If you're a federal employee in your late 50s or early 60s, sitting on a healthy TSP and a strong FERS pension, this episode is going to feel familiar. In this case study, Tom walks through an anonymized story of two long-career federal employees with about $1 million each in their TSP, paid-off mortgage, no debt, and a real plan to travel $50,000 a year in retirement. They've done a lot of things right. And the first time they saw a projection of their future Required Minimum Distributions, the wife looked at Tom and said, "you've traumatized us with your RMD graphs."

You'll hear what that graph actually showed, why RMDs stack so hard on federal couples with two pensions and two Social Security checks coming, and the planning window most federal employees never realize they have. That window is what Tom calls the gap years, the years between when you retire and when RMDs start. Inside that window are real levers, including Roth contributions, modest planned Roth conversions, withdrawal order strategy, and Social Security timing. None of these are magic. Used together, they can smooth a scary income line into something much calmer.

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When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing.

Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness

If you're a federal employee, you've probably wondered whether to retire as soon as you qualify or push to age 62 for a bigger FERS pension. In this episode, Tom walks you through a real federal couple wrestling with that exact question. The husband, in his early 60s, wasn't sure he'd "make it to 62" given his parents' declining health. His wife, in her late 50s, was burnt out from constant reorgs but didn't want to leave the 62 bonuses on the table.

Tom unpacks:

• The actual math of retiring at 60 versus 62 under FERS, including how the pension multiplier moves from 1% to 1.1% at age 62 with 20 or more years of service
• How the Special Retirement Supplement works for immediate, unreduced retirements
• And how to think about TSP, Social Security, and travel spending together.

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If this sounds like your situation, the first step is to visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing.

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If you're not ready for a call, get your free copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness

If you're a federal employee 5-10 years from retirement, you've probably wondered what to do with your FEGLI coverage. Maybe you've been carrying Option B and Option C for years and the bill keeps creeping up every age band. Or maybe you've heard FEGLI gets expensive in retirement and you're not sure whether to keep it, drop it, or replace it with private term life insurance. In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, Tom Poltersdorf, CFP®, walks through how FEGLI actually works as you transition from federal employment into retirement.

Using a real federal LES as an example, Tom breaks down what you're paying for FEGLI Basic, Option A, Option B, and Option C, and how those costs accelerate every five years. He explains the rules for carrying FEGLI into retirement, including the 5-year requirement and the immediate annuity rule that catches a lot of federal employees off guard, especially those considering postponed or deferred retirements. He covers the post-65 reductions for Basic, the Full Reduction versus No Reduction choice for Option B, and when private level term life insurance is a cheaper, more flexible alternative. You'll hear a simple framework for deciding what to keep, what to drop, and how to mix FEGLI with private coverage to fit your actual retirement plan.

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When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing.

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Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness

Should You Work to 62? FERS Supplement vs. 10% Pension Bump. If you are a FERS employee in your late 50s, you might be wondering if you should retire as soon as you hit your Minimum Retirement Age or stick it out until age 62 to qualify for the 1.1 percent pension multiplier. On paper, it can look like "just a little bump," but in reality, that higher multiplier compounds across more service, a bigger benefit, and more years of cost-of-living adjustments.

Today I walk through a real-world style example of a 57 year old FERS employee who is thinking about retiring now versus working until 62. We talk about how much larger her pension would be if she waits, what the break-even age looks like, and why the 1.1 percent kicker shows up as roughly a 28 percent higher pension for life. Then we zoom out and look at the salary, TSP savings, Social Security credits, and sick leave she would keep building if she stays, and what it really means to trade five years and two months of freedom for those dollars.

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When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing.

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Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness

Most federal employees have heard of the FERS Special Retirement Supplement, but very few truly understand the tradeoffs. In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, Tom walks through a real‑life style case study of a GS‑15 with just over 30 years of service who is about to hit Minimum Retirement Age. The core question is simple. Should they retire now with the FERS supplement, or keep working until age 62 for a larger pension.

You will hear how the supplement is estimated, how the Social Security earnings test can reduce or wipe it out if you keep working, why the supplement has no cost‑of‑living adjustment and ends hard at 62, and what it really means to give up the 1.1 percent pension multiplier by retiring early. Tom also connects this directly to taxes, TSP withdrawals, Roth conversion opportunities in your late 50s and early 60s, and the 5‑year FEHB rule so you can see how all the pieces fit together.

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When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing.

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Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness

If you're a federal employee in your early to mid 50s, there's one IRS rule that can completely change how you think about retiring before age 59½. It's called the Age 55 Rule, and it's one of the most misunderstood pieces of the federal retirement puzzle.

In this episode, Tom Poltersdorf, CFP® and fee-only fiduciary at GT Wealth, breaks down what the Age 55 Rule actually does, who it applies to, and how it interacts with your TSP, FERS pension, FEHB, and early retirement planning. You'll hear the three biggest traps Tom sees federal employees fall into, plus a simple framework for deciding whether this rule even fits your plan.

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Ready to see how all of this fits together for your specific situation? Visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing.

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Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness

Most federal employees plan their retirement around one number. The pension estimate from OPM. But that gross pension figure can be misleading, and it almost never tells you whether your retirement paycheck will actually feel like your working paycheck. In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, Tom Poltersdorf walks you through a simple reframe that changes how you plan.

You'll learn why your current net paycheck, the one that hits your checking account every two weeks, is the right starting point for a FERS retirement income plan. Tom breaks down the three retirement paychecks that work together, your FERS pension, Social Security, and your TSP, and walks through a composite case showing how to sketch a realistic target paycheck in about 15 minutes. You'll also hear the four levers you can pull if the numbers don't line up the way you'd like.

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If you want help turning your rough numbers into a real retirement and tax plan, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing.

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Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness

Most federal employees spend years making sure the numbers work for retirement. The pension is set, the TSP (Thrift Savings Plan) balance looks solid, Social Security is mapped out. But there's a question I see trip people up more than any spreadsheet ever could: Are you actually ready to retire as a person?

In this episode, I walk through a conversation I have on almost every Blueprint call with federal employees who are financially green-lit but still hesitant. We talk about why your identity matters more than your income floor, how to test-drive retirement before you pull the trigger, and the real reason some people regret leaving federal service.

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When you're ready for one-on-one help, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing.

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Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness

Thinking about leaving federal service before you hit full retirement eligibility, or just want to know what your options are if life forces that decision? This episode breaks down exactly what happens to your FERS pension if you separate before you're ready to retire, including the three paths most federal employees don't fully understand until it's too late.

Tom walks through the deferred retirement option, the MRA+10 early retirement with its built-in age reduction, and the one move that permanently wipes out your pension, withdrawing your FERS contributions. You'll also learn what happens to your TSP, your health coverage, and the special retirement supplement if you walk away early.

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When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing.

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Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness

If you're a federal employee considering leaving before a traditional retirement date, you've probably heard the terms "deferred retirement" and "postponed retirement" tossed around, sometimes like they mean the same thing. They don't. And confusing them is one of the most expensive mistakes I see federal employees make.

In this episode, I break down exactly what each option means under FERS, who qualifies for each, and what you lose when you choose one over the other. We'll talk about the age reduction penalty, health insurance in retirement, the FERS Special Retirement Supplement, and the one question you need to ask yourself before you walk out the door.

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When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing.

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Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness