Fed Options

In the last newsletter, we covered three early‑retirement paths federal employees can use: MRA+10, both Immediate and Postponed options, and Deferred retirement. Each path comes with its own rules, limitations, and long‑term planning considerations — and understanding the differences is key.

Next week, we’re focusing on what voluntary benefits are available to federal employees. We’ll walk through the private‑sector options that can help fill the gaps federal benefits don’t cover.

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OPM’s retirement backlog is still slowing things down for federal employees, especially those submitted by paper. Processing times are uneven, and interim payments can stretch longer than expected.

The new Online Retirement Application (ORA) was designed to cut down on errors, speed up reviews, and give retirees clearer visibility into where their application stands. But errors can still be made that cause annoying delays.

In next week’s newsletter, we’re breaking down the three early retirement paths every financial planner working with FERS employees should know:

MRA+10
Postponed retirement
Deferred retirement

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ICYMI - OPM has announced that the Federal Academic Alliance will end on January 30, 2026, shutting down tuition discounts and waived application fees that were available to federal workers and their families through dozens of partner schools.

Next week’s newsletter will feature a critical checklist for employees, retirees, spouses, and family members on what to do when a federal employee, retiree, or their spouse passes away. From agency notifications to survivor benefits and FEHB changes, it’s a resource every advisor should have available to the federal clients.

Don’t miss out. Subscribe now to stay ahead of federal benefit changes and get resources to build your trust and credibility with the federal employees you serve. https://fedoptions.co/fed-options-newsletter-for-federal-retirement-experts/