Mark Cussen, CMFC, has 13+ years of experience as a writer and provides financial education to military service members and the public. Mark is an expert in investing, economics, and market news.

After three consecutive months of steady growth, most of the portfolios in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program lost value last month. The small- and mid-size businesses of ...

Each of the portfolios in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program finished last month in the black.

The Thrift Savings Plan's equity funds saw significant declines in March 2026, with the I Fund down over 9% and the C and S Funds losing nearly 5%. Bond and G Funds offered relative stability, though ...

A federal employee with 30 years of service and a $90,000 high-3 average salary receives only $27,000 annually under FERS—30% of pre-retirement income—because the formula pays just 1% per year of ...