Federal Employees Retirement & Benefits Podcast by CD Financial

Charles Dzama
  • 4.8 (9)
  • INVESTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The objective of this podcast is to educate and enlighten you about your federal benefits and to guide you in creating a well-formed retirement income plan. Schedule your complimentary 15-minute phone call today! https://calendly.com/charlesdzama/dzamatalk-complimentary-15-min-phone-call

  1. 1D AGO

    Federal Retirement Mistakes: 7 FERS Pension Errors to Avoid Before You Sign

    Apply for a Retirement Consultation: https://perspectivefunnel.co/682642d22275ec003bfa6626/691df07396253e003c42b434/?ps_hello=%20 Get the Digital Federal Retirement Guidebook: https://cdfinancial.org/being-a-federal-employee-in-the-era-of-trump-book/ Take the Checklist Challenge: https://cdfinancial.org/checklist-challenge/ Subscribe for Weekly Federal Retirement Planning Content: https://cdfinancial.com/newsletter If you are within one year of federal retirement, this is one of the most important times to review your FERS pension before making a final decision. In this video, we break down key federal retirement planning considerations around survivor benefits, retirement timing, COLA, taxes, Medicare, FEHB, and TSP income planning. Whether you are trying to protect your spouse, avoid unexpected tax issues, or make more informed decisions around your federal benefits, this episode walks through the planning areas many federal employees overlook before signing retirement paperwork. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ IN THIS VIDEO YOU’LL LEARN ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ • Why FERS survivor benefit elections should be reviewed before retirement • How choosing the wrong federal retirement date may affect your planning • Why FERS COLA and long-term inflation should be part of your retirement income strategy • How tax stacking can happen with a FERS pension, Social Security, TSP withdrawals, and other income • Why IRMAA may surprise federal retirees who do not plan around Medicare income rules • How FEHB, Medicare, and spousal coverage decisions can affect your retirement strategy • Why federal employees should avoid relying only on one-size-fits-all retirement advice ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ FEDERAL RETIREMENT RESOURCES ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ OPM Retirement Center: https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/ FERS Information: https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/fers-information/ FEHB & Medicare: https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/medicare/annuitant/ Survivor Benefits: https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/survivor-benefits/ Thrift Savings Plan: https://www.tsp.gov/ TSP Withdrawals in Retirement: https://www.tsp.gov/withdrawals-in-retirement/ Medicare IRMAA Information: https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0601101020 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ TIMESTAMPS ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 0:00 FERS Pension Mistakes That Can Affect Retirement Income 0:27 Survivor Benefit Decisions and Spousal Protection 0:55 Choosing the Right Federal Retirement Date 1:26 FERS COLA, Inflation, and Long-Term Income Planning 2:00 Tax Stacking with FERS, Social Security, and TSP Withdrawals 2:25 IRMAA Surprises and Medicare Income Planning 3:43 FEHB, Medicare, and Federal Retiree Health Coverage 4:08 Why Federal Retirement Advice Is Not One-Size-Fits-All 4:36 Building a Retirement Plan Around Your Specific Situation ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ WHO WE ARE ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ CD Financial helps federal employees and retirees make smarter retirement decisions around FERS, TSP, FEHB, Medicare, survivor benefits, retirement income planning, and health-focused financial strategies. Our mission is simple: Help federal employees retire with more clarity, confidence, and peace of mind. Subscribe for practical federal retirement planning content designed to help you better understand your benefits, avoid common planning gaps, and prepare for your next chapter with confidence. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Advisory services are offered through CD Financial LLC dba CD Financial, an Investment Advisor in the State of California. Insurance products and services are offered through CD Financial & Insurance Services LLC, an affiliated company. This video is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial, legal, tax, healthcare, or investment advice. Federal retirement decisions depend on your individual service history, agency records, health coverage, survivor needs, retirement income goals, and personal circumstances. Always consult qualified professionals and review official OPM guidance before making retirement elections. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of CD Financial and our editorial staff. The information contained in this material has been derived from sources believed to be reliable but is not guaranteed as to accuracy or completeness and does not purport to be a complete analysis of the materials discussed. All information and ideas should be discussed in detail with your individual adviser prior to implementation. FERS pension mistakes, federal retirement planning, FERS survivor benefits, FEHB Medicare coordination, TSP withdrawals, IRMAA Medicare surcharge, federal employee retirement, FERS COLA, retirement income planning, federal benefits, retirement date planning, tax planning for federal retirees #FERSPension #FederalRetirement #FederalEmployees #RetirementPlanning #CDFinancial Support the show

    5 min
  2. The Last Year Before Retirement: 5 Steps Every Federal Employee Must Follow

    6D AGO

    The Last Year Before Retirement: 5 Steps Every Federal Employee Must Follow

    Apply for a Retirement Consultation: https://perspectivefunnel.co/682642d22275ec003bfa6626/691df07396253e003c42b434/?ps_hello=%20 📘 Federal Retirement Resources: Get the digital guidebook to retirement as a federal employee here:  https://cdfinancial.org/being-a-federal-employee-in-the-era-of-trump-book/ Checklist Challenge:  https://cdfinancial.org/checklist-challenge/ OPM Retirement Center: https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/ FERS Information: https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/fers-information/ FEHB & Medicare: https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/medicare/annuitant/ Survivor Benefits: https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/survivor-benefits/ Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): https://www.tsp.gov/ 🎯 Subscribe for Weekly Federal Retirement Planning Content: https://cdfinancial.com/newsletter 💬 Comment Below: What concerns you most about federal retirement right now? 🚨 Federal Employees: Your Last Year Before Retirement Could Cost You Thousands If You Miss These Steps If you are within 12 months of federal retirement, this is NOT the time to “wing it.” The final year before leaving government service can directly impact your FERS pension, FEHB coverage, Medicare decisions, survivor benefits, sick leave credit, and long-term retirement income. In this video, we break down the 5 most important federal retirement decisions every FERS employee should review BEFORE submitting retirement paperwork — including mistakes that are difficult or impossible to reverse later. Whether you are trying to maximize your pension, choose the best retirement date, understand Medicare Part B, or protect your spouse with survivor benefits, this episode walks through the key planning areas federal employees often overlook. ✅ In This Video You’ll Learn: • How unused sick leave affects your FERS pension • The truth about the High-3 calculation and FERS 1.1% multiplier • How to choose the best federal retirement date • FEHB + Medicare Part B strategies for retirees • Survivor benefit elections and spouse considerations • A 5-step federal retirement checklist before leaving service • What many retirees experience during the first 90 days of retirement ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ TIMESTAMPS ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 0:00 Biggest mistakes in the last year before retirement 1:23 FERS sick leave credit explained 4:09 High-3 pension calculation & FERS 1.1% multiplier 7:36 Best dates to retire from federal service 10:38 FEHB and Medicare Part B decisions 14:37 Survivor benefit elections explained 18:16 5-step federal retirement checklist 19:14 The first 90 days of retirement 22:08 How to get help with your retirement plan ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ WHO WE ARE ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ CD Financial helps federal employees and retirees make smarter retirement decisions around FERS, TSP, FEHB, Medicare, survivor benefits, retirement income planning, and health-focused financial strategies. Our mission is simple: Help federal employees retire with more clarity, confidence, and peace of mind. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Advisory services are offered through CD Financial LLC dba CD Financial, an Investment Advisor in the State of California. Insurance products and services are offered through CD Financial & Insurance Services LLC, an affiliated company. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of CD Financial and our editorial staff. The information contained in this material has been derived from sources believed to be reliable but is not guaranteed as to accuracy and completeness and does not purport to be a complete analysis of the materials discussed. All information and ideas should be discussed in detail with your individual adviser prior to implementation. #FederalRetirement #FERSRetirement #FederalEmployees #RetirementPlanning #FEHB #TSP #Medicare #FederalBenefits #OPM #CDFinancial Support the show

    23 min

  3. MAY 19

    Retiring from Federal Service? Don't Skip These 5 Steps

    Get the digital book at no cost to you here: https://cdfinancial.org/being-a-federal-employee-in-the-era-of-trump-book/ Want to work with Charles? Apply here: https://cdfinancial.org/schedule-a-meeting/ Checklist Challenge: https://cdfinancial.org/checklist-challenge/ Newsletter: https://cdfinancial.com/newsletter WHO ARE WE? CD Financial helps federal employees and near-retirees create sustainable, tax-smart retirement income. Expect weekly strategies on 401K, FERS, TSP, Social Security timing, tax planning, and health-meets-wealth habits—clear, practical, compliant. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Last Year Before Federal Retirement Checklist 0:22 Two Federal Employees, Two Different Retirement Outcomes 0:46 Sick Leave Credit and Common FERS Retirement Mistakes 1:08 How to Review and Potentially Improve Your Federal Pension 1:43 Retirement Date Considerations for Federal Employees 2:12 FEHB, Medicare Part B, and Retirement Healthcare Decisions 3:13 Survivor Benefit Elections for Federal Employees 3:50 Free Federal Retirement Checklist and Next Steps #FederalRetirement #FERSRetirement #FederalEmployees #RetirementChecklist #CDFinancial Advisory services are offered through CD Financial LLC dba CD Financial, an Investment Advisor in the State of California. Insurance products and services are offered through CD Financial & Insurance Services LLC, an affiliated company. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of CD Financial and our editorial staff. The information contained in this material has been derived from sources believed to be reliable but is not guaranteed as to accuracy and completeness and does not purport to be a complete analysis of the materials discussed. All information and ideas should be discussed in detail with your individual adviser prior to implementation. Support the show

    4 min
  4. Federal Employees: Some Are Dying With Too Much Money Left to Enjoy – Will You?

    MAY 14

    Federal Employees: Some Are Dying With Too Much Money Left to Enjoy – Will You?

    “Die with zero does not mean reckless spending. It means thinking intentionally about how to use your money for experiences, family, giving, and purpose while still protecting your retirement plan.” Get the digital book at no cost to you here: https://cdfinancial.org/being-a-federal-employee-book/ Checklist Challenge: https://cdfinancial.org/checklist-challenge/ Apply for a 15-minute call: https://perspectivefunnel.co/682642d22275ec003bfa6626/691df07396253e003c42b434/?ps_hello=%20 Newsletter: https://cdfinancial.com/newsletter 👋 WHO ARE WE? CD Financial helps federal employees and near-retirees create sustainable, tax-smart retirement income. Expect weekly strategies on 401K, FERS, TSP, Social Security timing, tax planning, and health-meets-wealth habits—clear, practical, compliant. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Federal Employees and the Fear of Spending in Retirement 1:12 What “Die With Zero” Really Means for Retirees 2:24 Why Federal Retirees Often Hesitate to Spend 5:56 How to Give Yourself Permission to Enjoy Retirement 8:10 Building a Written Retirement Income Plan 9:24 Planning Travel, Experiences, and Meaningful Spending 12:39 How to Spend Earlier Without Risking the Future 14:19 Family Experiences, Gifting, and Creating Memories 17:40 Charitable Giving and Purposeful Retirement Spending 21:40 Health Tip: Beets, Brain Health, and Athletic Stamina 24:48 Final Thoughts on Spending, Saving, and Living Well Advisory services are offered through CD Financial LLC dba CD Financial, an Investment Advisor in the State of California. Insurance products and services are offered through CD Financial & Insurance Services LLC, an affiliated company. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of CD Financial and our editorial staff. The information contained in this material has been derived from sources believed to be reliable but is not guaranteed as to accuracy and completeness and does not purport to be a complete analysis of the materials discussed. All information and ideas should be discussed in detail with your individual adviser prior to implementation. Support the show

    26 min

  5. MAY 12

    Federal Employees: Are You Getting Shortchanged on COLA?

    Federal employees may hear “COLA increase” and assume their retirement income keeps full pace with inflation, but under FERS, the cost-of-living adjustment can work differently than many expect. Before you retire, it is important to understand how FERS COLA, CSRS COLA, Social Security COLA, and your overall federal retirement income may interact over time. Apply for a federal benefits retirement review: https://perspectivefunnel.co/682642d22275ec003bfa6626/691df07396253e003c42b434/?ps_hello=%20 Get the digital book at no cost to you here: https://cdfinancial.org/being-a-federal-employee-in-the-era-of-trump-book/ Checklist Challenge: https://cdfinancial.org/checklist-challenge/ Newsletter: https://cdfinancial.com/newsletter “Many federal employees do not realize that the COLA number they hear in the news may not be the same adjustment applied to their FERS pension.” LINKS AND RESOURCES Official OPM COLA Information: https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/publications-forms/benefits-administration-letters/ Social Security COLA Information: https://www.ssa.gov/cola/ WHO ARE WE? CD Financial helps federal employees and near-retirees create sustainable, tax-smart retirement income. Expect weekly strategies on 401K, FERS, TSP, Social Security timing, tax planning, and health-meets-wealth habits—clear, practical, compliant. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Federal Retirement COLA and the “Diet COLA” Problem 0:30 Why Real Cost of Living Can Feel Higher Than Your COLA 0:56 Grocery, Housing, and Inflation Pressure on Retirees 1:31 How Rising Food Prices Can Affect Retirement Income 2:11 Housing Costs, Rent, and Family Financial Pressure 2:36 Regional Inflation and Cost-of-Living Challenges 3:14 FERS, CSRS, and COLA Differences in Retirement 3:41 Why Future Growth May Matter in Retirement Planning 4:02 Balancing Safety, Income, and Inflation Risk Advisory services are offered through CD Financial LLC dba CD Financial, an Investment Advisor in the State of California. Insurance products and services are offered through CD Financial & Insurance Services LLC, an affiliated company. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of CD Financial and our editorial staff. The information contained in this material has been derived from sources believed to be reliable but is not guaranteed as to accuracy and completeness and does not purport to be a complete analysis of the materials discussed. All information and ideas should be discussed in detail with your individual adviser prior to implementation. Support the show

    4 min
  6. TSP Rollover Mistakes That Cost Federal Employees Thousands

    MAY 7

    TSP Rollover Mistakes That Cost Federal Employees Thousands

    Most federal employees are told to roll over their TSP when they retire, but that decision should start with a better question: What is this money supposed to do for you in retirement? In this episode, we break down common TSP rollover mistakes, IRA rollover considerations, tax treatment, withdrawal rules, and how a written retirement income plan can help federal employees make more informed decisions. Apply for Your Retirement Review: https://www.cdfinancial.org/fa93xi62e Get the digital book at no cost to you here: https://cdfinancial.org/being-a-federal-employee-in-the-era-of-trump-book/ Checklist Challenge: https://cdfinancial.org/checklist-challenge/ Newsletter: https://cdfinancial.com/newsletter 👋 WHO ARE WE? CD Financial helps federal employees and near-retirees create sustainable, tax-smart retirement income. Expect weekly strategies on 401K, FERS, TSP, Social Security timing, tax planning, and health-meets-wealth habits—clear, practical, compliant. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 TSP Rollover or Leave It? 0:41 The Question Most Federal Employees Skip 1:17 Why People Automatically Roll Over Their TSP 2:20 Common Reasons Retirees Move TSP Funds 3:07 TSP vs IRA vs Roth IRA Explained 5:09 How Rollovers Can Simplify Retirement Accounts 6:05 Where TSP Rollover Mistakes Begin 7:22 What “FBO” Means in a Retirement Rollover 8:24 Early Withdrawal Penalties and Tax Risks 9:41 The Importance of a Written Retirement Plan 11:00 Creating a Retirement Income and Tax Strategy 15:16 Final Thoughts and Retirement Roadmap Advisory services are offered through CD Financial LLC dba CD Financial, an Investment Advisor in the State of California. Insurance products and services are offered through CD Financial & Insurance Services LLC, an affiliated company. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of CD Financial and our editorial staff. The information contained in this material has been derived from sources believed to be reliable but is not guaranteed as to accuracy and completeness and does not purport to be a complete analysis of the materials discussed. All information and ideas should be discussed in detail with your individual adviser prior to implementation. Support the show

    16 min

  7. MAY 5

    TSP 401k Strategy: Keep It or Move It? We've Tested Both

    TSP vs 401(k) rollover strategy isn’t about where the money goes—it’s about what the money is meant to do.” Discover how to decide whether to keep or move your retirement accounts with a clear, purpose-driven plan. Get the digital book at no cost to you here: https://cdfinancial.org/being-a-federal-employee-in-the-era-of-trump-book/ Checklist Challenge: https://cdfinancial.org/checklist-challenge/ Apply for a 15-minute call here: https://cdfinancial.org/schedule-a-meeting/ Newsletter: https://cdfinancial.com/newsletter 👋 WHO ARE WE? CD Financial helps federal employees and near-retirees create sustainable, tax-smart retirement income. Expect weekly strategies on 401K, FERS, TSP, Social Security timing, tax planning, and health-meets-wealth habits—clear, practical, compliant. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 0:18 The Real Question You Should Be Asking 0:41 Why “Roll It Over or Leave It” Is the Wrong Starting Point 1:01 Defining the Purpose of Your Retirement Accounts 1:25 Building a Retirement Income Strategy Blueprint 1:50 Combining TSP, 401(k), IRA for Stronger Outcomes 2:06 Creating Income Phases: Short-Term vs Long-Term Planning 2:32 Building a Stable Retirement Foundation That Lasts 2:54 Step-by-Step Retirement Planning Approach Advisory services are offered through CD Financial LLC dba CD Financial, an Investment Advisor in the State of California. Insurance products and services are offered through CD Financial & Insurance Services LLC, an affiliated company. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of CD Financial and our editorial staff. The information contained in this material has been derived from sources believed to be reliable but is not guaranteed as to accuracy and completeness and does not purport to be a complete analysis of the materials discussed. All information and ideas should be discussed in detail with your individual adviser prior to implementation. Support the show

    3 min
  8. Staying the Course in Retirement When the Market Drops

    APR 30

    Staying the Course in Retirement When the Market Drops

    Get the digital book at no cost to you here: https://cdfinancial.org/being-a-federal-employee-in-the-era-of-trump-book/ Market corrections reveal whether you have investments or whether you have a retirement plan. If you are deciding whether to keep funding your TSP or 401(k), move toward the G Fund, or stay disciplined during market volatility, this conversation is for you. In this video, we discuss what to consider during a market downturn, how ongoing TSP or 401(k) contributions can work during lower markets, why timing the market requires being right twice, and why reducing risk should be part of a plan rather than a reaction to fear. Checklist Challenge: https://cdfinancial.org/checklist-challenge/ FREE 15-minute call: https://calendly.com/charlesdzama/complimentary-15-minute-phone-call-youtube Newsletter: https://cdfinancial.com/newsletter WHO ARE WE? CD Financial helps federal employees and near-retirees create sustainable, tax-smart retirement income. Expect weekly strategies on 401K, FERS, TSP, Social Security timing, tax planning, and health-meets-wealth habits—clear, practical, compliant. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Market Advice, Panic, and Staying the Course 0:26 Retiree vs. Working Perspective on Market Drops 1:18 Why Market Losses Trigger the Urge to Act 2:41 Recency Bias and Emotional Investing Decisions 3:43 What Staying the Course Means in a Retirement Plan 5:17 Dollar Cost Averaging in Your TSP or 401(k) 7:29 Adjusting Allocation Before Retirement 10:18 Federal Pension Income as a Retirement Foundation 12:19 Down Market Checklist for Retirees 15:13 Why Timing the Market Requires Two Hard Decisions Advisory services are offered through CD Financial LLC dba CD Financial, an Investment Advisor in the State of California. Insurance products and services are offered through CD Financial & Insurance Services LLC, an affiliated company. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of CD Financial and our editorial staff. The information contained in this material has been derived from sources believed to be reliable but is not guaranteed as to accuracy and completeness and does not purport to be a complete analysis of the materials discussed. All information and ideas should be discussed in detail with your individual adviser prior to implementation. Support the show

    25 min
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About

The objective of this podcast is to educate and enlighten you about your federal benefits and to guide you in creating a well-formed retirement income plan. Schedule your complimentary 15-minute phone call today! https://calendly.com/charlesdzama/dzamatalk-complimentary-15-min-phone-call

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