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Federal employee news, read closely.
Pay raises, retirement planning, and benefits — expert guidance for every stage of your federal career, sourced and updated for 2026.
Featured data reports
Data report
State of Federal Retirement Processing 2026: The Full Data
The only complete Oct 2025-Jun 2026 OPM backlog dataset: 65,237 peak to 33,851, processing times up 52%, the digital takeover, and when the backlog ends.
Today · 11 min read
Data report
State of Federal Pay 2026: 50 Data Points for Every Fed
Federal employees in San Jose-SF earn 46.34% above base in 2026, the highest of 58 localities. Full data report with 50+ sourced statistics on GS pay.
Apr 17, 2026 · 21 min read
Data report
State of Federal Retirement Readiness 2026: 50 Data Points
Median FERS TSP balance is ~$50K while the average is $217K. OPM backlog hit 65,237. Full data report on federal retirement readiness with sourced stats.
Apr 17, 2026 · 25 min read
Most read
Latest articles
339 articles · page 1 of 15Military & FederalNew
Your BRS Match Never Goes to Roth TSP. Here's the Fix
Elect 100% Roth TSP and DoD's 5% match still lands in Traditional, by law. The mixed-balance surprise, the January 2026 conversion fix, and the deployment trick.
Policy UpdatesNew
RIF'd and Your Old Job Is Reposted? Your CTAP/ICTAP Rights
State is rehiring for RIF'd positions while priority rights go unhonored. How CTAP and ICTAP actually work, the 85-score rule, the 25 exceptions, and your remedies.
Pay & CompensationNew
OPM's New FEHB Rules: What They Mean for Your 2027 Plan
OPM's first FEHB carrier principles update in a decade puts cost containment first. What each of the 10 principles means for your 2027 premiums and Open Season.
Military & FederalNew
Guard/Reserve vs. 20 Active Years: The $1M Pension Gap
Leave active duty at 10 years or push to 20? The 2026 math on reserve pensions, FERS buyback, and the $1 million timing gap most service members miss.
Pay & CompensationNew
Your OPF Decides Your RIF Standing. Check These 12 Things
Your eOPF sets your RIF retention order, retirement date, and leave accrual. The 12-item review checklist, the four SCDs explained, and a free PDF.
Policy UpdatesNew
OPM's 30-Day PIP Rule: Removal Becomes the Default
OPM's July 2026 proposed rule caps PIPs at 30 days and makes removal the default outcome. Who's covered, what survives, and how to comment by August 3.
Policy UpdatesNew
Accommodation Request Stuck for Months? The Delay Itself May Be Illegal
EEOC case law treats unreasonable delay as a Rehabilitation Act violation. The 20-day standard, the 45-day counselor rule, interim accommodations, and what to do now.
Pay & CompensationNew
Shutdown Prep Checklist: 15 Money Moves Before October 1
The 2026 shutdown financial prep checklist: NFCU and USAA 0% loan terms, the TSP match you lose forever, the unemployment repayment trap, and a free PDF.
Military & FederalNew
Space Force Part-Time Guardians: Pay, TSP, and the TRICARE Gap
The first 18 part-time Guardians joined July 17. How nonsustained duty pay, retirement points, and BRS matching work, and the TRICARE question nobody has answered.
Data ReportNew
State of Federal Retirement Processing 2026: The Full Data
The only complete Oct 2025-Jun 2026 OPM backlog dataset: 65,237 peak to 33,851, processing times up 52%, the digital takeover, and when the backlog ends.
RetirementNew
The Traditional TSP Triple Tax Cliff: RMDs, IRMAA, Widowhood
A $1.2M Traditional TSP triggers three tax cliffs in retirement: RMD bracket stacking, IRMAA surcharges, and the widow's penalty. The 2026 numbers and the fix.
RetirementNew
6(c) TSP Math: The $718,800 Gap for Federal Firefighters
Federal LEOs, firefighters, and ATCs retire at 47-57 but draw for 40+ years. The 6(c) TSP model: 5% vs 15% contributions is a $718,800 difference.
Policy UpdatesNew
8,218 Left, 106 Hired: The Federal Jobs Not Coming Back
OPM data shows management analysts replaced at 1%, IT at 2%. See which federal occupations aren't being backfilled and what it means for your severance.
Pay & CompensationNew
Federal Uniform Allowance Jumps $800 to $1,500: Who Gets It
OPM raised the federal uniform allowance cap to $1,500 on July 13, 2026, the first increase since 2007. See who qualifies and what to check at your agency.
RetirementNew
The Federal Widow's Tax Trap: Less Income, $7,953 More Tax
When a federal retiree dies, the surviving spouse's income drops but their tax bill jumps. The FedTools model shows +$7,953 a year. Here's the math and the fixes.
RetirementNew
Why Your FERS Application Is Stuck: A View From the Trenches
OPM's backlog fell 48% while processing time rose to 108 days. The nine things that actually stall FERS applications, from the people who process them.
Policy UpdatesNew
FEVS Is Being Dismantled: How to Comment Before August 3
OPM's proposed rule decentralizes the FEVS and cuts core questions from 16 to 10. What federal employees lose, and how to submit a comment by August 3, 2026.
CareerNew
How to File for SBP Survivor Benefits: Free, Step by Step
Filing for the military Survivor Benefit Plan costs nothing. The DFAS process, DD Form 2656-7, timelines, and the $6,000 scam targeting surviving spouses.
Policy UpdatesNew
Reclassified to Schedule P/C: What Changes Day 1 (and What Doesn't)
8,000 feds are now Schedule Policy/Career. The day-one guide: which protections are gone, which benefits survive untouched, and the first-week checklist.
RetirementNew
6(c) Retirees: The FERS Supplement Earnings Test Exemption
LEO, firefighter, ATC, and CBPO retirees are exempt from the FERS supplement earnings test until MRA. What the exemption is worth and when it ends.
Policy UpdatesNew
Federal Workforce Lawsuit Tracker 2026: 8 Cases to Watch
Every active court case deciding federal employees' job protections, in one continuously updated table: status, next date, and what each means for you.
BenefitsNew
The FEHB 5-Year Rule: 4 Myths, Debunked With OPM Sources
You don't need the same FEHB plan for 5 years. Spouse coverage counts, TRICARE counts, and breaks in service get skipped. The real rule, with citations.
Policy UpdatesNew
FLRA Union Election Rule Struck Down: What It Means for You
A federal judge vacated the FLRA rule that gave political appointees control of union elections. What Regional Directors do, and what happens to pending petitions.
CareerNew
$1,490/Year Apart: House vs Senate 2027 Military Pay Raise
The House wants 7% for junior enlisted; the Senate passed 3.6% flat. The per-rank dollar gap, why the House bill stalled, and what history says wins.
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The topics that matter most to federal employees.Policy Updates
Pay raises, OPM guidance, RIFs, and the legislation that reshapes federal employment.
Retirement Planning
FERS guides, High-3 strategy, the supplement, survivor benefits, and real retirement case studies.
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