Pay & Benefits

How long will OPM keep paying for feds’ health insurance during the shutdown, a senator asks

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., requested details on how the federal HR agency’s plans to fund its health insurance trust funds with federal employees still not being paid during the shutdown.

Pay & Benefits

FEHB costs are climbing in 2026. Here’s what that means for feds

From higher premiums to new IVF coverage, many plans are shifting next year. Here’s how to find out what’s different in your plan and what it will cost you.

Pay & Benefits

Growth slowed in most TSP funds in October

Despite a slowing rate of return, last month still marked the third consecutive month in which all portfolios in the Thrift Savings Plan all increased in value.

Pay & Benefits

What federal employees need to know about Medicare enrollment

An updated guide to timing, parts, costs and coordination so you don’t get stuck with penalties or surprises at 65.

Pay & Benefits

When 500 companies don't equal diversification: A TSP reality check

Investing your TSP funds in the top 500 U.S. companies may seem safe and straightforward, but that depends on how those investments are weighted.

Pay & Benefits

Pay for Trump and Congress continues in shutdown, unless they ask it be held

Some congressional members of both parties have asked that their paychecks be withheld until the current government shutdown can be resolved.

Pay & Benefits

Cost-of-living adjustments will stay relatively static in 2026

Civil Service Retirement System retirees will see a 2.8% increase to their defined-benefit annuities next year, compared to just a 2% bump for Federal Employees Retirement System annuitants.

Pay & Benefits

Dueling plans to pay feds on-time fail in Senate, though a bipartisan path forward appears

Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., appeared to agree to negotiations Thursday afternoon on a plan to pay federal employees and potentially contractors amid the ongoing government shutdown.

Pay & Benefits

Shutdown or not, there are things to do 

The government shutdown has raised lots of questions about the retirement process, and retirement benefits, for federal employees while agencies remain closed. Here are some of the most pressing answers.

Pay & Benefits

House Dems urge utilities to keep lights on for feds amid shutdown

With the prospect of their first full missed paycheck just days away, federal workers already are seeking outside support, whether via food banks or side jobs.

Pay & Benefits

How part-time work affects your FERS pension

Federal employees considering a shift to part-time hours have several factors to consider when it comes to their retirement benefits.

Pay & Benefits

What FEHB changes mean for your 2026 health coverage

Premiums are shifting, and the government contribution varies. Here’s what to know to avoid surprises and save where you can.

Pay & Benefits

What to know when your child ages out of federal health coverage

Children can stay on a parent’s FEHB or PSHB plan until 26, but understanding the 31-day extension, conversion options and Temporary Continuation of Coverage is key to avoiding gaps.

Pay & Benefits

Dems, Murkowski demand White House guarantee backpay for furloughed feds

The White House continues to insist that the 2019 Government Employees Fair Treatment Act does not guarantee backpay to furloughed federal workers after every shutdown.

Pay & Benefits

Reintroduced bill would shield federal employees from shutdown-related foreclosures and evictions

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, has reintroduced a bill that would let federal employees and contractors defer financial problems caused by a government shutdown, a proposal he has introduced multiple times since 2019.

Pay & Benefits

Democrats float immediately paying feds working through shutdown as Congress again rejects bill to reopen government

In addition to the military, some senators say air traffic controllers and other civil servants should get their paychecks on time even as shutdown drags on.

Pay & Benefits

Federal and postal workers to see double-digit health care premium increases again next year

Federal employee groups decried the second consecutive year of premium increases eclipsing 10 percent amid a government shutdown and a proposed 1% pay raise for non-law enforcement personnel.

Pay & Benefits

What to expect while you’re expecting (your retirement benefit, that is)

The OPM director uses his weekly updates to detail efforts to replace paper applications, guide employees through the Online Retirement Application system, and address delays and data issues in retirement processing.