The OPM backlog drops below 50,000 — and processing time still rises.
Both numbers are accurate. Here is what's actually happening in the queue, and what to do if you're in it.
The latest from the desk.
Three dispatches published May 21 — the data, the policy, the budget impact.
OPM Retirement Backlog: April 2026 Update
The backlog dropped below 50,000 for the first time since November — while average processing time rose to 78 days. Both are accurate.
The 2026 Election and Federal Retirement
The November midterms shape FERS, FEHB, and TSP in 2027 and after. What's on the table, what already happened, how to plan around it.
The 2027 Medicare Part B Premium Projection
The Trustees Report projects $218.60/month — a 7.7% jump over 2026 and 18.2% over the 2025 baseline. The math, the IRMAA picture, the budget impact.
Start here.
Pick a topic to dive in.
FERS & CSRS
The federal pension. Computation, MRA, supplement, COLA, survivor benefits.
TSP
Allocation, contributions, Roth conversions, withdrawals, RMDs.
Social Security
Claiming strategy, spousal and survivor benefits, taxation.
Tax Strategy
Drawdown sequencing, Roth conversions, IRMAA, state exemptions.
FEHB & Medicare
FEHB continuation, Medicare timing, PSHB, TRICARE for Life.
Military Retirement
Legacy vs BRS, SBP, concurrent receipt, Reserve and Guard at 60.
VA & Retirement
Where VA disability meets retirement income.
Seven new pillar guides.
Deep, sourced explainers — the kind of reference you’d want before filing.
The FERS Annuity Supplement: The Complete 2026 Guide
The supplement bridges the gap from MRA to age 62 — and the OPM-vs-SSA estimate gap costs many retirees money they don’t know is missing.
FERS & CSRSThe Federal Retirement Application: How to Actually File
The SF-3107 family, the new ORA digital system, the realistic six-month timeline, and the mistakes that delay everyone else’s case.
Social SecuritySpousal and Survivor Social Security for Federal Employees
The post-WEP/GPO rules, the CSRS-Offset wrinkle, and the optimal claiming strategy for federal couples.
FEHB & MedicareMedicare Open Season Decisions for Federal Retirees
FEHB plan review, Medicare Part D EGWP, suspending FEHB, and the cancel-vs-suspend rule that matters more than people realize.
FEHB & MedicareTRICARE for Life and FEHB: The Decision for Military Feds
The suspend strategy, the coordination of benefits, and when each plan wins for dual-status retirees in 2026.
FERS & CSRSFERS Disability Retirement: When and How to Apply in 2026
The five eligibility tests, the SF-3112 forms, the 60/40 benefit math, and the SSDI offset rules.
FERS & CSRSBuying Back Refunded FERS Service: The Complete 2026 Guide
Eligibility under the 2009 rule, the cost math, the SF-3108 process, and when the buyback actually pays off.