Blog

Guide to Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) in Retirement

Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) is one of the many benefits granted to federal employees. But what many employees fail to realize is

I Wish I Had…. 5 Regrets of Federal Employees

Have you ever wondered what retirees have to say about their finances after they have retired? Well, after my almost 2 decades experience of working with federal employees, I decide to put together a list of the most common regrets that federal retirees have shared with me.

Roth TSP, Roth IRAs and the Five Year Rule

It’s no secret that I am a big fan of Roth accounts and the income tax-free growth they offer. They can be excellent tools for both retirement planning and estate planning; but, it’s important to understand

Reduce Your Retirement Tax Bill by Strategic Giving

In Part one of this series we discussed the fact that retirement income is different than employment income. Retirement income tends to be more flexible and gives you more control over when you pay taxes and how much you pay in income taxes

Why Tax planning is SO Important in Retirement

If you want to keep more of what you make, then tax planning is essential to your retirement plan. Not only does it help you keep more of what you make in the accumulation phase, but never is it more important than

I Don’t Like the 4% Rule

Generally speaking, the 4% rule is a guideline that allows for retirees to withdraw 4% of the balance of their investments annually in order to sustain a steady income throughout the entirety of their retirement

Odd Aspects of TSP

The Thrift Savings Plan is widely known as one of the best retirement plans available. It excels at being simple and having low cost, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some frustrating aspects to it

Taxes and Timing Matter

It’s hard to understate the importance of timing and details when it comes to retirement distributions. Tax efficient distributions can only be done if you understand details of withholding and income taxes

FERS Annuity COLA

Inflation is a hot topic this summer which has many federal employees wondering how it will impact them in retirement

NO, Federal Retirees Should Not Run Out of Money

Why? Federal employees have a large amount of guaranteed income they can count on as a steady stream of cash flow in retirement. Although it is possible for federal employees to run out of money, it is much less of an issue than

FEGLI Now and in Retirement

Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) is a great benefit the federal employees have available to them however, it can also be one of the most expensive benefits

TSP in Retirement

What do I do with my TSP in retirement? Yes, this is the most common question I receive from people nearing retirement, and justifiably so.

A Great Reason Not to Take Medicare Part B

One of the most common retirement questions from federal employees is: Should I get Medicare Part B? While there is no “one size fits all” answer to this question, I do think there is a preferable one for high earning retirees. Why?

Lessons From 2020

The year 2020 was a wild one by anyone’s measure. One practice I try to implement is to look back at a year and see if there are any lessons that can be learned, and I believe 2020 can teach us a lot. Despite the destruction that COVID has caused

Should I Buy Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance?

This is a question that the majority of people over the age of 60 consider, especially as they get close to retirement. Statistics show that long-term care should be a concern for everyone

Federal Retirement Mistakes

Retirement is a goal that most of us aspire to. Even though retirement is often thought of as an ending, it is more of a beginning event

Don’t Wait Until 72 to Access TSP

The TSP is designed to make up one third of federal employee’s retirement income, but taking money out of it can be a tough decision. One of the most common distribution strategies I have heard is

Do This Before Maxing Your TSP

Contributing money to your Thrift Savings Plan is a good thing, actually a great thing! But there is one account that should

3 Essential Tax Planning Strategies for Federal Retirees

There is an old saying that claims, “It’s not how much you make that’s the most important, but how much you keep.” Uncle Sam does his best to take at least a portion of everything we make. It is up to us to understand tax laws and retain as much ...

Don’t Get Bernied!

There has always been a lot of discussion about whether or not it’s worth it to work with an advisor. If you have considered working with an advisor, you have probably thought of this question: “how do I know you aren’t a Bernie Madoff?”

The Problem With Having No Life Insurance

Life insurance tends to be a touchy subject. Some people don’t want to discuss death and others just “don’t believe in insurance.”

Three Things to do With Cash During Quarantine

The nation’s current state is one most of us have never experienced. The majority of the nation has been shut down in response to a global pandemic with severe and changing consequences. One of the most notable consequences is that most federal employees

Reduce Taxes on Inherited IRAs

I was in the process of writing an article on handling inherited IRAs when Congress passed the SECURE Act and changed everything. But while things have certainly changed