As OPM's new performance-based RIF rules take effect, federal HR leaders must address the anxiety and uncertainty employees are facing.

If you are 60, 61, or 62 years old and getting close to retirement, a 20 percent market drop is not a hypothetical. It is something that will happen at some point. Most people think the risk is the ...

Two unrelated proposals happen to share a comment deadline this month, and federal employee unions have opposed both. An AFGE national officer called the EEOC’s rewrite proof of “assigning the fox to ...

When federal employees think about where to retire, college towns may not be the first places that come to mind. Retirement searches tend to focus on familiar destinations with warm weather, lower ...

Federal retirement rules are often misunderstood, even by employees who have spent decades in federal service. Three misconceptions in particular come up repeatedly: whether you need to apply for the ...

Thank you for reading the series. What I have included for your personal use is an overview of the series. This may be something to read over or share with others. I know most people don’t want to ...

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 ...

Retirement cash flow means income lining up with expenses, month after month. (Photo by Ian Smith/FedSmith; edited with AI) Federal employees spend decades building assets. They track their Thrift ...

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has launched a new online service allowing eligible former federal employees to request and download their official personnel records electronically. The ...

Federal employees, buckle up: the Office of Personnel Management just published four final rules on the same day, and they all point the same direction. If you’re on probation, facing a suitability ...

Some federal employees view reaching Minimum Retirement Age (MRA) with 30 years of service as the automatic signal to retire. But the reality is far more complex. An MRA + 30 retirement decision ...

The FERS Annuity Supplement is essentially bonus money on top of your federal pension that you can receive before Social Security kicks in. Often called the “bridge payment” or “special annuity ...