Federal retirees with Medicare Part A and Part B can keep Original Medicare with their Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) plan or switch to Medicare Advantage. Ed Zurndorfer compares the two options side by side on doctor and hospital choice, costs, coverage in the US and coverage abroad. He explains why a private Medicare Advantage plan means suspending FEHB coverage, how FEHB-sponsored Medicare Advantage plans differ, and where to get free help comparing plans.
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Scams Targeting Federal Employees and Retirees: What to Watch For
Open Season brings a flood of legitimate messages from plans, insurers, and agencies, which makes it harder to tell which ones are real, and scammers know it. A 2026 Senate Special Committee on Aging staff report describes a surge in sophisticated scams, from voice cloning to personalized phishing. This guide covers common scam types, what TSP, OPM, Social Security, and Medicare will and won’t do, and simple habits to set up before a suspicious message arrives.
39 FEHB Plans Where Self Plus One Costs More Than Self and Family in 2027
Self Plus One covers fewer people, so it should cost less, right? For 2027, in 39 of 118 FEHB plan options, it does not. Self and Family covers the same person plus any eligible children, and the gap reaches $1,983.54 a year. See every plan on the list, the dollar gap in each, a five-step check for your own plan, and the same pattern in 24 Postal Service Health Benefits plans.
Why Some Federal Retirees Pay Higher Medicare Premiums (and What You Can Do About It)
Many federal retirees are surprised to learn that Medicare premiums aren’t the same for everyone. Income above set limits triggers an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) surcharge. See the 2026 income thresholds, how a pension, Social Security and Thrift Savings Plan withdrawals add up, which retirement events trigger it, and how to request a reconsideration if income has fallen.
Do Federal Retirees Need Medicare Part D? When to Decline Your FEHB Plan’s Part D Coverage
Do federal retirees need Medicare Part D? Most have solid drug coverage through FEHB, but some carriers now offer a Part D plan that retirees can decline. This guide from Edward A. Zurndorfer explains what the Inflation Reduction Act changed, how deductibles and income-related surcharges can affect the choice, why overseas travel and drug discount cards matter, and what to do before open season ends.
What a Pay Freeze and the Reduced FERS COLA Cost Over a 30-Year Career
Can early saving make up for a pay freeze and the reduced retiree cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)? A reader asked, and this guide answers with a worked example for a hypothetical 30-year-old. One frozen pay year costs about $1,088 a year in pension. The bigger cost comes from Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) rules: someone who retires at 60 gets no COLA until turning 62, and the COLA runs below inflation once inflation passes 2%. In this example, that gap totals about $48,900 over ten years. Learn how extra Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) saving can offset both, and how much (and how soon) you need to start.
The TSP G Fund Is Safe From Market Losses — But Not From Inflation
The TSP’s G Fund protects your savings from market losses — its balance won’t decline when stocks fall or bond prices drop. But that protection doesn’t guarantee your savings will keep pace with inflation. When prices rise faster than the G Fund’s return, your account can hold more dollars while buying less than it used to. This guide’s analysis compares official G Fund returns with federal inflation data and examines the trade-off between market safety and long-term growth. It also considers how your retirement timeline, withdrawal plans and ability to tolerate market declines can affect the role the G Fund plays in your TSP.
The 2027 COLA: What Federal Retirees Can Expect and When
The 2027 cost-of-living adjustment is official: 3.6% for Social Security and CSRS retirees, and 2.6% for eligible FERS retirees. This guide covers when the increase takes effect, how to see the new amount in a my Social Security or OPM online account, why Medicare and health insurance changes reduce the net increase, and the key dates to watch between now and the first higher payment in January.
How a Late-Career Promotion Changes Your High-3 and Your FERS Pension
OPM has finalized a rule ending the 52-week time-in-grade wait for GS promotions, effective January 19, 2027. Whether promotions come sooner will vary by agency, but timing matters for your pension either way. This guide shows what a promotion 3, 2 or 1 year before retirement does to your high-3 and your FERS annuity.
Did You Get $90 From Social Security? Which Federal Retirees Qualify for the Medicare Rebate
A $90 payment from Social Security landed in some bank accounts this month, and many federal retirees want to know why they got it, or why they did not. It is a one-time rebate tied to Medicare Part B premiums. Eligibility depends on Medicare coverage, not federal service: retirees with Original Medicare Part B qualify unless they pay the income-related surcharge or receive Medicaid help, while Medicare Advantage enrollees and people without Part B are excluded. Here is who gets the payment, how it differs from an FEHB plan’s Part B reimbursement, and when it arrives.