What Happened?

If you are a federal executive branch employee who files a financial disclosure report, the threshold at which you must report gifts and travel reimbursements from any one source just rose to more than $525 per reporting period. The Office of Government Ethics (OGE) published a final rule on executive branch financial disclosure on Oct. 28, according to a Legis1 review of the rule. ​

The change was triggered by the General Services Administration (GSA) raising its "minimal value" amount for foreign gifts to $525 for 2026 through 2028 in a bulletin issued Dec. 29, 2025. A law called the Ethics in Government Act requires OGE to match that GSA figure.

The rule changes two thresholds:

  • Aggregate reporting level: Rose from $480 to $525, meaning filers must disclose gifts or travel reimbursements from a single source only when the total exceeds $525 in a reporting period.
  • Per-item exception: Rose from $192 to $210, meaning individual gifts or reimbursements at or below $210 do not count toward that aggregate at all.

Why Does it Matter to Me?

The financial disclosure changes apply retroactively to Jan. 1, so filers who received gifts or travel reimbursements earlier this year are governed by the new, higher thresholds rather than the old ones.

A separate increase raised the ceiling for free attendance at widely attended gatherings from $480 to $525, but that change applies only from Oct. 28 forward and is not retroactive. Expected attendance of more than 100 people is one condition that still applies to accepting such gifts. Other conditions for accepting such gifts remain unchanged, and the higher thresholds do not alter existing restrictions on accepting gifts.

Special government employees are not required to report travel reimbursements from their non-federal employers.

Both Sides, Now

OGE concluded that the amendments concern agency procedure and practice, reduce rather than increase the reporting burden on filers, and would not result in increased expenditures by state, local, or tribal governments or the private sector of $100 million or more in any one year.

The Office of Government Ethics (OGE) waived the standard notice-and-comment process, and the rule took effect immediately on Oct. 28.

What Happens Next?

OGE will next update both the financial disclosure and widely attended gathering thresholds in 2029 and every three years thereafter.

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