FOMC Meeting Calendar: What the Fed's Schedule Shows

The Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the body responsible for setting U.S. monetary policy, has refreshed its official meeting calendar and records page. The page confirms that the committee holds eight regularly scheduled meetings during the year, with additional meetings called as needed, and serves as the central repository for links to policy statements and minutes.

Under the Fed's standard procedure, minutes from regularly scheduled meetings are released three weeks after the date of the policy decision. Committee membership changes at the first regularly scheduled meeting of each year. The FOMC also publishes an annual report pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, and its FOIA Service Center provides information about the status of requests and the FOIA process.

The release list on the page shows minutes spanning 2021 through 2026, with the most recent entries dated February 18, 2026 and May 20, 2026. The calendar also flags a two-day meeting scheduled for January 25-26, 2028, but notes that each meeting date is tentative until confirmed at the meeting immediately preceding it.

What the Release Schedule Means for FOMC Watchers

The Three-Week Lag Between Decision and Minutes

The FOMC's practice of releasing minutes three weeks after a policy decision creates a two-stage information flow for markets. The statement and post-meeting press conference arrive first and move prices immediately; the minutes, published later, give investors a fuller picture of the debate, the range of views and any dissents. That lag means traders and economists must treat the initial statement as the primary signal and the minutes as a refinement rather than a fresh policy event.

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The January 2028 Two-Day Session and Tentative Dates

The calendar's explicit mention of a two-day meeting on January 25-26, 2028 signals that the Fed is already planning well ahead. Just as important is the caveat attached to it: every listed date remains tentative until confirmed at the preceding meeting. For anyone building a research or reporting calendar around the FOMC, that is a reminder to verify dates as each meeting approaches rather than assume the published schedule is fixed.

Practical Notes for Tracking FOMC Meetings

  • Check the FOMC calendar page before each meeting to confirm the date, since the Fed states that every date is tentative until confirmed at the meeting immediately preceding it — including the January 25-26, 2028 session.
  • Expect minutes roughly three weeks after each policy decision; recent release dates on the page include February 18, 2026 and May 20, 2026, illustrating the cadence.
  • For access to FOMC records, use the committee's FOIA Service Center, which handles status inquiries and requests, and note that the FOMC publishes an annual FOIA report.