Federal employee news, read closely.

How to Verify Your FERS Annuity Estimate Before You Retire (And Why)

How to independently verify your FERS annuity before OPM finalizes it. Protect yourself from calculation errors that cost $50K–$200K over a 20-year retirement.

Federal Workers Took a 2.8% Real Pay Cut in 2026: The 17-Year Math

1.0% raise + 3.8% April CPI = -2.8% real. GS-13 Step 5 DC is $16,059/yr behind inflation-adjusted 2010. Federal pay buying power down 13.6% since 2009.

OPM Got My Annuity Wrong: Spot FERS Errors Worth $100,000+

OPM IG flagged $1.24B in improper payments over 5 years. The Annuity Error Cost Calculator shows what each FERS calculation mistake costs you. Verify before you retire.

Federal Workers Owe $6.3 Billion in Taxes: 2026 TIGTA Agency Breakdown

TIGTA's May 2026 audit found 571,000 federal employees and retirees owe $6.3 billion in unpaid taxes. Agency-by-agency rankings, what IRS can levy, and Schedule F risk.

FEHB IVF Coverage 2026: Every Plan, Every Limit (Updated May 2026)

BCBS Standard & GEHA High cover IVF up to $25,000. Full plan matrix, NALC exit impact, 2027 outlook, and the new DOL fertility rule explained for federal employees.

Navy DRP 2026: What Civilian Employees Need to Know

Navy DRP 2026 status, eligibility, and the financial decision most civilians miss. Includes version history, benefits during admin leave, and the $46,800 severance gap.

Senate Bill Would Strip Federal Pensions for Sex Crimes (S. 4447)

S. 4447 would close the Hiss Act gap — current law forfeits pensions for treason and espionage but not sex offenses. The Stanley Weber case ($98K/yr until 2021) explained.

OPM's Forced Distribution Rule Is Final: 740K Feds Lose Top Ratings

OPM's performance appraisal final rule (FR 2026-13715) takes effect August 6, 2026. Forced distribution, no Level 2, no grievance rights. What changes and when.

Trump Accounts: $1,000 Per Child for Feds (Born 2025-2028)

Trump Accounts give every child born 2025-2028 a $1,000 federal seed deposit. Contributions are now open. Worth claiming for fed families, but a 529 still beats it for college.

2027 Federal Pay Raise: The Math, History, and Most Likely Outcome

White House proposes 0%. FAIR Act asks 4.1%. FEPCA formula says ~2.9%. How the 2027 raise gets set, the 18-year pattern, and the projection FedTools is tracking.

DC Locality Pay 2026: 33.94% Above Base, Still Behind COL

DC locality (DCB) is 33.94% in 2026 across 55 counties, but DC COL runs 39-43% above the national average. The pay cap traps GS-15 Step 6+. Telework locality risk explained.

Federal Hiring 'Loyalty Question': What 33,000 Postings Now Require

GS-5+ job postings now include 4 essay questions — one asks how you'd advance Trump's EOs. OPM says optional; agencies marked required. AFGE sues. Rutan v. RPI controls.

HHS Hires 12K After Cutting 20K: The Net Math Doesn't Add Up

HHS will hire 12,000 after cutting 20,000. But 10,109 doctoral scientists left, the accommodation backlog hits 9,000, and new hires align to MAHA — not public-health response.

OPM Pay Scale 2026: Official Federal Salary Tables by Grade

OPM 2026 salary tables: every GS grade (1-15), every step (1-10), locality pay, SES, Executive Schedule, LEO, and the $197,200 pay cap. OPM-verified.

OPM April 28 Memo: Why Schedule C and G Skip Performance Reviews Now

OPM exempted Schedule C and G appointees from performance appraisals (Apr 28, 2026). The 2010 bonus freeze still applies. What career feds need to know if they report to one.

CDC Cuts 2026: 4,300 Jobs Lost, $11.4B Clawed Back

CDC has lost ~4,300 employees and $11.4B in state grants since 2025 — $537M in expert capacity. RIF rights, MSPB risk, and what 10K remaining CDC staff need to know.

DOGE Used ChatGPT to Kill $100M in NEH Grants: Ruled Illegal

DOGE flagged 1,400+ NEH grants via ChatGPT — no DEI definition, no human review. Court: ultra vires + 1A + ICA. What NEH staff and grant officers governmentwide need to know.

Fired for Photographing DOGE: 5 Legal Layers Federal Workers Must Know

CFPB fired Alexis Goldstein a week before her term ended — after she photographed unbadged DOGE personnel. The 5 overlapping laws on when federal employees can record at work.

MSPB Has 4 Appeal Stages. Most Federal Employees Only Know About 1.

Four MSPB appeal stages, not one: the 35-day Petition for Review window, the addendum stage (back pay + attorney fees), and an OPM rule threatening MSPB's RIF jurisdiction.

Dept of War Rebrand: $72/Civilian for a Name Change

Pentagon spent $50M on the Department of War rebrand while losing 101K civilians. Cost-per-employee math, rebrand timeline, and what 694K remaining DoD civilians need to know.

FERS Contribution Hike 2025: $4,969/Yr That Didn't Happen (Yet)

Congress proposed raising pre-2013 FERS contributions from 0.8% to 4.4%. It didn't pass. Here's the per-paycheck dollar math by GS grade and what to watch for in 2027.

TSP Fund Returns April 2026: Stocks Up, $50K Gains $5K

April 2026 reversed Q1 losses across every TSP stock fund. C +10.49%, S +9.96%, I +9.11%. What it means for your balance, your AOP, and your YTD.

VA Vigil Investigations 2026: Federal Whistleblower Rights

VA opened investigations against employees who attended Alex Pretti's vigil. The statutes, the Pickering test, and your concrete remedies as a federal employee.

Annual Leave Tax 2026: Why Your $22K Payout Becomes $14K

Federal annual leave lump-sum payout is taxed 30-40%+ at retirement. The 4-tax stack, 5-tier matrix by GS grade, and 6 strategies to keep more of it.