Federal Retirement Planning Blog

Oct 9, 2025

If you’re a federal employee in New Hampshire, you’ve probably noticed the steady annual updates to the General Schedule (GS) pay scale.

Oct 8, 2025

As a looming government shutdown threatens federal operations, the Trump administration faces intensified legal resistance from major federal employee unions.

Oct 8, 2025

The federal government shutdown has stretched into its sixth day, with no breakthrough in sight. Once again, the U.S. Senate failed to pass competing funding bills from Democrats and Republicans, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal employees in limbo.

Oct 8, 2025

For months, as President Donald Trump has leveraged the U.S. federal government to consolidate power, silence dissent, and punish political opponents, Democrats have faced mounting pressure to act.

Oct 3, 2025

After a modest federal bureau of prisons pay raise in 2025 and the elimination of key retention incentives, correctional officers across the country will finally see a more meaningful change in 2026.

Oct 1, 2025

The USDA is preparing for major workforce changes under the USDA RIF 2025 plan. With a potential government shutdown looming, the agency’s current reduction-in-force (RIF) measures could permanently eliminate positions in certain programs.The USDA is preparing for major workforce changes under the USDA RIF 2025 plan.

Sep 30, 2025

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is launching a major hiring initiative to bring on 2,800 new front-line supervisors, a move aimed at strengthening staffing across its nationwide network.

Sep 26, 2025

As of October 2025, the federal hiring freeze first enacted when President Donald Trump took office in January has now been extended indefinitely under a new executive order.

Sep 23, 2025

The North Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Retirement System (TSERS) is a defined benefit plan sponsored by the State of North Carolina and managed by the Department of the State Treasurer.

Sep 19, 2025

Since early 2017, the administration announced initiatives to restructure the federal workforce, including potential large-scale reductions in force (RIFs).

Sep 17, 2025

Starting in January 2026, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) will introduce a major new feature: the ability to complete Roth in-plan conversions.

Sep 16, 2025

Every year on June 28, National Insurance Awareness Day reminds households, renters, and business owners to pause and evaluate their insurance coverage.

Sep 15, 2025

Every retiree asks the same question each year: how much will my benefits rise? The answer lies in COLA 2026.

Sep 11, 2025

On August 28, 2025, President Trump issued an Alternative Pay Plan under 5 U.S.C. 5303(b) and 5 U.S.C. 5304a, announcing to Congress his decision regarding the January 2026 pay adjustments.

Sep 11, 2025

In a striking display of legislative momentum, the U.S. House of Representatives has recently passed a draft bill of considerable significance.

Sep 10, 2025

WASHINGTON — Former U.S. Representative Billy Long was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 12, 2025, as the 51st Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in a closely divided 53-44 vote.

Sep 9, 2025

In Ohio, the retirement age depends on whether you are using Social Security or a state pension plan.

Sep 8, 2025

Federal employees will see a 1% pay raise in 2026 under President Trump’s alternative pay plan, with locality pay frozen at 2025 levels.

Sep 5, 2025

The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) have reached a tentative three-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), covering the period from September 21, 2024 through September 20, 2027.

Sep 5, 2025

A RIF is a structured process federal agencies use to reduce their workforce due to budget constraints, agency reorganizations, or decreases in available work.

Sep 4, 2025

Federal employees across the nation are closely watching the developments around the federal pay raise for 2026.

Sep 3, 2025

The U.S. State Department’s sweeping reorganization, which was set to cut thousands of jobs, has been halted after a federal judge broadened a previous injunction to cover the agency’s plans.

Sep 3, 2025

When it comes to government spending, politics often revolves around who gets funded, who gets cut, and what message those choices send. On June 12, 2025, House Republicans passed a $9.4 billion rescissions package

Sep 2, 2025

Reports of State Department layoffs blocked refer to a mix of legal challenges, internal reviews, and targeted reversals that have slowed or partially undone parts of the department’s July reductions-in-force (RIF).

Aug 29, 2025

ETSNext, also known as GO.gov, is the government’s new and modern way to manage travel and expenses for federal employees.