Pay & Benefits

How to avoid Medicare Part B late enrollment penalties

Planning to retire soon? Here’s what to know about timing your Medicare enrollment to steer clear of costly penalties.

Bipartisan Senate bill would boost pay, alleviate grueling schedule for federal firefighters

New legislation would shorten federal firefighters’ work week from 72 hours to 60 and would ensure their overtime work is properly compensated via the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Why federal retirements are spiking this year

A sharp rise in retirement claims may be tied to fear instead of planning. If you're eyeing the exit, make sure you're not rushing into something you'll regret.

Why a federal program paying employees not to work may violate spending laws

COMMENTARY | Legal scholar Madeline Materna explains why agency officials could be risking more than just bad press.

OPM’s digital retirement application is live. What that means for feds planning to retire

The new electronic retirement system promises a faster, more accurate process, but some users are still adjusting to the change.

Exclusive

GSA, Uber partner to cut travel costs for feds, military and select contractors

The partnership with Uber for Business has major implications for the federal workforce at home and abroad.

To fix air traffic controller shortage, Congress proposes changing retirement limits

The Control Tower Continuity Act would help address the ongoing staff shortfall of 3,000 positions by exempting personnel from mandatory retirement at age 61.

Trump’s hiring freeze has jeopardized postal workers’ health care, IG says

OPM told its agency watchdog that it has taken steps to ensure the Postal Service Health Benefits Program remains adequately staffed and funded but failed to provide any evidence that it had actually done so.

What’s really going on with Social Security? Here’s what the latest numbers say

Benefits won’t disappear in 2033, but the clock is ticking. Here’s what federal retirees need to know.

Retirement board finalizes new rule on how debt is calculated for some TSP loans

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board will put into effect a final rule recalculating how federal employees repay accrued interest on reamortized loans from the government’s 401(k)-style retirement plan.

Updated

More than 60,000 feds are still waiting for their 2025 pay raise

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s decision last spring to shutter a slew of advisory committees has imperiled already enacted pay raises for federal employees in blue collar jobs.

TSP funds continued their upward swing in June

Each of the portfolios in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program gained value last month.

All provisions targeting federal worker benefits, unions stricken from Senate reconciliation package

The Senate parliamentarian previously ruled that most of the proposals aimed at cutting federal employees’ retirement benefits and civil service protections violated a rule to ensure reconciliation bills are budgetary in nature.

Retired and confused about Medicare Part B? You’re not alone

From late penalties to premium reimbursements, here’s what every retired fed should understand about enrolling in Medicare Part B—and how it works with your FEHB plan.

Tax-free…or not? Avoid these 4 Roth TSP mistakes

Not all money in a Roth Thrift Savings Plan account is automatically tax-free, and there are several things to consider before making a withdrawal to avoid tax and other penalties.

New pay claims for active-duty federal employees possible after Supreme Court decision

An April decision by the justices means that federal employees called up to active service could be eligible for differential pay, and that the Merit Systems Protections Board could receive a wave of new claims.

Senate strips most retirement cuts from reconciliation, but anti-civil service provisions remain

Under language released by a Senate panel Thursday night, new federal workers who decline to serve as at-will employees will pay nearly 15% of their paycheck toward their pension benefit.