Your Official Personnel Folder (OPF) plays an important role in your federal retirement. Learn what documents to review, when to review them, how to identify potential issues before you retire, and download the free OPF Retirement Review Checklist to help make sure your personnel records are complete more…
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OPM Retirement Application Process: A Step-by-Step Guide for Federal Employees
Most federal employees know they have to submit a retirement application, but few understand what happens after they do. This step-by-step guide explains what happens after you submit your paperwork, how your agency and OPM process your application, what interim payments are, common causes of delays, and what you can do to help ensure a smoother transition into retirement. more…
Essential Documents for Medical Care and End-of-Life Decisions Should Include a Dementia Directive
A dementia directive allows individuals to document their wishes for medical care before cognitive decline makes those decisions difficult or impossible. Learn how this advance-planning document works, what it may cover, and why it can provide valuable guidance for family members and caregivers. more…
End-of-Life Planning Guide for Federal Employees and Retirees
Getting your affairs in order involves more than preparing a will. This guide explains the legal, medical, financial and federal benefit records your family may need—including TSP and FEGLI beneficiary information, OPM retirement records and advance directives. A free downloadable checklist and workbook is included to help federal employees and retirees organize everything in one place. more…
OPM Proposes Rules to Protect Retirement Benefits for Injured Federal First Responders
The Office of Personnel Management has proposed regulations implementing the First Responder Fair RETIRE Act. If finalized, the rule would allow certain injured federal first responders to move into another federal position without losing enhanced retirement benefits. Here’s what the proposal would do, who qualifies, and why it matters more…
10 Most Common Mistakes to Avoid When Purchasing Life Insurance
Ed Zurndorfer outlines errors individuals often make when purchasing and owning a life insurance policy
2025 Health Insurance Plan Options & Comparison Tools
Get the latest the official information online for the 2024 plan year of the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program. Dental and vision (FEDVIP) details are also available...
Your Federal Health Benefits & Medicare: Helpful Resources from OPM
The Office of Personnel Management offers several resources for federal employees and retirees regarding Medicare and how it works with the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program...
Guide to Federal Retiree COLAs: What Are They and How Are They Calculated?
Understand what the cost-of-living adjustment is, how it is computed, and how it affects CSRS and FERS annuities, survivor annuities, and other federal employee death benefits...
10 Biggest Mistakes Federal Employees Make When Planning for Retirement (and How to Avoid Them)
Learn the 10 biggest federal retirement planning mistakes that many employees make before leaving civil service including CSRS, FERS, Thrift Savings Plan...
Federal Retirement Planning Checklists
Checklists for 5-10 years from retirement, one year away from retirement, and for your first year after retirement...