Pay & Benefits

The unplanned retirement dilemma

If you hadn’t given much thought to retirement before receiving the Trump administration's "deferred resignation" email on Jan. 28, you may be in for a few surprises—not all of them pleasant.

Pay & Benefits

Can I afford an early retirement? 4 things to consider before making the leap

COMMENTARY | From return-to-office mandates to the reappearance of Schedule F, many feds may be finding themselves on a fast track to retirement whether they wanted it or not. But are they financially prepared? What planning should be done before considering an early federal retirement?

Pay & Benefits

TSP funds rebound to start 2025

After a rocky end to 2024, all funds in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program finished January in the black.

Pay & Benefits

SSA: It could take more than a year to implement the WEP and GPO repeal

Though Congress acted on a bipartisan basis last year to pass legislation ending two controversial tax provisions that affected some federal workers and other public servants, it failed to give the Social Security Administration any money to implement it.

Pay & Benefits

Congressional Republicans mull plans to gash feds’ pay, benefits and job security

GOP lawmakers are once again considering a litany of proposals that would require federal workers to pay more in exchange for less retirement and health care benefits.

Pay & Benefits

Democrats introduce bills to provide feds 4.3% average pay raise in 2026, standardize retiree COLAs

Lawmakers have reintroduced annual bills aimed at setting a marker for the upcoming federal pay raise debate and to end bifurcated cost-of-living increases for federal retirees.

Pay & Benefits

How to prepare for an unexpected retirement

Some readers with fears about the future of their jobs under the next administration reached out for advice.

Pay & Benefits

The Social Security Fairness Act: What we know so far

It may take time to implement this new law -- here’s what you should know for now.

Pay & Benefits

Biden signs windfall elimination provision repeal into law

The Social Security Fairness Act ends both the WEP and the government pension offset, increasing the Social Security checks for more than 2 million retired public servants.

Pay & Benefits

Thrift Savings Plan funds end the year on the downswing

Only one of the portfolios within the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program finished December in the black.

Pay & Benefits

More! on the windfall elimination provision and government pension offset

Many Civil Service Retirement System retirees are hoping for an early Christmas present from Congress.

Pay & Benefits

Bill to repeal windfall elimination provision clears a key Senate hurdle

The Senate voted 73-27 to invoke cloture on the Social Security Fairness Act, clearing the way for a final vote to pass the bill later this week.

Pay & Benefits

Schumer tells feds he’ll call a vote on windfall elimination provision repeal

The Social Security Fairness Act, which would repeal to controversial tax provisions affecting some federal workers and retirees, has 63 sponsors in the Senate, more than the 60 votes needed to force a vote on the measure.

Pay & Benefits

Open season and tax savings

Monday is the last day to enroll in or make changes to your benefits for 2025. What are you doing this weekend?

Pay & Benefits

Nearly every TSP fund rebounded in November

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

Pay & Benefits

Retirement decisions that can't be reversed

Here are the retirement decisions that require careful consideration since they cannot be changed.

Pay & Benefits

House passes a bill eliminating tax provisions that harm some federal retirees

Despite solid bipartisan support, the Senate could run out of time to approve the legislation.

Pay & Benefits

OPM’s retirement backlog ticked up slightly last month, though other metrics improved

Statistics measuring the federal government HR agency’s performance in processing departing federal workers’ retirement claims remained stable following the backlog’s removal from OPM’s list of top management challenges.

Pay & Benefits

The House finally appears set to repeal the WEP and GPO

Lawmakers in September successfully triggered a discharge petition to force a vote on legislation to get rid of the controversial tax provisions affecting some feds’ retirement benefits.