Federal prison employees are not making as much money as they should, their enormous responsibilities, and it is very hard to many to save for retirement. In today’s blog, we examine what can be done to save money for the future and see what is possible when someone wants to make the most of their job in this field.
What elements impact the finances of federal prison employees?
1. Federal Pension
Federal prison employees are on a pension program, but they are not making a lot of money as it is. The problem with that is that they cannot save in the way that they would at another job with a traditional pension program. Someone who is working very hard at their job will find out that they can make a small raise every year, and still may have problems with saving for the long term.
2. The Hours
The long hours, and unusual shifts, in the federal prison system are not for everybody. The stress level can weigh on an employee, and it can make it difficult for people to get through the many long years that they have to get to retirement.
3. The Daily Life
The guards like to get to know the inmates, since they are in their lives day-to-day. Sometimes this can be a positive experience, when an inmate is bettering their lives and making positive changes. On the other end of the spectrum, sometimes the inmates they encounter daily have done terrible things – and guards have a difficult time reconciling their emotions.
Saving money is always the recommended solution for an emergency – but it’s not always a realistic one in the lives of federal employees. A federal employee may begin to save some of their income for a long time, then get behind on bills with just one unexpected expense.
There are lending programs, such as Loans for Feds, specifically for employees of the federal government. For federal prison employees, this means a loan that can help them tide over in the lean times because there is not enough pay for a federal employee. If someone is trying to make the right financial choices, they need to be certain that they have found a loan program that will help them keep as much money in their pocket as possible.
Other Issues Facing Federal Prison Employees – Waiting On The Pension
The pension program is often lower than what people think, and they might think that they have problems keeping up with the inflation when they retire. Someone who has grave concerns about their spending must look at other ways to finance their lifestyle in the future, and that is why BMG Money still recommends savings. Anyone who has come up with some reserves feels much better at the end of the day about their finances.
Prison employees who are saving for retirement want to make choices that are better for their families, and they try to make choices that will be better for them in the long-term. They want to have money coming in, and they want to be comfortable. Our Balance Pro page has incredible resources on financial education, to help people from any job or income level do exactly that.