Pay & Benefits
Updated
More than 60,000 feds are still waiting for their 2025 pay raise
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s decision last spring to shutter a slew of advisory committees has imperiled already enacted pay raises for federal employees in blue collar jobs.
TSP funds continued their upward swing in June
Each of the portfolios in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program gained value last month.
All provisions targeting federal worker benefits, unions stricken from Senate reconciliation package
The Senate parliamentarian previously ruled that most of the proposals aimed at cutting federal employees’ retirement benefits and civil service protections violated a rule to ensure reconciliation bills are budgetary in nature.
Retired and confused about Medicare Part B? You’re not alone
From late penalties to premium reimbursements, here’s what every retired fed should understand about enrolling in Medicare Part B—and how it works with your FEHB plan.
Tax-free…or not? Avoid these 4 Roth TSP mistakes
Not all money in a Roth Thrift Savings Plan account is automatically tax-free, and there are several things to consider before making a withdrawal to avoid tax and other penalties.
New pay claims for active-duty federal employees possible after Supreme Court decision
An April decision by the justices means that federal employees called up to active service could be eligible for differential pay, and that the Merit Systems Protections Board could receive a wave of new claims.
Senate strips most retirement cuts from reconciliation, but anti-civil service provisions remain
Under language released by a Senate panel Thursday night, new federal workers who decline to serve as at-will employees will pay nearly 15% of their paycheck toward their pension benefit.
Think you're ready to tap your TSP? Here's what you might be missing
Before touching your Thrift Savings Plan funds, make sure you understand the rules—and the risks—you might not have planned for.
Estate planning through Revocable Living Trusts: A guide for retirees and government employees
Federal employees can deploy more flexibility in their retirement and estate planning, as well as potentially safeguard assets for their beneficiaries by considering the range of offerings provided by a living trust.
Should you stay or should you go? 10 tips for navigating your federal retirement decision
What to consider—financially and emotionally—before leaving government service.
Oversight Dems: Commerce reneged on probationers’ health benefits
Some recently fired probationary workers have also been unable to access their personnel records to show to insurance companies and prospective employers.
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Senators fix their sights on OPM’s pay memo for political appointees
Eight Democrats decried recent guidance encouraging agencies to pay Schedule C political appointees the maximum federal salary of $195,200 as an attempt to hire “underqualified and overpaid political elites.”
TSP funds rebound following months of losses
Only one portfolio in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program finished May in the red.
Trump’s fiscal 2026 budget would strip trans federal workers of insurance coverage
If enacted, the provision would bar the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program from covering federal employees and their family members’ gender affirming care treatments.
The ‘new deal’ for federal retirement: What the latest FERS proposals really mean for your benefits
Federal retirement has been a hot topic on Capitol Hill lately, with proposed changes sparking plenty of questions. Here’s a look at what’s on the table now.
Kaptur reintroduces legislation to expand Gold Star survivors benefits, Neguse wants to offer vets firefighter training
The Ohio congresswoman brought back her bill to lower health care costs for fallen service members’ partners for longer, while Rep. Neguse wants to offer veterans more job support.
Answers to some of your frequently asked questions about federal retirement
If you're thinking about retiring from federal service, here's what you need to know first.
House passes reconciliation bill that cuts federal employee retirement benefits
Though Democrats were able to excise a plan to base federal retirees’ annuity payments on their highest five years of salary, rather than the current high-3, proposals to eliminate the FERS supplement and to charge employees for their civil service protections remain on the table.
Senator says VA is slow-footing benefits law, congresswoman wants a watchdog for Thrift Investment Board
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., has brought back legislation that would create an inspector general for the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, while the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee’s ranking member argues the department is too slow in implementing legislation.
Retirement cuts tweaked in House reconciliation package
The latest draft of the GOP’s plan to cut federal spending to pay for tax cuts and increased immigration enforcement no longer un-grandfathers federal workers hired before 2014 from increased retirement contribution rules passed in the 2010s and delays implementation of the FERS supplement.
