A hotter inflation report and a sharp selloff in technology shares pushed the TSP’s stock funds lower, while the bond funds held up. See how each core and Lifecycle funds finished the week, and what could move them next
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2027 FEHB Plan Changes: Nine Plans Leaving and UnitedHealthcare’s HSA Plan Ending in 12 States
Nine FEHB plan options and one PSHB option are ending in 2027, UnitedHealthcare’s HSA-eligible plan is dropping 12 states, and Presbyterian and Mail Handlers are changing too. Enrollees who do nothing move into an OPM default that costs less but is built differently, and Open Season closes December 14. See the full list, what the default costs, and what to check before the deadline passes.
What the 2027 Pay Freeze and FERS COLA Do to Your Pension When Retiring
A FERS pension can lose purchasing power long after retirement, and a federal pay freeze can reduce the pension before it even begins. Employees retiring before age 62 generally receive no cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) until they reach that age, and the FERS supplement receives no COLAs at all. Even after COLAs begin, FERS adjustments can fall short of inflation, allowing the gap to grow over time. Meanwhile, a frozen pay year can lower the high-3 salary used to calculate the starting pension. What does that mean in dollars? In one hypothetical ten-year illustration with 3.6% annual inflation, the COLA rules leave a FERS pension nearly $50,000 behind one that is fully adjusted for inflation. A worked example follows a federal employee retiring at the minimum retirement age and shows how both the pay freeze and the COLA rules affect retirement income.
2027 CSRS / FERS COLA Announced for Federal Retirees
The Social Security Administration has announced a larger cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2027, up from this year’s increase. CSRS retirees and Social Security beneficiaries get the full amount, but FERS retirees age 62 and older get a lower COLA under the FERS reduction formula. Use the included free COLA calculator on this page to enter your annuity and see your own increase in dollars, plus how much of it is left after the projected 2027 Medicare Part B premium and your 2027 FEHB premium change.
FEHB Eligibility in Retirement: What Counts Toward the 5 Year Rule?
Keeping Federal Employees Health Benefits coverage in retirement depends on five continuous years of enrollment before you retire. In this guide, Ed Zurndorfer explains what counts toward those five years, including coverage through a spouse, TRICARE, and breaks in service. He also outlines what does not count, such as Medicare, Temporary Continuation of Coverage, and non-appropriated fund service. Employees 5 to 10 years from retirement who are not enrolled will find out why the upcoming FEHB open season also matters
Cancel or Suspend FEHB? Which Option Keeps Your Coverage?
Federal retirees can leave the Federal Employees Health Benefits program in two very different ways. Cancelling usually ends the right to reenroll and the 31-day extension of coverage, while suspending, for example to join a private Medicare Advantage plan, preserves the option to return at a future open season. Ed Zurndorfer walks you through each box on Form RI 79-9, the premium conversion and Medicare Part B issues for retirees covered under a working spouse, and the reenrollment rules that follow each choice.
OPM Retirement Backlog Falls Below 10,000 in September 2026
OPM’s retirement backlog fell to 8,814 claims in September 2026, down 86% from its February peak, as average processing time dropped to 66 days.
2027 COLA Calculator for Federal Retirees (CSRS and FERS)
This free online calculator for federal retirees shows what the 2027 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) means for your Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuity, and how much of the increase is left after the Medicare Part B premium and your Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) premium change
Will Your 2027 COLA Increase Your Federal Income Taxes?
A bigger COLA sounds like good news, but does it also mean a bigger federal tax bill? The income thresholds for taxing Social Security have never been adjusted for inflation, so a benefit increase can pull more of your benefits into taxable income. Three hypothetical federal retirees show what could change in 2027, and a short checklist helps you see which one looks most like you.
TSP Week in Review: Oct. 5-9, 2026
Stocks opened the week at a record, then rising yields and a tech selloff changed the mood. See which TSP funds held up.