DOGE Restructuring Ongoing
Should you take the federal buyout? Model your VERA/VSIP decision.
300,000+ federal jobs eliminated or offered buyouts in the DOGE restructuring. Calculate your FERS pension, VSIP payout, FEHB coverage, TSP rollover, and break-even — in one place.
9% of the federal workforce cut — the largest restructuring since WWII
- 1The VERA/VSIP decision involves FERS pension, FEHB health insurance (5-year rule), TSP rollover, VSIP payout ($25K cap), and Social Security interaction — no free tool models all of these together
- 2H.R. 7256 would raise VSIP from $25K to 6 months of salary — creating a critical 'take now vs. wait' decision that no calculator addresses
- 3Financial advisors charge $300–500/hour for this analysis — a self-serve calculator democratizes access
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is VERA and who qualifies?
- VERA (Voluntary Early Retirement Authority) allows federal employees to retire before meeting regular age/service requirements when their agency is undergoing restructuring. Under DOGE, 300,000+ positions have been eliminated or offered buyouts across agencies including SSA, DOD, Commerce, and Interior.
- How much is the VSIP buyout payment?
- The current VSIP (Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment) cap is $25,000, typically netting $17,000-$19,000 after taxes. H.R. 7256, which passed the House Oversight Committee 43-0, would raise this to 6 months of base salary — potentially $60,000+ for senior employees.
- What is the FEHB 5-year rule for early retirees?
- To carry Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) into retirement, you must have been enrolled in FEHB for at least 5 continuous years immediately before retirement. If you haven't met this threshold, early retirement could mean losing employer health coverage.
- Should I wait for H.R. 7256 to pass before accepting VSIP?
- This is the critical decision. H.R. 7256 passed committee 43-0 (bipartisan) but hasn't reached the House floor or Senate yet. A calculator that models both scenarios — accepting $25K now vs. waiting for a potential $60K cap — helps you quantify the risk of waiting.
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