OPM has released the official information online for the 2026 plan year of the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. Dental and vision (FEDVIP) details are also available. Includes a list of all health insurance plans available in a state, as well as links to the plan brochures, and changes for each plan from the previous year. The comparison tool can also be searched by entering zip code, plan name or the health insurance plan code, employee type, pay frequency, and number of members to be covered more…
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Should Federal Retirees Enroll in Medicare Part B?
Whether or not to enroll in (Medicare Part B (medical insurance) is a key decision that federal retirees aged 65 and older have to make. Because there is a penalty for not enrolling in Part B within a few months of the enrollment deadline, federal retirees are under pressure to make a decision. Ed Zurndorfer gives insight on how the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program works with Medicare, when Medicare is the primary payer, and how FEHB premiums are affected by Medicare Part B more…
2026 CSRS / FERS COLA Announced
The Social Security Administration has announced the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment which affects those retired under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) more…
Understanding the Three Tax Buckets: Tax Me Now, Later or Never
While you can’t avoid taxes, you can choose when you want to pay them when it comes to certain accounts and savings. Chris Kowalik explains how the growth in your investments is taxed, and which tax bucket is right for you: “tax me now,” “tax me later,” and “tax me never.” more…
2026 COLA Estimate – CSRS | FERS | Social Security
Analysts give a projection of the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment for retirees, which will be announced Oct. 24. It’s estimated to be only slightly higher than last year’s COLA more…
Immediate Pay for Some Federal Employees During Shutdown Proposed
If passed, the Shutdown Fairness Act would provide pay to excepted federal employees who are forced to work without pay during the ongoing partial government shutdown more…
How the Medicare Open Enrollment Period Affects Federal Retirees
Ed Zurndorfer discusses what the Medicare open enrollment period is (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7), how it affects federal retirees, and the opportunities that federal retirees enrolled in Medicare have with respect to their health insurance coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits program (FEHB) more…
Understanding Medicare Enrollment Periods and the Late Enrollment Penalty
Enrolling in Medicare can be confusing — and if not done by the required deadline, can result in late enrollment penalties. Ed Zurndorfer outlines the various enrollment periods for Medicare — plus when penalties are imposed, and how they are calculated more…
3 Signs You’re Not Ready to Retire
Many people nearing retirement have an idea of how they want to live but aren’t sure they’ll ever be able to afford their vision. Chris Kowalik provides three important reasons why it may be time to make some adjustments to your retirement planning more…
Medicare Open Enrollment is Oct. 15 – Dec. 7
Through Dec. 7, eligible federal employees and retirees can make changes to their coverage that will be effective January 1. Resources to discover options and compare plan are available more…