AI isn’t changing your FERS or CSRS pension formula. But if you’re approaching retirement, changes happening around your job could still affect the retirement plan you’ve been counting on — from promotion prospects and your future High-3 average salary to whether you reach your planned retirement date on the path you expected. Here’s where AI workplace changes could matter, and what federal employees nearing retirement should be watching now. more…
FERS (Federal Employees Retirement System)
House Republicans Push OPM to Review Federal Law Enforcement Retirement Classification
A group of House Republicans has asked OPM to reconsider how it classifies certain federal police forces for retirement purposes, arguing that officers at agencies like VA Police and the Pentagon Force Protection Agency perform law-enforcement-level duties without qualifying for enhanced retirement coverage. The push draws on a recent GAO report documenting the same disparity across 17 agencies, including higher attrition among officers without enhanced benefits. Nothing has changed yet for affected employees, but the story is worth tracking given the retirement formula differences at stake. more…
2027 CSRS / FERS / Social Security COLA Estimate
Fresh inflation data has forecasters pulling in different directions on the 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustment. One major advocacy group lowered its estimate this month, while another raised its own — with two other independent forecasters landing lower still. See the range of estimates, what’s driving this summer’s inflation numbers, and what the outcome would mean for the both the CSRS and FERS annuity adjustments. more…
2027 CSRS / FERS COLA Watch for Federal Retirees
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its latest inflation data, and the 2027 federal retiree COLA trend has moved higher as a result. With one more month of Consumer Price Index data still to come, the estimate for CSRS, FERS, and Social Security retirees continues to shift — and the gap between the two systems remains a factor worth understanding well before the Social Security Administration’s official announcement in mid-October. more…
Federal Retirement Application Checklist: The Errors OPM Says Cause the Most Delays
Federal employees can’t control how fast OPM works through its retirement backlog, but they can control whether their own application is complete and error-free. From OPM’s official guidance, this guide walks through the documentation, forms, and common mistakes that most often delay processing under OPM’s Online Retirement Application (ORA) system. A companion checklist is available to download and work through before submitting your application. more…
How Much Will FEHB Cost You Between Retirement and Medicare?
If you’re retiring before 65, Federal Employees Health Benefits premiums between retirement and Medicare eligibility can add up to six figures — yet that cost rarely shows up as a line item in retirement projections. This guide walks through how to estimate your own FEHB bridge cost using your retirement age, current premium, and a few growth assumptions, plus what changes once Medicare eligibility begins. more…
How to Increase Your FERS Monthly Pension Payment: 5 Decisions to Make Before You Retire
Your FERS pension may look like a number that’s simply calculated for you on your last day of work. But several decisions along the way — how you handle your high-3, whether you buy back military time, what you do with unused sick leave, and whether you wait until age 62 — can each change your monthly payment for the rest of your life. This guide walks through all five, with real dollar examples, a downloadable checklist and worksheet, plus an FAQ section. more…
The Real Cost of Your FERS Survivor Election: Full, Partial, or None?
What should you choose? Full survivor benefit, partial, or none? The election you make at retirement determines far more than a 5% or 10% pension reduction. It shapes whether your spouse keeps Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage, how their Social Security changes, and how much of your household’s income they actually keep. This guide walks through a worked example showing what each option means in real numbers. A downloadable FERS Survivor Benefit Planning Checklist is included to help you get started. more…
The FERS Supplement Earnings Test: How Much You Can Earn Before Losing It
Most federal employees know the FERS Retirement Supplement ends at 62. Fewer know it can shrink years earlier — the moment post-retirement work pushes you past the 2026 earnings limit of $24,480. We break down three real income scenarios, what counts as “earned income” (and what doesn’t), and why a 12-18 month lag means a high-earning year can quietly cost you later. more…
Spousal Benefits Upon the Death of a Federal Employee Covered by FERS
Most FERS employees think about survivor benefits in retirement — but what if you pass away while you’re still working? Ed Zurndorfer walks through the two benefits your spouse could receive: a lump-sum death benefit (with a rollover option) and a monthly survivor annuity, with real dollar examples for both. more…