Open Season Choices

Open Season comes around every year, and for most federal employees, it comes and goes without a second look. Whatever was elected last year just carries forward. Most years, that’s a reasonable call. But certain life changes are worth pausing for.

When It’s Fine to Let It Roll Over

If nothing meaningful has changed — your health coverage still fits your household, your FEGLI still makes sense for your age and budget, and your TSP allocation still matches your timeline — there’s no rule that says you have to change anything. Reviewing doesn’t mean rewriting.

When It’s Worth a Second Look

• You had a major life event. Marriage, divorce, a new dependent, or a spouse changing jobs can all shift what health and life insurance coverage actually makes sense.
• You’re within 5–10 years of retirement. This is when FEGLI’s rising cost curve starts to matter more, and when your TSP allocation should start shifting from growth toward stability.
• Your health needs changed. A new diagnosis, a new medication, or a change in how often you see specialists can make a different FEHB plan meaningfully cheaper or better matched.
• You’ve never actually compared plans. If you’ve been on the same FEHB plan for years without comparing it to current alternatives, Open Season is the one window each year to do that without a qualifying life event.

The Three Things Worth Checking Every Year

Even in a “nothing changed” year, three things take five minutes to check: whether your FEHB premium went up more than expected, whether your FEGLI stage-based cost is about to jump, and whether your TSP contribution percentage still makes sense given any salary change.

Don’t Wait Until the Last Week

Open Season windows are short, and the decisions made in them lock in for a full year. Reviewing a few weeks early — instead of the final days — leaves room to actually think it through instead of clicking through in a rush.