Mary Beth Franklin is our go-to expert for all things Social Security benefits. With over 40 years as a financial journalist and a CFP designation,...
Read MoreMary Beth Franklin is our go-to expert for all things Social Security benefits. With over 40 years as a financial journalist and a CFP designation,...
Read MoreWhen we talk about your FERS Retirement, we’re really talking about several different benefits. FERS (Federal Employees Retirement System) has three main components: Basic FERS...
Read MoreSpecial Benefit for Some FERS Who Retire Before Age 62 Have you heard about the FERS Supplement? It’s an important benefit for FERS planning to...
Read MoreFERS retirement benefits are complex. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the details. But it’s important to remember that federal benefits are just...
Read MoreAs a Federal Employee, how will the passing of the Tax Cuts and Job Act impact you?
This is a great time of year in which most FERS employees are thinking about Federal Income Taxes. However, what I find is that most people are busy thinking about LAST years taxes instead of taking a few moments, and addressing what they can do to prepare for their Federal Income Taxes, this year.
That is right, your 2018 federal income taxes.
With the passing of the Tax Cuts and Job Act in December of 2017, most individuals have an opportunity to save on their federal income taxes. You may have already experienced this with an increase in your paycheck recently.
One idea that you could consider is using the 50/50 strategy. One area that we work with clients on is applying the 50/50 strategy any time that they receive a pay raise.
50% of any increase in income, in most cases, should go to increase your lifestyle. Enjoy the extra income!
The remaining 50%, find ways to increase your savings and path towards financial freedom. As a FERS Employee if you are not maximizing your 401(k) Plan by contributing $18,500 each year (or, $24,500 if you are age 50+) this is a dynamic way to inch you closer to that goal.
This is a great time to review your W-4 withholdings to see if it makes sense to change them.
If you are anticipating tax savings in 2018, can you contribute more to your Thrift Savings Plans (TSP) or other investment accounts?
100% of the questions that we address in FERS Federal Fact Check come from Federal Employees.
If you have a question, let us know!
All questions remain anonymous.
“Is there a reason why you did not include the MRA+10 in the group below when speaking about qualifying for FEHB? I thought that this group would also be qualified
“I am considering transferring/$10,000 from my TSP to my Roth account in Fidelity. Your presentation mentioned TSP to IRA to Roth. What’s the correct steps for my financial advisor?
“… I recently went over the max earnings on my supplement and when I filled the form out in early June it is expected I was appx 2,500 over.
Answering Retirement Questions If you have questions about your retirement from Federal Service, we can help! Our FERS Federal Fact Check for Federal Employees who work with the Department of
Get the most out of your federal retirement benefits by taking advantage of the FERS resources created by Micah Shilanski, CFP®, and the team of independent financial advisors at Shilanski & Associates, Inc. Join the thousands of federal employees who trust us to guide them in their retirement planning journey because of our unique perspective of how your FERS benefits contribute to your comprehensive financial plan.
Year after year I see Federal Employees missing the same critical concepts in their federal retirement planning. That’s why I’ve created an online workshop to help educate Federal Employees on these critical concepts.