Federal Pay vs. Inflation 2025: Are Government Salaries Keeping Up?
Federal employees received an average 4.5% pay raise in January 2025, one of the highest increases in recent years. But for many Feds, that bump hasn’t gone far enough, especially…
The TSP and Required Minimum Distributions
A Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) participant who has separated from federal service (either left federal service or retired from federal service) must begin to take TSP required minimum distributions (RMDs)…
FedLife Podcast: Understanding the Ongoing Appeal of Qualified Charitable Distributions for IRA Owners
In this episode, Dan and Ed explain what QCDs are and how they work with RMDs from traditional IRAs. They also discuss which retirement accounts allow QCDs, the timing considerations…
Is it Time to Update Your Beneficiaries? A Quick Checklist for Federal Employees
Life happens — marriages, divorces, births, deaths. And while federal employees are good at planning ahead, one thing often gets overlooked: beneficiary designations. These documents determine who receives your Thrift…
The Fed15 Podcast: Key OBBBA Provisions and How They Affect Roth Conversions
In this episode, Dan and Katelyn discuss key 2025 tax changes from the OBBBA and their impact on federal employees. They cover tax deductions, estate planning, and student loan updates,…
New Tax Bill Makes Charitable Giving More Challenging
One of the provisions coming out of the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” of 2025 (OBBBA) has resulted in enhanced tax savings for some charitable donors, lowered tax…
The Best States for Federal Retirees in 2025: Tax-Friendly and TSP-Savvy
As retirement gets closer, many of our Feds start thinking about where they want to live and what kind of life they want to build once they leave federal service.…
The Fed15 Podcast: Planning for Age Gaps, and the 2026 COLA Outlook
In this episode, Dan and Katelyn discuss retirement strategies for federal employees, with a focus on age-gap couples. They cover Medicare, Social Security, Roth conversions, and withdrawal planning, as well…
Understanding the Inherited IRA RMD Rules
Over the past five years, many federal employees and retirees have inherited IRAs from relatives and friends. But as a result of the passage of the original SECURE Act in…
Cryptocurrency in Your Portfolio: Should Federal Employees Add Digital Assets?
Cryptocurrency is everywhere — and many federal employees are wondering if it deserves a spot in their investment mix. From flashy headlines to bold predictions in finance, digital assets such…