Compare 2027 FEHB plans before open season (Nov. 9-Dec. 14). See 2027 premiums, what is changing, and…. more…
Recent Articles
The 2027 FEHB Squeeze: Premiums Rise While Pay Stalls?
Federal Employees Health Benefits premiums rise an average of 10.9% in 2027, while the President’s alternative pay plan proposes no increase in General Schedule base or locality pay. This guide shows the squeeze in dollars per paycheck for Self Only, Self Plus One, and Self and Family, tests it against 1% and 2% raise scenarios, and compares five years of compounded premium increases (65.5%) with five years of average pay raises (about 13.4%). more…
Is Fraud Driving Your FEHB Premium Increase? What OPM’s Numbers Reveal
The Office of Personnel management annoucned it found more than $500 million in anti-fraud savings across the FEHB and PSHB programs in 2025. Set against roughly $80 billion in annual spending and a 10.9 percent average premium increase for 2027, the numbers tell a more measured story. Here’s what OPM reported, what its own rule estimates about ineligible family members, and a short checklist for you to run before open season this year. more…
2026 Federal Benefits Open Season Options Announced by OPM
The Office of Personnel Management announced the 2026 Federal Benefits Open Season, for coverage that begins in the 2027 plan year. This guide covers the key dates, when FEHB and PSHB changes take effect, the FEHB plans leaving the program, new family-member eligibility documentation, and 2027 benefit changes. more…
2027 FEHB Premiums: Plan-by-Plan Changes (PSHB included)
Federal health insurance premiums are rising again for 2027, and for the third year in a row the average increase is in double digits. That average hides a wide spread, though. Some plans barely moved, a handful got less expensive, and a few nationwide plans jumped far more than the rest. This guide includes the rate tables, the government contribution caps, PSHB rates, and the plans where Self Only costs more than Self and Family. more…
Latest TSP Fund Performance Returns — G, F, C, S, I, L Funds | Sept. 2026
September gave back much of August’s rally: the G Fund edged higher, while the F Fund and the stock funds all slipped and every Lifecycle Fund finished lower. See monthly, year-to-date, 12-month and annualized returns for all TSP funds, plus what changed in the rankings. more…
How Life Insurance Death Benefits Are Taxed (and When They Aren’t)
Life insurance death proceeds are usually income tax-free, but the rules around the Federal Employees Life Insurance (FEGLI) coverage over $50,000, premium deductibility, and settlement option interest are easy to get wrong. Ed Zurndofer outlines how the IRS defines “life insurance” for tax purposes, when premiums can be deducted, and how employer-paid FEGLI coverage above $50,000 becomes a taxable fringe benefit — including a step-by-step example using the IRS cost table. more…
2027 FERS / CSRS COLA: Estimate Narrows Ahead of October Announcement
The 2027 cost-of-living adjustment is one inflation report away from becoming official. With two of the three months that count toward the calculation already in hand, see where the major forecasters stand, what September’s CPI-W report still has to answer, and when the Social Security Administration is expected to announce the final number — plus what it means for FERS retirees under the reduced “diet COLA” formula. more…
2027 Federal Pay Freeze Fight Continues: Lawmakers Rally at Podium
Lawmakers who oppose the 2027 civilian pay freeze followed up their letter with a Capitol Hill press conference this week. Here’s their strategy for the months ahead, and what history shows about Congress overriding a presidential pay freeze — it’s happened twice before, in 2008 and 2019. more…
Keeping FEHB in Retirement: The 5-Year Rule and Waiver Explained
Miss the 5-year rule for keeping the Federal Employees Health Benefits program in retirement and the coverage gap could cost $12,000 a year. Here’s the rule, the waiver, and how to protect your eligibility. more…