Confident Federal Retirement

Tom Poltersdorf Jr.
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Investing
  • Updated Weekly

Confident Federal Retirement is the retirement podcast for federal employees who want to retire from federal service without guessing. If you're within about 5–10 years of retirement and worried about picking the wrong date, misunderstanding your pension, or messing up TSP and Social Security, this show is for you. In each short, focused episode, I break down FERS, CSRS, TSP, Social Security, FEHB, FEGLI, and retirement taxes into clear decisions you can actually act on, without jargon or spreadsheets. You'll hear real‑world scenarios, simple checklists, and straight answers to questions like: "When can I retire?", "Will my pension and TSP be enough?", and "How do I avoid ugly tax surprises?" I'm a fee‑only fiduciary financial planner who specializes in federal retirement planning, and my goal is to help you go from confused and uncertain to clear and confident about your next chapter. When you're ready for one‑on‑one help, visit gtwealthguide.com to request a personalized federal retirement plan and talk through your options.

  1. 20h ago

    Federal Employees, Should You Retire at 57, 60, or 62? |Ep 197

    Are you a federal employee in your late 50s or early 60s trying to decide whether to retire at 57, 60, or 62? The decision is not only about the largest pension. Your retirement date may affect your FERS pension, TSP withdrawals, FERS Supplement, Social Security, FEHB coverage, survivor benefits, taxes, health, and time with your family. In this episode, you'll learn: What changes when you retire at 57, 60, or 62. Why age 60 may be an important middle option. How the FERS Supplement fits into your income plan. Why the 1.1 percent FERS formula matters at age 62. How to compare your pension with your TSP withdrawals. Why FEHB and survivor benefits belong in the decision. How to build a simple retirement date scorecard. --------------- 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 --------------- Federal Retirement YouTube Videos - youtube.com/@TomPoltersdorf

  2. 5d ago

    Five TSP Rules Federal Employees Should Understand Before Retirement |Ep 196

    This episode is for federal employees within about five to ten years of retirement, especially those with most of their retirement savings in the Thrift Savings Plan, or TSP. Many federal employees assume the TSP works just like an IRA. It does not. The differences can affect your retirement income, taxes, spouse, children, charitable giving, and rollover decisions. In this episode, you'll learn: What may happen to your TSP after both spouses are gone. How the age 55 rule may help you take penalty-free income from the TSP before age 59.5. Why TSP withdrawals may come proportionally from your investment funds. Why the Roth TSP five-year rule does not simply transfer to a Roth IRA. How qualified charitable distributions generally work through an IRA. Why "roll everything into an IRA" and "leave everything in the TSP" are both incomplete answers. --------------- 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 --------------- Federal Retirement YouTube Videos - youtube.com/@TomPoltersdorf

  3. Sep 8

    Can I Retire at 60 With a FERS Pension and TSP? 7 Steps to Check |Ep 195

    Can I Retire at 60 With a FERS Pension and TSP? 7 Steps to Check Are you a federal employee in your late 50s or early 60s wondering whether you can retire from federal service? You may have a FERS pension, a six-figure TSP, Social Security, FEHB, and possibly outside IRAs. But even with those pieces in place, it can still be difficult to know whether your retirement income will support the life you want. In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, Tom Poltersdorf, CFP®, walks through seven important questions for federal employees considering retirement around age 60. You'll learn how to: Look at your FERS pension, TSP, and Social Security as one retirement income plan Decide whether retiring at 60 or working until 62 makes sense for your situation Define your true retirement spending number, including travel and family goals Build a cash and investment strategy for the first years of retirement Evaluate required minimum distributions, Roth conversions, and future taxes Coordinate FEGLI, survivor benefits, and other forms of spouse protection Plan for financial responsibilities involving aging parents and adult children --------------- 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 --------------- Federal Retirement YouTube Videos - youtube.com/@TomPoltersdorf

  4. Sep 3

    When Should Federal Employees Take Social Security With a FERS Pension? |Ep 194

    If you're a federal employee within about ten years of retirement, you may already have a FERS pension and possibly a FERS supplement. You may also have most of your savings in the TSP and be unsure when to begin Social Security. The decision is about more than claiming at 62 or waiting until 70. You also need to consider your pension, TSP withdrawals, spouse protection, taxes, and Medicare premiums. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the FERS supplement is separate from Social Security. What happens when the supplement ends at age 62. How claiming early or late changes your monthly benefit. Why married couples need to plan for the surviving spouse. How taxes and Medicare fit into the decision. Why a break-even chart should not be your only tool. --------------- 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 --------------- Federal Retirement YouTube Videos - youtube.com/@TomPoltersdorf

  5. Sep 1

    Roth Conversions for Federal Employees. How to Decide If They Fit |Ep 193

    If you are a federal employee within about five to ten years of retirement, and most of your retirement savings are in the traditional TSP or traditional IRAs, you may be wondering whether Roth conversions make sense for you. Roth conversions can create more control over future taxes, but they are not automatically right for every FERS or CSRS employee. Your pension, Social Security timing, TSP balance, Medicare enrollment, required minimum distributions, survivor planning, and available cash for taxes all matter. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Roth conversions may matter for federal employees. How FERS pension income, Social Security, and required distributions can stack together. How to identify a potential Roth conversion window. Why smaller annual conversions may provide more control. How the Medicare two year lookback affects planning. Four common Roth conversion mistakes to avoid. --------------- 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 --------------- Federal Retirement YouTube Videos - youtube.com/@TomPoltersdorf

  6. Aug 27

    Federal Employees Turning 65. Should You Add Medicare Part B to FEHB? |Ep 192

    Should federal employees enroll in Medicare Part B when they turn 65, or is FEHB coverage enough? In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, Tom Poltersdorf, CFP®, explains how Medicare Part B works with FEHB for federal employees and federal retirees. You'll learn how the decision changes depending on whether you are still working or already retired at age 65. Tom also explains FEHB and Medicare coordination, Medicare Part B premiums, IRMAA surcharges, HSA contribution rules, Special Enrollment Periods, and the potential impact of delaying Medicare Part B. You'll hear a practical example of a married federal couple comparing FEHB only with FEHB plus Medicare Part B. The episode also explains why your specific FEHB plan, expected healthcare use, income, retirement date, and comfort with uncertainty all matter. --------------- 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 --------------- Federal Retirement YouTube Videos - youtube.com/@TomPoltersdorf

  7. Aug 25

    How Federal Employees Can Take TSP Money Without Big Tax Mistakes |Ep 191

    Soon to retire federal employees under FERS often have one big question. How do we take money out of the TSP in retirement without wrecking our taxes or running out of money? If most of your savings are in the Thrift Savings Plan and you are in your 50s or early 60s, this episode is for you. In this episode, you will learn The key TSP withdrawal rule that makes cash bucket plans hard inside the TSP The main ages that drive TSP withdrawal rules and early withdrawal penalties How the age 55 rule for federal employees is different from IRA rules What happens when your spouse or kids inherit your TSP and how it affects taxes Three common TSP traps federal retirees fall into when they roll over or withdraw A simple way to match each account to the job it should do in your retirement plan --------------- 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 --------------- Federal Retirement YouTube Videos - youtube.com/@TomPoltersdorf

  8. Aug 20

    FEHB, Medicare, And TRICARE At 65 For Federal Employees |Ep 190

    For soon to retire federal employees trying to sort out FEHB, Medicare, and TRICARE, the rules at 65 can feel confusing and high stakes. Do you keep your federal health plan, add Medicare Part B, rely on TRICARE For Life, or something else? How do you avoid penalties and expensive mistakes? In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, you will learn: • How FEHB and Medicare actually work together in retirement, instead of one replacing the other • A simple two column way to compare FEHB alone versus FEHB plus Medicare Part B for your situation • When it makes sense to suspend your FEHB for TRICARE or other coverage instead of canceling it • Why Postal Service retirees under PSHB have different Part B requirements than other federal retirees • Common traps around premiums, late enrollment penalties, Roth conversions, and income based Medicare surcharges • How to think about total annual cost instead of just chasing "more coverage" --------------- 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 --------------- Federal Retirement YouTube Videos - youtube.com/@TomPoltersdorf

See All (197)

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Confident Federal Retirement is the retirement podcast for federal employees who want to retire from federal service without guessing. If you're within about 5–10 years of retirement and worried about picking the wrong date, misunderstanding your pension, or messing up TSP and Social Security, this show is for you. In each short, focused episode, I break down FERS, CSRS, TSP, Social Security, FEHB, FEGLI, and retirement taxes into clear decisions you can actually act on, without jargon or spreadsheets. You'll hear real‑world scenarios, simple checklists, and straight answers to questions like: "When can I retire?", "Will my pension and TSP be enough?", and "How do I avoid ugly tax surprises?" I'm a fee‑only fiduciary financial planner who specializes in federal retirement planning, and my goal is to help you go from confused and uncertain to clear and confident about your next chapter. When you're ready for one‑on‑one help, visit gtwealthguide.com to request a personalized federal retirement plan and talk through your options.

Information

You Might Also Like