Can you keep your FEHB coverage after you retire? Most federal employees assume the answer is simple, but three specific requirements determine whether you’re eligible, and the details trip up more people than you’d expect. In this video, Ben Raikes, CFP®, EA, breaks down what it actually takes to carry your Federal Employees Health Benefits into retirement, plus the caveats that catch federal employees off guard.
What you’ll learn:
– The 3 requirements to keep FEHB in retirement, including the eligibility paths that qualify you for an immediate annuity (and which ones are reduced vs. unreduced)
– Why your survivor benefit election, not just your enrollment, determines whether your spouse keeps FEHB after you’re gone
– What happens to your FEHB if you choose a postponed retirement (hint: it pauses, not disappears)
– Why a deferred retirement means no FEHB at all – How TRICARE can count toward your 5-year FEHB requirement, and how to suspend/reactivate FEHB around it
Every situation is different, and small details in these rules can change your outcome. If you’re unsure how these caveats apply to you, we’d love to help you work through it.
Ready to talk through your retirement eligibility?
Schedule an Intro Call at masonllc.net/get-started
0:00 – The big question: are you eligible to continue FEHB?
0:46 – Requirement 2: 5 years of FEHB (or qualifying coverage)
1:05 – Requirement 3: eligibility for an immediate retirement
1:31 – Caveat 1: Can your spouse continue your FEHB?
2:54 – Caveat 2: What happens to FEHB during a postponed retirement
3:40 – Deferred retirement: no FEHB
4:35 – Caveat 3: TRICARE and the 5-year requirement
5:28 – Why FEHB is one of the best benefits federal employees have
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Investment advisory services offered through Mason & Associates, LLC. The content of this video is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered specific investment, financial planning, tax planning, legal, or other professional advice.
