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