Federal life event planner: what changes and by when
Updated November 1, 2026 · By Larry Cannon · How we check facts · All federal employee tools · Before you decide
Not a government website. Educational information only, not official advice. StandWatch is independent and does not act for any agency. For any decision, the official source is the final authority: OPM's Life Events pages and your agency's HR office. Full disclosures
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THE RULES, EVENT BY EVENT
- A new baby. Health, FEDVIP, and FSAFEDS: 31 days before to 60 days after. FEGLI: 60 days after. OPM
- Getting married. The same windows, and your spouse can use the shorter long term care application within 60 days. OPM
- Divorce. Your former spouse loses coverage at midnight on the day it is final, subject to a 31-day extension. You can change your enrollment within 60 days. OPM
- Retiring. To keep FEHB you need the five-year rule, an immediate annuity, and enrollment on your retirement date. TRICARE time counts. FSAFEDS ends. OPM
- Leaving federal service. FEDVIP and FSAFEDS end. FEHB ends subject to a 31-day extension, and TCC may keep it up to 18 months at the full premium plus 2%. OPM
- Postal employees. OPM's pages are written for FEHB. Make changes through the HR Shared Service Center, 877-477-3273, and confirm each date there. OPM
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Your employing office handles eligibility and enrollment, and your plan decides coverage and claims under its brochure, so confirm every date with them. OPM's files and plan brochures don't always match, and we do our best to catch the differences. StandWatch is independent and does not act for OPM or any agency, and it never files anything for you. Full disclosures
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