Federal Benefits Exchange Blog
Plain-English guides for federal employees on FERS retirement, TSP, FEGLI, FEHB, and PSHB, with practical next steps for your benefits.
TSP and Federal Employees Under Age 59: How to Access Your Money Without a Penalty
Get a clear guide to TSP access under age 59, including withdrawal paths, possible tax exceptions, and questions to review before taking money out.
What Happens to Your TSP If You Die Before Retirement?
Get answers about TSP beneficiaries, spouse options, taxes, and next steps for families when a federal employee dies before retirement.
How the TSP Lifecycle (L) Funds Work: Are They Right for You?
Get a plain-English guide to how the TSP Lifecycle (L) funds work, whether they may fit, and what federal employees should review before choosing.
How to Maximize TSP Before Retirement: The Final 10-Year Countdown for Federal Employees
Get a practical plan for how to maximize TSP before retirement, including contributions, funds, taxes, withdrawals, and how TSP fits with FERS.
TSP Annual Contribution Limits for Federal Employees: What You Can Contribute in 2025 and 2026
Request a guide to TSP annual contribution limits for federal employees, including what you can contribute in 2025 and 2026, catch-up rules, and payroll tips.
TSP in Retirement vs Rolling Over to an IRA: Which Is Better for Federal Retirees?
Get a clear comparison of TSP in retirement vs rolling over to an IRA, including investment choices, withdrawals, taxes, and questions to ask before you decide.
Mid-Career TSP Strategy: How Federal Employees Ages 35-50 Should Approach Contribution
Request a mid career TSP strategy review to organize contributions, check federal benefits, and plan practical next steps around your household budget.
TSP Loan Rules Should Federal Employees Borrow From Their
Get a clear answer on tsp loan rules should federal employees borrow from their retirement savings, including eligibility, repayment risks, and alternatives.
TSP Roth vs. Traditional: Which Contribution Type Is Right for Federal Employees?
Get clear TSP Roth vs. Traditional guidance for federal employees, including tax timing, matching, withdrawals, and how to compare your options.
TSP Fund Options Explained: C, S, I, F, G & L
Schedule a free review to compare TSP fund options explained for federal employees: C, S, I, F, G, and L Funds, with practical allocation questions.
FERS Minimum Retirement Age Chart When Can You Retire
Get a clear answer from the FERS minimum retirement age chart, including birth-year MRA, service rules, and retirement paths for federal employees.
How Much Should Federal Employees Contribute to TSP Capture the Agency Match?
Get clear guidance on how much federal employees should contribute to TSP to capture the agency match, plus practical steps for reviewing a savings plan.
SF 3107 Retirement Application: A Federal Employee Guide
Get SF 3107 retirement application steps, a document checklist, timing guidance, and common mistakes to review before submitting an immediate FERS retirement application.
FEGLI Federal Employee Life Insurance: Complete Guide
Understand FEGLI coverage, Basic and Optional choices, premiums, retirement continuation, beneficiaries, and the annual review questions federal employees should ask.
Federal Leave and Earnings Statement: Read Your LES
Get a plain-English guide to your federal leave and earnings statement, including FEGLI, FEHB, TSP, taxes, leave balances, benefit gaps, and next steps.
TSP Thrift Savings Plan Federal Employees Guide
Get a practical TSP guide for federal employees covering 2026 limits, agency matching, fund choices, Traditional versus Roth contributions, withdrawals, and retirement planning.
US Postal Pension: A Guide for USPS Employees and Retirees
Understand your US postal pension, including FERS and CSRS, high-3 pay, SCD, eligibility, PSHB, Medicare, and the records to review before retirement.
FERS Retirement: How Your FERS Annuity Is Calculated
Get the FERS retirement annuity explained in plain English: high-3 salary, service computation date, 1% versus 1.1% accrual, and the FERS supplement.
FEHB for Federal Employees: Choose the Right Health Plan
Get a clear FEHB health plan comparison for federal employees. Learn how to choose benefits that fit your family before the next Open Season.
Social Security Fairness Act: A Federal Employee Guide
Get a free Pay Stub Review and learn how the Social Security Fairness Act repeals WEP and GPO for federal employees and retirees in 2026.
TSP for Federal Employees: How the Thrift Savings Plan Works
Get a free TSP retirement savings review for federal and USPS employees. Learn how contributions, matching, and the 2026 limits can protect your retirement.
WEP and GPO Explained: How Social Security Rules Affect Federal Retirees
Learn how the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) affected federal retiree Social Security benefits, and how the Social Security Fairness Act repealed both in 2025 for FERS and CSRS retirees.
USPS Retirement Benefits: A Complete Guide to PSHB
Decode your USPS retirement benefits: how PSHB, FERS, CSRS, TSP, and Medicare Part B work together for postal employees and retirees, with eligibility ages and a step-by-step retirement transition plan.
FEHB Open Season: How to Compare Plans and Save
Compare FEHB Open Season plans beyond the monthly premium: deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, provider networks, and prescription coverage, plus how to coordinate with Medicare Part B and Part D before the window closes.
Military Time Buyback: How Purchasing Back Service Grows Your FERS Pension
If you served on active duty but didn't retire from the military, buying back that time can add years to your FERS pension. Learn how the deposit and interest actually work, and why waiting makes it more expensive.
FEGLI's Family Coverage Gap: Why Your Spouse and Kids Are Underinsured
FEGLI lets you insure yourself for up to six times your salary, but your spouse tops out at $25,000 and each child at $12,500, coverage that disappears entirely when they turn 22. Learn the gap and how to close it.
10 Costly Mistakes Federal Employees Make (and How to Avoid Them)
The 10 most common, and most expensive: mistakes federal employees make with FEGLI, TSP, survivor benefits, Medicare, state taxes, and retirement planning, with a clear solution and full guide for each.
What is a PSR Report? Why Federal Employees Need a Personal Summary of Retirement
Learn how a Personal Summary of Retirement (PSR) report helps federal employees understand their FERS pension, TSP growth, and FEHB health benefits with precision, and how to request yours for free.
The TSP-3 Form: Why Your Beneficiary Designations Trump Your Will
Your TSP-3 beneficiary form is legally binding, and it overrides your will entirely. Learn how outdated designations send money to ex-spouses, how the default order of precedence works, and when to update your federal beneficiary forms.
The Traditional TSP Tax Bomb & Safe Withdrawal Rates
Federal employees who accumulate millions in a Traditional TSP face a massive, deferred tax liability that OPM and the IRS will legally force them to pay…
The Tax Trap of Tapping Your TSP Too Early
Federal employees: a large TSP withdrawal can trigger higher tax brackets, Medicare IRMAA surcharges, and Social Security taxation all at once. Learn the cascading tax consequences, and how to plan smarter, with Federal Benefits Exchange.
State Taxes and Your Federal Annuity: Where NOT to Retire
Learn how state taxes can affect your FERS or CSRS annuity, TSP withdrawals, Social Security, and retirement budget before you relocate as a federal retiree: state-by-state breakdown with real numbers.
The Social Security Bridge Trap: Why Draining Your TSP Early Is a Mistake
Learn why using your TSP to bridge income until Social Security can shrink retirement security for federal employees, and what to do instead. Covers FERS supplement rules, MRA+10 traps, and the four bridge strategies compared side by side.
Retirement Tax Planning for Federal Employees: Keep More of Your Money
Most federal employees are shocked by their tax bill in retirement. Learn how your FERS annuity, TSP withdrawals, and Social Security are taxed, and the strategies that can dramatically reduce what you owe.
Medicare Part B and FEHB: Avoid Overlapping Coverage Costs
Learn how Medicare Part B works with FEHB and PSHB, when Medicare pays first, why USPS retirees need special attention, and how to avoid overlapping retirement health costs.
Inflation vs. Your Federal Pension: Protecting Your Purchasing Power in Retirement
Learn why FERS COLAs may not fully protect your retirement income from inflation and how federal employees can use TSP planning, Social Security timing, and annual PSR reviews to prepare.
Foundational FERS Math & The SCD-Leave vs. SCD-Pension Trap
Calculating your FERS pension using the Service Computation Date for Leave (SCD-Leave) listed on your SF-50 instead of your actual SCD-Pension will…
FERS Survivor Annuities & The Spousal FEHB Trap
Under 5 U.S.C. § 8416, selecting a 0% spousal FERS survivor benefits election on OPM Form SF 3107 permanently terminates your surviving spouse's federal…
FERS Sick Leave Credit Explained: Pension Bump vs. Retirement Eligibility
Learn how unused sick leave affects your FERS pension, why it cannot make you eligible to retire sooner, and how to plan your retirement date correctly, with real-dollar examples.
FERS Deferred vs. Postponed Retirement: How to Keep Your FEHB Health Insurance and Avoid the 5% Annual Pension Penalty
Leaving federal service early? Understand the critical differences between a FERS deferred vs. postponed retirement to save your FEHB health coverage and avoid the permanent 5% annual pension penalty.
FEHB in Retirement & The Medicare IRMAA Collision
OPM requires federal employees to maintain continuous coverage in the FEHB program under 5 U.S.C. Chapter 89 for the five consecutive years immediately…
The FEGLI Premium Squeeze & The Age 65 Cliff
Retirees choosing the "No Reduction" FEGLI option under 5 U.S.C. Chapter 87 frequently pay OPM more in cumulative premiums than the actual death benefit…
The Hidden Costs of FEGLI: Why Your Life Insurance Gets More Expensive Every Five Years
FEGLI premiums can rise sharply with age, especially under Option B. Learn how FEGLI works, what happens at retirement, and when private term or permanent life insurance deserves a look.
Federal Survivor Benefits: Don't Leave Your Spouse Unprotected
Learn how FERS survivor benefits work, why your spouse's retirement income and FEHB/PSHB health coverage may depend on your election, and how a PSR can help.