Federal retirees are one inflation report away from knowing their 2027 COLA. Two of the three monthly readings that determine the number are already in, and the latest estimate is out. In this video, I walk through where the...

Seven months ago, OPM's retirement backlog hit an all-time high. Now it's at the lowest level in data going back to at least 2012. In this video, I walk through OPM's September 2026 retirement processing numbers with charts that...

A group of 110 lawmakers just sent a letter to congressional leadership urging them to reject the proposed 2027 pay freeze for federal civilian employees. Their argument? The administration's own rationale for raising law enforcement and military pay...

Planning to add a spouse or child to your FEHB or PSHB coverage this Open Season? OPM just changed how closely that gets checked. Under a new Benefits Administration Letter issued in July 2026, agencies must now verify...

The 2027 cost-of-living adjustment for federal retirees is official — and once again, FERS and CSRS retirees won't see the same number. In this video, I break down the final COLA, how the FERS formula works, and what...

The alternative pay plan letter that federal employees have been waiting on is finally out. President Trump's letter, dated August 26, 2026, lays out what's ahead for federal civilian pay, law enforcement pay, and military pay in 2027...

The Thrift Savings Plan now holds more than $1.17 trillion, and nearly 70% of it is invested in stocks. Just a few years ago, the G Fund and C Fund were almost even. Today, the gap between them...

OPM's retirement backlog just posted its biggest single-month drop in 14 years — falling 37.8% in August 2026 alone. That's the sixth month in a row the backlog has shrunk, and it's now closing in on where it...

OPM has released the 2027 premiums for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, and the headline number is a 10.9% average increase in what enrollees pay. That's smaller than the last two years, but there's more to...

If you're a senior GS employee, you've probably noticed your raise doesn't always show up — or barely moves — even when everyone below you gets a bump. That's not a glitch. It's a legal ceiling built into...

Every fall, the FEHB premium headline lands and federal employees scramble to figure out what it means for them. But the coverage changes behind that number get locked in months earlier — and this year's list is bigger...

The 2027 federal pay freeze made headlines — but if you think that settles it, the process says otherwise. The August pay letter is a proposal, not the final word, and there's still a stretch of the calendar...

Two federal employees can have the same job title, the same grade, and the same years of service but still take home different pay. It's not a mistake; it's how the General Schedule is built. In this video, I...

Premiums get most of the attention during Open Season, but they're not the only thing changing for 2027. Some of this year's changes could affect your coverage, and two of them may require you to act before Open...

September closed out the third quarter for the Thrift Savings Plan, and it was not a good month for most TSP investors. Only one fund finished the month with a gain, and one of the funds many people...

Blue Cross and Blue Shield's Federal Employee Program is the largest plan in FEHB, and its 2027 premiums are out. In this video, I break down what Standard, Basic, and FEP Blue Focus enrollees will pay next year...

A new bill just landed in Congress targeting OPM's proposed nondisclosure agreement for federal employees, but that's only part of the story. Since our last deep dive into the public comment period, a related rule has quietly taken...