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The FED Weekly 22-28 Feb 2026 (Episode 39)
Episode 39

The FED Weekly 22-28 Feb 2026 (Episode 39)

The FED Weekly

March 1, 202619m 51s

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Show Notes

This episode of The FED Weekly covers major developments from February 22-28, 2026, impacting both current and retired federal employees. Key topics include the ongoing partial shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security, which has disrupted agency operations and pay for thousands of essential workers, and new data on Thrift Savings Plan investment gains and the introduction of a Roth in-plan conversion tool. The episode highlights a Supreme Court decision affecting tariff policies, changes in cost-of-living projections, and a significant referendum in the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. It also examines digital shifts in benefit documentation, proposed Medicare Advantage rate changes, and concerns about tax bracket creep, which reduces retirees’ net income. For current employees, the Office of Personnel Management’s proposed overhaul of the federal performance management system—introducing forced distributions and removing certain union rights—marks a transformative shift. The episode wraps up with reminders of the importance of staying informed about evolving policies that affect federal workers and retirees.

  • (00:00) - Weekly Briefing Intro
  • (00:43) -  Issues That Affect Current and Retired Federal Workers
  • (04:37) - TSP Gains and Roth Tool
  • (06:47) - COLA and Tariff Ruling
  • (08:52) - Engineers Week Spotlight
  • (09:38) -  Issues That Affect Retired Federal Workers
  • (11:33) - OPM Goes Paperless
  • (12:36) - Medicare Advantage Rates
  • (13:38) - Tax Bracket Creep
  • (15:26) - Survivor Benefits Review
  • (16:21) -  Issues That Affect Current Federal Workers
  • (19:15) - Wrap Up and Subscribe

Topics

federal workforcecivil servicefederal retirement benefitsFERSmerit-based protectionsOPMtelework policyVA workforce reductionDepartment of Veterans AffairsDepartment of DefensePentagon civilian cutsbudget reconciliationpay raisesmerit Systems Protection Boardfederal employee privacyDOGEdata sharingfederal unionsCOLApostal serviceUSPS leadershipNational Rural Letter Carriers AssociationAPWUPostmaster GeneralNARFretirement cutsperformance managementin-office work mandatesMSPB claimsfederal benefit formulas