Federal employee news, read closely.

TSP Fund Returns May 2026: I Fund Leads 2026 at +16.56%

All five TSP funds rose in May 2026. The C Fund led the month at +5.26%, but the I Fund leads the year at +16.56%. Full returns explained.

TSP Roth Conversions and the IRMAA Window Feds Miss

Retiring between 57 and 64 opens a one-time window to convert your TSP to Roth and dodge IRMAA Medicare surcharges. How to size it, and the age-63 trap.

What Federal Employees Make in 2026: $26K to $400K

From a $26,000 GS-1 to a $400,000 VHA physician, here's what federal employees actually make in 2026 by grade, step, and locality. Find where you fall.

White House App on Your Government Phone: What's Real

The White House app is now mandatory on government phones. What it actually collects, whether it tracks your GPS, the Hatch Act risk, and how to lock it down.

Margolin v. NAIJ: SCOTUS Just Made Constitutional Lawsuits 3-6 Years Longer for Feds

SCOTUS closed the district-court escape valve for fed constitutional claims. Every First Amendment and due process challenge now requires 3-6 years of MSPB exhaustion first.

OPM NDA Proposal 2026: What Feds Can Still Say by June 26

OPM's NDA proposal covers pre-decisional material, not just classified info. Refusing to sign triggers the suitability rule backdoor. Comment deadline: June 26, 2026.

OPM Skills Survey 2026: RIF Targeting Risk and 3.8% Response

OPM's Workforce Competency survey went to 550,000 feds in May 2026. Only 3.8% responded vs the 41% FEVS benchmark. Is it voluntary? Can it feed a RIF?

Garland v. OPM: Federal Circuit Says Subjective Medical Evidence Can't Be Dismissed

Federal Circuit: OPM cannot deny FERS disability retirement for lack of objective evidence alone. What this ruling means for depression, PTSD, fibromyalgia, and long COVID.

GS Pay System Reform 2026: 5 Pressures and What Changes

GovExec called the GS system 'disintegrating' in May 2026. The Pay Agent proposed eliminating steps. What reform means for your grade, locality, and step structure.

OBBBA Tax Guide for Feds 2026: $6,000 Deduction and IRMAA

OBBBA gives retirees 65+ a $6,000 deduction (2025-2028), raises SALT to $40,000, and makes TCJA brackets permanent. FERS Supplement and High-3 survived. Full GS-grade table.

Part-Time FERS Pension: How $56,000 Disappears From a 30-Year Career

Going part-time in the last 5 years of a 30-year career cuts a GS-12's FERS pension $2,839/yr — $56,780 over 20 years. Full proration math, 5 scenarios, hidden FEHB cost.

27 Pay Periods in 2026: Your Extra Federal Paycheck Guide

2026 has 27 federal pay periods. Your 27th check lands December 31. Fix your TSP math, understand the FEHB skip, and plan what to do with the extra paycheck.

DoD VERA/VSIP May 2026: Army Phase 2 and $40K Buyout Bill

Every DoD component's VERA/VSIP status as of May 2026. Army Phase 2 active, Navy modeling deadline Sept 30, H.R. 7256 would triple buyouts for GS-13s.

The $120K Fertility Benefit Rule: What It Means for Feds

DOL rule FR 2026-09479 creates a $120,000 fertility benefit for private employers. It doesn't change FEHB directly — but what federal employees need to know before July 13.

Your Federal W-2 Decoded: Every Box and Federal-Specific Quirk (2026)

Federal W-2 guide: why Box 1 is lower than your salary, every Box 14 code (FEHB, TSP, FERS-RT), Box 12 D vs AA, and what actually requires action on your return.

FEHB + Medicare for Federal Retirees: 2026 Bracket Math

The FEHB+Medicare Part B decision comes down to your income bracket. FedTools 2026 analysis: 5-bracket cost comparison, IRMAA trap, and break-even point for each tier.

How Your FERS Annuity Is Taxed in 2026: Federal Math & 1099-R Decoder

FERS annuity taxation explained: Simplified Method math, OPM CSA 1099-R box-by-box guide, 50-state pension tax table, 2026 updates for Colorado and Michigan.

FERS COLA Penalty: $111,080 in Lost Annuity Over 25 Years

A $50,000 FERS annuity has lost $111,080 in cumulative payments vs CSRS since 2000. See the year-by-year compound table and what 2027 adds to the gap.

FERS Disability Retirement 2026: Two-Formula Math Explained

FERS disability pays 60% of high-3 in year one, then 40%. But at 62, the math flips. Run the actual dollar calculation before you file.

Navy DRP 2026: Eligibility, $46,800 Severance Gap Explained

Are you eligible for the Navy DRP in 2026? Full eligibility matrix, grade-by-grade payment table, and a 5-question decision framework before you sign anything.

Federal Performance Awards 2026: Bonus Value After Tax

OPM performance awards 2026: cash award caps, QSI dollar value by grade, the 1% Level 3 ceiling, and the 29.65% federal tax bite. Original FedTools data table.

PSHB Explained: What USPS Employees and Retirees Need to Know in 2026

PSHB replaced FEHB for 1.9 million USPS workers on Jan 1, 2025. 2026 premiums, Medicare Part B mandate, plan options, and the true cost for retirees.

TSP Balance by Years of Federal Service: Median to $1M Path

TSP milestones at 5–35 years of service, plus the FRTIB balance-tier table showing what federal millionaires actually contributed. 2026 data report.

TSP vs 401(k): The $432,000 Fee Advantage Most Federal Workers Miss

The TSP costs 0.04% per year. The typical private 401(k) costs 0.52%. Over 30 years on a $500K balance, that gap compounds to $432,400 in fees you never pay.