be impressive, but outside of government,your accomplishments and accolades may not translate directly into clear business value for non-federal employers. In this episode, Misty Cook, retired Marine officer and founder and CEO of Next COC, joined Fed Thread to explain why senior military and civilian leaders should start planning their next professional chapter years before they retire. She shares how to: build a network before you need it, translate government accomplishments into language the private sector understands, develop a personal brand without becoming a cliché, and figure out what you truly want to do next. If you have no intention of federal retirement being your final retirement, give this episode a watch. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Federal retirement has felt increasingly uncertain in recent years. Proposed benefit changes, shifting policies, agency upheaval and a constant stream of headlines can make it hard to know what you should listen to and what’s just noise. On this episode of Fed Thread, John Hatton, staff vice president of policy and programs at NARFE, explains how federal retirement changes happen, which threats deserve your attention, and when a headline should (and shouldn’t) change your retirement strategy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Retirement Day is supposed to be the finish line. Yet federal employees may discover some of the biggest financial surprises come after they leave. On this episode, Fed Thread brings back James Campbell of FEBA, Katelyn Murray of Serving Those Who Serve, and Chris Campbell of CJC Wealth Management and DC SOFA to pull the thread on the hidden traps and overlooked opportunities facing feds who are about to retire or have already left federal service. The panel gets into challenges nobody necessarily warns you about, like: delays in your first pension payment unexpected tax consequences Social Security timing Medicare costs survivor benefits and becoming too conservative with your investments Are you saving so aggressively for retirement that you risk missing some of the best years to enjoy it? You’ll want to hear what the experts are saying on this episode, where the conversation starts after the farewell party. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

In a financial landscape where many things are changing, some of the old assumptions about federal retirement strategy may no longer serve you. On this episode of Fed Thread, James Campbell of FEBA, Katelyn Murray of Serving Those Who Serve, and Chris Campbell of CJC Wealth Management and DCSOFA help tomorrow’s federal retirees rethink the assumptions that can cost them later on. What can you control when it comes to building your retirement? This panel of experts tackles that very question. If retirement is still years away, this is an episode you’ll want to hear. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Continuing education, reskilling and upskilling are buzzwords feds hear often, and whether it's mandatory training, maintaining certifications, leadership development, or just staying current in their field, learning has become a constant throughout a federal career. Management Concepts’ Scott Boozer and Jen Wood joined Fed Thread to add context and insight to what successful professional development looks like in the federal government, how to avoid career stagnation, and why your next promotion won’t come from experience alone. Don’t get stranded on a career plateau. Check out this episode if you want to keep growing —not just keep showing up. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

On this episode of Fed Thread, leaders from the Training Officers Consortium, Graduate School USA, and FranklinCovey look at how federal employees are evolving with AI to stay relevant in an era of rapid workplace technology changes and shifting responsibilities. You’ll learn how to tell a worthwhile learning opportunity from just another credential, what agencies are getting wrong about AI training, and if anyone can actually ever ‘future-proof’ their career. If you’re not entirely sure what your role will look like in the next few years, this conversation is for you. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Today on Fed Thread, Wilder Smith, national security professional and author of After the Badge: the federal retiree’s field manual for identity, marriage and the life you didn’t plan for, spoke about retirement identity cliff and what federal service can’t prepare you for, including -retirement’s unexpected emotional challenges, -the loss of purpose that can follow, and -how to reinvent yourself and find meaning after federal service. You may recognize someone you know—or even yourself—in this conversation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Kevin Moss of Consumers’ Checkbook joined Fed Thread for a follow-on conversation to an earlier episode about costly FEHB and FedVIP missteps. Today, we take a deeper dive, specifically on how your health coverage changes in retirement, including: how FEHB works alongside Medicare, the alphabet soup that is Medicare Parts A through D, why Medicare Advantage has gained popularity among federal employees, and plenty of tips to keep you from leaving money on the table or worse, being hit with unexpected costs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

On this episode of Fed Thread , founder and CEO of Southworth PC, Shaun Southworth, had some eye-opening counsel to federal employees: the best way to protect your career is to be ready before anything goes wrong. Visit the Fed Thread hub page for other discussions and insights. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

On this episode of Fed Thread , Alex Snider, former government strategist and co-founder of the Mindful Fed community, asks fellow civil servants, “What's the cost of always being on time ?” Visit the Fed Thread hub page for other discussions and insights. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

When was the last time you really shopped for your health, dental or vision plan? On this episode of Fed Thread , Kevin Moss, director of decision support and consumer outreach at Consumers’ Checkbook, explains why he’s concerned that only 5% of federal employees switch health plans during Open Season. Visit the Fed Thread hub page for other discussions and insights. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Christos Makridis, Senior Researcher at Gallup, discusses recent findings on federal workplace engagement, employee satisfaction, and the future of work: -what actually drives employee engagement and where might leaders be disconnected-how increased use of AI in the workplace impacts employee satisfaction-what feds can do during rapid change and uncertainty to improve their experience-and much more. Visit the Fed Thread hub page for other discussions and insights. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .