Once a federal employee or retiree becomes age 65, they can enroll in Medicare. But many have questions about Medicare enrollment and how it works with the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program. In the first part of this series of columns on Medicare, Ed Zurndorfer discusses the various parts to the Medicare program and how federal employees qualify for Medicare more…
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2026 FEHB Premium Rates Now Available
Federal employees and retirees share of 2026 Federal Employees Health Benefits premiums will increase — on average — by 12.3%. The Office of Personnel Management has released the 2026 premium rate charts for health, dental and vision plans more…
Financial Relief from Government Shutdown for Federal Employees & Contractors Proposed
Two bills aimed to protect federal workers and contractors from financial hardship during government shutdowns were introduced in the House last week more…
4 Tips for Dealing with Financial Stress During Uncertain Times
Whether it’s rising inflation, a government shutdown, a market downturn, an economic recession, or an emergency, Money and finances can cause anxiety for many of us. Chris Kowalik provides four actionable tips to manage financial stress more…
Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Rules for Traditional Inherited IRAs
Many federal employees and retirees have inherited IRAs over the years from relatives. Ed Zurndorfer explains the required minimum distribution (RMD) rules and deadlines, with several practical examples more…
Government Shutdown Relief Bill Introduced to Ease Hardship TSP Withdrawals
If passed, the legislation would allow federal employees to withdraw funds from their TSP without being penalized if the government shutdown is prolonged, while ensuring that funds could be recontributed later on more…
What Departing Federal Employees Need to Know About Their TSP Accounts
Thousands of federal employees have left or will be leaving federal service sometime between now and the end of 2025. Ed Zurndorfer discusses the options a separating employee has with their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) traditional and Roth accounts. more…
Why Having Emergency Savings is Vital for Feds
If you have little-to-no savings that is accessible to you when you need it, a job loss, government shutdown furlough, or medical emergency could be catastrophic to your finances. Chris Kowalik gives pointers on how you can build an emergency fund
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Federal Employee RIFs Can Continue During Government Shutdown, OPM Says
In updated guidance published Sunday, the Office of Personnel Management issued clarification on how federal government agencies should handle Reduction In Force (RIF) procedures. FAQs are provided more…
Deadline for Correcting IRA Contributions and Filing Tax Returns
Ed Zurndorfer discusses both Oct. 15 deadlines, the two reasons why a federal employee or a retiree may need to recharacterize a 2024 IRA contribution, and what they should do to meet the deadlines and avoid penalties more…