Delay or Don’t: Social Security Choices for Federal Workers
You've spent decades in federal service. Now you're 67, and Social Security is sitting there waiting. Do you file now or hold off? Filing at full retirement age gets you…
2026 Social Security Update: Plan Smarter, Avoid Surprises
The Social Security changes in 2026 aren't making big news, but they'll hit your retirement income. Federal employees need to think about how this fits with the Federal Employees Retirement…
2026 FEHB Changes: Planning If Gender-Affirming Care Isn’t Covered
Now that we're into the 2026 plan year, you're likely noticing changes to your Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage. FEHB 2026 gender-affirming care coverage now includes exclusions for certain…
Benefits Cliff Talk, Decoded: Planning Moves for Federal Workers
You've probably seen the headlines. Social Security is running out of money. Medicare trust funds are depleting. Benefits cliffs looming. It's enough to make anyone nervous about retirement.
Use It, Don’t Lose It: How Feds Can Maximize Annual Leave in 2026
Every year, thousands of federal employees forfeit annual leave. The leave does not disappear because people want to work more. It disappears because the leave year ends and the use-or-lose…
Making Sense of the TSP Annuity: Who it Fits and Why
Guaranteed income for life appeals to many Feds. A Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) annuity converts part of your account into a monthly payment that lasts as long as you do.
C Fund Reality Check: Valuation Risk and Better TSP Balance
For many Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) investors, the C Fund has become the default choice. It mirrors the S&P 500, captures the largest U.S. companies, and carries a long history…
Averting a Benefits Cliff: What Feds Should Know Now
Social Security and Medicare “benefit cliffs” are making headlines again, and the timelines haven’t improved. The projected fund depletion dates are enough to rattle anyone trying to plan for retirement,…
The True Costs of a TSP Loan
As a federal government employee or uniformed services member, you can borrow money from your Federal Employees Retirement System Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) retirement account.
Time for a Benefits Checkup? Why 2026 Is the Year to Review Your Plan
Federal benefit rules don’t change all at once. They change in pieces — new contribution thresholds, revised timelines, updated elections — and those pieces add up. The new year brings…