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. 1d ago

    Unused Sick Leave And The 1.1 FERS Multiplier For Federal Employees |Ep 183

    For FERS federal employees with a big unused sick leave balance, the rules can feel confusing. Can sick leave help you retire earlier? Can it boost your FERS pension by getting you the 1.1 percent multiplier at age 62? Or does it only make a small difference in your federal retirement? In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, Tom explains what unused sick leave really does in the FERS pension formula, and where it fits into your retirement timing decision. In this episode you will learn: What unused sick leave can and cannot change in your FERS pension The two rules you must meet to get the 1.1 percent FERS multiplier When sick leave can push you over twenty years of service at age 62 Why sick leave does not change your age, retirement date, or eligibility How to think about "burning" sick leave versus banking it before retirement --------------- 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. 6d ago

    Should Federal Employees Take A VERA Early Retirement Offer |Ep 182

    If you're a FERS federal employee and your agency is talking about VERA, Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, it can feel scary and rushed. You may be in your 50s or early 60s with many years of service, and now there's an early retirement offer on the table. You do not want to guess wrong on VERA, a buyout, or a future reduction in force. In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, fee-only fiduciary planner Tom Poltersdorf explains VERA for federal employees in plain English so you can slow down and make a clear decision. In this episode, you will learn: What VERA, Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, is and why agencies use early outs during big workforce changes and RIFs. Who can qualify for a VERA early retirement under FERS and CSRS, and the basic age and service rules. What VERA does not do, including how it does not change the pension formula and is different from a VSIP buyout. How a VERA offer can affect your FERS pension, FEHB health insurance, TSP withdrawals, and your cash flow in retirement. Simple questions to talk through with your spouse before you say yes or no to any federal early retirement offer. A simple case study of a couple who compared taking VERA to working a few more years. --------------- 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. Jul 21

    4 Ways Federal Employees Accidentally Reduce Their FERS Pension And Retirement Pay |Ep 181

    Many federal employees are surprised when their FERS pension in retirement is smaller than the estimate they saw on paper. In this episode, Tom Poltersdorf, CFP, walks through four common FERS pension reductions so you can plan your federal retirement with clear numbers instead of guessing. You will learn how deductions like federal income tax, state tax, survivor benefits, FEHB health insurance, dental, vision, and life insurance can lower your FERS pension check. Tom explains which types of federal service do not count as creditable service for FERS, and how military service deposits and other deposits can increase or reduce your pension if they are not handled correctly. You will also hear how part‑time federal service is used to reduce your pension based on actual hours worked, and how the FERS MRA plus ten retirement option can trigger a permanent age reduction if you start your pension before age 62. --------------- 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. Jul 16

    FERS Special Retirement Supplement For Federal Employees Explained in Plain English |Ep 180

    If you're a FERS federal employee and you want to retire before age 62, you've probably heard about the "Special Retirement Supplement." But what is it really? Is it part of Social Security? How long does it last? And what happens if you work another job after you retire? In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, Tom explains the FERS Special Retirement Supplement in simple, plain English so you can see how it fits into your retirement paycheck. In this episode, you will learn: What the FERS Special Retirement Supplement is and what gap it is meant to fill Which retirement paths qualify for the supplement, and which do not A simple way to estimate your supplement using your age 62 Social Security amount and your FERS years Why the supplement stops at 62 and does not change your Social Security How wages from a new job can reduce or erase your supplement, while pensions and TSP do not count in that test How the supplement is taxed and how to think about it inside your full 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

  5. Jul 14

    Two TSP Mistakes Federal Employees Make When They Start Retirement |Ep 179

    For federal employees in their 50s and early 60s with most of their savings in the Thrift Savings Plan, the shift from saving to spending can feel confusing. The market does what it wants. The tax code has its own rules. And small decisions about how you set up your TSP and withdrawals can have a big impact on how confident you feel once the paychecks stop. In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, Tom Poltersdorf, CFP, walks through two common TSP mistakes he sees with soon to retire and newly retired federal employees, and how to start fixing them. In this episode you will learn: What sequence of returns risk really means when you have a FERS pension and a large TSP balance. How a simple three to five year sleep at night bucket can help you ride out early market drops. Why taking all your retirement income from traditional TSP can push you into higher tax brackets. A basic way to blend withdrawals from TSP, taxable savings, and Roth accounts more intentionally. How a clear withdrawal map ties together your TSP allocation, income plan, and tax picture. --------------- 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. Jul 9

    Roth Conversions When You Have A FERS Pension |Ep 178

    Many federal employees keep hearing the same story. Retire, let your income drop, then do big Roth conversions from your TSP in the low-income years. The issue is that once a FERS pension and maybe a spouse pension start, those years are often not very low at all. That can leave you worried you are missing something or paying extra tax now for very little benefit later. In this episode, you will learn: Why the classic Roth conversion playbook was built for people without pensions How a FERS pension, the supplement, and later Social Security can keep you in similar tax brackets after you retire A simple example of a federal couple with about one hundred and thirty thousand dollars of pension income before Social Security The five key questions to look at before you decide how much to convert A step by step way to start with your retirement paycheck instead of starting with your accounts --------------- 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. Jul 7

    Should You Cut Your FERS Survivor Benefit? (Married Feds) |Ep 177

    If you're a married federal employee under FERS, the survivor benefit election is one of the biggest one time choices you'll make at retirement. Check the wrong box, and your spouse could lose income, or even health coverage, if you pass first. Check too safe, and money can feel tight while you're both still here. In this episode, I break down the three main FERS survivor options in plain English. You'll get a simple five step checklist you can do at the kitchen table, covering income, expenses, TSP and savings, FEHB and taxes, and one honest gut check with your spouse. I also walk through when a smaller survivor benefit might be okay, and when cutting it could leave the surviving spouse under real stress. --------------- 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. Jul 2

    Two Big Fears Federal Employees Face Before And After Retirement |Ep 176

    Many married federal employees in their 50s and early 60s feel the same two fears. Before retirement, the fear is, do we have enough to stop working? After retirement, the fear is, are we spending this money too fast? In this episode, you will hear simple stories from real federal couples and see how a clear plan can help calm your mind before and after you retire. In this episode, you will learn: The two main fears most FERS and CSRS federal employees face How missing information about spending, pension, and TSP feeds those fears A simple way to think about your "retirement paycheck" from FERS, TSP, and Social Security How a basic bucket plan can guide your spending after you retire Easy steps you can take this week to start turning vague worry into clear questions --------------- 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 (183)

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