GovExec

Federal employees don’t need a crystal ball to build retirement wealth. They need time, consistency and a plan. Federal retirement expert @TammyFlanagan4 breaks down what decades of TSP data can teach about letting compounding do the heavy lifting. buff.ly/mWRaSke

If you've ever wondered why your refund is taking so long, senators want the IRS to start showing its work. A bipartisan bill would force the agency to be more transparent about delays as it moves to modernize how it serves taxpayers. @jory_heckman reports buff.ly/U7eFzZu

A GSA official says veterans' preference is slowing efforts to hire tech talent. A hiring expert says the bigger problem is an outdated hiring system and how agencies apply the rules. Sean Michael Newhouse @seanthenewsboy has more here: buff.ly/KiFQILL

VA and AFGE are back in court over the future of their union contracts. After two previous attempts to end the agreements were blocked, a judge will now weigh the latest dispute. @ErichS_Wagner explains: buff.ly/Vt1Bk6A

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau and other federal statistical agencies are feeling the effects of deep staffing losses. Experts say the hardest thing to replace may be the experience walking out the door. @jory_heckman reports: buff.ly/ZK9SThf

Eighteen months of disruption inside the federal government have left a mark on one of its key accountability systems. New data shows watchdog offices are smaller and producing fewer audits and investigations. By Sean Michael Newhouse @seanthenewsboy: buff.ly/bG6DFU2

COMMENTARY: A stronger presidency doesn't automatically mean weaker govt. The real test is whether Congress, agency leaders and career civil servants are willing to uphold the checks, norms and institutions that make accountability possible. @napawash buff.ly/XYQrNCT

A documentary captures a moment of upheaval for the federal workforce through the stories of the people who lived it. “Heist” follows former civil servants navigating job loss, uncertainty and what comes next. Sean Michael Newhouse @seanthenewsboy reports: buff.ly/cSNVdTY

IRS and SSA employees who were counting on advanced leave are now facing a new reality. The change is drawing pushback from unions, who say the benefit has helped workers through some of their toughest moments. By @jory_heckman buff.ly/0xJm2CJ

A promise to keep Social Security field offices open is facing new scrutiny as some locations close or limit in-person service. Erich Wagner reports: buff.ly/PvKTkPb

AI is becoming a bigger part of how agencies write rules. The debate now is over how to keep those decisions accountable. Sean Michael Newhouse @seanthenewsboy explains: buff.ly/MOyg8Yj

USDA employees say they’re being asked to make relocation decisions without answers to basic questions. Notices are still going out as deadlines near and a legal challenge moves forward. @jory_heckman reports: buff.ly/AI66shU

House Democrats want to make it harder for agencies to block oversight visits. A new bill would set governmentwide access rules after months of clashes over lawmakers' attempts to enter federal facilities. By Sean Michael Newhouse @seanthenewsboy buff.ly/mcGXkCH

OPM says its updated plan protects federal employees' health data. NARFE says not enough. The group's latest warning centers on one key distinction: pseudonymized records can still be linked back to people. De-identified records can't. By Erich Wagner: buff.ly/pGV6BAU

A new report finds record turnover among Trump's Senate-confirmed appointees and historically low nomination numbers. Sean Michael Newhouse @seanthenewsboy reports buff.ly/f0sqJ2M

The fight over who sits on the USPS Board of Governors may be about more than the #Postal Service. Experts say the nominations could preview what's ahead for bipartisan boards across government. Reporting by Jory Heckman and Erich Wagner: buff.ly/hBYOVja

Retirement comes with a new learning curve, and the help you get can make all the difference. Federal retirement expert Tammy Flanagan breaks down how OPM, TSP and Social Security compare for retirees. buff.ly/NcC5vhN

IGs are navigating major changes while taking on a new fight: stopping increasingly sophisticated fraud. Sean Michael Newhouse @seanthenewsboy reports: buff.ly/nGjFj4e

After years of #shutdown brinkmanship, some lawmakers are asking: What if shutdowns were no longer an option? A proposal getting a fresh look might change the budget fight. By @jory_heckman buff.ly/R7S6kVn

DOD followed Trump's order. But did it follow the Trump administration's own guidance? That's the latest argument from the unions asking a judge to restore collective bargaining. Erich Wagner reports: buff.ly/DHsShxR