Federal employees can’t control how fast OPM works through its retirement backlog, but they can control whether their own application is complete and error-free. From OPM’s official guidance, this guide walks through the documentation, forms, and common mistakes that most often delay processing under OPM’s Online Retirement Application (ORA) system. A companion checklist is available to download and work through before submitting your application.
Some CSRS Retirees May Still Be Missing Social Security Back Pay
If you have a CSRS pension and never applied for a Social Security spousal or survivor benefit because the Government Pension Offset would have reduced it to zero, that’s worth revisiting now. A new August 2026 Congressional Research Service report confirms that SSA’s six-month retroactivity limit for new applicants isn’t changing anytime soon, despite pushback from senators. The message: don’t wait for the policy to shift — every month you delay a claim is a month of back pay you can’t recover.
What FEHB Enrollees Should Know if They Get a Letter from Medicare This Month
Every September, people enrolled in Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans receive an annual notice spelling out changes to their coverage and costs for the year ahead. But if you’re a federal retiree with Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB), whether that letter applies to you — and how much it matters — depends on exactly how your FEHB and Medicare coverage fit together. This guide provides a scenario-by-scenario breakdown of the common combinations of FEHB and Medicare coverage so you know what to do
Your TSP Didn’t Know You Left: What Federal Employees Need to Review After a Separation
More than 322,000 federal employees separated from service in 2025 — many well before they’d planned to — early retirements and RIFs. That kind of shift can quietly throw your TSP out of sync, because your TSP is built around one number: the year you expected to start withdrawals. It doesn’t know about your pension, your spouse’s income, or the years of runway you may actually have. Learn what “separated” really means for your TSP, why loss aversion can push people toward decisions that don’t fit their actual timeline, and the specific things worth reviewing now — your L Fund target date, your income bridge, and whether a Traditional-to-Roth conversion makes sense in a lower-income year.
How Much Will FEHB Cost You Between Retirement and Medicare?
If you’re retiring before 65, Federal Employees Health Benefits premiums between retirement and Medicare eligibility can add up to six figures — yet that cost rarely shows up as a line item in retirement projections. This guide walks through how to estimate your own FEHB bridge cost using your retirement age, current premium, and a few growth assumptions, plus what changes once Medicare eligibility begins.
TSP Week in Review: August 31 – Sept. 4, 2026
It was a winning week for most Thrift Savings Plan funds, with one core fund pulling well ahead of the pack while another finished in the red. Federal Reserve rate speculation and Friday’s jobs report kept investors on edge all week. See the full fund-by-fund breakdown, including every Lifecycle Fund, in this week’s TSP Week in Review.
How to Increase Your FERS Monthly Pension Payment: 5 Decisions to Make Before You Retire
Your FERS pension may look like a number that’s simply calculated for you on your last day of work. But several decisions along the way — how you handle your high-3, whether you buy back military time, what you do with unused sick leave, and whether you wait until age 62 — can each change your monthly payment for the rest of your life. This guide walks through all five, with real dollar examples, a downloadable checklist and worksheet, plus an FAQ section.
The 2027 Pay Freeze Isn’t Final — Here’s What Could Still Change It
President Trump’s August 26 letter freezes most federal civilian pay for 2027, but Congress can still override it. The House Appropriations Committee has already rejected an effort to add a raise, the Senate hasn’t released its bill yet, and employee unions like AFGE and NTEU are pushing back — including a pointed comparison to the administration’s move to allow salaries of up to $400,000 for a small group of “critical position” employees. Here’s where the realistic path to a 2027 raise stands.
TSP Week in Review: August 24-28, 2026
Small caps led the week’s losses as the S Fund gave back 1.32%, while the C Fund bucked the trend with a 0.50% gain. See the full fund-by-fund breakdown.
The Real Cost of Your FERS Survivor Election: Full, Partial, or None?
What should you choose? Full survivor benefit, partial, or none? The election you make at retirement determines far more than a 5% or 10% pension reduction. It shapes whether your spouse keeps Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage, how their Social Security changes, and how much of your household’s income they actually keep. This guide walks through a worked example showing what each option means in real numbers. A downloadable FERS Survivor Benefit Planning Checklist is included to help you get started.