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Every fall, federal employees and retirees across the country receive the same reminder: FEHB Open Season is approaching. For many, the annual ritual is familiar. They glance at the new premiums, skim ...

The compensation figures shaping the financial future of federal civil servants and retirees are virtually finalized. While ongoing legislative debates could still alter these projections, current ...

Every month the OPM retirement backlog ended below 13,000, January 2012 to September 2026. Source: OPM data compiled by FedSmith September’s total is the first figure below 10,000 in the data and sits ...

As federal employees approach age 65, the same question comes up all the time. They see their retiring colleagues entering the Medicare system and wonder why they should make a change. Having strong ...

Anyone who grew up with Bob Dylan’s music will recognize “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” He recorded it more than 60 years ago. He was not singing about artificial intelligence (AI), but the song’s ...

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has released the 2027 premiums for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, along with the 2027 premiums for the Postal Service Health Benefits ...

An important feature for FedSmith readers every year is the annual announcement of the COLA (cost-of-living adjustment) for the coming year. While we keep readers up to date throughout the year on how ...

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has upheld the removal of a former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) supervisor who admitted to investigators that she knew her conduct was “technically ...

But one of the most powerful retirement planning opportunities often appears after retirement begins. Ironically, some of the best tax-planning years federal retirees ever experience may occur ...

A lot is happening to the federal workforce at once. Agencies have stripped collective-bargaining rights in many places. The rules governing adverse actions are shifting. The Merit Systems Protection ...

President Trump proposed a 2027 pay freeze for most federal employees. (Photo by Ian Smith/FedSmith; edited with AI) President Trump has issued the alternative pay plan letter for the 2027 federal pay ...