#125 Tax Time Survival: How Federal Employees Can Get Ahead
Listen to the Full Episode: Tax season can be overwhelming, but federal employees can stay ahead with the right strategies. In this podcast episode, Micah and Christian break down essential tax planning techniques, including the importance of estimated tax payments, understanding tax brackets, and how to avoid common pitfalls. Discover how proactive tax planning can […]
Preparing for Postponed Retirement: What You Need To Do?
Yes, good morning. Jeff here, wondering about having a postponed retirement. When the paperwork needs to be filled out, if I want to start that postponed retirement 2 years from now and I am actively working for the government now, when I walk out the door, if I do not have all that paperwork already […]
#124 TSP Benefits: What You Need to Know Before Retiring
Listen to the Full Episode: It’s crucial to evaluate your TSP decisions as you approach retirement. Understanding the various benefits associated with your TSP can significantly impact your financial future. In this podcast episode, Micah and Tammy delve into important topics regarding TSP withdrawals, available distribution options, and the associated tax implications. They provide insights […]
How to Calculate Your Annual Leave Payout When Retiring
Good morning, my name is Alberto. I am a Mail Handler for the Postal Service with 40 years of service. Currently, I can carry over 520 hours of annual leave into 2024. I am planning to retire in December 2025. If I don’t use any annual leave in 2025, I will accumulate an additional 208 […]
#123 TSP Withdrawals: When, How, and Why to Start
Listen to the Full Episode: Understanding your TSP withdrawal options is essential for a successful retirement. In this podcast episode, Micah and Christian break down the three financial phases: accumulation, preservation, and distribution, highlighting the critical decisions federal employees need to make when withdrawing from the TSP. Learn about the different withdrawal options, including lump […]
I Passed On The Fork… Now What Do I Do?
https://youtu.be/-lxMYExTiGQ The Road Not Taken: What Happens When Federal Employees Make (or Avoid) Big Decisions. Understanding Federal Retirement Options: Deferred Resignation, VERA, Postponed Retirement, and Deferred Retirement With the deadline for the “Deferred Resignation” passed, we are getting a lot of questions from federal employees who are saying, “I didn’t take the deferred resignation can […]
FERS Go Bag: Is Yours Packed?
How prepared are you if you no longer work for the Federal Government? Maybe you accepted the Trump Administration’s “deferred resignation” package; maybe your agency did a Voluntary Early Retirement (authorized as a VERA); maybe there was a reduction in force of mass layoffs? Maybe you are one of the many federal employees that we […]
#122 Estate Planning Myths and Facts: What Federal Employees Must Know
Listen to the Full Episode: Estate planning involves more than just creating a will; it’s about ensuring financial security, protecting your loved ones, and avoiding common mistakes that may lead to unintended consequences. In this podcast episode, Micah and Christian discuss essential estate planning topics, including the necessary documents, the dangers of outdated plans, […]
FERS Go Bag: Mapping Retirement – Navigating the Landscape
Item 5: Mapping Retirement – Navigating the Landscape One of my favorite lines is from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. It comes from a conversation between Alice and the Cheshire Cat: “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” – Alice. “That depends a good deal on where […]
FERS Go Bag: Who Are You Going to Call?
Item 4: Who are you going to call? Come on, 1980’s babies, where are you: who are you going to call? No, who? Remember when we told you that when you were in, you were a guest, but now that you are out, you are a pest. When was the last time you dialed someone’s […]
FERS Go Bag: FEHB – Your Best Benefit as a Federal Employee
Item 3: FEHB – your best benefit as a federal employee Federal Employee Health benefits are hands down the best benefits for federal employees—so good that Congress even has them! Do we sound jealous? Well, as civilians on the outside looking in, we are incredibly jealous of your health care benefits as federal employees—they are […]
FERS Go Bag: Your Official Personnel File
Item 2: Your Official Personnel File You need a complete and thorough copy of your Official Personnel File (OPF) in your FERS Go Bag—all of it, all the documents, everything. Remember that when you are in, you are a guest, but when you are out, you are a pest. The Official Personnel File (OPF) and […]