Author Archive
Pay & Benefits
Federal retirees face more than a COLA change in 2027
From Medicare premiums and Social Security earnings limits to a federal pay freeze, several changes could affect retirees’ finances and the benefits available to them next year.
Pay & Benefits
Don’t let 5% become your TSP retirement strategy
Getting the full agency match is a good baseline, but if retirement is around the corner there’s more to consider before deciding what to do with the rest of your paycheck.
Pay & Benefits
Retiring in 2027? Picking the right date could pay off
The date you leave federal service can affect when your annuity begins and how much you receive for unused annual leave.
Pay & Benefits
Your federal benefits changed this year. Here’s what to know
A guide to the retirement, insurance, Social Security and TSP changes affecting federal employees, retirees and survivors in 2026, plus what to watch for in 2027.
Pay & Benefits
Navigating the Pay.gov maze for federal retirement deposits
Don't let missing service credits or opaque OPM billing notices shrink your monthly annuity. Here is what you need to know before clicking submit.
Pay & Benefits
What 9/11 can teach federal families about benefits
The federal workers’ compensation program can provide critical support after a work-related injury, illness or death, but families need to know what to document and which benefits to claim.
Pay & Benefits
Reliable rules for your retirement recordkeeping
Pro-tip: Don’t let messy files stall your federal exit.
Featured eBooks
Pay & Benefits
Want to retire at the end of 2026? Start planning now
OPM is still working through a sizable retirement backlog, and year-end retirees have plenty to sort out before they leave federal service.
Pay & Benefits
Life happened. Now what about your retirement benefits?
From reemployment to remarriage, life after federal service can bring changes that affect your annuity, insurance and survivor benefits.
Pay & Benefits
Before you take money out of your TSP, weigh these trade-offs
A withdrawal can affect everything from your tax bill and Medicare premiums to how long your savings last and what your heirs receive.
Pay & Benefits
Former feds have a new way to find their personnel files
OPM’s new online service helps separated employees access records they may need years after leaving government.
Pay & Benefits
Why time, not timing, is the biggest retirement advantage for federal employees
A look at decades of market shifts and TSP data shows the biggest driver of retirement wealth isn't picking the right stock. It's starting early, contributing consistently and letting compounding do its work.
Pay & Benefits
Why your retirement experience may depend more on the agency than the benefit
Federal retirees interact with OPM, the Thrift Savings Plan and Social Security at different stages of retirement. Their latest performance data reveals starkly different customer service experiences and highlights where delays remain most likely.
Pay & Benefits
Why Social Security's uncertainty is becoming a federal workforce issue
A bipartisan proposal would force Congress to confront Social Security's long-term finances, with significant implications for retirement planning under FERS.
Featured eBooks
Pay & Benefits
No more paper: Navigating OPM’s new digital retirement process
As the Office of Personnel Management completes its transition away from paper, federal employees and retirees must adapt to a streamlined — but strictly digital — process for securing their benefits.
Pay & Benefits
The Medicare question federal retirees can’t ignore anymore
New projections for Medicare Part B costs are sharpening a familiar but increasingly expensive decision for federal retirees: whether Medicare enhances FEHB coverage enough to justify the added premium, or simply shifts where the costs show up.
Pay & Benefits
Why Social Security’s funding gap matters to federal retirement
Most federal employees under FERS rely on Social Security as part of retirement. The latest trustees report suggests the choices to preserve full benefits are getting tougher.
Pay & Benefits
A record number of feds are retiring. Will that slow your claim?
New OPM data offers clues about processing times, potential delays and why retiring employees may need a larger financial cushion than expected.
Pay & Benefits
What retiring feds should do before asking for help
Clear timelines, complete records and focused questions can make retirement problems easier to resolve, especially as agencies face mounting workloads.
Pay & Benefits
What federal employees get wrong about divorce and retirement
Errors involving survivor benefits, health coverage and court orders can create financial problems years after a marriage ends.
