Federal employee benefits could be on the chopping block. That’s as GOP lawmakers move forward with their budget reconciliation bill. Republicans are considering everything from cutting annuity supplements, to charging a fee to file a case with the Merit Systems Protection Board. It’s all to save about $50 billion out of the trillions needed to balance the budget and making the choice harder for federal employees who are weighing their options for taking an early retirement, or a deferred resignation. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman recently sat down with Federal Drive host Terry Gerton to help answer some common questions about the proposed cuts to federal benefits.

Later in the show, Federal News Network's Tom Temin catches up with Susan Tsui Grundmann on how things stand for federal employees. She was a long-time member of the Merit Systems Protection Board, director of the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights and a member of the Federal Labor Relations Authority. Plus, Federal News Network's Terry Gerton hears from former EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum on new technical guidance on how DEI-related initiatives may create unlawful discrimination in workplaces. But that guidance may raise more questions than it answers. 

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How to manage the government, it's the national topic at the moment. Right now the government is managed by Elon Musk and Doge. Or by cabinet secretaries who seem hell-bent on cutting away at their departments. Or at least it looks that way. Should we have a Department of Management? My next guest thinks so. I spoke with an outspoken retired federal chief human capital officer, and former political appointee, Jeff Neal.

Plus, the shock waves reverberate. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Junior wants to trim a third of the employees. For analysis of what this might mean for agency operations, we turn to a long-serving HHS executive now in private consulting, Jeff Grant.

Also, we turn to the topic of far-away feds. Federal employees and service members across the board face tough times. Sailors and Marines sometimes face special challenges when they return home, or they're still away at sea. That's where the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society comes in. It's accepting applications for 2025-26 education grants. For details, I spoke with the society's chief operations officer, retired rear admiral Dawn Cutler.

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Some 40,000 federal employees did decide to resigned per the Trump administration's early fork-in-the-road offer. They've been promised full pay for the rest of the fiscal year. What about pension benefits? Or access to the Federal Employee Health Benefits plans? We get some answers from long-time federal employment attorney Alan Lescht.

Plus, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is just one Congressional group considering ways to cut federal spending including employee benefits, and save tens of billions of dollars over the years. I spoke with certified financial planner Thiago Glieger for what he's concerned about.

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Just what do you get if you're caught up in a reduction in force? Like those Education Department employees RIF'd just this week. And what about if you decide to retire early? Federal retirement expert Tammy Flanagan has been getting lots of these questions lately. She joins me now with a few answers.

Plus, is the goal of reducing the federal workforce by 10% wrong? Or just the way the Trump administration is going about it? And what about the persistent five-bullet email? Some perspective now from retired federal manager Abe Grungold of AG Financial Services.

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Federal employees worried about their jobs are also worried about their family finances and health care coverage. In fact, cash flow and health care *should* be at the top of your concerns now. More now from RMG Financial Advisors certified financial planner Thiago Glieger.

Plus, whether the Trump administration will be great for the economy, as promised, is yet to be seen. Tariff-induced trade wars don't have a good record. But what about the new administration's effect on your Thrift Savings Plan account, the stock market? Here to take stock so far, Art Stein of Arthur Stein Financial.

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Events of the last few weeks have caused federal managers' heads to spin. The resignation offer, the closure of agencies, the new policy schedule. All these developments have sparked lawsuits. One of the litigants is the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. For some of the what's and wherefores, I spoke to NARFE staff vice president John Hatton.

Plus, with a little planning followed by consistency, you can save a million dollars in your TSP. And what better time to revise your strategy than when the year is still young. Some ideas from wealth advisor Thiago Glieger.

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With the Fork-in-the-Road memo asking every federal employee to consider resigning, lots of feds are suddenly thinking of retiring. Don't let the weirdness of the situation push you into a hasty decision, though. I went over this in detail with federal retirement expert Tammy Flanagan of Retire Federal.

Plus, the government barely avoided a shutdown last month. Anything could happen in March though, when the latest continuing resolution expires. Federal employees will get paid. But they could face an interruption in pay deposits for the duration of a furlough. For those who live paycheck to paycheck, that could be tough. I got some practical advice from federal retiree Abe Grungold of AG Financial Services.

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Federal employees, and to some extent all public servants, are wondering precisely what the next few days an months will bring. Lots of questions of a practical nature, like when will new Social Security benefits flow under repeal of old limitations. And, what happens Monday when Donald Trump re-enters the oval office. I got some informed speculation from the staff vice president of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, John Hatton.

Federal retirees are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars a year into an annuity offering at the Thrift Savings Plan. What is it, and why is it so popular? I got the lowdown from certified financial planner Art Stein of Arthur Stein Financial.

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Far be it from us to spoil the optimism of the fresh, new year. But senior career managers in government might want to consider preparing for the worst. Suppose the coming Trump administration does get Schedule F in place. Are ready for a forced retirement or change in career? I got some advice, from retirement expert Tammy Flanagan.

Plus, 2025 has finally arrived, and you'll be a year older. Or something like that. The new year brings the idea of optimizing your TSP investment profile for the stage of life you're in. I got some ideas from certified financial planner Art Stein of Arthur Stein Financial.

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